of Alswick Hall Aspenden, Hertfordshire

Created 16th Aug 1623

In the name of God Amen the Sixtenth daie of August Anno Dmi 1623 and in the yeres of the raigne of our Soveraigne Lord James by the yeare of God Kinge of England Scotland ffrance and Ireland Defendor of the faith e’r That is to saie of England ffrance and Ireland the one and twentith and of Scotland the season & fiftith

I William Freeman of London esquire being at this pnte some what weake in bodie but of good and pfect minde and remembrance fforwh I gyve most humble and hartie thanks and praise unto Almightie God Doe make ordeyne and declare this my psent Testam’t and last will in manner and forme following that is to saie ffirst and principally I comend my soule unto Almightie God my creator hoping and assuredly beleeving to bee saved by the alone most precious merritts death and obedience of my saviour Jesus Christ and thereby and noe other waie to enioy eternall blessednes in the Kingdome of Heaven my bodie I comitt to the earth to bee buried in Christian Buriall where it shall please god to appoint for the same at the discretion of my loving brother Ralph ffreeman and of my loving wife and of my Executo’r hereafter named AND as concerning the disposition of such worldy estate as it hath pleased god Almightie god of his greate goodnes to blesse mee so shall I gyve devise and bequeath the same as followeth ffirst

I gyve and bequeath unto the Th*er(?) of Christ Hospital in London for the release of the poore children now and hereafter to be harboured in the same hospital the some of one hundred pounds of lawfull money of England

Item I give unto the **(?) and Wardens of the companie of Haberd’s in London whereof I am a member one voider of Sylver for the use of the said companie of the valew of thirtie foure pounds And also Twenty pounds of currant money of England for a dynner for the said companie

Item I give for the releif of the pore prisoners in the foure prisons in London (viz’t) the twoe Compters Ludgate and Newgate the some of ffortie pounds to bee given and distributed amongst them at the discretion of my aforesaid loving brother in such sort as hee shall think fitt

Item I gyve for the releefe of the poore of the parish of St Michaelle ^in Cornehill^ in London where I nowe dwell the some of six pounds thirteen shillings and foure pence to bee distributed amongst them to such and in such manner as my said brother shall think fitt

Item I gyve for the releefe of the poore of the parishe of All Saints in the Towne of Northampton where I was borne and of Aspden in the County of Hertford the some of thirtene pounds six shillings & eight pence That is to saie six pounds thirtene shillings and foure pence to each parish the same to bee distributed amongst them to such and in such mannor as my said brother shall also think fitt

Item I gyve unto the right Hon’ble the Lord Viscount Maundeville Lord President of the Kings Male most honorable privie councell and to his right honorable ladie to either of them one ring of gold to the valew of fyve pounds

To my brother in Lawe Sir Edward Barkham and his ladie to either of them one Ring of gold of the valewe of fyve pounds

To my brother in law Sir Raphe Lawe and his ladie to either of them one ring of gould of the valew of fyve pounds

To my Brother in Lawe William Crouch and his wife to either of them one ring of gould of the valewe of fyve pounds

To my cosens Richard Bladwell Thomas Nicholls George ffreeman Stephen Harvey and his wife Mr Jones and his wife to everie one of them one ring of gould of the valew of fyve pounds

To Sir Raphe ffreeman and his ladie and my cosen ffreeman his mother everie of them one ringe of gould of the valewe of fyve pounds

And to my kinde and loving friend ffraunce Harvey esquire present at lawe one ring of gould of the valew of fyve pounds

And to my cosen Richard Crowch of Ausrick Hall fyve pounds for a ring

Item I gyve and bequeath unto my loving sister Elizabeth Hussey widdow for and during the terme of her naturall life one anuytie or yerely some of Twentie pounds of Lawfull money of England to bee paid by my Executor hereafter named at foure feaste or termes in the yere That is to saie At the feaste of St Michaell Tharchangell the birth of our Lord god Thanunciacon of our Ladie St Marie the virgin and the Natyvitie of St John Baptist or wthin thirtie daies next after everie of the same feaste by even porcons The first paym’t thereof to begyn and to bee made at such of the said feaste as shall first happen next after my decease or wthin thirtie daies then next ensuing

