Will of Edward Heydon of London, Embroiderer, 1597

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]
Surname/tag: Heydon

This is a transcription of the register copy of the Will of Edward Heydon, Citizen of London and Freeman of the Company of Embroiderers It was written on 12 November 1597 and proved at the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 23 December 1597. ^[1]

Spelling, punctuation and line breaks as per the original
Paragraph breaks and bold text are my own for ease of reading
ff has been rendered as F, and ligatures and abbreviations have been expanded in [square brackets]

Persons mentioned:

• Frauncis Heydon of Watford in the County of Hertford the Testator's eldest brother
• Edward Heydon the eldest son of the said Frauncis
• Arthure Heydon another son of the said Frauncis and Testator's servant
• Other children of the said Frauncis (more than one) not named
• Children of the said Edward, son of Frauncis (not named)
• Thomas Heydon Testator's brother
• Henry Heydon Testator's brother
• William Heydon Testator's brother
• Edmond Willoughbye (or Edwarde Willoughby later in the will), Testator's nephew and servant, son of his sister Mary Willoughby
• Richard Stongethearm servant to Testator's brother Jherome Heydon
• Jherome Heydon Citizen of London and "Iremonger" (Ironmonger), Testator's brother and executor
• Isabelle Testator's maidservant
• John Harte another servant to Jherome Heydon
• William Belson son of Testator's sister (not named)
• Margaret Heckson Testator's sister, and her unnamed children
• Marye Willoughbye Testator's sister, and her other unnamed children
• Thomas Brigham gentleman
• Michael Heydon and his wife Testator's cousin and cousin's wife
• James Bensted Her Majesty's servant in the stables
• Witnesses : Maurice Hackett ser[vant], Roberte Cut Ironmonger, William Chapman Ironmonger

---

In the name of God Amen the Twelveth daie of November
in the Nyne and Thirtith yeare of the Reigne of our Soveraigne Ladye Elizabeth by the grace of god
Queene of Englande France and Ireland Defendresse of the faith &c I Edward Heydon citezen
and Imbroiderer of London Att this presente both sicke and weake in Bodye but yett in good and perfecte
mynde and memorye Laude and praise be therefore geven to Almightie god, Callinge unto my re=
membrance the incerteynty of this miserable Life, and the certeynty of death the waye of all flesh
have thought good for the more better Staye and quietnes of my mynde in disposinge of things by me
worldlye to be foreseene to ordeyne and make this my Last Will and Testament in manner and forme
followinge, that is to saie, First and princypallye, I doe most willinglye geve and yeald upp my
spiritt and soule into the mercyfull handes of Almightie god, the Father the sonne, and the Holye
ghoste, my maker Redeemer and sanctofyer, firmelye trustinge and constantlie beleevinge that all my
synnes and Offences are frelye forgeven and washes awaie by the merritts and tender passion of my
savyour Jhesus Christe the sonne of god / And that of his greate mercye and favor he hath adopted
me to be the Childe of Salvac[i]ion, and clothed me with his innocencye and righteousnes, And that through
faith in the bloude of my savyour Christe (god and man) and by not other meanes I beleeve to inheryt
the kingdome of heaven / After this liefe ended my Bodye to be buryed in Christyan like manner where
yt shall Almightie god and my Executors hereunder named to lymitt and appoint / And I the saide
Edwarde Heydon doe by theis p[rese]nts utterly revoke recall and make voyde all manner of former Willes
whatsoever by me the said Edward Heydon , att any tyme or tymes heretofore by me made /

Item I
will that all suche debts as I shall owe att the tyme of my deceasse shalbe trulie paide or good order
to be taken for the paymente thereof w[i]th in convenient tyme / Item I will and bequeathe unto Frauncis
Heydon of Watforde in the Countye of Hertford Esquier my eldest Brother one hundreth poundes
of lawfull money of Englande /

Item I give and bequeathe unto Edward Heydon eldest sonne of the
same Fraunces One hundred Poundes

[margin insertion] Item I give and bequeathe unto Arthure
Heydon one other of the sonnes of the saide
Fraunces and my servant one hundred
poundes

Item I geve and bequeathe to and amongest the reste and
resydue of my said Brothers Children, To be distributed att the discrec[i]on of Executor One hundreth
Poundes / Item I geve and bequeathe to and amongest the Children of the saide Edwarde Heydon eldest
sonne of the saide Frauncis my Brother To be distributed att the distrec[i]on of my Executor one
hundred Poundes /

Item I geve and bequeathe to Thomas Heydon my Brother and his Assignes for
and duringe the terme of his naturall liefe, One Annuytie or yearely payment of Tenne Poundes per

[page 2]
Ann[um] The same Annuytie to be paide by my Executor Quarterlie att foure feasts or termes
in the yeare moste usuall The first feast or paymente to be made , Att the first Feast which shall
first happen nexte after my deceasse /

Item I geve and bequeathe unto Henry Heydon one other of
my brethern Fiftye Poundes / And to and amongest the Children of the saide Henrye Heydon To
be disposed att the will and discrec[i]on of my Executor Fortye powndes /

