Solley Will 1558/9

Will of Stephen Sollye

of Ash-next-Sandwich, Kent


Source: Consistory Court of Canterbury PRC 32/27/337
Submitted by Margaret Glenn
In the name of God Amen The xxviijth [28th] daye of September in the year of oure Lorde God a Thousande Fyve hundreth fyftye Eight And in the yeare of oure Sovereigne Lord and Ladye kynge Phyllyppe and Quene Mary the Fowrth and Fyte
I Stephen Sollye of the parishe of Ash next Sandwiche in the Countye of Kent Yoman havine parfytt mynde ande good remembrannce (God be praysed) doo ordaine and make thys my Testament and last will after suche fourme, mannr and condycion as dooth ensue
Fyrste I Commende my sowle to Almighty God oure Ladye Sainte Marye And to all the holye companye of heaven, And my boddy to be buried in the churche yarde of Ashe aforsayd Wheeras my Executors shall thinke moste convenyent

Item I gyve and bequethe tenne shillings in monnye and one quarter of wheat to be baked into breadd, and the same monnye and breadd to be gyven and distrybuted by myne Executors to the poore people at my buryall in Ahshe aforesayd

Item I gyve and bequethe to Joane Moote my dawghter Fortye shillings in monnye to be payd to her within too yeers after my discease
Item I gyve and bequethe to Margarett Chapman dawghter of Annes Chapman my dawghter Twenty shillinges to be payd to her at the age of Eighteene yeers or at the daye of her marryage
Item I gyve and bequethe Christyan my wyffe the one halfe of my householde stuffe and moveables within my howse wheer I dwell

Item I gyve and bequethe to Christyan my wyffe Syxe kyn [cows] and Syxe quarters of Wheat, and Syxe quarters of malte towarde her fyndnge and Lyvinge yeerlye duringe her Lyffe
And the sayd Twelve quarters of Corne I will to be delyvered by my sonne Stephyn hys heires or assignes yeerlye duringe her Lyffe and at suche convenyent tyme as she shalle requyre the same And that to be good sufficient and Lawful corne

Also I wyll that Stephen Solley my sonne do yeerlye duringe the Lyffe of Christyan my wyffe kepe and Fynde the sayd Syxe kyen gyven and bequethed to my sayd wyffe or Syxe other kyen as she wyll at good pasture, and fodder, booth wynter and sommer yeerly at the onlye costes and charges of the sayd Stephen Solley hys heires and assigne

Also I wyll and bequethe to Christyan my wyffe Fowar pounnds of goode and Lawfull monnye of Englande yeerlye dueringe hyr naturall Lyffe to be payd by the sayd Stephen Sollye my sonne hys heires and assignes every quarter Twentye shillinges dueringe his? Lyffe naturall.
And for default of none paymeynt of the sayd Fower pounnds or any parte theerof at any of the tymes before Lymyted in manner and Fourme before mencyoned Then I will that Christian my wyffe shall enter and distrayne in all my sayd Landes and Tenementes or in any psell theerof And the ...... then and theer so taken to Dryve, Leade, bear, or carrye awaye and the same distresse soo taken to wthholde .... all untill the sayd some of fower ponndes and everye parcell theer of with the Costes and charges had and donne aboute the same be fullye contented satysfyed and payd

Item I will to Stephen Sollye sonne of Wyllyam Sollye my sonne my greate brasse pott save one, and a Fetherbedd whiche ys wth hys mother Syxe pewter platters and Syxe pewter dishes of good and Lawfull vessell, and Fowar pounds of good and Lawfull monnye of Englande, to be payd unto hym by Stephen Sollye my sonne hys heires and assignes at the age of Twentye twoo yeers

Also I will and bequethe to Christyan my Wyffe tenne Ewes, and the sayd Stephen Solley yeerlye dureinge the Lyffe of my wyfe to fede, and kepe the sayd Tenne Ewes at hys owne Coste and charges

Item I gyve also to Christyan my wyffe one sowe and Fowar Lyne ware of the best that I shall fortune to have at that prsent tyme and the sayd Stephen shall suffer his mother to kepe the sayd sowe wth Fowar Lyne now at hyr howse at Eodon [Hoaden] or any other sowe and Foar Lyne ware dureinge her Lyffe naturall

Item I will that the sayde Stephen Solley hys heires and assignes shall fynde and suffer hys mother to sowe one acre and a halfe of Lande with podware * she fyndinge the sede and one acre of Lande to sowe ottes she fyndinge them also in Lyke mannr dureinge her Lyffe naturall

