Description

1. Will dated 25 Sep 1634
Expresses a desire, if he dies in or near Herefordshire, to be buried in Michaelchurch near or in the place where his father is interred ' with a tombe made over mee'. If he dies 'farr remote' then 'burie mee where I am with a tome to bee made over mee. To which parish I give 10/-.'
Beneficiaries:
To the Cathedral church of St Davids , 10/-.
To the church of Michalchurch ..... 'and towards the making upp of a new top of the old decayed steeple there', 20/-
To eldest son , Michael Thomas, all the lands purchased from Phillip Harry Rees, Harry Rees and David Bevan and the leasehold lands held for 2 lives yet in being under John Siberne Esq., called The Blayney and all the leaseland and copyhold lands held from the Lord Abergavenny and sir Ralph Hopton, knight, for the unexpired term together with all land goods and chattels.
To daughter, Elizabeth Watkins, £10 and a mourning gown with a cloak for her husband, Richard Watkins.
To Sibil Harry, widow, and Margerie Rees, servant maids, £10 to be equally shared and 2 mourning gowns.
Also to the two maids, 40/- per year each for life.
To the 6 poorest women in the parish of Michaelchurch Escley, 6 mourning gowns, 'whereof Margaret verch Lewis and Ilby Vache be two of them'.
' I give my great gilt bowl and cover to the Dean and Chapter of the Cathedral Church and Colledge of Hereford'. [The will seems to have been signed at this point 'Lison Thomas: Michael Thomas'.However it continues]
To John Scidmor, Viscount Sligo, my best bay gelding, to be presented to his lordship by the executor [his son, Michael] in person. 'And upon my blessing not to fail'.
To William Griffiths and John Gayle, 2 mourning cloaks. [again signed Lison Thomas. The will continues]
To his two men William Griffiths and John Gayle, 20/- each; and to Lodwick Lloyd , £5 and 40/- a year for life.
To sister, Jane Price, 20/- a year for life.
To forgotten tithes unpaid, 40/-.


To reputed son, JohnThomas Price,[of his brother in law?] £5 to be paid him yearly 'from the death of my father until the death of his father, beginning two years after the death of my father'
To Blanch Powell, widow, for her former true and trusty service, £5.
To Susan Burfield and Prudence Williams, mourning gowns and 20/-.to buy a petticoat 'and all grandchildren wherof there is £5 received by the two maids Sibil and Margery for two kine which they sold of the monies specified in this will' [this is the final sentence of the will and makes little sense.]

Executor: son, Michael.

Signed by testator.
.
Witnesses: not named or listed

Date of Probate: 8 May 1635

Observations

As this is taken from a copy of the will deposited at the Prerogative Court of Canterbury there are no supporting documents.
This is a strange will as there is not the usual final rubric about being "signed sealed and delivered" and the final sentence, mentioned above, seems incomplete. Perhaps part has been lost or the copyist failed to complete it. The two signatures of the testator and the one of his son within the text are also unusual.