NLW Ref: LL/1592/5

In the name of God Amen the xith day of January the yeare of our Lorde God 1592 I Willm Prichard of the pishe of Goytre wthin the Diocess of Landaff beinge of whole mynd & in good & pfict remembrance (laud & prayse be Allmightie God) doe make & ordeine this my p’sente testament concerninge herein my last will in maner & forme folowinge. vz. First & bef’r all other things I comend my Soule unto Allmightie God my only maker & redeemer and my body to be buryed in the pishe church of the Goytre. And I bequeth towards the reparacon of the Cathedrall Church of Landaff iiiid. Ite f’r my tythinge forgotten iiiid.

Ite I bequeth unto John Willm my sonne on mansion house wherein of late I inhabited the little orchard adioninge to the same & two closses of arable greownd thone called Caer Llwsywene thother y Cae ddis y ffordd sett leyinge & beinge in the pishe of Goytre wthin the Cou of Monmoth to have & to hold the foresaid messuage orchard & the two closses wth their apurtenances unto the said John Willm his heires & assignes for evere.

Yf my eldest sonne Morgan Willm doe not pay or cause to be payed unto the said John Willm the entire sume of £x sterling in at or upon the feast day of St Michell thearchangell next after that the said Morgan shall accomplishe the adge of xxi yeares.

And if it happen that the said John Willm doe decese before that he be payed of the said £x then I bequeth the said £x unto Thomas Willm my sonne then survivinge after the same maner & forme afore specified.

And likewise if it fortune that the said Thomas Willm shall happen to decease after the maner & forme afore specified that then I bequeth his part & porcion as aforesaid unto Edward Willm my sonne then living after the same maner & forme afore mensioned.

Ite I bequeth unto Johan Watkin my wedded wife the on half & moetye of all my lands messuages & tenements as I have p’missed unto her for joynture duringe her naturall liffe.

Ite I bequeth unto Thomas Willm my sonne on messuage or tenement called Coed Cae dee sett leing & beinge in the pishe of Goetre wthin the said Cou of Monmoth to have & to hold the said messuag or lands together wth all the comodities & proffits there of wth thapurtenaces unto the said Thomas Willm my sonne his heires & his assignes for evere.

Ite I bequeth unto Edward Willm my sonne on messuage or tenement wherin Richard y Gof nowe dwellith leying & being in the said pishe of Goetre wthin the Cou of Monmoth to have & to hold the said messuage & tenement together wth all the comodytie & pfits therof wth thapurtenances unto the said Edward Willm his heires & to his assignes for evere.

Ite I bequeth unto James Willm my sonne on messuage called Gwern Domas the wch lands I purchased of John Thomas John ap Rosser of Goytre aforesaid to him & to his heires for evere.

Ite I bequeth unto Johan Watkin my wife on mare & on kowe.

Ite I bequeth unto Jeonett & Anne my daughters on graye horse on kowe & xviii sheepe on yearelinge calf all my housewold stoffe & allso the pfitts & comoditie of eight accres of ground in Monks Wood in the parishe of Uske wthin ye Cou of Monmoth wth as much seed of barley & otts as will suffice for the sowinge of the same ground for this yeare only to be equally devided betwine them.

And of this my p’sente testament I make & ordeine Richard Watkins Clerk Vickar of Lanelen and James Willm my sonne to be mye executores & & for the execucion of the same I make & ordeine

Thomas Watkin Rosser & Treharne David Lewelin overseers

His testibus: Thomas Watkin Rosser; Richard Watkin Rosser; Treharne Dd Llen; Edward Willm cu’aliis

Debita soluend

Imprimis Mr Mathew Johns £vi

Ite poli do John xiiis

Ite Harry Rees vs viiid

Ite Thomas Treharne iiis

Ite James Willm iiis

Ite Willm David £v xs

Ite the buriall expences xis

Debita postulanda

Imprimis David Watkin xls

Ite Thomas Watkin Rosser xxxs

Ite Harry Rees xxxs

Ite mor on the said Harry iiiis

Ite more on the said Hary for caringe of coles xs

Ite Thomas slate ixs

Ite more on the said Thomas as on plowe share

Ite the wife of Scipras xvd

Ite polido John xvid

Ite James Harry iis vid

Suma £6 8s 1d

In the name of God Amen the seaventh daye of August in the yeare of our Lord God one thowsand five hundreth ninety and fowre and in the yeare of the reigne of our soveraigne Ladye Elizabeth by the grace of God Queene of England Fraunce and Ireland defender of the faithe etc the six and thirteth.

I Willm Lewys of the Goytrey in the County of Monmothe and dioces of Landaffe Esquyer sicke and feeble in bodye but of sounde and perfecte remembraunce (God be thanked) doe make and ordayne my present Testament conteyning herein my last will in manner and forme following

Viz: First and principally I commend my sowle to God Almightie my maker and redemer and my bodye to be buryed in the parrishe churche or chauncell of Goytrey aforesaid.

Item I give and bequeathe towards the reparacon of the Cathedrall Churche of Landaffe three? shillings.

And to the parson of Goytrey for my forgotten tything twelve pence.

