Idley Will 1568/9

Will of John Idley

of Goodnestone (next Wingham), Kent


Source: Consistory Court of Canterbury, Canterbury Cathedral Archives PRC 32/31/182
Submitted by Margaret Glenn
In the name of God Amen The vijth daye of Septembare in the yere of our Lord God A thousand fyve hundreth three score and eyght [1568]
I John Idley of the p[ar]ishe of Goodnestone in the countye of Kent gent[leman] beinge of good memory (thanks be to Almyghty God) callinge to mynde the fragylitye of this worlde do make and declare this present last will and Testament in forme followinge
Fyrst I bequeth my soule to Almyghty God my creator and redemer by the meryts of whoes passion glorius ressurrection and assensyon I truste to be saved and my body to be buryed in the churche yearde of Goodnestone aforesayd

Item I bequethe unto the poore people of Goodnestone xxs to be distributed emonge them by the dyscresion of my executrix
Item I geve and bequeth to Jane my dowghter fyfty pownds of lawfull money of Inglond to be payed to her in the daye of her maryage or at her age of twenty yeres at her ellection or theyse [choise?]
And yf it fortune the sayde Jane to decease before her sayd age of twenty yeres or daye of her maryage then I will the same money to remayne to my sayd sonne Will[ia]m
And yf my sayd sonne Willm do departe before the age of xx yeres Then I will the sayde fyfte pounds To remayne to John my sonne when he shall accomplishe the age of xxj yeres

Item I will that Thomasin my wife shall have my leaze of the parsonage of Goodneston and my leaze that I have of Willm Wedoeden

Item I geve and bequeth to Willm my sonne twentye and fyve pounds of lawfull money of England when he shall accomplishe th[e ]age of xxj yeres
And I lyke wyse geve unto the sayd John my sonne twenty and fyve pounds of lawfull money of England when he shall accomplishe thage of xxj yeres
And also I geve and bequeth to eyther of my sayd sonnes Willm and John v quarters of wheat and fyve quarters of Barley to be lyke wyse delyrved by my sayd Executrix when they shall accomplishe the sayd age of xxj yeres
Also I will th[e ]one of my sayd sonnes to be thothers heyer
And yf yt fortune my sayde sonnes Willm and John to decease before the sayd aged of xxj yeres then I will the sayd porsyons (gyven and bequethed to the sayd Willm and John) shall remayne to Jane my dowghter to be payd to her when she shall accomplish thage of twenty yeres or at her maryage

Also I geve and bequeth to Jane Gould my Systers dowghter xxvjs viijd [26s 8d] to be payd wthin one hole yere next after my decease
Item I geve and bequeth unto my Syster Elizabeth Idley vj Li xiijs iiijd [£6 13s 4d] to be payd to her at her age of xxj yeres
and yf yt fortune the sayd Elizabeth to decease before her sayd age of xxj yeres, then I will the sayd money shall remayne to my sayd sonne Willm, to be payd to the sayd Willm when he shall accomplish his sayd age of xxj yeres And yf yt fortune the sayde Willm to decease before the sayd age Then I will the sayd porsyon shall remayne to my sayd sonne John, when he shall accomplishe the sayd age of xxj yeres

Item I geve and bequeth to John Idley sonne of Peter Idley xls to be payd when he shall accomplisshe thage of xxj yeres
and yf yt fortune the sayd John to decease before the sayd age Then I will the same to remayne to Willm my sonne when he shall accomplishe his sayd age of xxj yeres And yf yt fortune the sayd Willim to decease before his sayd age Then I will the same to remayne to John my sonne when he shall accomplishe the sayd age of xxj yeres

Item I geve and bequeth to John Adams twentye shillinges when he shall come to thage of xxj yeres
and yf yt fortune hym to decease before the sayd age Then I will the same to remayne to Willm my sonne when he shall accomplishe his sayd age of xxj yeres And yf yt fortune the sayd Willim to decease before his sayd age Then I will the same to remayne to John my sonne

The Resydew of my moveable goods & cattalls and debs and legacs contented and payd I geve and bequeth to Thomasin my wyf Whome I make sole Executrix of this my present laste will and testament
And I ordayne and make my brother John gent and Henry Vynsent my oversears of this my present testament and last will

