Will of John Iden

of Sandwich, Kent

First I bequethe unto the hospitall of Sainte Johns in Sandwich fyfty elles of Canves to make them sheetes with all whereof the one half to be bought and delivered and Sainte Clements faire next ensuinge, and the other half at Sainte Clementes faire then next followinge
Item I give unto Franncis Iden my eldest sonne my best gowne and the and the newe gowne which I now weare and my best Cloke
And unto my youngest sonne Thomas Iden I give my blacke gowne garnered with velvett, and my new black Cloke

And all the resydue of my goodes and Chattells, plate, Juells, wynes, Debtes to me owinge, housholde stuffe and all other whatsoever aswell moveable as unmoveable I give unto my wyfe Richardine Iden in consyderation that nether she nor her Children (that is to say) Anne Collier, Willm Collier nore Mercye Collyer shall not at any time heareafter challengene have any such somme or sommes of money nor goodes as before the solemnization of matrimony betwene me and the sayde Richardine I covenanted and bounde my self by Indenture made betweene me & Murten Halsnode late of Sandwich aforesayde deceased to pay unto them at such time and times as in the said Indenture at large is expressed
And in consideration also that she shall pay and discharge my debtes,

which Richardine my wyfe I doe by these presentes make and ordaine my sole executrix of this my present testament and last will
and Mr. Richardsonne of Sandwich aforesaid Jurate overseer of the same unto whome for his paynes therein to be taken I give tenne shillinges

And in wytnes whereof I the said John Iden hereunto have sett my hande & seale the day & yeare aforesaid
By me John Iden
These being wytnes: Willyam Richardson; Thomas Pawson; Charles Aldey Senr.

This is the last wyll of me the foresaid John Iden made the day and yeare aforesaide as touching the disposition of all my landes and tenements as well within the sayde towne and porte of Sandwiche as also at Flederlande in the parrishe of Eastry and Woorde [Worth] in the county of Kent

And first I will unto the said Richardine my wife all that my messuage or tenement with thappurtenannces [the appurtenances] scituate and beinge in Strand Streete in the parrishe of St. Peeters in Sandwich aforesayde wherein Simon Mantle, Tailor and others now dwell to be had and holden to her & her assignes for and duringe the whole tearme of her naturall life ymmediately after my decease And also for the leace and interest of the White Harte wherein I now dwell And also the free use and occupienge of my garden in Sainte Clemenetes pishe for the tearme of tenne yeares next after my decease without any accompte or rent payenge to any p[er]son or persons

Provided allwayes that it shall not be lawful for my sayde wife nor her executors nor assignes to take and carry away any the longe settles nor glasse wyndowes fastned in the White Harte and leave that howse destitute
And th[at] after the decease of the sayde Rychardine my wyfe I will the sayde messuage or tenement with thappurtenannces in thoccupation of the sayde Symon Mantell and other unto unto my sayde sonne Thomas Iden, and also my garden in Sainte Clementes parrishe after thende and expiration of the sayde tenne yeares limited to my wyfe To be had and holden the same messuage and garden unto him my saide sonne Thomas and his heires for ever

Item I give unto Franncis Iden my eldest sonne aswell all that my messuage and tenemente comonly called The Three Kinges with all shoppes stables sellers and buyldinges thereunto adjoyninge and belonginge with thappurtenannces scituate lienge and beinge on the south syde of strand Streete in the sayde parrishe of Sainte Peeters in Sandwiche aforesayde now in thoccupations of Samuell Debury, a tipler and Richard Hawker, grocer
And also all that my little messuage or tenemente with thappurtenannces in Tareshefe Streete in the parrishe of Sainte Clementes in Sandewich aforesayde now in thoccupation of John Thomson, marryner To be had and holden unto the same Franncis Iden my sonne his heires and assignes for ever ymmediatlie after my decease As also the leace & interest of the White Harte after the deathe of the said Richardine my wife

