1593 William Leveson

11-0082-47_William Leveson_1593

In the name of Almighty God Amen, the first day of June [1591] in the year of our Lord God a thousand five hundred four score and eleven and in the three and thirtieth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lady Elizabeth by the grace of God Queen of England France and a Ireland, Defender of the Faith, etc. I William LEVESON the elder, Citizen and Mercer of London being of good and perfect memory, thanked be Almighty God therefore, considering the changing of this mortal life is to me certain and the hour and time when it shall be changed is at the pleasure of Almighty God wherefore trusting his good leisure in his fear no minding to die intestate do make and ordain this my present last will and testament in manner and form following that is to say, first and principally I commend my soul unto Almighty God faithfully trusting only by the merits of his son Jesus Christ my Saviour and Redeemer to have remission of my sins committed in this mortal life and after the same life to be partaker of the heavenly and everlasting life to come, and I will my body to be buried at the discretion of my executors herein ordained.  ITEM; I bequeath to the poor of St Dunstans in the east where I am now a parishioner forty shillings to be distributed by the churchwardens for the time being to such as have most need.  ITEM; I will that no cloth for gowns or cloaks be given at my burial saving to such as shall be my household servants at the time of my decease and unto every of my said servants I give twenty shillings of lawful money of England or more at the discretion of my executors.  ITEM; I bequeath to Mrs Chapman my mother in law my ring of gold set with the greater ruby for a remembrance of me.  ITEM; I bequeath to Henry Plankney, Draper, my ring of gold with a death head having within the same the letters WL for a remembrance of me.  ITEM; I will that a chest with a hanging lock in the innermost chamber of my dwelling house with all the books and writing shall be delivered locked up as it is and shall be at the time of my decease unto Sir John LEVESON my nephew, Knight or his heirs for his or their indemnity in consideration that his lands and mine stand chargeable unto the executors of my mother Dionyse LEVESON for payment and performance of her debts and legacies by a recognition for performance of covenants contained in a pair of indentures whereof the one of them remains in the same chest.  ITEM; I bequeath unto my said nephew Sir John Leveson, Knight my stocks of cattle let to farm to Humphrey Hayes deceased now in the hands and occupation of Thomas Reding of Tendring in West Thurrock in Essex.  ITEM; whereas I being a Freeman of the Right Worshipful Company of English Merchants for the Discovery of New Trades not having any child and never having made child or apprentice free it is ordered by the same company that all such in that case may dispose and by their last will and testament bequeath their freedoms to any man as heretofore some have done wherefore I will give and bequeath my freedom of the same Right Worshipful Company unto my loving nephew William LEVESON of this City of London, Mercer. The residue of all and singular my goods chattels ready money and debts whatsoever not herein given or bequeathed, my debts paid my funerals discharged and this my last will and testament performed, I do fully and wholly give and bequeath unto William Leveson, Deonyse Leveson, Mary Leveson the elder, Elizabeth Leveson, Frances Leveson, Ursula Leveson, Anne Leveson, Grisell Leveson, Mary Leveson the younger and Margaret Leveson, children of my brother Thomas LEVESON deceased equally and indifferently amongst them to be divided every of them giving security unto my executors for saving them harmless so far as any of their parts shall extend fo and in such debts as my executors shall be lawfully bound to pay and the charges in defence of the same.  ITEM; I will that if any of the before named my brother’s children shall depart this life (being married) that their husbands living shall notwithstanding have and enjoy in manner before said that part in division bequeathed unto any of their wives deceased, and I make and ordain my loving nephews Sir John Leveson, Knight and William Leveson his brother executors of this my last will and testament, and I make and ordain the before named Henry Plankney overseer of the same. And as concerning the order and disposition of my manors, lands, tenements and hereditaments I give and bequeath unto my said nephew Sir John Leveson, Knight all that my Manor of [Westcourt] and all my lands tenements and hereditaments set and lying in the parishes of Gillingham and Chatham in the County of Kent and also that my tenement in Lime Street in London and also all those my two acres of land or marsh called Hurtes or Garlandes in the parish of West Thurrock in the County of Essex to have and to hold the same manors, lands, tenements, marsh and hereditaments to the said Sir John Leveson and his heirs for ever.  In witness whereof I the said William Leveson the elder have with my own hand written this my last will and testament subscribed my name and put to my seal the day and year first above written – per me. William Leveson the Elder, Mercer

Memorandum that on the eight and twentieth day of September 1592 [in the year of the reign of Elizabeth etched thirty fourth] the said William Leveson the Elder did acknowledge and confess before us the witnesses hereunder named that he did write the said will with his own hand and did seal and subscribe unto the same and likewise before us did publish the same to be his last will and testament. Richard Gall, notary public, Thomas Gall and Henry Burnley

Memorandum that the nine and twentieth day of May in the year of our Lord God a thousand five hundred and ninety three William Leveson the younger going to his uncle Mr William Leveson the elder to take his leave of him because he was for some occasions to go into the country, he the said William Leveson the Elder then declared unto him that he had made his will whereof he had constituted Sir John Leveson, Knight and him the said William Leveson his executors praying them to perform the same and that to them and their sisters he had given all he had and willed likewise that some not named in his will who had taken pains about him as his servants might be considered with mourning apparel and twenty shillings apiece and that his maidservant who had been very careful and diligent about him in his sickness should have that legacy which he had given unto her in his will made up twenty nobles or more. The other of his hired servants and not in wages twenty shillings and mourning clothes, the boy the like, and to be delivered to the executors as to other ways [Eatcher]. Also that where he had in his custody the lease of West Thurrock his meaning was that it should be delivered or held by his executors according to the meaning of the woman which committed it to his custody how so ever it was; further he declared that where he had in his hands a will of Mistress Chapman’s mother all written by one Sharpe a chandler wherein was disposed divers things according to the desire of the said Sharpe his mind and will was that that same will should not be delivered back again at the desire and request of either of them both but that the same should be retained by his executors in his force. Finally whereas there was a bond made unto him in trust by one Mr Bullock hi mind and meaning was that the same bond should be held according to the writing or condition.

Proved 27th June 1593 by William Leveson (Sir John Leveson reserving his right to apply for administration)