Wife of Henry - buried St George of Tombland, Norwich

Created 19th March 1624

Probate Granted to Josua Gallard 25th April 1625

In the name of God Amen

The nyneteenth day of Marche Anno Domini 1624 and in the two and twentieth yeare of the raigne of our soveraign Lord James King of England … and of Scotland the right & fittie(?)

I Margaret Gallard widdowe late the wife of Henry Gallard gent being of good and perfect remembrance praised be God calling to mind the insertainetie of this life and that nothing is more certaine than death, and oft the ^time &^ houre thereof moste uncertaine, and to the intent that my minde should not be troubled with the same and transitorie things as this would when it had please Allmighty God to take me out of this transitorie life, I doe therefore make this my last will and testament in forme following.

First I doe comment and commit my soule into the hands of Allmightie God my creator, and Jesus Christ his only sonne my saviour and redeemer assuredly trusting and confidently believing that by and through the pashon and precious(?) blood shedding of that ymaculate Lambe Christ Jesus I shall ^earne(?)^ pardon and free from all my sinnes which I acknowledge are many but his mercie is greater and thereunto I doe appeale, and my body I doe commit to the bowels of the earth from whence it came and in Christian burial to be buried within the Church or Channcell of the parish Church of St George of Tombland within the citie of Norwich at the discretion of my executor, and I doe give towards the reparations of the same Church fortie shillings

And I desire that some godly and learned man may preach at my burial to whome I doe give tenn shillings

And as touching such messuages houses lands and tenements as it hath pleased Allmightie God to give ^me^ I doe dispose thereof as followeth And as touching my houses gardens, lands and tenements within the cittie of Norwich in performance of the will of my late husband, I have allreadie conveyed and assured the same unto my sonne Josua Gallard and his heires, and for the better confirming the same unto him, I doe by this my last will give and devise unto the said Josua Gallard, and his heires, all my messuages houses, gardens, lands, tenements and hereditaments within the cittie of Norwich which were the said Henry Gallard my late husband and father of the said Josua Gallard.

And I doe will give and devise unto the said Josua Gallard and to his heires all my messuages, houses, lands tenements and hereditaments, as well freehold as copyhold and customariehold, situate lyeing and being in Fforncett and Bunwell or elsewhere within the Countie of Norfolk, And as touching my moveable and personall estate wherewith it hath pleased Almightie God to blesse me, I doe dispose these as followeth,

First I doe give and bequeath to and for the reliefe of the poore prisoners within the Castle of Norwich tenne shillings,

And for the reliefe of the poore prisoners in the Guildhall in Norwich tenne shillings, and to be paid within one month next after my decease,

And I doe give and devise to and for the reliefe of the poore people within the five safer(?) houses in Norwich twenty shillings, that is to every house foure shillings.

Item I doe give to and amongst the poore people within the Cittie of Norwich the sum of six pounds to be appointed and distributed by the discretion of the Mayor and Aldermen thereat or about the tyme of my buriall.

Item I doe give to the poore people of the towns of Southacre within the Countie of Norfolk Tenne shillings to be paid within two months next after my decease.

Item I doe give will and devise unto my grandchild Jane Higham one hundred pounds to be paid unto her at her full age of twenty one yeares or at the day of her marriage which shall first happen if shee shall so long live,

And I doe give and devise to John Crowche, Thomas Crowche, Jane Crowche, Sara Crowche and Margaret Crowche my grandchildren to everie of them ffive pounds apiece to be paid to every of them at their severall ages of one and twentie years or at their severall marriages which shall first happen,

And if any of them shall depart this life before their legacie shalbe due and payeable to them, then I will that the legacie of him or her so dying shalbe devided amongst the survivors of them

Item I give and devise to my kinswoman Elizabeth Gallard eight pounds, to Mrs Marye Newhouse tenne shillings, to Mrs Bowne late the wife of Doctor Bowne Tenne shillings and I ^doe^ give and devise to my grandchild Margaret Wyer Twenty pounds, to be paid to her at her age of sixteene years,

And I doe desire my sonne Josua Gallard to yearley(?) and dispose the same in the meane tyme for the proffit and benefitt of the said Margaret ^Wyer^ and to be paid her at her said age of sixteen years,

And as touching my sonne Samuell Gallard whose wastfull and disorderly course of his life ^past^ hath beene and still is noe small griefe to me to thinke thereof, and I well knowing to my greife, that if I should dispose or give anything to him whereof he had power in himself, it would be soone wasted and mispent, and that he should live in want and nusense(?) I doe therefore by this my will, devise will and appoint that if my said sonne Samuell Gallard, within one month next after my decease upon reasonable request to him to be had and made by the said Josua Gallard shall by his sufficient deed in writing revise and release unto my said sonne Josua Gallard and his heires all his estate, rights, titles & interest of in and to all and every therefore said messuages, lands, tenements and premises in the cittie of Norwich and the county of Norfolk then and not otherwise,

my will and my mynde is that my sonne Josua Gallard within one month ^then^ next following shalbe come bounden to my loving nephew Sir Edward Barkham, baronett, and Mr Robert Barkham sonnes of Sir Edward Barkham knight, and to my good friend Mr Francis Heyward in and by one obligation in the some of two hundred and fiftie pounds, with condition to pay to them their executors or assignes fortie pounds yearly during the naturall life of the said Samuell Gallard, to be paid at the ffeaste of the annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Nativity of Saint John the Baptiste St Michaell the Archangell and the birth of our Lord God, or within fourteene dayes next ensueing every of the same ffeaste by even and equall portions at or in my nowe or late dwelling house within the cittie of Norwich and the first payment thereof to beginner and be made at such of the same ffeasts as shall first happen to come next after my decease,

And my will and mynde is and I doe hereby appointe that the same fortie pounds shalbe yearly disposed by the said Sir Edward Barkham, Robert Barkham and Francis Heyward for the maineteyning of the said Samuell Gallard and furnishing him with fitt and convenient meate drinke & apparel at the discretion of them the said Sir Edward Barkham, Robert Barkham and Francis Heyward, that he do not perishe for want nor that he wast or misspend the same according to his former course of life and I beseech Allmighty God to blesse and keepe him in his feare(?)

And the residue of my goods, Chattells and moveable estate I doe give and bequeath unto the said Josua Gallard my sonne whome I doe constitute ordaine and make executor of this my last will and testament charging him to see this my will performed according to the trust I have reposed in him. In witness whereof, I the said Margaret Gallard have hereunto put my hand and seale the day and yeare first above written. Margaret Gallard. Honoured(?) and published by the said Margaret Gallard for her last will and testament in the presence of Jo. Jermy, Fra. Heyward, Tho Dagnes

 

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