Item I will and appointe by these presentes that my sayde wife Richardine shall have the keepinge and beinginge upp of my three daughters Sara Iden, Elizabeth Iden and Mary Iden untill they shalbe ether marryed or accomplishe the age of one and twenty yeares, yf they and she shall live so longe together towardes whose keepinge and payment of twelveskore poundes [£240] of lawfull money of England which I will the same Richardine shall pay as followeth (that is to say),
unto my sonne Thomas Iden at his age of xxiiij yeares threeskore poundes, and to every of my said three daughters threskore poundes a peece at there severall ages of xxj yeares

I will th[a]t she my sayde wife and her assignes from time to time for & duringe the tearme of tenne yeares next after my deathe shall and may laufully levye receyve have holde and enjoye all the issues rentes revennues and profitts of all my other houses landes and tenementes before in these presentes not willed or given (keepinge the due reparations thereof) that is to say, my farme and lande at Felderland in the occupation of John Golder or his assignes, my house called the Harte and Swanne and my house thereunto adjoyninge called The Lambe at Luckes bote in the parrishe of Sainte Peeters aforesayde, my corner house in the corne markett in the occupation of Edward Fanne, Cooper, my house in Strand Streete nowe in thoccupation of certaine Dutche People and late in the occupation of Willyam Collien, Shipwrighte, and my house in Tareshefe Streate in the parrishe of St. Clementes in thoccupation of _____ Eastbrooke, Tayler
And to have the lettinge and settinge of them to farme for that time yf occasion serve

And that it shall and may be laufull to and for the sayde Richardine my wife and her ass[ign]s from time to time duringe the saide tearme of tenne yeares for and in defalte of paymente of the said issues rents and Revennues or any of them into the same houses landes and tenements and every of them when as often as suche defaulte of paymente of rent shall happen, to enter and distraine and the distresse and distresses in that behalffe from time to time taken to leade, dryve, carrye away and with holde untill the sayde issues rentes and revennues and the arreragies thereof (if any be) shalbe unto the said Richardine or her assignes fully satisfied and payde

And after the expiration of the sayde tenne yeares I will my saide farme and lande at Felderland unto my sonne Franncis Iden and his heires for ever
And so likewyse after thend of the sayde tenne yeares I give unto my sonne Thomas Iden and to his heires for ever, my corner messuage or tenemente in the corne markett in thoccupation of the sayde Edward Fanne, and my messuage or ten[emen]te called The Harte and Swanne aforesaide, and also my garden in the parrishe of Sainte Clemente as aforesaide
Item I will unto my eldest daughter Sara Iden after the ende and expiration of the saide tenne yeares my saide messuage or tenemente with thappurtenannces in Strand streete in the parrishe of Sainte Clementes late in thpccupation of the said Willyam Collyen Shipwrighte To be had to her & her heires laufully begotten for ever

And further my will is that if Franncis Iden my eldest sonne doe at all times hereafter (as becometh a goode Christian and the obedient childe of a lovinge father which tendreth the good quiett that ought to be betweene him and his mother in lawe my saide wife) Civilly Courteously and honestly use and demeane him selfe towardes the sayde Richardine my wife and do not any wise rigorously troble and ill intreate her, but suffer her quietlie and peaceably to have and enjoy all and every guyfte and bequest to her before willed accordinge to the true meaninge and construction of this my last will and testamente

That then he shall have and holde to him and his heires for ever after thende of the foresayde tenne yeares limited to my wife my two little tenements, the one called the lambe in thoccupation of John Harvie at Lucke bote, and the other in taresheafe streete in the parrishe of Sainnte Clemente in the occupation of the saide Eastebrooke,
Payenge unto my two daughters Elizabeth and Mary Iden five pounde a peece at there severall ages of xxj yeares yf so be that there severall portions of threeskore pounde a peece payable as is aforesaid by my sayde wife cannott be arreared unto of the issues rentes and revenues as aforesayde limited unto my wyfe