Item I gyve and bequeath unto my deere and loving neece Jane Sonde the wife of George Sonde esquire the some of fyve hundred pounds of lawfull money of England as a token of my love and goodwill to her, the same to bee given and paid unto her when shee shall begyn to keepe house and to bee bestowed in plate hangings and other furniture for her house in such sort as my kind brother her loving father shall think fitt

Item I gyve and bequeath unto my cosen Thomas ffreeman the some of one hundred pounds

Item to his brother William ffreeman my cosen and Godson the some of ffiftie pounds

To his sister my cosen Ellinor Nicholls the some of ffiftie pounds

To his sister my cosen Dorothie ffreeman at the accomplishm’t of her full age of 21(?) yeres or date of marriage w’ch shall first happen and not before the some of fiftie pounds

To my cosen Catherine ffreeman Daughter of my sister Hussey the some of fiftie pounds

To my brother in lawe Edward Duckmanton the some of Twenty pounds

To the twoe sonnes of Robert Duckmanton Thomas and William to either of them twenty pounds And to their sister my cosen Elizabeth Atwood the some of Twentie pounds

To my cosen Dorothie Bladwell the sume of ffiftie pounds

To my loving sonne in law ffraunce fflyer and his wife the some of one hundred pounds

To my loving and kind ffreind Mrs Marie More widdow the some of Two hundred pounds together w’th many and hartie thanks for her kindness to mee and myne and especially her greate love and care towards my daughter Elizabeth w’ch I earnestly entreat her still to continue

Item I gyve unto my loving freind Basill Nicoll the some of One hundred pounds w’th my harty thanks for all the care and paines w’ch upon all my occasions hee hath most readily afforded me and I hereby desire him to continue it to my sonne after my decease

Item I gyve and bequeath unto my loving freind John Stoppard fiftie pounds

Item I gyve to bee distributed amongst myne and my brothers servants at the tyme of my decease the some of one hundred pounds the same to bee gyven and distributed to such of them and by such formes and in such sort as my said loving brother shall think meet

Item I gyve to Mrs Tailor Harson of Aspden fyve pounds

And I gyve to his sonne my godson the like some of fyve pounds to bee paid unto him at the accomplishment of his full age of 21 yeres

And I gyve to Mrs Carew Harson of St Michaells in Cornehill the some of fyve pounds

Item I gyve and bequeath unto Elizabeth my deere and loving wife under the condicon hereunder compris’d the some of one thousand pounds of lawfull money of England to bee paid unto her w’thin three moneths next after my decease

And also I doe hereby declare my mynde and meaning to bee and I doe appoint that my executor shall permit and suffer the said Elizabeth my wife (under the said condition) during her natural life to have the use & occupation of all my goods chattels corne hay ^and^ cattell w’ch at the tyme of my decease shalbee & remayne in and about the capitall messuage of my mannor of Aspden in the County of Herts and the lands and grounds thereto belonging

And my will and meaning also is that shee the said Elizabeth my wife shall w’thin one moneth next after my decease enter into bond of a reasonable penaltie to my Executor and Executo’rs and adminstrators for the leaving of the same goods & chattells corne and hay & cattell or other of as goods below in ^and aboute the said messuage & grounds to and for the said Executor his heires executors or assignes immediately from and after her decease

Item I gyve and bequeath unto Raphe ffreeman my onely sonne the some of one thousand pounds of lawfull money of England

