Theydon Mount: Wills during the Reign of ….

Ten Wills survive in the Essex Record Office for Theydon Mount during the reign of King James I.⁴ Did any of them mention anything about the church rebuilding between 1611 and 1614?

The answer is ‘yes’.

Thomas Bredge devised the following Will⁵:

Bredge. Anno domini⁶ one Thousand six hundred and twelve dated the Seaven and twentith⁷ of Aprill.

In the name of god Amen. I Thomas Bredge of Theydon-Mounte in the Countie of Essex. First I bequeath my soule to Almyghtie God my creator and to Jesus Christ my redeemer and to the holieghos my santifier.

As for my bodie I bequeath to the Earth from whence it came. And to be buried in the churchyard of Theydon Garnone⁸ aforesaid⁹.

I give to the poore of Theydon Mounte ten shillings to be disposed accordinge to the discrecon¹⁰ of my Executors.

Item I give to the rep[ar]acon of Theydon mounte Church ten shillings.

Item I give and bequeath to my sonne James twentie pounde to be paid when he shall come to the full age of one and twentie years.

Item I give and bequeath unto my eldest daughter Margaret Bredge thirteene pounde six shillings and eight pence¹¹ to be paid when she shall come to the full age of eighteene yeares.

Item I giue to my daughter Anne Bridge¹² thirteen pound six shillings eight pence to be paid when shee shall come to the full age of eighteene yeares.

Item I giue to my daughter Elizabeth xiiiLi[bor] vis viiid¹³ to be paid when she shall come to the full age of eighteene years.

If it happen that any of theis my children should die before theie come to age, then my will is that theire porcion should be devided amonge the rest of my children.

Item if it happen that my wife to be w[i]th childe at the time of my decease my mynd and will is that it should have xiiiLi[bor] vis viiid at the end of eighteene yeares.

Item I give and bequeath to Agnes my wif all the rest of my moveable goodes w[hi]ch is unbequeathed, whom I make my full and whole Executor of this my last will and Testament.

Item I make my brother Robert and my brother Richard my overseers of this my last will and Testament.

The marke of Thomas Bredge, Richard Maynard, William Kobinet, Edward Aylett. The marke of Thomas Stevens.

Probatum …¹⁴

“Thomas Bridge of Thoidon Mount” was buried at Theydon Garnon on 30 April 1612, the register for that parish reveals¹⁵.

We can estimate Thomas’ age at the time of death as being at most in his mid-30s. This was quite common.

This will is typical of most. First the testator leaves his soul to Almighty God, then directs where his body is to be buried. The text is pretty standard.

When this will was written the word ‘aforesaid’ was included in error. Two parishes are mentioned: Theydon Mount and Theydon Garnon.

So was Theydon Mount an error? Where did Thomas Bredge live?

Here the Parish Register for Theydon Mount comes to our rescue because all his four children were baptised there:

“Margaret [th]e daughter of Thomas Bridge baptized the first of August 1602”;

“James Breages the sonne of Thomas Breages was baptized the 8 of July 1604”;

“Ann daughter of Tho Bridge was baptized [th]e 9 of December [1607]”;

and, “Elizabeth daughter of Tho Bridges was baptized [th]e 29 of Aprill [1610]”¹⁶.

We can deduce that Thomas Bredge was a Theydon Mount man. Also, that the writer probably used a template copy to complete the will. Would we want to commit to memory all those standard words?

Legacies to the poor and to the church follow the instructions for disposal of the body. In the case of Thomas Bredge he leaves 10 shillings for the repair of Theydon Mount church.

Then the inheritance is divided, often to his children first, then his spouse who is often appointed executor to the Will. At the end are the witnesses to the Will.

Many, including Thomas Bredge, are illiterate so sign the document with a squiggle or mark.

One of the most interesting marks I have seen is that of Richard Gladwin of Theydon Mount, a bricklayer, who signs documents with an oblong brick-shaped symbol.

There are two such documents: his own Will dated 14 December 1624¹⁷ and as a witness to a terrier of glebelands, written by the rector, Thomas Juby, in the parish register on 1 December 1621¹⁸.

Richard Gladwine was a sideman at the church. (See below.) I wonder whether this bricklayer had some responsibility for rebuilding the church?

Three further testators are not buried at Theydon Mount.

Robert Knoppe, a yeoman, who writes his Will on 1 May 1614, requests “my bodye to be buryed where it shall please my executrix”¹⁹. We can be confident that the church had reopened by then since the will was written on the very day of the baptism of Thomas Juby’s daughter.

Robert Hill’s undated will of 1612/13 merely bequeaths his body “to the ground”²⁰.

William Winter’s will of 23 October 1613 requested his body “to be buryed in [th]e church yard of Theydon mount”²¹, but this was not carried out.

His widow, Susan Winter, who writes her will on 1 March 1624 (now 1625)²², bequeathing her body “to [th]e earth from whence it came”²³, neither specifies a place of burial.

I looked at other registers in the locality – Stapleford Abbots does not survive – but could not find their resting places.

Six of the ten wills transcribed have been referred to in this note. More will be written about these in a future note.