But if my saide sonne Frauncis shall not as aforesayde deale friendly and well with my said wife his mother in law Then my will he shall not have the saide two tenementes but they shall remaine unto my sonne Thomas Iden and his heires for ever, payenge unto my sayde two daughters five pounde a peece as aforesayde
And further my will is that in the guyfte and bequests appertayninge to my said two sonnes they shalbe heires one unto the other if ether of them shall happen to dye without issue of there bodies laufully cominge And so likewyse my will is that my daughters in there guyfts and portions shalbe heires one into the other of them if any of them shall happen to dye without issue of any there bodyes laufully cominge

Provided allwayes that yf at any time hearafter it shall fall out that any of my said sonnes shall not holde him selfe contented with that which I have herein given and allotted him but will goe abowte to infringe or flye from this my will and so offeringe or usinge meanes to molest & troble the other his brother or his heires to disherrite or take a way such landes houses and tenementes as I have given him by this my will, then I will that he who so infringeth or flyeth from this my will shall & may (have) no parte nor portion thereby, but loose the whole benefytte of this my present last will
And from thenceforthe all the landes houses and tenementes whatsoever to him that so infringeth or flieth from this my will shalbe and remaine unto the other of my said sonnes w[hi]ch is and shalbe contented with suche guyfte and bequeste as I have herein given and bequethed him any thinge before herein conteyned to the contrary thereof in any wyse notwithstandinge

Provided also and the better to explaine my meaninge as touchinge those twelveskore poundes which I have as aforesayde appointed my wife to pay unto my sonne Thomas, and my three daughters, yf the rentes and revenues of my sayde landes and tenementes limited unto my said wife for tenne yeares as aforesaid (the most parte whereof standeth uppon houses in this towne of Sandwiche) shall happen to abate and fall so lowe and to be so much lesse by reason of the departure of the dutche people here in this sayde towne now inhabitinge, and of the greate Chargies which happely may ryse in the reparations thereof as the same rentes and revenues will not extende and amounte unto twelveskore poundes in that tearme of tenne yeares Then my will and mynde is that my said sonne Thomas and daughters portions of money shall likewyse abate and be so muche the lesse by how muche these rentes and revenues with the deduction of the Charge the reparations thereout shall want of the said twelveskore pounds

And my will likewyse that if my said wyfe Richardine shall happen to dye before thende and expiration of the expiration of the sayde tenne yeares before limited then I will that the maior [mayor] and jurates the kepers of the Orphants of this towne of Sandwch shall have the governement and disposition of my sonne and daughters and there portions duringe the resydue of the saide terme of tenne years And shall have authoritie to take accompte and make allow annie for the keepinge and the rentes and revenues receaved by my said wife
And at the ende of the said tenne yeares and other times before appointed make payment unto my said sonne Thomas and my three daughters of there severall portions an orderinge to the purporte and true meaninge of this my last will and testamt.

And lastly for the better assurannce of the said portions of money to be payde as aforesaid unto my said sonne and daughters by my wyfe I will that she with good suertie shall enter into sufficient bond unto the maior and Jurates of this towne keepers of the orphants for the time beinge within three monethes next after my decease for the due answeringe of my said sonne and threee daughters there severall portions of money accordinge to this my will

In Wytnes whereof I the said John Iden have hereunto sett my hande (and) seale the day and yeare aforesaid
These being wytnesses: Willyan Richardson; Thomas Pawson; Charles Aldey senr.
By me John Iden

Probatum fuit: 18th January 1586/7

Notes:
Mr. John Iden, Jurate was buried at St. Peter, Sandwich, Kent on 19th December 1586.
Mary Iden, wife of John, was buried there on 8th March 1580.
John Iden remarried to Rycharden Collyar at St. Mary the Virgin, Sandwich on 25th June 1581. He was already a Jurat at that date.
Richarden Idden, Widow, married Henry Bishop, both of St. Mary, Sandwich, on 21st August 1587, at St. Mary the Virgin, Sandwich.

Transcribed by Mrs. Shelagh Mason 25th January 2023

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