Thys ys The last will of my the sayd John Idley made the day and yere above sayd as towchinge the disposision of all my lands and ten[emen]ts in the county of Kent

Fyrst I will that Willm my eldest sonne shall have all those my lands and tene'ts in the parrishe of Hedcorne, Smarden or els wheare in the weylde [Weald] of Kent w[hi]ch came and dyscended to me the sayd John in the ryht of Elizabeth my mother as dowghter and heyre of Edward Borden gent

Also I geve and bequeth to the sayd Willm my sonne that same one ten[emen]te and the lands thereto appertayninge sett lyinge and beinge in Goodnestone aforesayd wch I late purchased of Thomas Taylor
And also I geve and bequeth to the sayd Willm my sonne one ten'te and the lands thereto appertayninge sett at Rollinge in Goodnestone aforesayd late purchased of John Adames
Also I geve to the sayd Willm my sonne those fyve acres of Lande sett at Rollinge Late purchased of Robert Adames,
To have and to hold the said Landes and tenements withe thappurtenncs [the appurtenances] to the said William my sonne and to his heires for ever

Item I give and bequethe to John my sonne all that my Parte and purparte of all thos(e) my lands and ten'ts w[i]th thappurtenncs sett lyinge and beinge in the p[ar]ishe of Goodnestone, Staple, Woodnesborough or els where beinge not before gyven and bequethed to my sayd sonne Willm To have and hold the sayd lands and tente to the sayd John and his heyers for ever

Also I will that my sayd wif(e) and Executrix shall have the orderinge of my sayd lands and tente before geven and bequethed to my sayd sonnes, and also to receyve the rentes, revenewes and p[ro]ffyttes of the sayd lands tyll my sayd sonnes shall com to theyr sevrall ages of xxj yres freely wthout any accompte to be made And also that uppon the same revenewes my sayd Executrix shall content paye and satisfye all my debtts and legeacs wch my movable goods will not extende to paye or dyscharge
Also I will that my sayd wyf shall well and suffyciently kepe maynatyne and brynge upp my sayd chyldren in learninge at her costes and charges tyll they shall accomplisshe theyr sayd ages of xxj yeres

Item I will that my sayd wyf nor any in her ryght shall not sell lopp topp or shorow any woods or Underwoodes otherwyse then for necessary reparcons [reparations] of the howses aforesayd and the same to be taken by the assignment of my sayd ovrsears
Item I will that my sayd Executrix shall suffycently kepe the reparacons of the howses and dyscharge the p[ar]te rents yerly and to the Lordes of the fee or fees tyll my sayd sonnes shall accomplishe theyr sayd sevrall ages of xxj yeres And to delyver the same at theyr sayd age or ages well repayred and frely dyscharged of all charges and encombrancs

And further my will and mynde ys that my sayd wif shall wthin vj wekes next after my decease becom? bounden to my sayd ovrsears wth two suffycent suites in suche somes as by them be thought mete for probate of this presente testament and last will and for p[er]formans of the same in forme aforesayd And yf she do not becom bounde or refuse to be bounde in forme aforesayd That then I will that she shall lose the benyfytt of this my present last will and Testament

In Wytnes where of I the sayd John Idley to this my last will and Testament my hand have sett the daye and yeres fyrst above wrytten
By me John Idley
Present at the declarason and subscripcon of this present testament
Chrystofer Harflett; John See; Henry Vincente; Willm Golde with others

Probatum fuit: 13th March 1568/69

Notes:
Edward Hasted's The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent (2nd Ed., Vol. 9, p. 244) states:
Rolling, usually called Rowling, is a manor and hamlet, in the eastern part of this parish (Goodnestone) which takes its name from the borough in which it is situated ... King Henry’s reign. John Adams was become possessed of it, and he sold it to John Idley, gent. who resided here, and dying in 1568, was buried in this church. He left it to John his second son, who alienated it to Thomas Butler ..... of Eastry, Kent.
Sons William and John are both christened at Holy Cross, Goodnestone, Kent: William on 13th April 1567; John (Idlay) on 30th April 1568.
John Idley married Tomsen Sea on 29th May 1558 at St. Martin, Herne, Kent.

Transcribed by Mrs. Shelagh Mason 2nd-3rd April 2022


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Will of John Idley
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