In the name of God Amen The vijth daye of Februarye in the yeere of or Lord one thowsand fyve hundrethe fiftye and nine [1559/60] and in the
Second yeare of the Reigne of or Sovreigne Ladye Elizabethe by the grace of God quene of Ingland Fraunce and Irelande, defendar of the faythe &c.
I Richard Syme of the p[ar]ishe of Byddynden in the countye of Kent Yeoman feelinge my selfe sycke in bodye but whole of mynde & of good and
p[er]fytt remembrance, Laude and preysse be gyven to God, Do co[n]stitute ordeyne and make this my pr[e]sent Testament consernynge herein my last
wyll in man[ne]r and forme followyinge, that ys to saye
Fyrst I compytee my Soule into the handes of Almyghtye God my maker & Redemer and my bodye to the earthe to be buryed wheare as ytt shall please
God my soule to dep[ar]te from ytt
Item I wyll that my executors shall burye my bodye to the earthe and to dystrybute in dedes of charytye iij busshells of wheate and iij busshells of malte and as muche Ale victualls as ys worthe xs wtin the sayd pishe of Byddynden
Item I gyve and bequethe to Margarett my wyfe iij kyne & a mayre & all my howsholde stuffe those pelles there under wrytt and expected
Item I gyve unto the sayd Margarett my wyffe all my Swyne & pygges wthall my bacon butter cheese & pinktrye [poultry?]
Item I gyve unto my sayd wyffe halfe my corne in my barne & house & halfe that that ys on the grounde
Item I do constitute ordeyne & make the sayd Margarett my wyffe & Thomas Syme my Sonne my sole exe[cut]ors of this my sayd Testament and last wyll to dispose any goodes here undr wylled accordyinge to the trew meanynge of this my sayd Testament & last wyll and for the [health] of my soule and all chrysten soules
Item I wyll that my sayd wyffe shall have the legacye up of my sayd children untyll suche tyme as they be able to gyve heyers? or Asygnes? or ells tyll they be able to be put forthe to some Maisters or occupacion which the ......... to become
Item gyve unto my sonne James my best cote? ..............
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....... all thinges thereto belongynge
Item I gyve unto my sonne George my next best cote & cappe
and I gyve unto my sayd sonne George more and to my sonne Thom[a]s to eyther of them a bood [budd] wt be called twelvemonthinges when they shall
accomplishe theyre aged of xxti [20] yers
Item I wyll that theyr shall remayne to my messuage wherein I now dwell a quorne, a cubbert [cupboard] that standethe in the parlor, a table, a
payre of tressells and a forme wch I gyve unto the heyre thereof
Item I wyll that my sayd executors shall have vertue to this my wyll to putt my sonne George to
some occupacyon or to his bonding whether hee hathe most mynde unto
Item I gyve unto my ij daughters that ys such Elyzabethe and Julyon ij beddes wtall thinges to them belongynge and also I gyve unto my seyd ij daughters to eyther of theym fyve markes a pece of usuall moneye of Ingland to be payed to eyther of theym att the dayes of theyre sevrall maryages or att theyr sevral aiges of xxjti yeres whether shall first fortune
Item I gyve unto my Daughter Alyce the wyfe of Thom(a)s Atwoode vjli xiijs iiijd [£6 13s 4d] of usuall moneye of Inglande to be payed
to her wthin iij yers next after my decease
Item I gyve unto my daughter in law Sysley Iglent a ij yers olde heihefer when shee shall accomplyshe thage of xxti yers
Item I gyve unto all my sonnes now lyvynge vjs viijd a peece to be payed to everye of theym as they shall accomplyshe theyre aiges of xxvjti yers
and yf anye of theym dep[ar]te this life before the(y) do acomplyshe theyre aiges aforesayed hys porcon or p[ar]te or ptes so dep[ar]tynge to
remayne to the survyvors of theym
Item I gyve unto my sonne Stephen vjli xiijs iiijd to be payed unto hym when hee shall accomplyshe his aige of xxvjti yers, the wch
vjli xiijs iiijd I wyll shalbe payed oute of my goodes yff theyre be so muche spare frome the payenge of my detts legacyes and bequests & byldyngs
where as I have here under in my wyll apppoynted to be bylled and if that theyre be nott so muche spare frome
payeinge of my detts, egacys & byldynge as ys aforesayed then I wyll that my sonne Richard shall
paye the sayed vjli xiijs iiijd oute of his p[ie]ce wch I have here under wylled unto him
The next part is crossed through: wthin ij yers next after the sayd Richard shall be in possessyon of his porcon? That I have here under
wylled unto hym
The Recedewe of all my moveable goodes & cattell nott above in this my testament bequethed & gyven after my detts, legacyes & funerall expences deducted & payed I gyve theym wholye unto my sayd wyfe to dyspose the same accordinge to her discressyon for the welthe of my Soule and all christen Soules
This ys the Last wyll of me the saide Richard Syme & by me made Especiallye declared in the prsents [presence] of the wytnesses of this my sayd last wyll & testament the daye and yeare fyrst above said As concernyng the dyspossytion of all my lands & tenements wth thappurtenncs [the appurtenances] sett lyeinge and beynge wthin the pishe of Byddynden aforesayed or els wheare
In primis I wyll unto Margarett my wyfe my pryncypall messuage wherein I now dwell towt [to wit] all & synguler theyre apprtenncs to co[n[teynge
by estymaycon xxviij acres and a halfe of grounde be ytt more or lesse as marks and bounds devyde and stoure?
