The Wills

The will of Sir John Clay can be obtained on a free download, providing you have an account with National Archives UK.

You can use the link here

Transcription of the will

Modern English

 PROB11/5/96

will of John Clay, Knight

IN THE NAME OF God AMEN The 8th day of September In the year of our Lord

God 1464 and in the year of the Reigne of King Edward the fourth, after the conquest the 4th, I, JOHN CLAY Knight in good and whole mind praise be unto Almighty God, make, ordain, and dispose this my present testament containing my last will in the manner and form that follows:

First, I bequeath and recommend my soul to Almighty God my creator and saviour to the most blessed virgin our lady Saint Mary his mother and to all Saints and my body to be buried in the chancel in the parish church of Chesthunt in the County of Hertford by the burial of JANE my daughter. And I bequeath unto the works of the said church and of the chancel of the same to be disposed by the discretion of my Executors hereafter named 10 marcs.

Also I bequeath and will first and principally that all and singular my debts that I owe be truly paid.

Also I bequeath and will that JANE my wife have my moveable goods and chattels and also all my silver plate, jewels, bedding, and houshold departing thereof, reasonably by the advice of my Executors, to my son JOHN and to my daughter CECILE when time shall require to him at his lawful age and to her with her marriage.

Also I give & bequeath to my wife JANE all the manor lands and tenements with their appurtenances that I have of my purchase in the parish of Chesthunt aforesaid Except and reserved my 3 tenements that I have in Waltham Crosse in the said parish, that is to say, my tenement called the White Lion, my tenement called the Red Lion, and my tenement called the Stere with their appurtenances to the yearly values of 10 marcs which I will my son-in-law ROBERT GRENE and my daughter CECILE have to them and to the heirs of their 2 bodies lawfully begotten. For default of such issue the remainder thereof to my son JOHN as in this my last Will I have more plainly declared.

Also I bequeath and will that the said JANE my wife have for the term of her life the £20 of the yearly fee that I have of the lordship of Bassingborne in the County of Cambridge with the lordship and the members of Swavesey with the appurtenances in the said shire of Cambridge, and the Reversion of the lordship of Chesthunt when it shall fall after the decease of the Lady Say to have to the said JANE my wife for the term of her life, provided always that when my son JOHN come to his lawful age my wife JANE to chose that she will have the lordships of Chesthunt aforesaid or else the lordship of Swavesey with the members and the appurtenances So always that my son JOHN have that one of the said lordships which she shall refuse.

Also as for all my parts of the lordships lands and tenements with the appurtenances that I have in my possession at this day in the County of Essex or that I owe to have in Reversion in the manor of Newhall in the same County I will my aforesaid wife have in her desmesne during the minority of my son JOHN Reserved always and except thereof certain lands and tenements with the appurtenances of the yearly value of 20 marcs to be appointed by my Executors and be left and departed to ROBERT GRENE my son-in- law and to my daughter CECILE To have to them and to the heirs of their 2 bodies lawfully begotten. For default of such issue the Remainder thereof to my son JOHN as in this my last Will it is more plainly declared. For it is my will that all my lordships lands and tenements with the appurtenances by me before granted & devised to my wife JANE that all my feoffees shall make a state thereof unto her for the term of her life Except that is before excepted in form aforesaid. The remainder thereof after her decease to my said son JOHN and to the heirs male of his body lawfully begotten and if he die without heirs male of his body lawfully begotten then I will that all my said lordships lands and tenements with the appurtenances, except that as before excepted, in form aforesaid shall remain & be departed evenly between the heirs general of my said son JOHN and my daughter CECILE. If my said son and daughter die without heirs of their bodies lawfully begotten then I will that all my said lordships lands and tenements with the appurtenances shall remain to my Executors or to their Executors to the intent that they shall be sold to the most value and convenience and the money coming from the sale thereof to be employed and disposed for the souls’ health of me, my wife, my children, my father, my mother, my kin, and friends souls and for the souls of all

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those that I have had my profits or good fortune by.

Also I will that my old servants be well rewarded by my Executors from my goods.

Also I will that my said wife and my Executors and feoffees make or do make a sure and sufficient grant by deed to RICHARD CANFELD my servant of an annual fee of 5 marcs to be had and take for the term of his life of and in my lordship and manor of Swavesey with the members & appurtenances in the shire of Cambridge for his good service that he has done and shall do.

