A Diocese Of Hereford Will

In the name of the Blessed trinitie the father the sonne and the holy ghost, the xvth daye of November in the yeere of out lord god after the Computatione of the churche of England 1595: I Richard Bebbe of the parishe of Brampton Bryan in the countie of Hereforde husbandman althoughe sicke and weake in body yet beinge of good & perfecte remembrace praised be god for yt, do make this my last will and testamente in maner and forme as followeth that is, first I doe Commende my soule into the handes of allmightie god trusteinge to bee saved throughe the passione of his sonne Christe my onely saviour and redeemer, and my body I leave to returne to the earth from whence it first came, at the discretione of myne executor to bee buryed in the parishe churche of the aforsayed Brampton Bryan when it shall please god to separate my soule from my body. And concerneinge my wordly goodes both moveable and un-moveable whatsoevere the Lord hath gyven unto my use, my last will is as heere followeth. Firste I will that my debtes and funerall expenses bee truely payed & discharged thenn wheereas I have a fine for the house at Brampton Bryan my desyre and will is that my wife haveinge the one halfe of the sayed house & groundes to it belongeinge doe permitte and sufferre my daughter Jane Bebbe Immediately after my deceasse to have hold occupye and enioye the other halfe of the sayed tenemente in Brampton Bryan aforsayed: and I will that my sayed wife bee well and sufficiently provided for meat drincke and appareall dureinge her naturall life at her choise, whether at this my house in Peddardine or in my house in Brampton Bryan aforsayed and I geve and bequeath unto my daughter Mawde Bebbe five heyfers three yeers old the next Springe one of the sayed heyfers is in the keepeinge of Wm Richardes of the parishe of Knighton, also I geve and bequeath unto my sayed daughter Mawde Bebbe xx sheepe and I geve unto my sayed daughter Mawde my old blacke mare, and whereas I payed eighte poundes & ten shillinges to take the lyveinge in the parishe of Clune to the use of John Davies my kinsman & his wife & my daughter Mawde, my will is that for and dureinge the naturall life of the sayed John Davies, the sayed John Davies doe keepe xx sheeppe of my sayed daughter Mawde, warranteinge the stocke and yeerely deliveringe the woole & lambs of the sayed xx sheepe unto the sayed Mawde & to her use and after the deceasse of the sayed John my daughter Mawde to have & to hold the sayed Lyveinge accordinge to the Lease, then I geve & bequeath unto my daughter Jane Bebbe ij bullockes, ij heyfers of ij yeeres old the next Springe, and I geve unto the sd Jane my daughter one feely ij yeeres old the next Springe and I geve unto my wife ij key to her onely use to remayne, and I geve unto my sayed wife her owne bedde which shee had afor with all thinges their unto belongeinge and I geve unto my kinsman John Davies my grey colt & one cowe to his use to remayne and I geve my old great pott unto my son John Bebbe & my other great pott I geve unto my daughter Jane Bebbe & my third pott I geve to my daughter Mawde., an other pott I leave unto my wife. & Jane my daughter shall have by my will great ponde. & the seconnde ponde I geve to my daughter Mawde with an other ponde in ye custody now of John Davies and I geve one ponde unto my wife, and I geve all my pewter brass beddinges lynens & other houshold stuffe unbequeathed to my ij daughters to bee equally divided betweene them. All the rest of my goodes unbequeathed I geve & bequeath unto my sonne John Bebbe and I will that the sayed John Bebbe doe keepe my wife & the rest of my children for the space of a yeere nexte after my deceasse, and I do constitute & ordeyne my sayed sonne John Bebbe to bee my true & Lawfull executor to see and cause that this my last will bee truely performed and accomplished accordinge to my true meaninge, and I appointe my kinsman John Davies to bee overseere of this my last will to governe my sonne John untill hee come to ye yeeres of discretione, and all other former wills revocked this is my last will in wytnesse whereof I have subscribed my name by a marrke with myne owne hande ... the marcke of Richard Bebb. Wytnesses, Wm Millichapp, & Roger Prince, and Roger Child, & Humfrey Owen Clearke. Edward Hunt oweth mee xiijs. iiijd. And these deleted words: & Gruffyth Bebbe of Llan Cunllo Owithe oweth me ixs. (Deleted)

