dealer might or should have in and by this my last Will and Testament, or any things therein conteyned. And that this my last Will and Testament may be dewley executed, I doe ordaine, constitute and make my said daughter, Katherine Spence, my trew and lawfull executor of this my aforesaid last Will and Testament. And I humbly desire the ordinarie who it shall please god to approve this my last Will and Testament to take order by strong bonds that they that have interest in and by this my last Will and Testament doe not wrong one to another. And that this my last Will and Testament be dewlie executed. I will that these my bequests, devises and purposes conteyned in this my last Will and Testament be not expounded, conserned, freed or wrased from my words and my plaine and trew meaning by any collorable, superficall or synister argument or sence otherwise then the plane words will beare and afford. And I will that whosoever shall be quarrelous, contencous or troublesome herein shall loose and forgoe his or their whole interest and benefit of this my Will and Testament and of whatsoever is therein mentioned. And finallie I ordeyne and make my trustie and well beloved friend, Mr. John Richardson, of Durham, my Kinsman, Mr. Richard Jackson, Mr. Christopher Boa and Mr. Henry Barker, Supervisors of this my last Will and Testament, and I hereby desire them to see and procure that this my last Will and Testament be proved and putt into execution. Witnesses, Hen. Barker, Richard Jackson. Proved, 1607. ISABELLA ROBSON.1 July 11, 1607. In the name of God, Amen, I, Isabella Robson, of the towne of Newcastle upon Tyne, in the parish of All Saints' widow. To be buried in the parish church of All Saints' soe neare my late husband as convenientlie maybe. I give and bequeath to my brother, George Readheade, locksmith, a full twoe thirde partes in three equall partes being devided of all my householde stuffe. I give unto him over and besides a whole bedding of clothes. I give and bequeath unto Robt. Smale, Keilman, his wife, a round cubbord now being in my howse, a great damske chist in the loft, a sane yard and a kirtle. I give and bequeath to John Readhead, sone of Richard Readhead, shipwright, a danskpott, pewterpott and 2 platters of pewter. I give to Isabell Readhead, the said Richard's wife, my silver gowne crooks. I give to Mallie Wilkinson my gown taicke. I give to Thomas Readhead, marriner, another full thirde parte of all my household stuff, and to his wife my worsted apron and a paire of 1 The Testatrix was bur. at All Saints, Newcastle, 18 July, 1607. crookes to it. I give and bequeath unto Thomas Readhead. sone of the said Thomas, a pewter pottle pott. I give unto Mally Errington, wife of Gilbert Errington, a fether bed. Whereas the said Robert Smale is oweing me 8s. I doe freely forgive it him. I give unto my sister, Eppie Brown, 2 pewter platters. My mind and will is that all such legacies and gifts as I have heare in this, my will, given and bequeathed, shall be delivered and taken out of all my goodes, and then my brother, George Readhead, and Thomas Readhead, to have their partes according as before. I have given and bequeathed them all the rest of my goods moveable and unmovable, my debts being paid and funeral expences discharged, I give and bequeath unto my said brother, George Readhead, and my cozen, the said Thomas Readhead, whom I do make executors jointly of this my psent will. Witnesses, Gilbert Errington, Robt. Smale, Mallie Wilkinson, Isabella Readhead and William Vincent. WILLIAM SCURFIELD.1 July 25, 1607. In the name of God, Amen, I, William Scurfield, of Grindon, in the county of Durham, Yeoman. To be buried in the church or churchyard of Bishopwarmouth. First I give and bequeath unto the poore of the parish which are most needful at the day of my death or buriall 20s. I give and bequeath unto my sone in law, James Farrowe, and to Alice, his wife, my daughter, and their children, the sum of 51. over and above their porcons which I have alreadie paid to the said James and Alice, of which 51. James Farrowe is oweing me 30s. I am contented to forgive him 10s. thereof, so my will is he allow that 20s. which he is oweing me and I will that the other 47. be paid to them or either of them that shallbe living at a years end after my death. Whereas my son-in-law, John Thompson, is oweing me fiftie shillings, I forgive him 10s. thereof and I give to him and his wife, Ellen, and their children, the sum of five pounds, namely William Scurfield was bur. at Bishopwearmouth, 30 Sept., 1609, at which place his wife had been bur. 26 Aug., 1597; she bore him four