Item I gyve and bequethe unto Thomas Solley my brothers sonne one Cowe to be delyrd within one monneth after my discease
Item I gyve & bequethe unto Joan Sollye, Ellen Sollye, Margarett Sollye and Mary Sollye, dawghters of Wylyyam Sollye my sonne Fortye shillinges equallye to be devyded betwene them that ys to either of them tenne shillinges to be delyrd unto them at the daye of theer marryage
And yf any of them dye before they come to marryage then I will the parte of her to be delyrd unto the other equallye
Item I gyve and bequethe to Stephen Sollye sonne of Wyllyam Sollye my sonne three kyen and tenne Ewes when he commeth to the age of Twenty twoo yeers

Item I will that Christyan my Wyffe shall kepe and fynde Dorothe my dawghters meat, and drinke, and Rayment wth all thinges necessarye for her boddye as Longe as yt shall fortune the sayd Christyan my wyffe to Lyve And hyr chyldren untyll they come to the age of vij [7] yeers and noo Longer
And after the desease of Christyan my wyffe I will that Stephen Solley my sonne hys heires, and assignes, shalle kepe and fynde the sayd Dorothe my dawghters meatt, and dryncke, and Rayment wch shall after? thinges necessarye for hyr

Item I will at the daye of my buryall theer be sayd and songe dirige * and Fyve masses for my sowle and all Christen sowles And I willtth of prestes that shalbe appone so singe those Fyve masses shalle come and feh.. [fetch] me att home, and to bringe me at churche as a christyan manr owght to be, And also the greatest bell in the parryshe churche of Ashe above named shalbe ronge at the daye of my buryall from Syxe of the cloke in ye moorning untyll Fowar of the cloke at afternone, and all the other bells at funrall tymes as the use ys to be
And also at my monethes mynde dirige songe, Fyve masses, and Fyve peles longe, And also at my twelvemonthes daye a dirige songe and Fyve masses and also Fyve peelles range in Lyke manner

Also I will yt yf John Cowp doo meddle wth anye that thinge that ys bequethed unto hys wyffe eyther wth her rayment of wth her bourde and wyll fortune to have her away from the sayed Stephen Sollye my sonne his heires, executors, assignes or administrators Then I will that he shalle forgoe all her Lyvinge dureinge all suche tyme as the sayd John Cowp shalle make any suche disturbannce and noo Longer

This is the Laste Wille of me Stephen Sollye of Ashe touchinge the diposycion of all my Landes and tenementes in the parryshe of Ashe And in all other placys

I will that Christyan my Wyffe shalle have my howse at Eadon Wheeras Stephen Solley my sonne nowe dwelleth dureinge the Lyffe naturall
the wch howse I will that Stephen Sollye shalle buylde and no halls theer to the chamber wchys on the southe ende of the haulls alredye the wche halle I will shalbe threeskore foote or length wth the olde chamber and xyiij foote in bredth wth three Loftes in the sayd haulle after the best manner the wch haulle I will that Stephen Solley my sonne shall buylde ymmediatly aftr my decease or wthin three yeers on the fartheste beeth thatche yt dobe yt, underr pynne yt [underpin it] sufficientlye
The wch haulle I will that Christyan my wyffe shalle have wth three acres of Lande lyenge about the howse to kepe her hoggs and her poultrye in owt the pffyt [profit] of all my orchards at Eodon in the parryshe of Ashe dureinge her naturall Lyffe
Also I will that Christyan my wyffe shall shrone, and toppe by her snell? upon any of my sayd farmes but not to fell any of my sayd none? of the grounds unlesse yt be some dedd tree the wch ys noo tymber
And also that Stephen Sollye my sonne shalle fynde the sayd Christyan my wyffe soo muche strawe as shalle soone her howse to brew, and to bake, and to doo her other busynes for hyr house dureinge her Lyffe naturall

And after the descease of Christyan my wyffe I will & bequethe my sayd Tenement and once acre of Lande [crossed through in will] at Hodon in the sayd parryshe of Ashe to Stephen Sollye sonne of Wyllyam Sollye my sonne at the age of xxij yeers with a cloase of pasture contayninge by estymaccon Fowar acres and one other cloase theerto Lyeinge contayninge by estymaccon one acre and a halfe of Lande Twoo closes next theerto conatyninge by estymaccon Syxe acres, and a halfe acre called cattes cloase in the parryshe of Wingham, and a Tenement with Eight acres, and one yard of Lande Lyeinge at Hoden aforesayd Late Symond Sollyes
And one tenement and Syxe acres of Lande Lyeinge at Hpeen [Hoaden] aforesayd with vij valls of Lande Lyeinge at a place called Crostyange, one care of Lande Lyeinge in our lord’s felde, twoo acres of pasture inclosed Lyeinge at Crekings, vij yardes of arable Lands lyeing of Crekinge, and one cloase of Lande contayninge Eighteene acres Late purchased of Wyllyam Owylter Gentylman, Three acres and a halfe of Lande lyeinge at wynters Stylle, Fower acres and a halfe of Lande at Shrokdowne in the parryshe of Ashe abovesayde, one acre and one Rodd of Lande Lyeinge at reddinge hyll in the parryshe of Staple, And halfe an acre of Land Late purchased of Wyllyam Dade Lyeinge at Dane Gap in Staple To have and to holde all the foresayde Landes and tenementes to the sayd Stephen Sollye sonne of Wyllyam Sollye my sonne after the age of Twenty Twoo yeers to hym and to hys heires for ever

