WILL OF SIR EDMUND MOLYNEUX, K.C.B.

Extracted from the Principal Registry of the Probate, Divorce, and Admiralty Division of the High Court of Justice.

In the Prerogative Court of Canterbury.

In the name of Almightie God I Edmunde Molyneux Knight one of the King's Justice of his comenplace at Westminster the xjiijth daye of February in the vjth yere of the Reigne of our Soueraigne Lord Edwarde the Sixte by the Grace of God Kinge of Englaunde Fraunce and Irelande Defendr of the Faithe and of the Churche of Englande and also of Irelande on Earth the Supme Head make this my last will in wrytinge concerning the disposicon and order of certyn Annuities or rents Annuall and somes of money to be going oute of certeyn of my lands tenents and hereditaments and of the yssues and profytts thereto or some pcell thereof as hereafter shall be declared where I have lands tenements and hereditaments in Thorpe nighe Newarke upon Trent Stoke nighe Newark aforesaid and in Newarke aforesaid and in Hunton Carleton Gedlyng Colwyke Stokebardiff Shelforde Saxondale Burton Iorce Gryton Newton and in Gutell in the Countie of Nottinghm. I will that my younger children not married that is to say Edmunde Molyneux Thomas Molyneux Katheryn Molyneux Dorothe Molyneux Anthony Molyneux Christofer Molyneux and Jane Molyneux shall have suche severall Annuities or annuall rents as be expressed or mentioned in severall wrytings in pchement sealed and signed with my hande according to the intents and meanyng expressed or mentioned in the saide wrytinge. And I will also that John Broke nowe or late one of ye bedells of Oxforde shall have quarterly during his lyfe of the said landes tennts and hereditamets in Stoke Bardoff thirty-thre shillings four pence of laufull money of England. And moreover where the said landes tenements and hereditaments be of greater yerely value than the rents or Annuities to be going oute of the same doth amounte vnto I will that yf my heyre after my decease well and truly content and paye or cause to be contentyd and paide yerely and quarterly the said Annuities or yerely rents and somes of meney accordinge to this my Will and also paye or cause to be paide yerely over and besides the said Annuities or rents to euery of my said daughters Katheryn Dorothe and Janne five marcks of laufull money of Englaund vnto such tyme as every of theym shall have receyved over and besyde their said seueral Annuyties or annuall rents expressed or mentioned in pchement sealed and signed with my hande so myche of one hundreth pounds of lawfull money of Englande towards their severall marriages as I shall not leave for theym in redye gold or coyne of syluer at tyme of my deathe then I will that my said heyre shall have the order and disposicon of all the saide landes tenemts and hereditaments as long as he shall truly pforme my saide will therein (excepte of suche houses landes and and tents in Stoke Bardolf whiche nowe be in the possession or occupacon of my sonne Fletcher or doughter Margaret his wife whereof they shall paye the yerely rent. And yf myne heyre do not well and truly performe and fulfyll my said will therein Then I will that my Executours and survyvors and survivor of them shall have the order or disposicon of all the said landes tenements and hereditaments (except before excepted) to the entent that my said Will may be pformed. And my sonne and heyre to have no medling therewith because he doth not pforme this my Will. And yf there be defaulte in my said heyre that my saide will is not performyd and also default in my Executours or in the survivors or survivor of them that this is my saide wyll ys not pformed then I will that all the said landes tents and hereditamts shall be to my saide younger children not maryed duringe the lyfe and the longer lyver of them. And wher I truste that my sonne and heyre will pforme truly this my Will I have other landes tenemts and hereditaments that is to saye the Manner and psonage of Kneton with the appurtennces and other landes and tenements in Kneton in the saide Countie of Nottingham and a certen pasture grounde or pasture called Drinkeshan in the Countie of Lincoln and certen landes and tents in or about Chesshm in the Countie of Bucks and certen lands and tenements that I bought of the Master Tavery and certeyn landes tenements and herditaments in Swaldall Helagh in Swaldale in Grynton and in the pishe of Grynton and Ells where in the Countie of York amounting aboue the thirde parte in three partes to be deuyded of all my landes tents and hereditaments not holden in Socate or burgage which I have of estate of inheritance whereof I declare no will of any possession mannorance and occupation of the same But