Modern translation of Richard Bebb's will

In the name of the Blessed Trinity, the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost, the 15th day of November in the year of our Lord God after the computation of the Church of England 1595:

I Richard Bebb of the parish of Brampton Bryan in the county of Hereford, husbandman although sick and weak in body yet being of good & perfect remembrance, praised be God for it, do make this my last Will and Testament in manner and form as follows:

First I do Commend my soul into the hands of Almighty God trusting to be saved through the passion of his son Christ my only saviour and redeemer, and my body I leave to return to the earth from whence it first came, at the discretion of my executor to be buried in the parish church of the aforesaid Brampton Bryan when it shall please God to separate my soul from my body. And concerning my wordly goods both moveable and unmoveable whatsoever the Lord hath given unto my use, my last will is as here follows.

First I will that my debts and funeral expenses bee truly paid & discharged then whereas I have a fine for the house at Brampton Bryan my desire and will is that my wife having the one half of the said house & grounds to it belonging do permit and suffer my daughter Jane Bebb Immediately after my decease to have hold occupy and enjoy the other half of the said tenement in Brampton Bryan aforesaid:

I will that my said wife be well and sufficiently provided for meat drink and apparel during her natural life at her choice, whether at this my house in Pedwardine or in my house in Brampton Bryan aforesaid

I give and bequeath unto my daughter Maud Bebb 5 heifers 3 years old the next spring one of the said heifers is in the keeping of Wm Richards of the parish of Knighton, also

I give and bequeath unto my said daughter Maud Bebb 20 sheep and I give unto my said daughter Maud my old black mare, and whereas I paid eight pounds & ten shillings to take the living in the parish of Clune to the use of John Davies my kinsman & his wife & my daughter Maud, my will is that for and during the natural life of the said John Davies, the said John Davies doe keep 20 sheep of my said daughter Maude, warranting the stock and yearly delivering the wool & lambs of the said 20 sheep unto the said Maude & to her use and after the decease of the said John my daughter Maude to have & to hold the said Living according to the Lease,

I give & bequeath unto my daughter Jane Bebb 2 bullocks, 2 heifers of 2 years old the next spring, and I give unto the said Jane my daughter one filly 2 years old the next spring and

I give unto my wife two keys to her only use to remain, and I give unto my said wife her own bed which she had before with all things thereunto belonging and

I give unto my kinsman John Davies my grey colt & one cow to his use to remain and

I give my old great pot unto my son John Bebb & my other great pot I give unto my daughter Jane Bebb & my third pot I give to my daughter Maude., another pot I leave unto my wife. & Jane my daughter shall have by my will great pound (possibly a cider press?). & the second pound I give to my daughter Maude with another pound in the custody now of John Davies and I give one pound unto my wife, and I give all my pewter, brass, beddings, linens & other household stuff unbequeathed to my 2 daughters to be equally divided between them.

All the rest of my goods unbequeathed I give & bequeath unto my son John Bebb and I will that the said John Bebb do keep my wife & the rest of my children for the space of a year next after my decease, and I do constitute & ordain my said son John Bebb to be my true & Lawful executor to see and cause that this my last will be truly performed and accomplished according to my true meaning, and

I appoint my kinsman John Davies to be overseer of this my last will to govern my son John until he comes to years of discretion, and all other former wills revoked

This is my last will in witness whereof I have subscribed my name by a mark with my own hand ...

The mark of Richard Bebb.

Witnesses, William Millichap, & Roger Prince, and Roger Child, & Humfrey Owen Clearke.

Edward Hunt owes me 13 shillings and 4 pence.

(And these deleted words: & Griffith Bebb of Llan Cunllo Owithe owes me nine shillings)

Interactive Map of Brampton Bryan