And to the Vycar of Mamhilad for my forgotten tything twelve pence.

And to the poore mens boxe of the Goytrey aforesaid twenty shillings.

And towards the reedefynig of Lonelews? Bridge twenty shillings.

And to the poore mens boxe of Mamhilad five shillings.

Item: I give and bequeathe to David Lewes my sonne the lease of the Rectorye tythes lands oblacons fruites rightes proffitts and commodityes of Lanover Mamhilad and Trevethin within the deoces of Landaffe the xvth daye of Maye in the sixt yeare of the Queenes Maiestie that nowe is whiche shall commence after the xpiracon of one olde lease graunted to Thomas Jones gent deceased for the terme of fowre score yeares then to come together with the righte title interest and terme of yeares whiche I the saide testator have in and into the saide lease and the comodityes therein conteyned and specified whiche lease was graunted by the Deane Archdeacon and Chapter of Landaffe.

Item: I doe give devise and bequeathe to Richard Lewes my sonne all my landes and tentes whatsoever whiche I the saide testator have purchased of David Williams of Lanteiloe Bertholewe scituate lying and being within the saide parrishe of Lanteiloe by meares and markes of olde tyme use to have and to holde the same landes and tenements with all and singular thappurtenances to the saide Richard Lewes to the use and behoofe of the saide Richard Lewes and the heires of his bodye lawfully begotten for ever.

And for wante of suche yssue to the use and behoofe of David Lewes my sonne and the lawfull heires of his body for ever.

And for wante of suche yssue to the use and behoofe of Marye and Katherine my daughter’s theires of theire twoe bodyes lawfully begotten for ever.

And for wante of such yssue to the use of the right and next heires of me the saide testator.

Item: I give and bequeathe to my saide sonne Richard Lewes all my lease lands whiche I lately purchased of Lewes John ap Jenkin of Lantiloe Bartholewe aforesaide and nowe in the tenure of Thomas John Rice.

Item: I give devise and bequeathe to the saide Richard Lewes my sonne all the fefte? parte of the freeholde and inheritaunce of the saide lease lands whiche I also purchased of the saide Lewes John ap Jenkin to have and to holde the same fefte parte of the saide lease lands with all and singular the appurtenances to the saide Richard Lewes to the use and behoofe of the saide Richard Lewes and the heires of his bodye lawfully begotten for ever. And for want of suche yssue to the use and behoofe of David Lewes my sonne and the lawfull heires of his bodye for ever. And for wante of suche yssue to the use and behoofe of Marye and Katherine my daughter and to the heires of theire twoe daughter’s bodyes lawfully begotten for ever. And for want of suche yssue to the righte use of the righte and next heires of me the saide testator. Item I give and bequeathe to the saide Richard Lewes my sonne one lease with the residue of the yeares and terme yet to come of and in one howse and other messuages with thappurtenances nowe in the tenure and occupacon of David ap Rees Coger scituate lying and being within the Towne of Bergavenny in the County of Monmothe and was late had and boughte of Richard John Llauelen late deceased.

Item: I give and bequeathe to my saide sonne Richard Lewes my lease and the residue of the yeares in the same yet unexpired of and in one meadowe scituate and lying in Llanwenarthe in the County of Monmothe nowe in the tenure of Phillipp Jenkin ap Evan whiche I had and boughte of the widowe of Phillipp Thomas ap John of Llanwenarthe aforesaide.

Item I give and bequeathe to the saide Richard Lewes my sonne the lease of the Rectory of Lanteiloe Bartholwe within the deoces of Landaffe whiche is holden of the Deane Archdeacon and Chapter of Landaffe together with all the proffitts and comodityes in the same saide lease comprised and conteyned and the wholle terme of years in the same yet to come and nowe unexpired. Item I give and bequeathe to Marye and Katherine my twoe daughters foure hundreth and forty pounds of lawfull money of England to be equally devided betwene them bothe? whiche saide fower hundreth and forty pounds one Thomas Skidmore of Kent Churche in the County of Hereforde Esquire standeth bounde as well by awarde and arbitrament as also by bonde to paye at dayes place and times expressed in the saide awarde as by the same it is to be seene more manifestly.

Item: I give and bequeathe to Marye Harbert the daughter of John Herbert Esquire one of the Maisters of her Maiesties requests the some of tenne pounds. The residue of all my goods and chattells as well reall as personall not herein before given willed or bequeathed I doe give and bequeathe to Elizabeth Lewes my wyfe whome I doe constitute and ordayne by this my present Testament my sole executrix to accomplyshe and performe the same accordingly. In wittnesse whereof I have hereunto sett my hande and seale the daye moneth and yeare first above written. And this my last will conteynes three sheetes of paper in all.

Willim Lewes.

Read sealed and delivered in the presence of:

John Gwillim, Parson of Llandewyskyred

Charles Jones, Clerke the writer hereof

Robert Gunter

Chas Prich:,

John Proger senr

Thomas Willms:

(Latin) Proved in London before the Ven John Amye, Doctor of Law, Surrogate &c &c 14 August 1594 by Elizabeth Lewys relict of the deceased & executrix &c &c