And yf yt fortune that hys mother be wth chylde with a man chylde by Wyllyam Sollye my sonne I Wyll that Stephen Sollye sonne of Wyllyam Sollye my sonne shalle paye unto hys brother Tenne pounds of good, and Lawfull monnye of England at the age of Twenty Twoo yeers And yf yt be a woman I will the sayd Stephen to paye unto hyr at the daye of her marryage tenne Pounds

And yf yt fortune the sayd Stephen to dye before he come to ye age of Twenty Twoo yeers wthowt heires of hys boddye Lawfully begotten I wyll yt shalle remaine to hys brother or yf lacke of suche to remayne to Stephen Sollye the younger

Also I gyve and bequethe to Stephen Sollye my sonne my howse and tenement at Nash [Ash?] wth all my barnes, Stable, orchards, gardens, wth thappurtenannces theerto Lyenge in the sayd parrishe of Ashe with Twentye one acres of Lande pasture and Broke Lands theerto Lyenge wth thappurtenannces, one acre and one woodd of Lande Lyenge at Lees, and one acre and a halfe Lyenge at Lees Also in the parryshe of Ashe aforesayd, halfe an acre of Lade at Nash abovesayd And halfe an acre and halfe a woodd of Lande Lyinge at Ashe
And one Roodd of broke lande Lyenge to the common Forstall theer on the Southe, one acre of Lande in Ashe felde Late purchased of Mr. Rychard Monnynges gentylman, Three Raller? of Lande Lyenge at Pennyes Wedwes gate And Eight acres and halfe an acre of Lande inclosed called Bennts in the parryshe of Staple And one close of Lande contayninge viij acres and halfe cauuled Watrgore Lyenge at Shaterlinge [Shatterling] in the parryshe of Staple And all that my Tenement and gardyn with xvij acres of Lande Lyeinge in the parryshe of Staple called Bewholts Late purchased of Lawrannce Dade, one pece of Lande contayninge vij acres & a halfe cauled Catts Lande in the parryshe of Staple, And halfe an acre, and halfe a Rodde of Lande Lyenge at Shaterlinge in the parryshe of Staple, and one Rodd and a halfe of Lande Lyeinge theer at Shaterlinge aforesayd And one cloase of Lande inclosed contayninge tenne acres and a halfe, called Hobbyssvle? in the parrishe of Staple To have and to holde all the abovesayd Landes and Tenementes, and other the prmisses wth thappurtenannces to the sayd Stephen Sollye my sonne and to hys heires for ever more

Alsoe I will that if Stephen Sollye my sonne shall enter uppon any of the Landes and tenementes as he hath abovesayd that were hys mothers Landes wch I have wyylled by thys my Laste wyll to Stephen Sollye sonne of Wyllym Sollye my sonne Then I will that the sayd Stephen Sollye sonne of Wyllyam Sollye my sonne shall enter unto as muche of the best Landes wylled the sayd Stephen Sollye my sonne, and to occupye the same and to take the proffytts ther of of as Longe as the sayd Stephen Sollye and hys heires doo intterrupte, and disturbe the sayd Stephen Sollye sonne of Wyllyam Sollye my sonne, and noo Longer tymes

And also I will that Stephen Sollye my sonne shalle kepe the reparacions * of all my howses at [Hoaden] booth Wynde tighte and water tighte tyll the said Stephen Sollye sonne of Wyllyam Sollye come to the age of Twenty twoo yeers

The Resydew [Residue] of all my Landes and goodes moveable and immoveable, Core and Cattall nonbequethed or unwylled, I gyve and bequeth them hollye to the foresayd Stephen Sollye my sonne for ever
Whome I have ordayned Constytuted and chosen myne Executor of thys my Laste will and Testament
And also I have chosen Wyllyam Moote to be overseer of the same and he to have for hys paynes takyn tenne shillinges

These beinge Wytnesses Mr. Wyllyam Lynche (Vicar of Ashe) - Wyllyam Moote - Gyllarte Water (the Wryter heerof) - John Fowle wth others

Probatum fuit: [Latin] xiiijth die mensis Feby Anno dini 1559 [14th February 1559]

Notes: *
Podware – Legumes – e.g. peas, beans.
Dirige - A Roman Catholic service for the dead.
Reparations - the act or process of repairing or state of having been repaired.

Transcribed by Shelagh Mason 11th October 2020


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Will of Stephen Sollye
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