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Saturday 3 January 2015

Great Bromley Wills: Transactions 'n.s.' Volume 23 Part 1

Transactions of the Essex Archaeological Society, ‘New Series’, Volume 23 Part 1 (1942)

Archaeological Notes
Great Bromley Wills.All the early wills relating to Great Bromley that could be traced at Somerset House have been searched, chiefly for bequests to the parish church. The results proved somewhat disappointing.  However, documents of this nature always possess a value to the local historian, and for that reason it seems worth while printing a complete list.  With the exception of three original wills in the Commissary Court of London (Essex and Herts), and a single will in the Prerogative Court of  Canterbury, of which full abstracts are given, extracts are confined to items of particular interest; the references are to Registers in the Archdeaconry Court of Colchester.

JOHN NEWMAN. - 23 February, 1514[-5]. Of Moche Bromlegh. To be buried in the church, by the sepulture of my father and friends.  To the 'fabricacion' of Bromlegh church, 40s. during the next two years.    (Frmzcys 52.)

ROBERT BAYNYNGE. - 22 September, 1523. Of Moche Bromley. To the church, 15s. to buy a good cow, to be 'letten' yearly to an honest poor·man of the parish, paying yearly to the church 'reves' for the time to keep an obit perpetually, of which 2d. to be paid for the bell-ringing, 2d. for settin g up of the hearse, and 2d. for drink for the ringers.  Mending of a slough called Philipps slough, and another in the same l ane.   (Francys 1 54 .}

WILLIAM FARYWAY – 8 July 1524.[1]  Parson of Moc h e Bromley.  To be buried in Moche Bromley churchyard (? 'chauncell'; see Trans. E.A.S. , vol. vi, p. 113).  5 masses to be sung in the c hurch fo r me.  My executo rs to have 100 masses sung for me at Scala celi in the Crosse Freres in Colchester.[2]  To Bromley church, 40s. to buy towels and altar-cloths, and a cow, to find a light before St. Christopher's image.  To the making and painting of the 'candelbeme' in the church, £6.  To  the  churchwardens, a milch kine, from the letting of whic h my ob t i s to be kept for ever.
To each of my godchildren, 12d. To Master George Gilford, esq., my largest bed, and other pieces of fumiture (described); remainder to my god­daughter, Mistress Mary Gilford. To 20 maidens next to be married in Bromley, each a ewe.  To John Munt, the tailor, 20s.  My tenement called Clements and my land called 'hacche lande' to be sol d by my executors.  To John Pegott, ½ acre wheat and ½ acre oats.  To Robert Lyne, 1 acre wheat and 1 acre oats.  To Agnes Wells, widow, 20s.  To William Pegott, 6s. 8d. To Henry Stertowte, 20 seams of barley at 20All my household stuff at Munkeshilley (Monks Eleigh, Suffolk), except a Rock bed, to be brought home to Bromley; all the rest of my goods there to be disposed of by Edmond Gosnolde of Bylston (Bildeston, Suffolk), and William Stertowte of Munkishilley, to each of whom 20s. for his pains.  A priest to sing for me for a year in Bromley church for £6 13s. 4d.To the Grey Friars of Colchester, 20s. to sing two trentals for me.  To Friar Skotye, 10s., to Friar Johnson , 6s. 8d., to pray for me.  To Agnes Wrangham, 6s. 8d.  To Sir Matthew Saunders, parson of Lelford (Lawford), 40s. owed him.[3]  To the Croutched Friars of Colchester, 33s. 4d. for their church.  To John Parsowne of Bromley, 5 seams of rye.  To John Newman of the same, 20 ewes; remainder to his child, my goddaughter, at 18.  To Jone Lynd, a black bullock.
Residue to executors: Edmond Gosnold; William Stertowte; John Towke, of moch Humley (?); Sir William Watkynson, sometime parish priest[4] of Langham.
Witnesses: John Massy, clerk; Thomas Johnson, grey friar; John Newman, and others.
Proved 11 October, 1521, by Richard Felde, proxy of executors.    (P.C.C., Bodfelde 27.)

