11-0050-69_NicholasLeveson_1568
In Dei nomine Amen. The fourth day of May in the year of our Lord God 1568 and in the tenth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lady Elizabeth by the grace of God of England, France and Ireland queen defender of the faith etc. I Nicholas LEVESON, Citizen and Mercer of London and Merchant of the Staple sick in body but whole of mind and memory, lauded be God therefore, make this my present last will and testament in manner and form following; first and principally I commend my soul into the hands of Almighty God by whose mercy and goodness and blessed passion my trust and confidence is for to be saved; and my body I will shall be buried in the parish church of Saint Andrews Undershaft where I now dwell in some convenient and meet place for the same at the discretion of my executors. ITEM; I bequeath unto the poor people of the parish of Saint Andrews Undershaft five pounds to be distributed where most need shall be at the discretion of my executors immediately after my decease. ITEM; I do bequeath unto the poor prisoners of the Kings Bench, Ludgate, Marshallsea and Newgate which do lie in irons to every of the said four prisons five pounds apiece. ITEM; I do bequeath unto Elizabeth Buckmaster one of my maid servants the sum of six pounds thirteen shillings and four pence of lawful money of England to be paid to her by my executors at the day of her marriage. ITEM; I bequeath unto Katheryn Fairchild another of my maid servants three pounds six shillings and eight pence to be paid to her by my executors at the day of her marriage. ITEM; I bequeath to the residue of my maid servants being with me at the time of my decease forty shillings apiece to be paid to them by my executors at the day of their marriage. ITEM; I do bequeath unto Richard Grace now dwelling with me three pounds six shillings and eight pence of lawful English money to be paid to him by my executors at his full age of 21 years. ITEM; I do bequeath unto Richard Twyston my apprentice the sum of thirty pounds of lawful money of England to be paid to him by my executors at the end and term of his apprenticehood towards his beginning and occupying in the trade of the Staple. ITEM; I do bequeath unto Henry Pitt my apprentice fifteen pounds of lawful money of England to be paid by my executors to him at the end and term of his apprenticehood. ITEM; I will that no black gowns be given for me unless it be two gowns to my twain executors hereunder specified, and the same to be considered in rings as hereafter follows, that is to say, I will to my brother Thomas LEVESON and his wife, to my brother William LEVESON and his wife, to my brother CALTROPPE and his wife, to my cousin OSBORNE and his wife, to my cousin EYRTON and his wife, to my cousin VAUGHAN and his wife and to my friend Mrs Arlakaden, to every of them rings of gold of the value of thirty shillings apiece for a remembrance of me. ITEM; I bequeath unto Margaret GRACE my wife’s daughter, to my brother John GRACE of Saint Albans, to my brother Mathew and his wife and to John Fallowfield, to every of them likewise rings of gold of the value of thirty shillings apiece for a remembrance of me. Also I bequeath unto every one of the children of my brother Thomas Leveson and of my brother William Leveson now being alive rings of gold of the value of 30 shillings apiece for a remembrance of me. I do give unto every one of the children of my brother Thomas Leveson and of my brother William Leveson now being alive ten pounds apiece of lawful money of England to be paid to them by my executors at their full age or marriage. ITEM; I bequeath unto Denys CALTROP my sister Caltrope’s daughter the sum of ten pounds of lawful money of England to be paid to her at her full age or marriage by my executors. ITEM; I do forgive my brother Thomas Leveson the twelve pounds which he does owe me by account. ITEM; I do forgive unto John Aldey ten shillings which he does owe me by his bill. ITEM; I do bequeath to the poor scholars of the universities of Oxford and Cambridge to either university five pounds apiece of lawful money of England to be distributed among the poor by my executors where most need shall be thought by them at their discretions. ITEM; I do bequeath unto the church of Saint Andrews Undershaft five pounds towards the reparations and maintenance of the said church. ITEM; I bequeath unto Richard Twyston my apprentice the next advowson or advoidance of the parsonage of Killingbury in the County of Northampton the which of late I had of one George Sheffield in the County of Rutland, gentleman, being granted and made from the Lord Latimer to one Francis Watson in the County of York and Richard Adamson of Cotton in the County of (Duresone) yeoman bearing date the third day of January in the fourth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lady Elizabeth to have and to hold the said next advowson or advoidance to the said Richard Twiston and his assigns together with all deeds Evidence conveyance and writings the said advowson or next advoidance belonging or appertaining. ITEM; I will to the preacher that shall make a sermon for me at my funeral six shillings and eight pence. ITEM; I do forgive unto my brother Mathew eleven pounds six shillings and five pence which he does owe me by a rest upon a bill of his hand. ITEM; I bequeath six pounds thirteen shillings and four pence for and towards a dinner to be made for me after my decease and funerals to my kinsfolk and friends. And touching the disposition of all my lands and tenements, I will that all my lands and tenements set lying and being in Hanslope in the County of Buckingham the which I late purchased of one Henry Somer shall be sold by my executors to the most advantage towards the payment of such debt as I do owe Margaret Grace my wife’s daughter. Also I will that my executors so soon after my decease as the sum of three hundred pounds may be collected and gathered towards the payment of Margaret Grace do repay unto the chamber of London the said three hundred pounds of lawful money of England in part of payment of her orphan’s portion owing to her the which said payment I will to be done for the clearing and discharging of my securities for one recognisance. ITEM; I bequeath more to William LEVESON one of the sons of my brother Thomas Leveson over and besides the ten pounds to him before bequested the sum of twenty pounds of lawful money of England to be paid to him by my executors at his full age of 21 years, and I do make and ordain my well-beloved wife Mary LEVESON and my truly well-beloved brother William Leveson my executors of this my present testament, and I bequeath unto my brother William Leveson for his labour in that behalf one hundred pounds of current money of England, and I make and order my well-beloved and trusty friend Henry Planckney and my servant Richard Twiston supervisors or overseers of the same, and I give and bequeath to either of my overseers or supervisors twenty marks apiece of lawful money of England for their pains to see this my present testament faithfully and truly performed executed and done. The residue of all and singular my goods chattels silver plate jewels ready money and debts whatsoever after my debts paid my funerals and legacies performed and this my present testament and last will in all things being performed, I fully and wholly give to Mary Leveson my wife to do and dispose the same at her will and pleasure. And I utterly revoke and disannul all and every other former wills, testaments, legacies, bequests, executors and overseers by me in any wise before this time made named given willed or bequeathed and I will that this my present testament and all things herein mentioned and recited shall stand remain and abide only for my very last will and testament and none other or otherwise. In witness whereof I the said Nicholas Leveson have set my hand and seal the day and year above written. By me Nicholas Leveson, by me Edmond Calthorpe, haberdasher witness to this testament; by me William Vaughan, draper witness to this testament, p me William Pitt de Clements Inn testem ad hinc testamentum
Proved 28th May 1568