lyeinge uppon the demes of Curells worchender & bortlye beynge devyded into viij peces besydes the close and garden .....
2 lines inserted in very small print here:
... whereof one pece is called hollow herst, iij peces called the vij acres, one pece of an acre, two more comyninge to ther landes yf they
of Stephen Bigher? & iij acres adjoyninge to the howse conteyninge by estymacion xviij acres aforesayd ...
... to have & holde the sayd howse & landes wth all & Synguler theyre apprtenncs unto the sayd
Margarett my wyfe duryinge & untyll my Sonne Richard do accomplyshe his aige of xxvjti yers
or duryinge & untyll suche tyme as hee shoulde accomplyshe his sayd aige of xxjiti yers
& yf the sayd Richard my sonne so fortune to depte this lyfe before hee accomplyshe his sayd aige of xxjiti yers then I wyll the sayd howse and
landes aforesayd wth all & Synguler theyre apprtenncs to the sayd Margarett my wyfe durynge the whole terme of her naurall lyf
And yf it fortune that my sayd wyffe be lyvynge after my sayd sonne Richard accomplyshe his aige of xxviti yers that then I wyll my sayd wyfe to have halfe the p[ro]fytts of my sayd howse & lands durynge all the term of her naturall lyfe as ys aforsayd & That after her decease I wyll the sayd howse & landes aforsayd wth all & Synguler theyre apprtenncs unto the sayd Richard my Sonne & to his heyres in fee symple for evr
And also my wyll ys that my sayd wyffe nor none for her or in her name to her use shall neyther fell stryppe nor wast no p[ar]te nor p[ar]cell of my woddes nor tymber belongynge to the sayd house & grounds but onelye for necessarye reperacyons of the same house & houses wch I wyll that my sayd wyfe shall kepe bothe wynde thyght [tight] & water thyght duryinge the tyme above specyfyed and iff she do nott my wyll ys that my heyre or heyres shall take vrtue by thys my wyll to put her oute anye thinge on this my prsent wyll to the contrarye not wth standyinge
Item I wyll that my sayd wyffe shall have the malte that ys grownynge of iij acres & a halfe of grounde lyenge to the woddes of Jorvyce morelind? northe southe & west & to the woddes of Robert Marden agaynst thest [the East] wch iij acres and a halfe of wodde I gyve unto my sayd wyfe iff she kepe her my wydowe and that my sayd wyfe shall fell the sayd wodd no Afear monyes? than shee shall burne ytt in her howse durynger her wydowed & iff she do marye I wyll the sayd iij acres & a halfe of wodde & wodde lands unto my sonne Richard & to his heyres in fee symple for evr in as ample & large manr as I have gyven hym the howse & landes aforesayd
Item I gyve unto my Sonne James a howse & garden in Stoneham & vij peces of grounde thereto belongynge co[n]teyninynge in all by estymacyon xxij
acras be ytt more or lesse as markes and bondes thereof are knowen lyeinge uppon the den of Bryssenden that ys to saye one pece of x acres that I
have bought of Alexander Stace & Clement Stace & ij peces that lyethe on the bankesyde of Smythes & one pece that I late bought of
Whytewodd & iij other peces lyenge to Auther? adoynynge to the sayd howse att Stonehamme To have
and to holde the sayd messuage garden & the sayd vij peces of grounde unto the sayd James my sonne & to his heyres in fee symple for evr
Also I wyll that my sayd exe[cuto]r shall garnishe? The kytchen at Stoneham as I have apoynted to dowe [do]
Item I gyve unto my sonne George xvj acres of lande be ytt more or lesse lyenge uppon the dennes of devender & lurell? lyenge in iiij partes, whereof pcell of the sayd xvj acras be? called deffyns towne & an other pcell lyethe to the Streate & viij acras in ij peces that I boughte of John Haselden to have & to holde the sayd xvj acras of Land be ytt more or lesse wth all and synguler theyr apprtenncs unto the sayd George my sonne & to his heyres in fee symple for ever when hee shall accomplyshe his aige of xxvj yers
Item I gyve unto my sonne Thoms xvj acras and a halfe of lande be yt more or lesse lyenge uppon the denne of warhenden? That ys to saye one garden of halfe an acre lyenge att borde oke [Broad Oak] & a pece of v acras joynynge to the same called longe herst & a pece called the well fylde coteynynge iij acras & viij acras in ij pcells lyenge att east wesell? To have & to holde the sayd xvj acras & a halfe of lande be ytt more or lesse wth all and synguler theyr apprtenncs unto the sayd Thoms my sonne & to his heyres in fee symple for ever when hee shall accomplyshe his aige of xxvj yers