children, Rowland, bapt., 25 June, 1577, bur. 28 May, 1620, mar. Alice Jervice, 26 Mch., 1607 (by whom he had four sons, Robert, bapt., 17 Jan., 1607/8, John, bapt., 8 July, 1610, William, bapt., 4 Oct., 1612, and Barnard, bapt., 18 May, 1615); Robert, bapt., 4 Mch., 1574/5, mar. Isabel Merriman, 1 May, 1598 (by whom he had three sons and four daurs, William, bapt., 2 Mch., 1599/1600, bur. 25 Sept., 1600, Peter, bapt., 27 Jan., 1604/5, John, bapt., 13 Oct., 1608, bur., 26 Oct., the same year, Alice, bapt., 11 Sept., 1602, Joan, bapt., 25 Mch., bur., 26 Apl., 1607, Elizabeth, bapt., 22 Apl., 1610, Margaret, bapt., 3 May, 1618); Alice, bapt., 1 May, 1569, said in the will to have mar. James Farrow, and Ellen who mar. John Thompson, 27 April, 1596. 40s. which he is oweing, and 31. more to be paid to him or his wife or children two yeares after my death. I give and bequeath unto my sone, Rowland Scurfield, 57., to be paid three years after my death. I give and bequeath unto the late children of John Dixson, that is to say, Elizabeth, Mary, Jane and Isabella to every one of them, 20s. apiece. All the rest of my goods, my debts, legacies and funeral expences discharged, I give unto my sone, Robert Scurfield, whom I make my full and sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament. Witnesses, Peter Dentone, Thomas Markland, Wm. Cooke. Proved, December 2, 1609. NICHOLAS LAYBORNE. Sept. 1, 1607. In the name of God, Amen, I, Nicholas Layborne, the Elder of Durwancoate. To be buried within the quere of Meddomsley, my pish church. I give and bequith the full half of my farmhold and tenement, which I dy now possessed of, unto my wife, Jane Layborne, for the yeares unexpired to bring up my small children. I give and bequith unto my daughter, Margery Layborne, three score poundes for her filiall, [portion] And if that my goods will not amount and extend to that sum, then I will that shee shall have that which remayneth or shall made oute of my half tenement: Provided always that my said dowghter Margery doe follow and obey her mother's advice and advices of the supervisor of this my Will and Testament in her matching, it please Gode; otherwise that she will not have her porcon, but be at her mother's discretion. And I will that my wife shall give to the rest of all my children, viz., John Layborne, Peter Layborne, Arthor Layborne and William Layborne, their portions at her discretion as she shall think good, with the advices of the supervisors of this my Will and testament. And also that if the haff shall come to my wife's use, I will that she shall geive unto Henry Halsall 40s. and to Ambrose Halsell 26s. 8d., my dowghter's children. Also I doe take that upon my conscience at this present before you all here, That if halfe should come by [and] in wright to the use of me or my successors fower yeares before the end and expiration of Mr. Headlye's lease. And I make my wife, Jane Layborne, my sole and full and lawfull executrix of this my last Will and Testament. And I also make my brother, Anthony Swinborne, and my nephew, John Stephenson, Supervisors of this my last Will and Testament, to see that it be fully accomplished and fullfilled according to the true meaning (as my trust is in them). Witnesses, John Rogersonn, Anthony Swinburne, John Stephenson, Geo. Wrightson. INVENTORIE, 1587, 178, Proved, 1607, THOMAS COMYN.1 Sept. 15, 1607. In the name of God, Amen, I, Thomas Comyn, of Croisgait, in the pish of St. Margaret's. To be buried in the pish church of St. Margaret's aforesaid. I doe give unto my sister, Dorothie Richardson, one french crowne in gold for a token. I doe give unto my sister, Jane Sympson, ten shillinges in money for a token. I doe give unto my Brother in lawe, William Sympson, my black meare. I doe give my father, John Comyne, my clooke lined with baise. I doe give to my brother, John Comyn, my best clooke. I doe give to my brother, George Comyn my green suite of apparell I doe give unto my brother Nicholas Comyn, my best dublett. I doe give unto my man, George Ullocke, one olde dublett and a paire of britches and paire of white stockings. I doe give unto my sonne, James Comyn, thirtie pounds, and my wife to have the tuision and government of my said sonne, James Comyn, and of the aforesaid some of thirty pounds for and during hir widowhood and att the daye of hir marriage I give the tuison and government of my said sone, James Comyn, and the said some of Thirtie pounds to my brother, John Comyne, of Newcastle upon Tyne, Merchant, and all the rest of his porcon due unto him the said James Comyn att the day of my death, and dew unto hym fourth of