In the name of God Amen the eighth day of February in the
year of our Lord God 1558 and in the first year of the reign of our sovereign
Lady Elizabeth by the grace of the God of England, France and Ireland, Queen
Defender of the faith etc.,
I William Dameron of Westerfield in the County of Suffolk
and in the diocese of Norwich, Yeoman being of good mind and whole of memory
thanks be to God, do ordain and make this my last Will and Testament in manner
and form following
First and principally, I bequeath my soul into the hands
of my heavenly father my saviour and redeemer, my body to be buried in the Church
of Westerfield aforesaid
Item I will that my lands in Tuddenham called Dowells,
one other tenement in the same town wherein one Keble dwells with all the lands
that he occupies to the same, one other tenement in Westerfield called Keelings
which as one Richard Mynter dwells in, with all the lands that he occupies to
the same, all that my land lying in Lymedowefield, one close containing by
estimation five acres which as is in my occupying, whereof the east head abuts
upon the Kings highway leading from Henley towards Ipswich, one other tenement
in Westerfield aforesaid, which as one John Dameron dwelt in, with all the
lands that he occupied to the same, - except and reserved five acres of wood
out of the same tenement the which I have given to my son John - be sold by my
executors for Four Hundred Pounds, and if so be my sons John and George will
purchase these lands, I will that they shall have them Fifty Pounds within the
price. And if so be that my said sons do
refuse the purchase of them, then I will that they shall be sold by my Executors
to him that will give most for them then.
And I will that all these lands that hold of the manor of Westerfield do
pay a yearly rent of 3s 4d to the said Manor and suit, to the court
Item I give and bequeath to Agnes my daughter One Hundred
Pounds to be paid her by my Executors in manner and form following, that is to
say at her day of marriage, Forty Pounds and so forth yearly Twenty Pounds a
year till the said £100 be paid
Item I give and bequeath to Elizabeth my daughter One Hundred
Pounds to be paid her by my Executors in manner and form following, that is to
say at her day of marriage Forty Pounds and so forth yearly Twenty Pounds a
year till the said £100 be paid
Item I give and bequeath to Mary my daughter One Hundred Pounds
to be paid her by my Executors in manner and form following, that is to say at
her day of marriage Forty Pounds and so forth yearly Twenty Pounds a year till
the said £100 be paid
Item I will that if they marry all within one year that
then they shall have but Twenty Pounds a piece paid them at their marriage, and
so forth Twenty Pounds a year till the £100 be paid
Item I will that if any of my daughters depart this
present world before they be married, that then her part to be evenly divided
between her sisters
Item I will that none of my said daughters shall marry
without the consent of my Executors. And
if any of them do that then they to lose Ten Pounds a piece that shall so for
time to do
Item I will and bequeath to John my son my silver salt,
one featherbed in the new parlour with my best covering and blankets to the
same, and after the decease of my wife the bedstead with the posts and tester
to the same. Also I give unto him the
cupboard in the best parlour and the hangings there, a table in the same
parlour with a carpet and the stools belonging to the same
Item I give and bequeath to George my son, six of my best
silver spoons, my new featherbed, the bedstead and the posts standing in the
new chamber with all things belonging to the same, that is to say the best covering
next to that I have given my son John, blankets, sheets and the tester to the
same bed, a cupboard in the hall, a counter table with a carpet and a stool to
the same, a ewer and a basin longing to the same. All the rest of my plate and household stuff
unbequeathed, I will it be evenly divided in four parts and that my wife shall
have one part and the other three parts to be divided amongst my three
daughters
Item I give to the poverty (poor) whereas my executors
shall think most meet, Twenty Pounds to be paid at my burial and within one
year after
Item I give to Johane Dameron and to Cecilie Dameron,
daughters to my son John, Twenty Shillings a piece to be paid them at their day
of marriage
Item I give to Edmond Dameron my godson son to my son George
Three Pound Six Shillings Eight pence to be paid him at his marriage
Item I give to Robert Mynter my godson Seven Shillings
Eight Pence to be paid him at his marriage
Item I give to William Baker my godson Six Shilling Eight
Pence to be paid him at his marriage
Item I give to every one of my other godchildren Twenty
Pence a piece
Item I give to my son George all my armour, and all that
Dexter doth owe me for and have to account for
Item I will that my wife shall have Twenty Pounds a year
during her life to be paid out of my lands as hereafter follows, that is to say
out of my son John’s land Ten Pounds by year, out of George’s land Six Pounds
by year and out of the land that I have willed to be sold Four Pounds by year,
to be paid her every half year Ten Pounds.
Also I will that my wife shall have during her life, if she keep herself
a widow, the best parlour the salon over that, the buttery and the salon over
that. And if she marry I will that she
shall not meddle with the house
Item I will that if my wife will not stand to the gift
that I have given her but will refuse it, and molest and trouble my executors
contrary to this my will, then I will that the gift to her before given be void
and that she to have nothing but that she can get by the law
Item I will that if my wife do not stand to the gift that
I have given her but will take her Jointure, then I will that my daughters
before named, Agnes, Elizabeth and Marie shall have but a hundred marks a piece
and the residue of the money that I had given my daughters, I will and give it
to my son George. And if my wife do
stand to the gift that I have given her and leave her Jointure then I will that
my daughters shall have a One Hundred Pounds a piece as is before given them
Item I will that my half year’s farm (rent) which shall
be due at our Lady Day next shall remain wholly to pay my debts with all
Item I will that my Executors shall take my debts and pay
my debts. And as for all my goods
moveable and unmoveables unbequeathed, I put to the discretion of my executors
whom I do ordain and make to see this my will truly observed and fulfilled,
John Dameron and George Dameron my sons
Witness hereof George Payne, Robert Medowe, Christopher
Barricke and other