Day Will 1546
Will of Stephen Day
of Biddenden, Kent
Source: Archdeaconry Court of Canterbury PRC17/24/179
Submitted by Roy Day
In the name of God Amen,
The 5th daye of July in the yere of our Lorde God Ml D xlvto [1545],
I, Stephen Daye, of Biddenden in the countie of Kent, yeoman, do ordeyne and make my
testament and last Will in mann[er] and forme folowing.
First I bequeith my soule unto Almightie God and to all the blessed compaigny in heaven,
and my body to be buried in the Churcheyard of Biddenden forsaid.
It[e]m I do bequeith for to bestowe at myn[e] out buryinge, in the p[ar]risshe churche of
Biddenden aforsaid, in masses, dirige [dirge] and Charitable dead[es] [deeds] 8s,
And also in like man[er] att my monthesday 8s, and at my yerismynd [year�s mind] at the
discrec[i]on of myn[e] executour.
Also I bequeith unto the sacrament of the highe aulter, for my tithes and oblac[i]ons
negligently forgotten and not don[e], 4d.
Also I will that Agnes my wiff shall have, terme of her liff, out of my landes in
Biddenden and Byddenden [in error for �Benenden�?], yerely, 20s st[er]linge, that is to saye, out
of my landes in Benenden 13s 4d, and out of my landes in Bide[n]den 6s 8d, quarterly to be paide
by equall porc[i]ons,
And for lacke of payment therof at any tyme due to be paide and not paide, it shalbe lefull
[lawful] unto the saide Agnes and her assignes into the saide p[re]mysses to goo in, and there for
to entre and distreigne,
And the same distresses ther had, founde or taken from thence, to leade, dryve and cary
awey, impound, retayne, holde and kepe untill the tyme that all th�arrerages therof be unto the
saide Agnes or unto her assignes fully satisfied, contented and paide, w[i]t[h] the costes and
damages therof susteyned.
Also I will that the saide Agnes my wif shall have her dwellinge in my bakhouse in
Biddenden, w[i]t[h] fre goinge and co[m]mynge unto it at all tymes for to do all her necessaries
and busynes, both for her and her assigneis, duringe her naturall liff, and therfor to be set up a
lofte w[i]t[h] a wodden chimney by myn[e] executor by the Feast of Saynt Mighell
th�[ar]ch[au]ngell next co[m]mynge after my decease.
Also I will that the saide Agnes for to have an herber roome [arbour, lodging], ioyning
next unto the saide house, t[er]me of her liff.
Also I will that the saide Agnes my wif shall have my best cowe that I have in my
kepinge, to be kept for her upon the saide landes, bothe wynter and somer, at the charge of
myn[e] executor, duringe the t[er]me and liffe of the saide Agnes.
And also I will that the said Agnes shall have a crofte of wheat called Maoreh[a]m and
also all my howshold stuf.
Also I will unto my daughter Elizabeth �6 13s 4d to be paide unto her by myn[e]
executor, at the day of her mariage if that she do mary before th�age of 21 yeres, or els at the age
of 21 yeres.
And if the saide Elizabeth fortune to dye unmaried and w[i]t[h]in th�age of 21, Then I will
that the saide �6 13s 4d to remayn[e] unto myn[e] executor.
It[e]m I will that Will[ia]m Daye my sonn have my loame w[i]t[h] all the harnesse that
belongith unto it, and also one budde and one maadeflag and a coteclothe of 2 yard[es] and a half
of clothe the w[hi]ch is now in the loame.
And I will unto John Day my son all my woll lyinge in my garner, the su[m]me in value
�7 6s, apon the condic[i]on that the said John do pay or cause to be paide unto Agnes his mother,
at this side and before the Feaste off Christmasse next after my decease, �6 13s 4d for to
discharge his brother Will[ia]m�s land[es], the w[hi]ch standith bounde unto Agnes his mother
for her moth ioynter,
And if the said money be not paid by Christmas next after my decease, That then I will
that Will[ia]m my sonne to have the saide woll and to discharge his saide landes ov[er] against
his moth[er], and John Hasildenne for to kepe the key of the gardn[er] wher[e] that the woll is,
indifferently for them bothe.
Also I will unto John my son[e] all my movaible good[es] not willed nor bequeithed, he
payinge my debt[es] and bequeathes, and to p[er]forme and fulfill this my Last Will and
testament,
The w[hi]ch John I do ordeyn[e] and make myn[e] Executor, as I do put him in truste.
This is the Last Will of me, the saide Stephan Daye, made and declared the 5th day of July
in the Reigne of our Sov[er]aigne Lorde Henry the VIIIth by the grace of God, Kinge of England,
Fr[au]nce and Irland, defender of the faithe, and next Immediately under Christ, Supreme heade
of the churche of England and Ireland, the 37th yere, concernyng all my landes and
ten[em]ent[es], w[i]t[h] th�appurten[au]nces, lying and beinge in Biddenden and Benenden in the
countie of Kent.
First I will unto John Daye my sonne my mesuage and all my landes, w[i]t[h] their
app[ur]ten[au]nc[es] lyinge and being in Biddenden,
And also I will unto Will[ia]m Daye my sonne my mesuage and all my landes, w[i]t[h]
there app[ur]ten[au]nces, lyinge and beinge in Benenden.
Witness at the makinge of this will,
John Hasilden th�eldre [ie sworn for probate purposes],
John a Nowar, Richarde Snode and Thomas Hartdegge .
Probatum fuit p[rese]ns test[amentu]m octavo Junii Anno d[omi]ni Mill[esi]mo Do xlvjto
jura[men]t[is] Joannis Hasilden et Thome Hartrege testiu[m] ac app[ro]bat[um]
Onusq[ue] exec[ucionis] eiusd[em] co[m]missa executori etc iurato
Dat[um] etc
[The present will was proved on the eighth of June in the 1546th year of our Lord by the
oaths of John Hasilden and Thomas Hartrege, the witnesses, and approved,
And the burden of execution of the same was committed to the executor etc, he being
sworn. Given etc.]
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Will of Stephen Day
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