all my goodes and chattels moveable and unmoveable. I doe give the said Thirtie pounds, the which I have geven unto my sone, James Comyn, by legacy, unto John Comyn, George Comyn and Nicholas Comyn, my three brethern, equally to be devided amongst them, if thatt my said sone, James Comyne, do fortune to dye and departe fourthe of this wicked worlde before he come to the filiall age of one and twentie yeares. I doe give unto the poore twentie shillings. All resydue of my goods and chattells moveable and unmoveable, my debts, legacies and funerall paid and discharged, I doe give and John Commyn, the father of the testator, was bur. at Redmarshall (from which registers all dates are taken unless otherwise mentioned), 1 Oct., 1613, an anncient inhabitant." The testator, bapt., 18 June, 1581, mar. Margaret Bayles, 8 July, 1606, at St. Margaret's, Durbam, where his only child James was bapt., 30 July, 1607 (his marriage is also recorded in the registers of Redmarshall, "Thomas, son of John Cummin of Redmarshall, to Bales, his daughter, of Durham"); His brother John was apprenticed, 24 June, 1601, as son of John of Cleemar Hall, co. Durham, yeo. (bapt., 20 Feb., 1583). He mar. at St. Nich., Newcastle, 1 July, 1611, Elizabeth, dau. of Ralph Cock, in whose will (dated 29 Aug., 1611, Arch. Ael., 3 Ser., xiii., 38) he and Elizabeth are mentioned. He was bur. at St. Nich., 12 Aug., 1616. (His master, Alexander Davison, had mar. Agnes, dau. of the same Ralph Cock). His brother George was bapt., 24 July, 1586, and his brother Nicholas, 8 July, 1589; he also was apprenticed in Newcastle. His sister Dorothy, bapt., 1 Sept., 1572, mar. Thomas Richardson, 19 Sept., 1595. His sister Janet, bapt., 21 Nov., 1574, mar. William Simpson, 27 Apl., 1593. The testator although expressing a wish in his will to be bur. at St. Margaret's, Durham, was bur. at Redmarshall, 16 Oct., 1607. bequeth unto my wyfe, Margare Comyn, and my sonne, James Comyn, whom I make my full executors of this my last Will and Testament. Also I doe make my Brother-in-law, Thomas Richerdson, and my brother, John Comyne, survisors of this my last Will and Testament, desiring them, as my trust is in them, to see all things pformed according to the trew meaninge hereof. Proved, 28 November, 1607. WILLM. BLAXTON.1 Feb. 5, 1607. I, Willm. Blaxton, of Gibside, in the Countie of Durham, Esquire. My bodie to be buryed in my pish church of Whickham in decent order at the discretion of my executors and supervisors, wthout anie vaine pompe, as neare unto the place where my lait wife was buryed as convenientlie may be. And whereas I have alwayes had, and still have, a great care for the pferment and advancement of my welbeloved nephew, Ralph Blaxton, eldest sonne to my nephew, William Blaxtonn, of Hedley, in the Countie of Durham, hoping that he will feare God and seek the advancement of his house and posteritie. I give unto my said Nephew, Ralph Blaxton, all that my messuage or tenement called Netherfreerside, with all lands, tenements thereunto belonging lying and beinge in the parish of Tanfield, in the Countie of Durham, to him and his heirs for ever, in as large and ample manner as they are granted to me from my Brother, Sir Nicholas Tempest, of Stelley, in the Countie of Durham, Knight. Also to my said nephew, Ralph Blaxton, one Rent charge of Three score pounds to be issuing and going forth of the lands, tenements in the County of Durham, to be paid to the said Ralph and his heires for ever at the feasts of Penticost and St. Martin's the I. Roger Blakiston of Gibside, will dated, 12 Nov., 1569 (the Inventory is printed in this series, 112, p. 49) by his wife, Eleanor, dau. of Millot of Whithill, had, with other issue II. William of Gibside, bur. at Whickham, 18 Feb., 1607/8, mar. Joan, dau. of Robert Lambton of Lambton, bur. at Whickham, 14 Mch., 1604/5, died without issue. III. George of Hedley Hall, mar. Eleanor, dau. of John Thaine of Swaffham, co. Norfolk, had, with other issue, IV. Sir William of Gibside, knt., aged 38 at his uncle William's Inq. p.m. taken 17 Mch., 1607/8, at Durham, bur., 18 Oct., 1641, at Whickham, mar. Jane, dau. of Robert Lambton of Lambton (sister to the wife of his uncle William), bur. 11 Nov., 1648, and had, with other issue, V. Sir Ralph of Gibside, aged 26, 1615, created a Baronet 30 July, 1642, bur., 20 Jan., 1650/1 having mar., firstly, Frances, dau. of Sir Charles Wren of Binchester (bapt., 1 Sept., 1598, at St. Andrew's, Auckland, and died without issue); and, secondly, Margaret, dau. of Sir William Fenwick of Wallington, Northumberland, by whom he had five sons and two daughters. |