only of Annuities or yerely rents going oute of the saide Maner of Kneton and other the premises in Kneton. Prouided alwayes and yt is my will in wryting that suche landes tenements and heriditaments in Carleton and Gedlyng afore said and ells where such I have purchased for the said Edmunde Molyneux and Thomas Molyneux his brother or for either of them that they shall have theym according to the purchase thereof (except) my sonne and heyre will otherwyse agree with them reasonably for the same. And where Stephen Brynkley and I were agreed that I shulde have all such terme interest and wrytings as he pretendyd to have in the said pasture called Drynkeshaw affirming that he had bought the hole interest and title of Sr John Clayton Chapley in the same pasture which Sr John was Co-Executor with me of the last Will and Testament of Henry Hadfelde gentilman my late kynesman deceased after whiche agreement so made betwen the saide Stephen Brynkeley and me the said Stephen Brynkeley dyed after whose death William Brynkeley brother of the saide Stephen toke vpon hym to be Executour or Administrator of the goodes and cattals of the said Stephen to the whiche Willyam Brynkeley for his terme right interest tytle and wrytinge of the said pasture and for conveyance therof from hym to me made I have well and truly paide to the said Willyam Brynkeley thirtie and fyve pounds and certeyn wrytinge thereof he made betwene hym and me I will that none of myne Executours shall take anny forfeture or penaltye of any bonde or other wryting thereof made betwen the said William Brenkeley and me so that I myn heyres and assignes may quyetly haue hold and enjoie the said pasture called Drynkeshaw withoute lawfull let or disturbance of the saide Willyam Brinkeley and Sr John Clayton and of each of them and of the executours or administratours of other of them and of any other laufully ptending or clayming by any of them and without laufull lett or disturbance of the executours or administratours of the said Stephen Brynkeley for my will is to take non advantage of any penalty or forfetr of the said Willyam Brynkeley his executour or administratos yf I be not deceyved in the bargayn or graunte of the saide pasture betwene him and me. Also Where John Staveley of Lynbye in the Countie of Nottingham Esquier is bound to me in severall obligacons and alsoe that I paide for hym aboute fourten poundes of vsuall money of Englande to Mv Ogilthorpe of Brigforde on the Hill in the Countie of Nottingham. In consideracon that I haue brought of the said John Staveley the said landes and tents in the foresaide Countie of York I will that non advantage or forfeture be taken of the said John Staveley or of any of his executours or administratours of any of the said obligacons. Provided always and yt is my will that yf my heire assigns fermers or tennts or any of theym be disturbed trobeled or vexed for any of the saide landes or tents in Yorkeshire by the saide John Staveley or any of his heyres or children or by any other lawfully pretending or clayming by any of theym that they my Executours or admistrators shall take advantage of any Recognizance or Statute made by the saide John Staveley to me as farre as good conscyence will extende and not otherwyse. And I constitute and make my true and faythfull Executours concernyng my last Will and Testament in wryting of my saide landes tenements and hereditaments. And of the rents yssues and profytte of the same my three sonnes John Molyneux Edmnde Molyneux and Thomas Molyneux and my sonne in lawe Robert Fletcher and my doughter Margaret his wief praying and desiring them all to be good unto my saide childer and to see this my Will pformed as they wolde I shoulde see theirs pformyd in case I were put in trust by any of theym they and eny of theym taking alwayes of the rents yssues and profytts of the said lands tents and hereditaments whereof the saide Annuyties be going oute their reasonable costs and expences whiche they or any of theym shall susteyn laye out or bayre aboute the performance of this my Will whiche costs charges and expences I will that they and every of theym shall have notwithstandinge any thinge before reheresaide or hereafter in my Will and Testament of my goodes or cattells hereafter to be rehersyd. In witness whereof and that this is my last Will and Testament in wrytinge of certeyn Annuities ofr yerely rents or somes of money going oute of my landes tenements and hereditaments and of the rents yssues and profyts of the same as is afore sayd. I the said Edmnde Molyneux have wrytten my saide Will with myn owne hande and sette my seale and subscribed my name p me EDMNDU MOLYNEUX.?Milite sigillu mei Edrhnd Molyneux.