Also it is my will that my Executors and feoffees shall make or do make to JOHN CRAWTHORN and HENRY CRAWTHORN my servants. that is to say. to either of them for the term of their lives a sufficient grant of an annual fee of 4 marcs to be had and taken in the said lordship of Swavesey.

Also I bequeath to the said ROBERT GRENE my half dozen bolle1 pieces of silver with a cover.

The Residue of all and singular my goods, chattels, jewels, and debts to me due whatsoever they be I give and bequeath to the said JANE my wife which JANE my wife of this my Testament and Last Will I make and ordain my principal Executrix and co- executors with her I make and ordain JOHN my son, ROBERT GRENE Esquire my son- in-law, HUGH FENNE and WILLIAM SCOTT Gentlemen and their overseer I make and ordain JOHN LORD WENLOK Knight.

And I will that the said JANE my wife reward my Executors and overseer aforesaid by her good discretion for their labor in this behalf.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF to this my Testament and Last Will I have set my seal.

These being witnesses Maister Giles Bukwith, Clerk, William Port Esquire, and Sir Thomas Mandevile Parish Priest, given at London the day and year abovesaid.

The above-written will was proved before the lord at Knoll on the 18th day of the month of September in the year of our Lord 1464, and it was approved, etc., and the administration of the goods concerning the said deceased and his will was granted to Lady Johanne, the widow of the same, to John Clay, his son, and to Robert Grene, Esquire, the executors named in the said will, to administer the same well and faithfully, and to prepare a full and faithful inventory of all and singular the goods of the said deceased, etc., by the feast of the Nativity of our Lord next, etc., having been sworn, etc., with power reserved, etc.

The will of Joan Clay can be obtained as above

Transcription of the Will

You could be asking, surely that's the will of a Dame Jane Clay.  The name Johann Clay is clearly visible in the margin to the right, however within two lines it refers to Jane. The wife of Sir John Astley, margery, refers in her will to her husbands sisterJane, maybe it was a pet name. This is definitely Joan, the widow of Sir John Clay.

Modern English PROB11/6/437

Will of Dame Jane Clay

IN THE NAME OF God AMEN The last day of June In the year of our Lord 1477 and in the 17th year of the reign of King Edward the 4th, I DAME JANE CLAY widow whole of mind praise be to Almighty God, make and ordain this my present Testament in this manner;

FIRST I bequeath and recommend my soul to Almighty God my maker and saviour and to our lady Saint Mary his mother and to all the company of Heaven and my body to be buried in the parish church of Saint Benett beside Paulswharf in London, that is to say, in that place where the body of Sir John Clay, Knight late my husband their is buried.

Also I bequeath to the same church my massbook. my supersalter, my chalice with the pater thereto of silver and partial gilt, and my two cuvettes of silver whereof one lacks a lid, and my largest carpet to serve at the high alter their.

Also I bequeath to CECILE my daughter the wife of JOHN ACTON Esquire my standing cup of silver and one gilt with the covering thereto made with snails, a pair of sheets of lawn, two of my best feather beds with the bolsters, 3 of my best board cloths, 3 of my best towels, 6 napkins, my covering of my bed of tapistry work with the colour testour and 2 curtains and the hanging of reed worsted. Also 4 pair of my best sheets of 3 beds. Also a bed with colour and texture of white and a sparebed of white silk and my little carpet.

Also I bequeath to EDWARD GRENE son of the aforesaid CECYLL my daughter a low piece of silver partial gilt and my spare bed of white linen cloth with the curtains and my 3rd best feather bed.

Also I bequeath to CECILL the daughter of the aforesaid CECILL my daughter my saltsellar of silver one gilt without covering and my bed of Red embroidered with snails, 12 spoons of silver and a feather bed.

Also I bequeath to ALICE ACTON daughter of the afordsaid John Acton and of Cecyll my daughter a goblett of silver and a spare bed of white without curtains.

Also I bequeath to the aforesaid CECYLL my daughter all my brass, pewter, latten bedding, bedboards, napery, hulling, chambering, tables, chests, stools, cupboards, chairs,forms, spits, andirons, cupboards, racks, gridirons, and all other implements and stuff of household.