WILLIAM STONE. – 9 December, 1533.  Of Moche Bromlegh, ‘husbondman.’  Tenements called Masons in Ardlegh; Martyns and Mablottes in Moche Bromlegh. (Francys 268b.)

JOHN STON – 28 April 1534.  {Will now at Essex Record Office, and can be viewed on Essex Ancestors: ERO D/ABW 33/37}

JOHN HUBBARD – 5 February 1536[-7].  For abstract of this will, see Trans. E.A.S., vol xxi, p.334.

JONE MUNTE. – 25 April 1538. Of Much Bromly, widow.
Proved 20 September 1538.  (Sargant 8b.)

RICHARD WRANTHAM – 2 August, 1539. {Will now at Essex Record Office, and can be viewed on Essex Ancestors: ERO D/ABW 39/39}

JONE STONE – 28 November, 1540.  Of Myche Bromley.  To be buried in the churchyard of St George in Myche Bromley. (Sargant 106).

KATHERINE STONE. 10 January, 1540[-1].  Of Bromley Magna.  Administration only.  (Sargant 115b and 143b.)

JOHN RANDE. -19 November, 1541.  Of Muche Bromley. To be buried in the churchyar·d of Bromley before the new cross.  Tenement called Gumboldes, and la nd called Hoys and Rydens; land called Wylmottes.
Proved 18 January, 1541[-2].  (Sargant 181b.)

JOHN CHURCHE. – 3 April, 1543.  Of Muche Brunlaie.  Witnesses include William Cowper, ‘aremet’ (hermit) of Dedham.
Proved 23 May, 1543.  (Sergant 233b.}

JOHN WYRE. -22 July, 1543.  Of Muche Bromley.  To b e buried in the churchyard of St. G eorge in Muche Bromley.
Proved 1 October, 1543.  (Sargant 243b .)

THOMAS AMBROSE. - 24 July, 1543.  Of B romley Magna.  Administration only.    (Sargant 243.)

JOHN DERYFFALL. – 4 December, 1544. Of Muche Bromley.  If all my children depart this world before the decease of my wife, after her death my house and land sha ll be sold for ‘In (?) The Fullyng the vij woorkes of Mercye.'
Proved 21 January, 1544[-5].  (Roberts 60b.)

SYMOND  LYTELBURY.  – 5 May, 1546.  Of Muche Bromley, husbandman.  (Roberts 113b.)

WILLIAM HARDEN. – 20 June, 1550.  {Will now at Essex Record Office, and can be viewed on Essex Ancestors: ERO D/ABW 18/98}


G MONTAGU BENTON



[1] Newcourt does not give the date of Fayrway’s institution.  There may be a gap between him and John Ruttur, who was instituted  in 1498, as Newcourt omits the date of the resignation or death of the latter.
[2] John Tey. by will dated 1534 (P.C.C .. Hogen 17), left 10 marks to the Prior of the Cross­Friars in Colchester to sing daily for his soul for a year at an altar of Scala coeli in the Priory there. A gnes Bounde, of Colchester, in  1508 (P.C.C. Bennett 8), left directions for  a priest at Westminster to sing for her and her husband' s soulsin the chapel that hathe such pardon and indulgence as is named at Scala. Celi.’  John Godfrey, beer-brewer, of Colchester, in 1510 (P.C .C., Bennett 27) . also left 15s. for a priest to sing a trental at Scala celi at Westminster.  Scala Caeli is the name of a church in the abbey of Tre Fontane, outside Rome, in which St. Bernard is related to have had a vision of souls for whom he was saying mass, ascending by a ladder into heaven, and to it an indulgence was attached: hence the name was applied to chapels and altars in England, and to the masses said there, to which the same indulgence was attached (see O.E.D.).
[3] Matthew Saunders was rector of Lawford from 1506 until his resignation in 1526.
[4] i.e. curate: the term was rarely, if ever, used for an incumbent.

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