Item I gyve unto my sonne Stephen all those my woddes & wodd landes that I late boughte of Wyllm Wylbroke coteynynge by estymacyon xix acras be ytt more or lesse lyenge uppon the denes of lurekk & bryssenden To have & to holde the sayd xix acras of wodde & wodd grounde wth all and synguler theyr apprtenncs unto the sayd Stephen my sonne & to his heyres in fee symple for ever when hee shall accomplyshe his aige of xxij yers
Item my wyll ys that my exe'rs theyre executors or administrators shall have power be [by] this my wyll to sell vj acrs of the sayd woddes att foxe earthe & to paye Laurence A Barrowe xli [£10] that I do owe hym & that my exe'r or ass. to have free entre egresse & regresse to & frome the same alonge by the corner of Stephen Ricards woddes & into the x acras that I have afore wylled unto my sonne James & into the streate
And yf ytt fortune that anye of my sonnes dezece [decease] thys lyfe before they do accomplyshe theyre sevrall aiges of xxvj yers & wthoute yssuew of theyr bodyes lawfullye begotten that then I wyll the pte & ptes of theym so deptynge to remyane to the survyvors of theym equallye to be devyded
Item I wyll that my sayd wyfe shall take the yearlye pfytts of all my lands & ten'ts untyll
my sonnes accomplyshe theyre aiges aforesayde & wth the yerelye pfytts of the same & wth my goodes
not above bequethe(d) after my detts & legacyes payed I wyll ytt shall make a howse att the garden
att borde oke wth a kyttchen wch I wyll shalbe made as I have appoynted ytt & be taken yt
to and then my sayd executors theyr exers. or ass. should sell no pte (of my)
woddes nor the tymber but onelye for my byldynges & reparacyons as I have appoynted ytt unto but
onelye that I have gyven her for fyre nye & the vj acras at foxe earthe wch I have appoynted to be solde
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Item I wyll that yf anye of my sonnes depte intongell [entangle] or come to pledge anye other wyse incumber theyre pte or ptes of my landes so to them before gyven before the(y) shall accomplyshe theyre sevrall aiges of xxx yers, that then my wyll ys that hee or they that so dothe sell or other wayes incumber his or theyre pte or ptes before the(y) accomplyshe the sayd sevrall aiges of xxx yers, that then my wyll ys that all the rest of my sayd sonnes that kepeste his or theyre pte or ptes shall have power by vertue of this my wyll to enter of theyr brother or brothers pte or ptes that so dothe sell & intongell theyr pte or ptes & to put hym or theym cleane oute anye thynge in this my prsent wyll to the co[n]trarye nott wthdtandynge
P[ro]vyded also & my wyll ys that yf my exors theyr exor or adminstrators do not infteye? and trulye fullfyll this my sayd Testament & last wyll accordynge to my mynde & intente that then my wyll ys that the overseer to this my sayd last wyll & Testament shall have power mynde & intente as ys aforesayd to the use of all my sonnes & to theyr heyres
Also I wyll and desyre John Leede to be overseer of this my sayd testament & last wyll, desyrynge hym to see my exec. theyr exec or administrators to dyspose my goodes & landes accordynge to the trew meanynge of this my sayd last wyll & testament & he to have for his paynes takynge therein vjs viijd & his costes and charges to be borne from my goodes wheareof evr hee shall ryde or go
Item my wyll ys that my exor shall have vertue be this my wyll to sell parte of my wodds accordinge to theyre dystresshons [discretion] towards my buyldyng
R Symes
In wytnesse whereof:
Leonard Daye; John Leede & Roger Garrett wt others & Thomas Hollande
Probatum fuit: 3rd May 1560
Notes:
Richard Syme, Housholder, was buried at All Saints, Biddenden, Kent on 20 Apr 1560.
21 Jan 1549/50 Rycherde Symes married Margaret (blank) at All Saints, Biddenden.
Son George was baptised there 16 Mar 1542; Thomas 12 Feb 1546/47; and Stephen 13 Sep 1553.
Transcribed by Mrs. Shelagh A. Mason, 9th October 2023
Return to Kent GenealogyWill of Richard Symes