In the name of god amen The nine and twentithe daye of Janu
arie in the thirtithe yeare of the raigne of our soveraigne Ladie Elizabethe the queenes maiestie that
now is and in the yeare of our Lorde god a thousand five hundrethe eightie seaven I
Jefferie
Shercombe of Kedsburie within the parishe of Wembdon[n] in the Countie of Som[m]ersett gent beinge
sick in bodie butt of perfecte minde and memorie thanks be unto god doe make and ordeyne this my laste
will and testament in manner and forme followinge vid[e]l[ice]t Firste I give and com[m]ende my soule into the
handes of almightie god my maker and redeemer and my body to be buried in the Churche of Bridg-
water in the saide countie of Somersett Item I give and bequeathe unto the cathedrall churche of sainit
Andrewe in Wells twelve pence Item I give and bequeathe unto the poore people inhabitinge within
the said towne of Bridgwater the some of fortie shillinges to be paide eight shillinges every yeare untill
the same be fully satisfied and to be distributed accordinge to the discreation of the collectors for the yeare
within the same towne from time to time Item whereas I the sayd Jefferie Shercombe togeather with
Robert Blake gent and James Clarke gent stand bounde unto Davie Slocombe deceased by obligat[i]on
in the som[m]e of twoe hundred and fortie poundes for the trew payment of a hundrethe and twentie
poundes whiche saide Davie Slocombe by his last will and testament hathe given and bequeathed the
same some of a hundrethe and twentie poundes unto Joane my now wife my will and intent is
that uppon the delivery of the saide bonde the sayde some of a hundrethe and twentie poundes
shall be paide to my said wife by my executor Item I give and bequeathe the inheritance and fee
simple of my mansion or dwellinge house of kedsberie and all my houses tenementes landes mea
dowes and pastures with all and singular their appurtenan[ce]s whatsoever lyinge and beinge
within the sayde parishe of Wembdon or Bridgwater aforesayde unto Thomas Shercombe my
my sonne and to the heiers males of his body lawfully begotten and for defaulte of suche issue then
I give devise and bequeathe the same landes and tenementes and every parte and parcell therof
w[i]th thappurtenances whatsoever unto Joane Shercombe daughter of the sayde Thomas Sher
combe and to the heiers of her bodye lawfully to be begotten And for defaulte of suche issue then
I will devise give and bequeathe the saide Landes and tenements and every parte and par-
cell therofe withe all and singuler their appurtenananc[e]s whatsoever unto Anne Snowe my
daughter wife of John Snowe thelder of Bridgwater aforesaide merchante and to the heiers
of her bodye Lawfully begotten or to be begotten Provided alwayes and my will and intent is
for the performance hereof on the behalfe of the sayde Thomas Shercombe that he the sayd
Thomas Shircombe togeather withe two sufficient suerties shall within the space of thirtie
daies next after my decease enter into bond and become bounden unto the overseers of this my
last will and testament in the some of six hundrethe poundes withe condition that he the said
Thomas Shircombe shall nott alienate sell convey or in any sorte dispose or make any vo-
luntarie or willfull waste of the sayd premisses of any parte or parcell therof before by
me disposed devised and bequeathed contrary to the effecte of trew meaneninge of this
my last will and testament Item I give and bequeathe unto John Snowe thounger sonne
of the said John Snowe thelder the som[m]e of five poundes to be payde unto him by my
executor within two yeares next after my decease Item I give and bequeathe unto
Margarett Ellen and Amie daughters of the saide John Snowe thelder and to every
of them the some of five poundes a peece to be payde unto them att their daye of marriage
or att thage of one and twentie yeares whiche soever shall firste happen Provided all
waies that if the sayd John Snowe thounger Margaret Ellen and Amie Snowe or any of them
happen to die before the sayde severall times and dayes of the receypte of their sayde severall
somes of money before by me given as aforesayde then my will and intent is that the sayde
severall portions of him or them so dyinge shall remain to the survivor of them then livinge to be equally devided betweene
them Item I give and bequeathe to everie of my godchildren twelve pence a peece Item I give and bequeathe unto Jeffe
