Will of
THOMAS SHERMAN
of Yaxley, County Suffolk, ENGLAND

In the name of God Amen. The XXth daye of January in the yere of our Lord God 1 Thousand fyve hundreth and fyftie and in the fourth yere of the reign of our sovereigne Lorde King Edward the Sixt. I Thomas Sherman of Yaxlee in the Co. of Suffolk and in the diocese of Norwiche being in good Mynde and perfyttremembrance make this my testament and last will in manner and form hereafteer following.

First I bequeath my soule to Almightye God and to all the holy company in heaven.

My bodye to be buryed in the churche of Yaxlee aforesaid yf it shall please God that I shall departe in the towne of Yaxlee aforesaid or els in suche place where yt shall please God to call me.

Item. I give to the high aulter of the seyd churche for my tithes forgotten or to letill paid three shillings, four pence.

Also I bequeathe and will have delt and gevyn to the poor people within the Towne of Yaxle six shillings eight pence.

Also to the poor people within the towne of Eye ten Shillings.

Also to the poor people of the towne of Thrandeston Burgate Diss and Roydon three shillings four pence.

Also I bequeath to Jane my wief my messuages wherein I dwel with all other messuages, lands, tenements, meadows, pastures, woodes, weyes and herditaments in Yaxlee and Eye aforesaid, lying and being on the Est syde of the wey leding from Norwich to Ham (Horham) for the terme of her life of the wynche close the same my sister ys nowe in possession.

And also excent and reserved at the said messuage wherein I do now dwell, the olde parlour, the chamber on the said parlour, the solder over the hall, and the Chamber next the hall dore, the byrne next the mill house, space for fowre horse in the stabyll, the soler over the stabyll and libertie in the bakehouse to bake and brewe, which I will Thomas my sonne have to hym and his heyres and assignes with free Lybertie ingate and outgate in and to all the said houses and other premises before excepted, reservyd at all tyme and tymes my said weif paying the rent to the lordes of the fee, that is to say, to the Kinges grace for the manner of Eye hall by yere sisteen shillings, and to the said manner for "two henys and a cok" by yere five pence.

And to Mr. Anthony Yaxlee for five acres of lande called fulburys by yere three shillings four pence.

Also I give and bequeath to Jane my wief tenne combes of wheate twentie combes of malte, eighte Keyne, fiftie shepe foure horsse at her chose, and one half of all my swyn and pultery.

Also I will that Jane my wief shall have the use and occupieing of my two bedsteds and beddes now standing and being upon the newe chamber with the coveryings and all other things to the said bedds belonging with a cobord and seles (shelves) on the said chamber (for the) terme of her lyfe and after her decease to remayne to Thomas my son and to his assigns.

And if it fortune my wief to marry agayne, then I will Thomas my sonne to enter and have the said chamber beddes and all other things on the said chamber to her bequeathed.

Also I bequeath to Thomas my sonne my counter table, and the two bedsteds and beddes now standing and being in the olde parlour with two other of my best coverings, and all other things to ye said beddes and bedsteds belonging.

Also I bequeath to Jane my wief a sylver pace weying eight ounces and a half and half a quarter, twelve sylver spones weying eighteen ounces, a sylver salte weying eight ounces, as long as she shall kepe herself sole and unmarried. And if it fortune her to marry, to reemayne to Thomas my sonne and his assigns; and as long as she shall kepe herself sole and unmarried then after decease to remayne to the said Thomas.

Also I bequeath to Jane my wief the one half of all my stuf of household before not bequeathed. And the other half I give to Thomas my sonne he paying to eache of his brethren twentie shillings when they shall come to the age of 21 yeres.

Also I bequeath to Thomas my sonne one Goblet weying fourteen ounces and odd. And a sylver salte parcell gilt, and three sylver spones and to each of my children a slyver spone.

Also I bequeath to Thomas my sonne one of my geldings and foure other of my horse and coltes at his election after his mother hath chosen.

Also I bequeath to Richard my sonne twentie marks over and beside all such monye as I have given hym/or lent him which is this ty.

Also I bequeath to John my sonne fourtie pounds.

Also I bequeath to Henry my sonne fourtie pounds to be paide to hym when he cometh out of his prentyshode.

Also I bequeathe to William my sonne fourtie pounds to be payed like as to Henry.

Also I bequeathe to Anthony my sonne fourtie pounds to be paide when he cometh to the age of twenty two years.

And if it shall appere to myne executores at the said tweenty two years that yt shalbe more for the profyt of the said Anthony to have an annuitie of fourtie shillings by yere, than to have the fourtie pounds, then I will Thomas my sonne to have the said forty pounds and to make the said Anthony a good sure and suffficient annuitie of forty shillings yerely, going out of my landes sumetyme Wrenys lying in Yaxlee aforesaid payable at two terms in the yere by even pencions for term of lyfe of the said Anthony.