Item I gyve to Mrs Ampleford Mrs Wytt and Nurse Deepupp fyve pounds a peece

Item if my daughter Jane nowe the wife of Thomas Soame esquire and also the said Thomas Soame or the survivor of them and thexecuto’rs or admidstrators of the said Jane Doe and shall w’thin one moneth next after my decease lawfully and in due forme of lawe make seale and delyver unto my Executor hereafter named his executors or admidstrators a good sufficient and lawfull acquittance release and discharge of all such part porcon some and somes of money whatsoever as they or either of them have or ought to have or may clayme challenge or demand to have either by the custome of the cittie of London or any promise covenant or agreem’t by me made to or w’th the said Thomas Soame or by any other waies or meanes whatsoever out of favour in respect of all and everie the readie money goods chattells debts rights credditts and p’sonall estate whatsoever w’ch by any waies or meanes shall belong or apperteyne to mee at the tyme of my decease (other than the legacie hereafter in this my will be mee to her given) Then I do gyve and bequeath unto the said Jane over and above the some of Three thousand pounds w’ch I gave in marriage w’th her to her paid husband the some of ffyve hundred pounds w’ch I entended to gyve her at the birth of her first sonne And also the like some of ffyve hundred pounds more of lawfull money of England else not And to her sonne William my Godsonn when hee shall accomplish full age of 21 yeres one hundred pounds

Item if my daughter Elizabeth w’thin one moneth next after she shall accomplish and come to her full age of 21 yeres together with her husband if shee shall bee then married or her executors or admidstrators Doe and shall lawfully and in due forme of lawe make seale and delyver unto my executor hereafter named his executors or admidstrators a good sufficient and lawfull acquittance release and discharge of all such part porcon some and somes of money whatsoever as she the said Elizabeth my daughter and her said husband or either of them ought to have or may clayme challenge or demand to have either by the custome of the cittie of London or by any other waies or meanes whatsoever out of for or in respect of all and every the goods chattels debts readie money rights credditts and psonall estate whatsoever w’ch by any waies or meanes shall belong or apperteyne to mee at the tyme of my decease (other than the legacie hereafter following by mee to her given And also if the said Elizabeth my daughter shall not after my decease marrie or take to her husband any p’son w’thout the consent & good liking of my afores’d loving brother Raphe ffreeman under his hand in writing first had and obteyned Then I doe gyve and bequeath unto the said Elizabeth my daughter (over and besides the some of twoe thousand pounds w’ch my said brother hath covenanted w’th mee to gyve and paie unto her for her part and porcon of my goods and chattels the sume of twoe thousand pounds of lawfull money of England to bee paid unto her in this sort viz ffiftene hundred pouns w’thin three moneths next after the daie of her marriage by and w’th the consent & good liking of my said brother and the other fyve hundred pounds hereof w’thin three moneths next after the birth of her first child after such marriage The rest and residue of all and singular my goods chattels debts rights credditts whatsoever not before herem bequeathed I wholie gyve and bequeath unto Raphe ffreeman my sonne to his owne proper use and behoof whome I doe ordeyne and make the full and sole excuto’r of this my last will and Testament requiring and charging him to see the same performed in all things according to my true meaning herein expressed whereof I nothing doubt