On the basis of evidence, we can deduce that the church and churchyard reopened sometime between October 1613 and May 1614.

Last time we saw that wills of testators in Theydon Mount cast light on the rebuilding of St Michael’s Church between 1611 and 1614. Of those preserved at the Essex Record Office, four of the deceased were not buried in the parish churchyard.

There are in total ten “King James I” wills of Theydon Mount preserved in the Essex Record Office, all of which, since this research was done, are now available by online subscription through Essex Ancestors.

Wills are interesting because they give an insight into the lives of ancestors: who their relations were, what they left to whom, and what was important to them at the time.

The ten wills include three yeomen, two husbandmen (farmers), a widow, a tailor and a bricklayer. Of these, there is a run of four wills matching a sequence of four burials.

From the Burial Register

1623
Thomas Gilson singleman was buryed June 11 A[nn]o supradicto(?)¹

1624
Thomas Herd [th]e elder was buryed Septem[ber] 18 A[nn]o supradicto(?)

Richard Gladwin was buryed February 5 A[nn]o supradicto(?)

Susan Winter widdow² was buryed March 13 A[nn]o supradicto(?)

Richard Gladwin, whose name we came across in connection with a terrier in the Parish Register, was a bricklayer and sideman in the parish. He was buried on 5 February 1624/25³. His will is dated 14 December 1624⁴:

The fourtenth day of December in the yeare of our Lord 1624

I Richard Gladwin of Thaidon Mount in the County of Essex Bricklaiar, being of p[er]fect mind & memory, do make & ordayne this my last will & testamt, as followeth.

First I make Thomas Gladwin my sonne the sole executor of this my last will & testamt & do giue⁵ vnto him all my goodes & chattell not gevein otherwise bequeathed.

It[em] I giue unto Susan my wife forty shillinges a yeare during her natural life, to be paid quarterly vnto her by my executor, in lieu & stead of all her thirds out of all my tenem[en]t that now I haue, or lately had.

Also I giue vnto her all such housholestuffe as she brought w[i]th her.

It[em] I giue vnto my sonne Richard Gladwin & his heirs my tenem[en]t wherin Thomas Howland now dwelleth which appiwhire(?)⁶ lying in Thaidon Mount aforesaid.

And I giue unto him my long chist in the Rest & my greatens(?) …

It[em] I giue unto Bridgit my daughter ten pounds at her day of marriage or age of xxi yeares, wh[ic]h first shall happen. And if she dy before, then it to remaine to the benefit of my Executor.

It[em] I giue vnto her a featherbed w[i]th all thinges belonging thereto & the haeshoad bedsteads standing in the loft(?).

And also the best payre of flaxon stools and the larg of pewter platter, and the best brasse candlesticks, w[hi]ch was her mothers gift vnto her & two chests w[hi]ch were her mothers & my best brasse pot & my second brasse kettle.

In presence(?) of me.

Richard [X] Gladwin
Samuel Searle, his marke

Richard Gladwin’s list of beds, chests, pots, pans and candlesticks is fairly typical of a man handing on things of value. We live today in a mass-produced and throw-away society.

The Will ends with a seal and “probatum” in Latin. (I am not a Latin scholar.)

Thomas Herd, yeoman⁷, left bequests to a large number of relatives⁸.

Thomas Heard

In [th]e name of [th]e holy and blessed Trinitie the Father the sonne and [th]e holy ghost so be it¹⁰. The Fifh daye of June anno dom[ini] 1624.

I Thomas Herd the elder of Thaydon mount in the Countie of Essex yeoman beinge sick in body but p[er]fect remembrance …. prayse and thankes be given to allmightie God doe ordaine and make this my last will and testament in meanier and forme followinge.

First I bequeath my soule to Allmightie God my maker and to Jesus Cyis my Redeemer and Saviour by whom meirites I hope to be saved of my body that I bequeath to the earth from whence it came lookinge for a joyfull resurreci[o]n through the merrites of Jesus Christ.

Item I will and bequeath to Thomas Heard my sonne one great copper pan hanginge in a furnace in the kitchen and a great twughe(?)¹¹ standing in [th]e kitchen Chamber and a greate presse standing in the little parlor to him and to his heires for ever to remayne in the howse as standing(?) for ever as they have bene henceforwode¹².

I will and bequeath to my sonn Thomas all my bookes¹³. All my land is his by inheritance.

Item I will and bequeath to my goddaughter Anne Wallenger my daughters daughter Fyve pounds of lawfull money of England, books called The Governance of Vertue¹⁴.

Item I will and bequeath to Elizabeth Heard my sonnes daughter a book called The Pilgrimage to Paradise¹⁵.

Item I will and bequeath to John Heard my uncle George Heards sonne his fower Children that he had by his first wife Fortie shillinges a peece, payde of this to Agnes Heard vis viijd¹⁶.

Item I will and bequeath to the poore people of Stanford Ryvers where I was borne xxs.

Item I give and bequeath to the poor people of Thaydon Munt Fortie shillinges to be bestowed whom my Executors shall thinke most meete.