As concernyng my goodes cattalls plate money juells stuf of houshold and the profytte and advantage of my fermae at Hawton I will that wheare my late kynd wief vpon who's soule Jesu have mercye aboute the tyme of her depting oute of this Worlde desired me to be goode unto her childer and bequeathed vnto euery of theym a ringe of goulde wherof my doughter Dorothe to have the beste wt a Juell & John Molyneux to have the second ringe I in consideracon of her saide wille have given to the saide John Molyneux one ringe to the said Edmonde another ringe and to my doughter Fletcher an other ringe. And will that my said wyef's legacies shal be pformyd to the remnant of her saide children. And I will that my saide doughter Dorothe shall have over and beside the said best ringe the best ouche of golde set with stones whiche was her saide kynde mothers. And where my good and kynde father in lawe Mr. John Cheny Esquier who's Soule Jesu pdon bequeath to me ten poundes of good and lawfull money of Englahde which my brother in lawe Master Robert Chenye Esquier his sonne and heyre hath contentyd and paide to me I will that euy of my childer as well my sonne and heyre my doughter Fletcher as euy of my other children have some remembrance to praye for his soule and for my soule and for their said kynde mother soule and all Christen soules that ys to saye I bequeth to my saide sonne and heyre my greate giltyd goblet with the cover gilte where vpon my Armes be graven vpon the saide Cover. And to my said daughter Dorothe the best silver goblet giltyd with the cover giltid. And to my saide doughter Fletcher a cope of siluer with the cover both gilted and to euery of my other children a cupp of silu giltid to be deuyded amongst theym by the discrecon of myne Executours or the survivor of theym. And I will to my cosyn Frannces Molyneux my sylver goblet pcell gilt with the cover wher upon my Armes be graven. And I will to my cosyn Michaell Willoughby a lytle saulte giltid with the cover some what broken and hath no felowe. And I will desire by any meanes that all & singuler my debtes may be payde and restitution to be made for Imjurys and wronges by me done yf any can be provyd. And lykewise restltucon to be made yf I at tyme of my depting out of this worlde with hold any meanes goodes landes evydcnces or other thinge wrongfully from them if any such be dewly provyd or knowen to any of myne Executours. And I will to eury suche sunte as shal be in my service at tyme of my deathe and takith wage of me whether it be man or woman all suche wage as I then shall oughe theym and a quarter wages besydes to the entent they may provyde them sfvice. And I bequeath to George Irelande fourtie shillinges in money. And I will and bequeathe to Sr Willyam Butler my Chaplen or Stewarde all suche wage as I shall ough hym at the tyme of my deathe and foure pounde of laufull money of England to the intent that he shall be eadinge and helpinge to myne Executours for the savf custodie and fourth comyng of suche goodes and cattals as I shall have at time of my death that my last Will therof may be truly pfourmed. And yf my sonne and Aeyre will kepe howse contynnually for his yonger brothern and sisters which shall have no house certen to resorte unto I will he shall have the encrease of my stocke of shepe and the occupacon of my beates and things belonging to husbandry (except suche therof as herafter I shall bequeathe awaye wysshing and desiring euy of my children in what place soever they or any of them shall be humble and hartely euy daye to praye to Almightie God for Grace and Mercye. And that they may alwayes love God and feare God and kepe his Commandements and be His contynuall Srunts. And I will that my three yonger doughters have all the apparell being waringe gayre of theire late Mother's not being rynge chayne or Juell to be departyd equally amongest them by the discretion of myne Executours or of the more parte of theym or of the survivor or survivors of theym. And I will that every of my three yonger doughters to have a litle Casket which was their mother's and all the juells and thinges therein conteyned over and besides their said severall hundreth poundes. And my daughter Dorothe to have the best and most worthe