Item I geve and bequeathe
unto William Heydon one other of my Bretherne and to his Assignes for and duringe the terme of his
naturall liefe One Annuytie or yearelie paymente of Tenne Powndes p[er] Ann[um] The same Annuytie
to be paide by my Executor quarterlie att foure Feasts or termes in the yeare most usuall / The first
feaste or payments to be made, Att the first feast w[hi]ch shall first happen nexte after my deceasse

Item I give and bequeathe unto Edmonde Willoughbye my servante One Hundreth Powndes Item I geve
and bequeather unto Richard Strongetharme my brother Jheromes sevante tenne powndes / Item I geve
and bequeathe unto Isabelle [blank] my mayde servante Tenne powndes / Item I geve and bequeathe unto
John Harte my brother Jheromes servant other Tenne Powndes

Item I geve and bequeathe unto
William Belson my sisters sonne Fortye powndes Item I geve and bequeathe unto Margaret Heckson
my sister and her Assignes for and during the terme of her naturall liefe for and towardes the further
and better maintenance of her selfe and her children, One Annuytie or yearelye paymente of Tenne
Powndes per Ann[um] The same Annuytye to be paide by my executour quareterlye Att foure feasts
or termes in the yeare most usuall The first paymente to be made , Att the Firste feaste w[hi]ch shall
first happen next after my deceasse /

Item I give and bequeathe unto my sister Marye Willoughby
and to and amongest all her children (the saide Edwarde Willoughby excepted) who already is
remembred To be distributed and devyded by and att the discrec[i]on of my Executour the some of Fifitye
Powndes /

Item I geve and bequeathe unto Thomas Brigham gentleman Tenne powndes / Item I will
geve and bequeathe unto my cosen Michael Heydon and his wiefe to either of them Fyve powndes
the peece /

Item I geve and bequeathe unto James Bensted her Ma[jes]ties Ordynary Servante in her Ma[jes]t[y]s
stable the some of Tenne powndes / All and singular w[hi]ch saide Legacyes by me the saide Edwarde Heydon
geven and bequeathed to the severall persones above named my will and mynde ys shalbe answered and paide
to every of them by my Executor hereunder named w[i]thin the tyme and space one whole yeare and
an halfe yeare nexte and ymeadyatlie after my deceasse /

Item I geve and bequeathe to the Company
and Corporation of the Imbroderes w[i]thin the Cittie of London, Whereof I am free the some of Tenne
Powndes p[rese]ntelie to be paide them after the daye and tyme of my deceasse / Item I doe further geve
and bequeathe for the maytenance of the poore children on Christs Hospytall w[i]thin the Cittie of
London p[rese]ntelie to be paide after the tyme of my deceasse the some of Tenne Powndes of lawfull
money of Englande /

And as touching the order and disposic[i]on of all and singular my Messuages Landes
Tenements and heredytaments w[i]thall and singular their appurten[an]ces Called by the name of Seynte
Edmonds, or by whatsoever name or names the same is nowe called or knowne by scituate lyenge and
beinge aswell w[i]thin the Countye of Lincolne, and be me latelie purchased of the right honorable the
nowe Earle of Essex as else where w[i]thin the Realme of Englande / And whereas I am seized of
the estate in Fee Symple, I geve devise and bequeathe the same unto my deere and welbeloved brother
Jherome Heydon Citizen and Iremonger of London To have and to hold all and singular the same
Messuages Landes Tenements and heredytemants w[i]the theire apputen[an]ces unto the saide Jherome Heydon
his heires and Assignes, To thonely prpper use and behoufe of the saide Jherome Heydon his heires and
Assignes forever /

The rest and resydue of all and singular my goodes and chattells not herein bequeathed
my debts and funerall charge first paide, I doe fullye and wholye geve and bequeathe the same unto
the forenamed Jherome Heydon my Lovinge Brother to his owne propper use / And I doe make
constitute and ordeyene hym the saide Jherome Heydon my sole Executour of this my Last will and
Testament / Desyringe hym to see the same trulie and faithfullye performed, Accordinge to my true
meanynge herein expressed / In witnes whereof to every sheete of paper of this my Testamente
and Last Will Conteynynge sixe sheetes or Leaves of paper, I the saide Edwarde Heydon have sett
my hande and seale the daie and yeare first above wrytten 1597 p[er] me Edwarde Heydon / Sealed
Subscrybed pronounced and deliv[er]ed as the Last Will and Testamente of the saide Edwarde Heydon the
daie and yeare first about wrytten in the pr[ece]nce of us Maurice Hackett ser Roberte Cut Iermonger
William Chapman Iremonger

Probate [in Latin] at London on 23 November 1597 to Jherome Heydon brother and executor named in the will

Sources

1. ↑ Will: "England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858"
   The National Archives; Kew, Surrey, England; Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Series PROB 11; Class: PROB 11; Piece: 90
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 5111 #944862 (accessed 30 December 2021)