And I doe name and entreate my deere and loving brother Raphe ffreeman Alderman of London to bee the overseer of this my last will and testam’t earnestlie entreating him to bee Gyding and assisting to my said sonne and Executor in the due pformance of this my last will to so have as a token of my remembrance and true acknowledgm’t of my harte thanks for his aboundant love and kindness ever shewed to mee my wift and children I doe gyve one sylver bason of the valew of thirtie pounds to bee made for him w’th his armor engraved in the bottome thereof w’ch I entreate him to use dailie in his chamber And as concerning the disposition of my lands tenem’ts and hereditam’ts I doe first declare & make knowne my will and meaning to bee That the Mannors of Barwick Rayneham and and Morehall and other lands in the countie of Essex w’ch my said Brother Raphe ffreeman hath covenanted shalbee conveyed unto mee and unto Raphe ffreeman my sonne That if the same shall not in my life time bee conveyed to mee and to Raphe ffreeman my sonne and our heires Then that the same shalbee conveyed to the said Raphe ffreeman my sonne & his heires And that hee thereupon shall for the advancement of Elizabeth my loving wife grant unto her for terme of her naturall life one anuytie or yearly rent charge of foure hundred pounds of lawfull money of England to be yerely issuying payable and going out of all the said mannors lands and premisses and to bee paid to her half yerely at the feasts of St Michaell Tharchangell and Thannunciacon of our Ladie St Marie the virgin or w’thin thirtie daies next after either of the same feasts by even porcons w‘th power so distreyne for the said Anuytie or rent if the same or any part thereof shalbee behinde or unpaid unto her contrarie to my true meaning aforesaid And this I charge my sonne as hee will ***(?) swere before God that hee w’thall convenient speed doe pforme And all that my Manors or Lordshipp of Apseden with the rights members and appurtenance thereof in the County of Hertford And other my lands tenem’ts & hereditam’ts in the parishes of Apsendon Laiston Throcking and Westmill in the county of Hertford

I give and bequeath under the provisoe or Condition hereunder comprised unto the said Elizabeth my wife for and during the terme of her naturall life During w’ch tyme my will and meaning is that my said wife shall paie and discharge all rents Anuyties and other duties and somes of money issuying payable or going out of the same Mannors and premisses or any part the to any pson or psons And from and after the decease of my said wife or her breach or not pformance of the said provisoe or condition

I gyve and bequeath all the same mannors and lands unto the said Raphe ffreeman my sonne and to his heires and assignes forever Provided alwaies That if the said Elizabeth my wife her executors or admidstators shall not w’thin fortie daies next and ymediatlie after my decease lawfully and in due forme of lawe make seale and delyver unto my said Executor his executors or admidstrators hee or they requiring the same a good sufficient and lawfull acquittance release and discharge of all such part porcon some somes of money whatsoever as shee the said Elizabeth my wife her executors or admidstrators ought to have or may challenge clayme or demand to have either by the Custome of the Cittie of London or by any other waies or meanes whatsoever out of for or in respect of all & every the readie money goods chattells debts rights credditts and psonall estate whatsoever w’ch by any waies or meanes that belonge or apperteyne to mee at the tyme of my decease (other than the legacies before herein by mee to her given or appointed) That then and from thereforth all and every the guifte legacies bequeaths some & somes of money Anuitie or rent and other things whatsoever by mee in or by this my last will and Testam’t gyven lymitted declared or appointed unto the said Elizabeth my wife shall cease determyne and bee utterly void frustrate and of none effect Anything whatsoever in this ****(?) conteyned to the contrary hereof in my wife not w’thstanding

Item I gyve and appointe that out of the yerely rents and profitte of my twoe mills th’one a watermill and the other a windemill scituate and being in the parish of Aspeden aforesaid there shalbee everie weeke weekely from and after my decease forever gyven and distributed by and at the discretion of the Lord or Lords owner and inheritor for the tyme being of my Manno’rs or Est(?) of Aspeden aforesaid foure shillings in bread amongst the pore people of the said parish of Aspeden The(?) w’ch weekely guift I entreate my wife to performe for long as shee shall possesse the said Mannor lands & mills by my guift or bequest aforesaid In witness whereof to this p’sent last will and Testam’t conteyning in all Ten sheets of paper w’th this p’sent sheete I the said W’m ffreeman have put my hand & seale the daie and yere first above written

Signed W’m Freeman

Sealed Subscribed & Published by the said William ffreeman as his last will and testam’t the daie and yere first above written in the p’sence of Basill Nicoll No’ry Publiq Edmond Brown Robert Parke Servant to the said No’ry Pub

View scanned originals:  From the Hertfordshire archive, one of many wills in D/EB2067B/F22