Katheryn Molyneux the seconde and Jane Molyneux the thirde casket. And I will that my sone in law Robert Fletcher and doughter Margaret his wief shall have the house at Stokebardolf and all the landes and tents at Stokebardolf which my late kynde wief who's Soule God pardon dyd occupie paying the yerely rent therof according to the true meanyng of my laste Will in wrytinge my said sonne Fletcher and doughtcr his wief making convenient repacons of the same as becomyth a tennt or fermer to do. And yf I at tyme of my deathe have money and coyne sufficient to paye all my debts & funeralls then my said three yonger doughters shall be soner contentyd and payde to euery of theym one hundreth poundes as it is conteyned in my saide last Will in wryting concernyng the said Annu&ies or yerely rentes going oute of my saide landes and tenements. And yf my sonne and heyre do well and truly paye to euery of his three yonger brothers twentye poundes of lawfull money of Englande over and besides the said thre severall hundreth poundes to be levyed and taken as ys before declared in my saide Will and ouer and besides suche thinge or things as I will bequeathe to my said three doughters or to euy of theym or yf my saide sonne and heire and sufficient suerties with nym be bounden by sufficient wrytinge obligatory to euery of my said three yonger doughters in the some of one hundreth pounds to paye to euery of theym twentie poundes of lawfull money of Englande over and besides the said severall hundreth poundes and over and besides suche thing or thinges as I will or bequeathe to my saide thre doughters then I will that my sonne and heyre after suche bonde or payment made and not before shall have all my plate not bequeathed and all my housholde stuff chanes billes and other things for the warres and all my waynes cartes and ploughtes not bequeathyd and all my best horses and cattall and stuf of husbandry not bequeathed Prouided alwayes and I will and bequeathe to my cosyn Fraunces Molyneux when he comyth th to his full age of xxiti yeres to have one iron boundon wayne one carte one plough two oxen thre carte horses or mares three sowes and a bore trusting there shall be always amytie and love betwen hym and my children. And yf my sonne and heyre do not paye the said seuall somes of twentie poundes to his saide thre yonger systers shall have all the said household stuf waynes cartes ploughtes beasts horses catall and stuf of husbandry not bequeathed eqally to be devyded amongest them (except) a cupp of syluer and gilt which I had of the gift of my brother Irelande which was my late kynde systers his wief Glyn which cuppe my mynde ys that my sonne and heyre shall have and he to leave yt to his heyre yf he will bycause the same cupp was sometyme my own naturall fathers and mothers on (whose soule Jesu have) marrye. And I constitute and make of this my last Will and Testament my saide naturall brother Mr Doctor Moiyneux my sonne in lawe Robert Fletcher and daughter Margaret his wief my Executours and mv brother Paule Darrell Esquier and my brother Lawrence Irelande esquier yf it please theym And supravisours and callers on tbat this my laste Will may be truly pformyd I constitute and make Sir Alexander Taylor parson of Hawton and Sir Willyam Butler my Chapleyn willyng and also bequeathinge to my brother Mr Doctor the gilt salte and cover that I am coenly daily srued with and to my saide sonne Fletcher a Souaign of golde worth foure marks and better To my said doughter Margaret a gilt spone wt a forke in the ende and one of my best gilte spones. And to my saide brother Darrell yf it please hym to take vpon hym to be myne Executour my best gilt salte with the cover. And to my saide brother Irelande yf it please hym to tike vpon him to be my Executour the fellowe of the same gilt salte with oute a cover one of my best gilt spones and one of my best silu spones. And to the said Sr Alexander Tayler and to Sr Willyam Butler either of theym a sylver spone and an Oxe or a Cowe at their pleasur desiring them all and every of them to praye for me and give some what as corne or other thinge emongst my srntes besides tbeir severall wages as my Executours or more parte of them shall thinke convenient, and I