Also I give and bequeathe to Frounces my sonne and to his heyres, my east landes meadows pastures and hereditaments lying in Dysse in Co. Norfolk, which I late bought of John Waren of Disse.

And also that all my lands pastures hereditaments with appurts luying in Bresseworth in Co. Suffolk when he arrives to the age of twenty two years.

And I will that myne Exors. shall have and take the profytts of the said messuages landes and other premisses untill the said twenty two yeres to fynde said Frounces to Scole and other lernying.

And the overplus of the profytts of the said messuages landes etc. to goo to the fyndings of Bartholomew and James to scole until the said twenty second yere.

And I bequeathe to the said Frounces when he come to the age of twenty two yere fyve pounds.

Also I bequeathe to Bartholomew my sonne fourtie pounds to be payed at twenty two.

Also I bequeathe to James my sonne fourtie pounds at the said age.

And if it shall fortune any of my said sons to dye before they have reseyved their legacies of bequest of money then I will that their parte or partes be equally devyded among the residue of my sonnes then being alyve.

Also I bequeathe to eche of my godchildren twelve pence.

Also I bequeathe to my sister Lokwood an Annuitee of Twenty shillings yerely, to be paide by Thomas my sonne his exors. or assigns at every half yere tenne shillings after my decease during her life. And if it fortune the said twnety shillings or any part thereof to be unpaide at any of the said half yeres which yt ought to be paid that then I will my said syster or her assigns shall enter and dystrayn into my messuages and closes called Bukkys Lede or carry away and withhold until suche tyme my said syster and her assigns be fully satisfied content and payde as well as the said Annuytie of twenty shillings as of tthe arrerage of the same or any parte thereof with her reasonable costs and charges susteyned for the same.

Also I bequeathe to eche of my sisters children nowe being married tenne shillings and to eche of my said syster's children nowe unmarried twenty shillings to be paid at their day of marriage yf they be married before they come to the age of twenty two yeres or ells to be paid to eche of them at their said ages of twenty two.

Also I will that yf Jane my wief at any tyme hereafter cleyme aske demannde or sue for any dowry to have of all my Manners, Lands, and Tenements and other the premisses or ells disturb or sue for any parte or parcell of eny other thing contrary to this my Test. and last Will, then I will my said wyfe to have no parte or parcell of any of all foresaid messuages lands and tenements and other the premisses to her before given or bequeathed nor no other legacie or bequest in this my last will conteyned.

Also I will yf any of all my children shall make eny sute trobyll or cleym to or for eny maner of landes tenement or other thing or things contrary to this my Test. and last Will in disturbance of this my said will then I will that on suche childe or children so cleyming any parte or parcel of my landes tenements or goodes other than I have to them severally given or assigned by this my last will, shall have no parte or parcell of any legacie or bequest to them or eny of themgiven or bequeathed making any suche trobyll or cleym contrary to this my Test. and last will, but suche legacie andbequest to be at the dysposicion of myne Exers.

and as concerning the thirde parte of my manners of Royden and Royden Tuft with appurts. in Royden and Bresingham, and all my lands tenements, meadows, pastures, woods weyes with revercions and herditaments in Royden, Brysingham and Dysse in Co. of Norfk with all my messuages, lands, tenement meadows, pastures, woods, weyes, etc. lying or being in Yaxlee, Thrandeston and Lytell Thronham in co. Suffk, together with the Revercion of all the aforesaid landes, tenements and hereditments in Yaxlee and Eye aforesaid, after the decease of Jane my wief which I have heretofore in this my said last will geven and assigned to Jane for terme of herlife except only such lands and tenements in Dysse and Breseworth aforesaid which I have heretofore geven and assigned to Frounces my sonne, I give and bequeath them holy to Thomas my sonne and to his heyres and assgns.

Also I bequeath to Robert Woodcroft 40s. to be payd when he comythe of age twenty two years yf he be rulyd and orderyd by myne exors.

And all the residue of my goodes cattells debts mony plate and all my other goodes as well moveable as not moveable I put them holy to the good disposicion of myne exors. to the performance of this my test. and last wyll and to the bringing up of my children being within age untill they come to the age of twenty one yeres. I ordeyn and make Robert Kene of Trandeston gentleman and Thomas my sonne myne exors.

And the said Robert to have for his labors and paynes twenty shillings.

And supervisors of this my test. and last will. I shall desire and requyer Sir Henry Bedingfeld, Knight to be one to whom I give for his payne and favor for and in edying of my Exors. with his good council and assistance fourtie shillings.

Witness:
John Whethyngham
Edward Torold
William Eglyn, vicar of Yaxlee

Proved at London, 16 day of November, 1551 by the oath of Thomas Sherman. Dated January 20, 1550 (Bucke 32) P.C.C.
F.D.S. 15-18

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