Richard Withers of Eaton 1589 Will
Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland Archives PR/T/1589/131
In all thy Doings remember the end
12 Februarye Ao 1589
Optima mors Savle Pessima vita Vale
In the name of god Amen I Rychard Wythers of Eaton in the county of Leiceser yoman and of London mercer beinge in perfyt mynde and memorye after this forme and manner do make and ordeyne my Last will and testamente conteninge theyrin my Laste will in manner and former that Followythe the xiith day of Februarye Ao 1589
Firste I bequeathe my Sowle into the hands of the Lyvinge god the Father the Sonne and the holye gooste that firste made me owte of the dust From whence I came and thether I shall returne
I acknowlegde wythe all my harte that I am a synner and hathe neyde of the favour grace and mercye of god and I proteste that my faythe is Joynid wythe hope and that god will have mercye on me whether I Lyve or dye and that Jhesus christe hathe redeymid me owt of the fyery Lake of hell by shedynge of moste precious blode on the crosse who died for all mankynd that put their truste in hym and belyve his holye gospell
I therefore Lyinge at his mercie sycke in body and whole in mynd do most ernistly call to hym in the face of the world for grace and forgyvenes of mye Synnes and wrechednes moste humbly besechynge the almighty god of his infynyte mercie and grace And that he will mercyfully behold my pitifull prayers whiche I wythe moste penitent humble and Lowly harte make befor his most mightie majestie and that he will heare and receave my prayers and show unto me his Lovinge merci as he hathe promised them that aske and belyve in Jhesus christe In whom I faythefully belyve that by the sheadynge of his moste previous blode on the crosse I shall be saved and that he is my Intercessor and mediator to my god for my offences and Synnes
Therefor heavenly Father and my sweate Jhesus I Do commyt my Spyrite into thy hands cravinge pardon at thy hands for all my offences and that when this Lyfe shall … awaye I may be partaker of thy heavenly Kyngdom whear Angells syttythe contynually prasinge the be all … glorye world withowte end Amen
O Lord into thy hands do I commend my Sowle my body to be buryed in the churche yarde of Eaton or elsewhear it shall please god to call me
Itm whearas I have by my deyd of gyfte gyven grantyd and set ovor all my goodes cattell chattell whatsoever wythe in the realme of England upon certen consyderations me moving and reservinge to my selfe for my mayntenance of lyvinge duringe my natural lyfe makynge no waste and also at my Departur owte of the world when yt shall please god to call me to his mercy to make a will and testament and to gyve awaye ether in goodes or mony to the valewe and Somme of twenty poundes whiche I do mynd by this my Last will and testament to gyve and bequeath in manner and forme as after following
Itm I will at my day of buriall to be distrybuted by my trustye fryndes hearafter named to the pore of the towne & that shall come to my buryal x… in white bread
Itm I will no solempnyty of any cheare to be made at my buriall but what is neadfull
Itm I will all my detts aperynge by specialty or that I have sett downe in wrytynge to be payd by my executors or by my trusty fryndes for them
Itm I do gyve and bequeathe to Dorytye Wythers my wyfe in … and in full satysfaction of all dewties demandes dowers and Joynters and that she proloyne no goodes of myn awaye which … be proved I do gyve her then but xx… in mony and yf she do not but as she ought I do gyve her thes percell of goodes Followynge
Imprimis the bedstead she lyethe in and the old fetherbed she lyythe upon
Itm a litell bolster with fethers which was hers iii litell Pillows of fethers of Lynsey wolsey ii russet blanckets A coverlett of Imyyrye worke not lyned whiche was hers a whit corse coverlett a coverlett that lyethe on her bed of red & blue the old quylte the chests that she now ornpeth with the keyes All the pullyns the ii old cobbardes in the hall & old cobard in the mylke howse the mylke boles & pannes all the hosehold Lynyen that she hathe in custodye I mynd no part of the chestes of Lyniyn apoynted for Ales Wythers the Lowe turne cheare the litell brasse pots the shorte litell spytt the Lesser payre of cobhornes and two of the oldeste matrisses
Itm my will is that my trusty fryndes do gyve to them that cary me to my grave xiid apeace Wm Tomson Thomas Yeale Ric Edwall and Thomas Parsons or who soever shall happen
Item I appoynte and nominate by this my Last will & testament and also my sayd children is desirous and willynge theyr unto that Richard Whit[missing] of Knipton Harry Bruer of Branson and John Birde of Beu… by they trusty fryndes and gardeners to them and I will that every of them that they take mynd to be theyr gardeners to have xx… a peace and that they deale as well for theyr goodes & chatell cattell whatsoever by my deade gyven … as also for that which I gyve by this my last will and testament
Itm my mynd is and allweys was … I made the sayd deade of gift that Symond Wythers should have but of all my goodes by deade or will but forty poundes althoughe the deyd is with words otherways because I buyed hym a howse which cost me muche and he hath also the Lande
Itm my will is that my sayd trustye Fryndes and gardeners to my sayd children do cause all my sayd goodes to be preased by parcell and to sell them by parcell except those goodes which I apoynte … by Inventory in above whiche shalbe reserved to every of theyre uses and is valuyd by me all redy and they to take them in their parts as parcell of theyr parts according as they be valuyd and to have them with in six monythes after they accomplyshe their ages provided allweys yf yt shall happen that any of my sayd chyldren to depart the world before they accomplyshe theyr ages theyr parts shall be devyded to them equally that be Lyvinge
Itm my will is that after my sayd goodes be Inventored and the goodes sold that shuld be and the other in theyr handes as for my daughter goodes to remayne with John Birde & Symond E… with Mr Whitynge or Mr Bruar and the mony that is … for the sayd goodes to be parted into every of theyr handes and the rent of my lease and Land likewyse yearly and they to be bound for ytt to my sayd children and the sayd boundes to be kepte in the handes of my very good Lord the Bishope of Pyterborowe to theyr uses till they come to theyr ages
Itm of this my Laste will and testament I ordeyn and make Symond and Thomas Wythers my executors
Also I ordeyn and make Thomas Rowse Richard Edwards my oversyers and they to have iiis iiiid apeace
In Wyttnes that this is my Laste will and testament And that I wrote it in good and perfytt memory god be praised for ytt the xth of February Ao 1589 and is and shalbe my Laste will & testament all other wills to be frustrate & voyde And this only to stand in full force & …
Per me Richardum Wythers
The Lord god omnipotent Receave my Sowle
Rubyn Whytynge
Itm my will is that my trusty fryndes and my Children trusty fryndes by them requested have theyr charges borne that they Lay owte aboute any thynge they do for them or me
Richard Wythers
14 April 1590 John Bird, Richard Whitting and Henry Brewer sworn administrators during minority
