PRO ref PROB11/90
T[estamentum] Cutbert Fetherstone
[Will of Cuthbert Fetherstone]
In the name of God, Amen.
The sixt and twentith daye of June in the yeare of our Lord God one Thowsand five hundered nyntie and sixe, and in the Eighte and thirtith yeare of the raigne of our soveraigne Ladie Elizabeth, by the grace of God, Queene of England, Fraunce and Irelande, defender of the faithe etc,
I, Cutberte Fetherstone, Cittizen and Sadler of London, beinge at this presente in good and perfect healthe and memory, laude and praise be given unto Almightie God, knowinge that I am naturallie borne and ordayned to dye and departe from this naturall worlde and transitorye life, mynding and intendinge to sett in order as touchinge and concerninge my worldlie goodes which the Lord hath endued me withall, doe make my last will and testament therof in manner and forme following, that is to saye,
First and principallie I will and commende my soule into th'andes of Almightie God my mercifull father, and to Jesus Christe my Redeemer, constantlie trustinge that by and throughe the bitter deathe and passion of Jesus Christe, the onlye sonne of God, to have free remission and forgivenes of all my synnes,
and to be partaker of his heavenlie kingdome,
And after this my life ended, my desire is to be buryed in the parishe church of St Marye Magdalen, nere oulde fishstreete London, where I am a parishioner, remittinge the chardges of my funeralls to the good discretion of my Executrix hereundernamed.
Also I give and bequeathe to the poore people of the same parishe, in breade or money to be distributed amongest them in the daye of my buryall to the somme of twentie shillinges.
Alsoe I give and bequeathe to and amongest my three childeren, Percyvall Jackson, John Jackson th'elder, and John Jackson the yonger, the some of one hundered and fowerscoore poundes of lawfull money of Englande, equallie to be parted and distributed amongest them,
That is to saye, to everye of them Threescoore poundes a peece, to be payed and delivered unto them as they shall attaine and come to theire severall ages of one and twentie yeares,
And if anie of my said childeren shall happen to departe this life before that [in error for "they"] shall come to theire said ages of one and twentie yeares,
Then I will, and my minde is, that the parte and porcion of him or them soe deceasinge shall remaine and come to the other of them survyvinge and lyvinge,
And if all my said childeren shall happen to departe this naturall life before they shall come to theire said ages of one and twentie yeares,
Then I will, and my minde is, that the said somme of one hundereth and fowerscore poundes shalbe equallie parted and devided unto and amongest Anthonye Dixon, Mighell Dixon, William Dixon and Henry Dixon, childeren of Raphe Dixon, late of Worsingham in the countie of Durham, yoman, deceased.
And further I will, and my minde is, that my saide Executor hereundernamed shall, within convenient tyme after my decease, put in good and sufficient suerties to the chamber of this honorable cittie of London for the true answeringe and payinge of the saide legacey of one hundereth and fowerscoore poundes in manner and forme as is above expressed,
And that accordinge to the true intente and meaninge of this my last will and testament,
And that without anie gainesayinge in that behalfe or otherwise deliver the same to the chamber aforesaide, to the use and performaunce of this my will as aforesaide.
Alsoe I give and bequeathe unto Dorathie Dixon, wydowe, late wife of the saide Raphe Dixon deceased, and to the saide Anthonie, Mighell, William and Henry Dixon her childeren, to everye of them five poundes a peece, to be payed to them and everye of them within convenient tyme after my decease.
Alsoe I give and bequeathe to and amongest my honeste neighbours, to be spent uppon the daye of my buryall, fortie shillinges.
The rest and residue of all and singuler my goodes, chattells and debtes, after my debtes payed, my funerall expenses dischardged, and the Legaceys in this my last will and testamente performede, I wholie give and bequeathe unto Dorathie, my welbeloved wife, which said Dorathie I make, ordaine and constitute my sole Executrixe of this my last will and testamente.
And overseers of the same I nominate and appoynte Vyncent Williams, ymbroderer, and George Bromewell, yeoman, desyringe and prayinge them hartelie to assiste my said wife in the execution of this my said will, and to see my said childeren provided for, and theire Legaceys truelie payed, and for theire paynes herein to be taken I give and bequeath to ech of them Tenn shillinges a peece.
In wittnes whereof I have hereunto put my hande and seale the daye and yeare first above written.
Theise being witnesses;
By me John Revingtoun
Thomas Abery
signum Tho[me] Bentley [the mark of Thomas Bentley], clothworker
Teste Ric[hard]o Forster Scr[iptore] [Richard Forster, the writer, being witness]
M[emoran]d[um] that before th'ensealinge and signinge of this my will I doe give and beq[uea]th to Richard Forster Scr[iptor] tenn shillinges,
And alsoe to Thomas Bentlye my best gowne or twentie shillinges in money.
Probate of Will of Cutbert
Fetherstone, 1597
Probatum fuit Testamentum suprascriptu[m] apud London coram mag[ist]ro Joh[ann]e Hine legum doctore Surrogato venerabilis viri mag[ist]ri Will[iel]mi Lewin legum etiam doctoris curie prerogative Cant[uariensis] mag[ist]ri Custodis sive Commissarii
Nono die mens[i]s Septembris Anno d[omi]ni Millesimo quingentesimo nonagesimo Septimo
Juramento Dorathee relicte et executricis in hu[ius]mo[d]i testamento nominate
Cui commissa fuit Administracio bonorum Jurium et creditorum dicti defuncti de bene et fideliter administrando eadem ad sancta dei Evangelia Jurat[a]
[The above-written will was proved at London before Master John Hine, Doctor of Laws, Surrogate of the worshipful Master William Lewyn, also Doctor of Laws, Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury,
On the ninth day of the month of September in the year of our Lord one thousand five hundred and ninety seven,
By the oath of Dorothy, the relict and executor named in the will,
To whom administration of the goods, rights and credits of the said deceased was committed, she being sworn, on God's Holy Gospels, well and faithfully to administer the same.]