rie the sonne of my sayde wife the some of tenne shillinge and an estate for tenure of life of and in my messuage or
tenement withe his appurtenances lyinge and beinge in Bridgwater aforesayde payinge therfore yerlye
unto the sayd Thomas Shircombe and his heiers the rent of fower pence and sufficiently to repayer the
same at the proper costes and charges of the sayd Jefferie from time to time Item I give and bequeathe unto
Elizabethe and Fraunces daughters of my sayd wife twelve pence a peece Item I give and bequeathe unto
the sayd Joane my wife my beste coverled my best bedd and bedsted whollie performed fower payer of sheets
two table clothes two towells one dozen of table napkins my second best panne my second best crocke half
a garnishe of my best pewter a cupborde a table borde and a cheste Iten I give and bequeathe unto the
sayd Anne Snowe my daughter one annuitie of twentie shillinges yearly and quarterly to be payde during
her naturall life by the sayd Thercombe and his heiers from time to time yssuinge or growinge out
of the profitts of my landes and tenements aforesayde Item I give and bequeathe unto Joane Thomas
and Elizabethe Norris my servants and to every of them the some of tenne shillinges a peece Item I
give and bequeathe unto Thomazine Gregorie my sister fower bushells of wheat Item I give and beque
athe unto William Leakey and John Williams my servantes and to everie of them tenne shillings a peece
The residue of all and singular my goodes and chattells not given nor bequeathed my debts and legacies
beinge fully payde and my funeralle performed I doe give and bequeathe the same unto the sayde
Thomas Shircombe my sonne who I doe by theis presentes constitute ordeyne and make my sole and
wholl executor to see my debts and Legacies payde and this my will performed in manner and forme
aforesayde And I doe further by theis presents constitute and appoynte my trustie and welbeloved frends
Robert Blake gent and John Michell gent and every of them to be supervisors and overseers of this
my last will and testament In wittnes wherof I the sayd Jeffery Shircombe have hereunto subscribed
my name in the presence of those wittnesses whose names are hereunder written viz. Jefferye
Shercombe wittnesses John Burley William Wallis Henry Shircombe John Pippen and John
Williams the marke of John Pippen the marke of John Williams
Debtes Whiche I the saide Jefferye Shercombe doe owe
as followethe viz.
In primis unto S
bounde withe me fiftie sixe poundes tenne shillinges Item more to the sayd S
bounde for John Webb twentie poundes Item to M
standeth bounden withe mee thre and thirtie poundes Item to the poore of Bridgwater aforesayde for
the whiche M
ber of the towne of Bridgwater aforesayde the some of tenne poundes Item to William Hopkins
thelder [blank] Item to Robert Bockinge gent fortie shillinges Item to M
water fortie shillings Item to George Haberfeilde fower and fiftie shillings and fowerpence Item
to M
lings Item to William Jones ropemaker in Bristowe thirteen shillings Item to M
and twentie shillings and eighte pence
Debtes owinge Unto me the sayde Jefferie Shercombe
In primis John Wattes twentie poundes Item John Webb fiftie shillings Item John Cleves of Warham in
the countie if Dors[et] fower poundes Item John White servant unto M
Item Richarde Barnett of Lime six poundes Item Thomas Spicer of Brewton eighteene shillinges
Item Thomas Clarke the Butcher fower poundes sixteene shillinges Item William Wilkins of the
castell of Barrey thre and twentie shillings and fower pence Item William Woodcocke of Bristow
five and twentie shillings Item [blank] of Cardiffe for apples and a hogeshead of cider
tenne shillings and eleven pence Item Richarde Linhame of Wembdon for a weynes bodye and
things apperteyninge tenne shillings Item Walter Morse five and twentie shillings Item John
Poyer of Waterforde eighte poundes whiche eight poundes is to be forgiven uppon the delivery
of two Irishe caddoes
Probatum fuit testamentum suprascriptum apud London coram venerabile viro mag[ist]ro
Will[ia]mo Drewrey Legum doctore curie prerogative cant. magistro custode sue commissario etc. Decimo nono die
mensis Aprilis Anno Domini mill[es]imo quingentesimo octagesimo octavo inramento Thome Iles notarij publici
procuratoris Thome Shercombe executoris in huisi' testamnto nominat cui cona'ssa fuit administratio honorami
menium et creditornis dridesede bene et fidel'e administrand eader' ad sra' dei evangelia curat
content last revised 6 Jun 2004