PRO ref PROB11/84
[Testamentum] Thome Fetherston
[Will of Thomas Fetherston]
In the name of God, Amen.
The thirteth daye of the moneth of Maye A thowsand Five hundreth Ninety Fowre.
I, Thomas Fetherston, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwicke, Furberer, sick in bodye but, thanckes be unto God, perfecte in memorye, doe with the assistaunce of God make this my Testament,
conteyned therein my Last will in manner and forme following.
First I Bequeathe my Sowle to Almightie God my Creator, trusting assuredly by the deathe and bloudshedding of his Sonne Jesus Christ, my Savyor and Redemer, to be one of the number of his elect children at the generall daye of Judgement, when the secretes of all hartes shalbe opened, and to be partaker of the Joyfull sentence that then shalbe pronounced, "Come ye, blessed of my Father, possesse the Kingdome prepared for you."
And when it shall please God to seperate my Sowle and Bodye, I commend my Bodye to the earthe of whiche it was formed,
And to be buryed in the Chauncell in the Churche of Birmingham, my parrishe Churche,
And for the breaking of the grounde there I give six shillinges eighte pence.
And as concerning my worldly possessions and goodes whiche God hathe endowed me withall, I will nowe by his helpe sett in order as followeth.
First I give and bequeathe unto my daughter Marye Fetherston, after the decease of Margarett my wyfe, during the naturall lyfe of the saide Marye, the howse in Dereatend [Deritend] nowe in the tenure of John Haybord the elder, with halfe the Barne and halfe the garden thereto belonging,
And Twenty poundes of money whiche her Uncle Lenecars gave her and is in the handes of Thomas Allen her Brother in Lawe,
And I give unto the saide Marye twoe kyen [kine, cows] whiche are knowne and goe with mine.
Also I give and bequeathe unto William Fetherston my sonne and unto Elizabeth my daughter, during the terme of seaven yeares, the yearely Rent of three poundes (that is to saye),
Owte of my Rounde abowte Croft Forty shillinges yearely,
And owte of the shoppe that is in the tenure of Richarde Tunckes Tenne shillinges yearely,
And owte of my owne shoppe tenne shillinges yearely, during the saide terme,
Over and besides suche porc[i]ons of money as was given unto them by theire late uncle Lenecars, whiche is unto the saide William forty poundes, And unto the saide Elizabeth Fifty poundes, whiche is in the handes and Custodye of Thomas Allen theire Brother in Lawe.
Item I give and bequeathe unto Timothye Fetherston my Sonne, during his naturall lyfe, my Crofte or parcell of Lands called the Rounde abowte Crofte, Lying and being in the Lordshipp of Birmingham, paying during the terme of seaven yeares, unto William Fetherston and Elizabeth Fetherston, the yearely Rent of forty shillinges, And to enter on the same within three moneths next after my decease.
And unto the saide Timothye twenty poundes whiche his Uncle William Lenecars gave him whiche is in the Custodye of the saide Thomas Allen
Also I bequeathe unto the saide Timothye, during his naturall lyfe, after the decease of Margarett my wyfe, the howse in Dereatend in the tenure of John Haybord the yonger, with the Com[m]odityes and appurten[au]nces thereto belonging.
Also I give unto the saide Timothie my best Cloke.
Also I give and bequeathe unto my sonne John Fetherston my Shoppe, with the use thereof, with all my wares in it, my Coslettes, my swordes and daggers, my Coffers, my Balles and Andvilde, And all the Blades in the Coffer in the howse, and all other thinges in the saide shoppe thereto belonging,
Paying unto William Fetherston and Elizabeth my daughter Tenne shillinges, during the terme of seaven yeares yearely whiche I have given them,
And the wheele to grynde on when he hathe neede, not troubling his mother, for I gave it her, And yet of good will she is content to lett him have it during her lyfe, paying her six shillinges eighte pence a yeare, making his waye to and fro the saide shoppe throughe the streete.
Also I give and bequeathe unto the saide John Fetherston and his heires for ever my Howse or Tenement in the Lordshippe of Bordesley, nowe in the tenure of Thomas Jessoppe and Margarett
Blagdon, with the other howses, edifices and buildinges, backside and garden to the same belonging, and the shoppe newly reedifyed and builded wherein Richarde Tunckes dothe dwell,
Condic[i]onally he paying owte of the same, during the terme of seaven yeares unto William my sonne and Elizabeth my daughter Tenne shillinges whiche I have given unto them in this my Will, And to enter uppon the saide howse and shoppe ym[m]ediatly after my decease.
Also I give and bequeathe unto the saide John one Cowe to give him milke, and my best gowne, and my golde Ringe.
And also I give unto my godsonne Thomas Fetherston and Anne Fetherston, my Sonne John his Children, my twoe heyfers at the stakes.
And also my will is, and I doe ordayne, that yf William my sonne or El[i]zabeth my daughter, or either of them, fortune to decease this mortall lyfe before the time of theire severall mariages, then the yearely Rentes whiche I have giving them shall remaine to the use of my Sonne Allen his Children, John
Fetherston his Children, And Marye her Children yf she have any then.
Also I give unto Richard Tunckes my olde Cote and my olde dublett.
All the rest of my goodes, Cattelles and Chattelles not here bequeathed, onely excepted the waynescott, seelinges and benches whiche are fixed to the Freeholde, my debtes paide, my Legaceis
discharged, my Bodye broughte to the earthe, I give and Bequeathe unto Margarett my Loving wyfe,
And I doe ordayne and make Margarett my wyfe and John Fetherston my sonne my Executors of this my Testament, conteyned therein my Last will, charging and requyring them to receive the debtes owing unto me,
And also to paye my debtes, And to fulfill my Legaceis according to the true meaning hereof,
And I desyre my welbeloved in Christ, John Bennett of Dereatend and Thomas Somerland of the same, to be my trustie overseers, to see this my Last will and testament performed according to the
true meaning hereof,
And they to have for theire paynes taking Five shillinges a peece of Lawfull money of England.
In Wittnesse whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of John Bennett, Thomas Somerland, Symond Somerland and John Fetherston, with others.
Probate of Will of Thomas
Fetherston, 1594
Probatum fuit Testamentum suprascriptum apud London Coram Venerabili Viro m[agist]ro Will[iel]mo Lewyn Legum doctore Curie Prerogative Cant[uariensis] Mag[ist]ro Custode sive Commissario
L[egi]time deputato
Septimo die mens[i]s Novembris Anno D[omi]ni Mill[es]imo Quingentesimo Nonagesimo Quarto
Juramento m[agist]ri Thome Browne notarii publici procuratoris Margarete Fetherston Relicte et Johannis Fetherston filii naturalis et L[egi]timi dict[i] defunct[i] et executorum in h[uius]mo[d]i Testamento nominat[orum]
Quibus commissa fuit administrac[i]o etc De bene et fidel[ite]r administrand[o] etc Ad sancta dei Evangelia Jurat[is]
Ex[aminatu]r
[The above-written will was proved at London before the worshipful Master William Lewyn, Doctor of Laws, Master Keeper or Commissary, lawfully deputed, of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury,
On the seventh day of the month of November in the year of our Lord one thousand five hundred and ninety four,
By the oath of Master Thomas Browne, Notary Public, proctor of Margaret Fetherston, the relict, and of John Fetherston, the natural and lawful son of the said deceased, and the executors named in the will,
To whom administration etc was committed, they being sworn, on God's Holy Gospels, well and faithfully to administer etc.
Examined [ie copy compared with original.]]