bequeathe to my Cosyn George Brownes wlef yf Katheryn and Dorothe Molyneux tarry wt her a gold ringe set wt dyuer's perles and a rubye to my cosen Brown her husband one of my geldinges suche as he will chuse desiring them both to be good to my saide two doughters that they may be brought vp in vertue good maner and lernyng to playe the gintlewymen and good huswyffes to dresse meate and ouersee their households. And I will that myn Executors and every of them shall have their costs charges and losses which they shall susteyn and bayre aboute the pformaunce of this my last Will and Testament concernyng my said goodes and cattalls to be borne and susteyned of my goodes and cattalls. And the residue of my goodes and cattalls besides the saide stoke of shepe and money and coyne yf my sonne and heire be willing at all tymes that this my Will be pformed according to the true intent thereof and that he be loving to his yonger brother and systers I will he shall have the same residue by the discrecon of my Executours or the more parte of them or of the survivor or survivors of them. Also I will that yf at tyme of my deathe 1 shall leave money and Coyne sufficient to paye all my debtes funeralles and so muche of one hundreth poundes as shall be lackinge of the mariage money of my doughter Margaret Fletcher and for every of my thre yonger doughters one hundreth poundes of lawfull money of Englande that then the residue of my money and coyne after my saide debtes funeralles and the saide seu all hundreth poundes paide shall be devyded in three equall partes wherof my said three younger daughters to have one pte beside that that I have willed or bequeathed vnto theym my foure yonger sones an other pte besides that that I have willed or bequeathed to tmem and my sonne and heyre and doughter Margaret Fletcher the thirde parte equally to be devyded amnongest them by the discretion of my Executours or of the survivor or survivors of them desire in any wise that all and singuler my debtes may be paide when soeuer they shall be truly provyd and therfore an order and bond by obligacon or recognizaunce to be taken vpon the foresaid dyvision of the said money and coyne that yf any my trew debt that I shall owe at tyme ot my death be after that sufficiently provyd that every of my saide children shall ratably according to suche portion of the said money and coyne as they shall seually have by this my last Will shall be charged toward the payment of the same debt. Where Nicholas Havgh ys boundon to me in the some of two hundreth poundes I will that there shall be non advantage taken vpon of the saide bond yf the said Nicholas Haugh pforme the last Will of his father Thomas Haugh deceased concernyng the doughters of the same Thomas Haugh which he had by his latter wief daughter of Robert Molyneux Esquire deceased. And I have in my keping for Awdrey Haugh a siluer salte pcell gilt six sylver spones and for Isabell Havgh a siluer peece wt out a soute and sixe silver spones and for Ursula Haugh the best baydes of her late mother's and sixe silver spones and Dame Elizabeth Merys haih certyn ringes for the said doughters. There be certeyn peces of gold and siluer in a fyne glove as I remember and a paper making mencion of Henry Hatfelde I wolde the doughters of the said Henry shulde have the same golde and siluer equally devided amongest theym. Where syns the deathe of my cosyn Willyam Molyneux I have receyved certen somes of money of the ferme of Alker in the Countie of Lancaster and my lady Merys hath receyved other somes of money of the ferme of Alker afore said I will that my cosyn Fraunces Molyneux yf he come of full age of xxi yeres shall have after such rate of money as I receyved the same so myche as I have receyved therof for my parte.

PROBATUM fuit testm coram dno Cant Archepo apud London Octavo Die; Menss Novembris Anno Dui Millimo quingentesimo quinquagesimo Secundo jurameo. Johis Molyneux Edmndi Molyneux et Robti Fletcher Executoru respectiue in prefato testamento et vltima voluntat nolatoru quibus comissa fuit admstraco omi bonoru &c. dn defuncti prefates Eschbz. De bene et fidelr admistrandes eadem Ac de pleno Jurio &c. exhibend Ad Sancta Dei Eungelia Jurat Resgruata piate reliqius excu venerit.