William Hathorne the elder of Bray, yeoman, (13/9/1620)[1].
My body to be buried in the churchyard of Bray near unto the place where my father was buried. I give unto Anne my wife for the term of her life, if she remain so long unmarried, the use and occupation of my messuage and house with appurtenances where I now dwell and of all other my lands and tenements in Bray (except six acres of arable land which I purchased of Robert Bishopp) and all the rents and profits thereof and firewood and timber for keeping the houses in reparation. To Nathaniell Hathorne my son 10 shillings to be paid in one year after my decease. To each of the five children of Joane Winch my daughter, that is Richard, Joane, John, George, and Judith Winch five shillings. To Elizabeth Dellar my daughter ten pounds, a cow and two ewes and lambs, and to every one of her six children, namely Anne, Richard, Margaret, Elizabeth, Joane and Jane Dellar five shillings each. To my daughter Mary Bishopp ten shillings and to her sons Robert and George Bishopp five shillings each. To my daughter Anne Winch[2] ten shillings. To William Hathorne my son ten shillings and to every one of his five children, William, Anne, Joane, Elizabeth and Robert Hathorne, five shillings each. I will that there be left as standards in this house wherein I now dwell the glass upon all the windows one cupboard one table one little form one settle and all the benches and shelves in the little buttery all the benches the back of wainscot and the little settle by the chimney in the hall one fire chest bound with iron and one latten basin in the loft over the hall one powdering trough with two bands of iron and one chopping block in the milkhouse all the scaffold in the applehouse one moulding board one bin to put meal in in the bakehouse the mill and all things thereto belonging in the millhouse all the racks mangers planks plaunces and chaff pen in the stable all the planks in the wheat barn one joined bedstead which standeth in the loft over the parlour and one settle of wainscot one table with tressles one form with the benches and back of wainscot in the hall at my house in Binfeyld. To every of my godchildren twelve pence each. All the residue of my goods and chattels unbequeathed debts legacies and funeral expenses discharged I give to Anne my wife and make her sole Executrix. Overseers: William Montague of Boveney and George Byshopp my son in law and to each ten shillings. By me William Hathorne (the elder) Sealed with a ring engraved H.W –
Proved 1st July 1626: A commission was issued 26th June 1626 to Edward Boughen, vicar of Bray, to administer the oath to Anne Hawthorne the Executrix. This commission was endorsed 28th June 1626 to the effect that Anne Hawthorne the relict, widow and executrix of William Hawthorne ye elder of Bray, yeoman, had taken oath. Inventory taken 22nd June 1626 by George Byshopp, John Lawrence and William Powney of Bray, yeomen, shows goods amounting to £194. 0s 10d. Among other things enumerated being “a Bible with other Books”, a carpet, painted clothes a halberd a sword a musket with furniture one and a half dozen silver spoons and thirty pounds in money. Goods are enumerated in the bakehouse washhouse milkhouse applehouse millhouse workhouse and carthouse. The bees poultry cows sheep pigs and horses were valued at £54. 11s. 1d. (Archdeaconry of Berks, original will, 1626)
[1] Extracted from New England Historical and Genealogical Register (July 1913) pp 250-260 and other sources.
‘From The Proceedings in Commemoration of the One Hundredth Anniversary of the Birth of Nathaniel Hawthorne held at Salem, Massachusetts on June 23rd 1904 we learn that there was a Bill of Exchange, dated 19/10/1651 for one hundred pounds drawn by William Hawthorne of Salem on a Mr Robert Hathorne , payable “at Mr John Winche’s on Ludgate Hill London”; in an exchange current it was referred to as a “Bill of Exchange on my brother paid by Mr. Winch”.
Ludgate Hill was in the St Bride’s parish of London wherein lived John Wynch, haberdasher.’
[2] Husband of Richard Winch
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