Also I will that my Executors underwritten reward my servants for their services to me done after their good discretion.

Also WHEREAS the aforesaid Sir John Clay late my husband by his Testament and Last Will has willed and bequeathed to me for the term of my life certain manors lands and tenements with their appurtenances the remainder thereof after my decease to the

aforesaid CECYLL my daughter and to the heirs of her body lawfully begotten as the aforesaid Testament and Last Will of the aforesaid Sir John Clay my husband it is contained more at large I WILL that if the aforesaid my daughter decease without heirs of her body lawfully begotten that then all the aforesaid manors lands and tenements with their appurtenances according to the aforesaid Testament and Last Will of the aforesaid Sir John Clay my husband be sold by my Executors or by their Executors AND THAT the money coming of the same sale be disposed for the soul of the same Sir John according to his aforesaid Testament and Last Will thereof made.

ALSO I WILL that the residue of all my goods above not bequeathed and also all the debts to me owing remain to my Executors underwritten TO THE INTENT that the same Executors after their good discretion dispose of all the same goods and debts for my soul and for the soul of my aforesaid husband and for all Christian souls.

AND OF THIS MY Testament I make and ordain my Executors, that is to say, SIR JOHN ASTELEY Knight my brother and the aforesaid CECYLL my daughter and WILLIAM SCOTT Esquire.

AND I bequeath to the aforesaid SIR JOHN ASTELEY for his labour in this behalf my second best standing cup with the covering thereto of silver one gilt.

AND I bequeath to the aforesaid WILLIAM SCOTT for his labour in the premise to be had my 3rd best standing cup of silver and one gilt with the covering of the same.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF to this my present Testament I have put my seal given at London the year and day abovesaid.

MEMORANDUM that the 23 day of the month of July in the year of our Lord 1477

And in the 18th year of the reign of King Edward the 4th DAME JANE CLAY widow in the presence of Sir John Peahild priest, John Wetenhale and Robert Vernon clerk over and beside her bequests specified and declared in her Testament by her made of her moveable goods whereof the date is the 25th day of June in the year of our lord abovesaid and in the 17th year of the reign of King Edward abovenamed gave and bequeathed to DAME CECYLL ACTON her daughter now the wife of John Acton Esquire a gown furred with mink, Also a gown furred with ermine which is at Berkhamsted,

also a gown furred with marten, also the aforesaid Dame Jane Claye gave and bequeathed to CECYLL daughter of the said CECYLL ACTON a gown of black damask with grey and the best primer of the aforesaid Dame Jane Clay with clasps of gold.

ALSO SHE bequeathed to MARGARETT SHEFFILD a gown cloth of musturd villers of 2- 1/2 yards and a black gown furred with grey and a kirtyll1 of black and a primer.

ALSO SHE bequeathed to ALICE MAYNARD a gown of black furred [page 2]

with black lamb.

ALSO SHE bequeathed to the parish church of Saint Benett beside Pauls wharf of London an image of a Crucifix of timber grown of itself.

ALSO THE said Dame Jane Clay willed that the said DAME CECYLL ACTON her daughter should leave income and receive to herself all the debts due and owing in any wise to the said Dame Jane Clay to the intent that the same Cecill Acton of and with the said debts shall find an honest priest to sing for the soul of the said Dame Jane Clay and for the souls of Sir John Clay Knight late her husband in the aforesaid church of Saint Benett and to hold, observe, and maintain an obit in the same church for the souls abovesaid, yearly as long as the money that shall be received of the same debts thereto will stretch.

This present Will was proved at Lambeth on the 28th day of the month of August in the year of our Lord 1476, and was approved, etc., and administration of the goods, etc., was granted to Lady Cecily, the executrix, etc., in the person of John Acton, Esquire, her attorney in this matter, etc., to administer well and faithfully, etc., and to provide a full inventory, etc., by the feast of Saint Andrew the Apostle next, etc., and also to render a full account, etc., having been sworn, etc., Sir John Asteley, knight, executor, and Richard Collys, prior, William Scott, the other executor named in the said will, having renounced the executorship and administration, etc.

We are currently awaiting professional transcripts of the above wills.