Item I will and bequeath to Rebecca Savell my inlawd wallen(?) his …. xxs.

The residue of all my goodes …¹⁷ moveeables unmoveables whatsoever, my legacies discharged and Funeralls and that I may beliving [th]t decently to the earth from whence I came, I giue and bequeath to Jonne my wife upon I make my Executor of this my last will and testament.

And I doe ordayne and appoynt Roger Ratt of the p[ar]ishe of Thaydon Garinghe¹⁸ to be my overseer of this my last will and I doe give him for theire paynes xs.

I[te]m witnes to this my last will. I Have written this w[i]th my owne hand and … my name [th]e daye and yeare first aboue written by me Thomas Heard.

Item more I giue and bequeath to Thomas Heard my godsonne at Harlowe xs and his daughter my goddaughter Five shillinges.

Item I will and bequeath to Thomas Gardner my godsonne ijs vjd¹⁹ and I will and bequeath to Thomas Heard my godsonne my sonnes sonne a booke called [Th]e Enemye of Securitie²⁰.

Item I will and bequeath to my sister winters three sonnes xs a peece and to Thomas Heard my kinsman sonne of George Heard xs.

Item I will and bequeath to my Cosin Rehell(?) Renson vjs viijd.

Item I will and bequeath to John Heard my brother Williams sonne xs by me T[h]omas Heard.

Probatum … [in Latin]

Leaving specifically named books seems unusual, but the gift was rare and valuable. It showed a high degree of literacy in his family.

Thomas Gilson, tailor, who died earlier than Thomas Heard, left the following Will²¹.

Thomas Gilson

In the name of god amen the teneth daie of Febarirarie Anno Dom[ini] 1623. I Thomas Gilson of Theydon mount in the Countie of Essex tailer being sick in bodie but in parfit remembrance thankes be giuen to allmightie god doe ordaine and make this my last will and teastement in manner and forme following.

Furst I bequeath my sowle to allmyghtie god my maker and to Jesus Christ my redemer by whose merritts I hope onlie to be saued loking for a Joyfull resurrection, and my bodie to the earth from wence it came.

Item I will and bequeath to my two brothers George Gilsom and John Gilsom twentie shillinges a peese to be paid to them upon … shall com to be of the age of fowr and twentye yeares a peese or at the daie of marrage which of them shall com furst.

Item I will and bequeath to my sister marie fiftie shillings.

Item I will and beq[ue]ath to my brother Richard Gilson tenn shillings and to his fowre children now living twelue pence apese.

Item I will and bequeath to my sister Elizabeth two shillings six pence, to her sonn Richard my godson tenn shillings and to her two other children now living twelve pence a peese.

It[e]m I will and bequeath to my sister Susan two shillings six pence.

It[e]m I will and bequeath to my brother in law George Herns two children, that is to say to Thomas and to William, fortie shillinges a peese.

All those children before named to have there portions paid them as they shall com to the age of fowrr and twentie yeares a peese or at the daie of marrage which them shall com furst.

It[e]m I will and bequeath to my brother John Gilson my best sute of apparel.

The residew of all my goodes Cattell and other chattels redie monie, debtes being paid and legasies parformed and my finerall discharges, I will and bequeath to George herd my brother in law, whome I make my sole executer of this my last will and teastament.

And I doo appoynt Thomas Herd the younger of Theydon Mount and my brother George Gilson to be my overseers of this my last will and teastament and I doe giue them for tharr paines twelve pence a peese.

The marke of Thomas Gilson

Wittnesses Thomas Herd senieor²²
and Thomas Herd Junior
with others

Probatu[m] … [in Latin]

The study of Wills allows local historians and genealogists to trace ancestry particularly in instances where Parish Registers do not exist. Ten Theydon Mount wills are preserved in the Essex Record Office during the reign of King James I. I have transcribed most. Having written two items on this set, this concluding note draws these documents together as a whole.

The ten Wills studied were:

1605 Richard Gilson, husbandman

1612-13 Robert Hill

1612 Thomas Bredge

1613-14 William Winter, husbandman

1614 Robert Knoppe, yeoman

1616-17 John Moore, yeoman

1623-24 Thomas Gilson, tailor

1624 Thomas Herd, yeoman

1624-25 Richard Gladwin, bricklayer

1625 Susan Winter, widow

Richard Gilson (d. 1605) was the father of Thomas Gilson (d. 1623). He names his wife, Mary, and children: Richard, Thomas, George, Elizabeth, Susan and Mary who were all under 21 years old at the time. When Thomas dies a bachelor eighteen years later he mentions his siblings: Elizabeth, who by then had a son Richard and two other children; Richard, who had 4 children; Marie (Mary); George; and John, who is unnamed in his father’s will so may have been unborn at the time of his death. Susan is not mentioned in Thomas’ will but his brother-in-law George Herd receives an inheritance as does his children, Thomas and William. We must assume that Susan had married into the Herd family but died. The Gilson and Herd families would want to search further.

When we look at the Will of Thomas Herd (d. 1624) we note he had a brother George with a son Thomas and realise a growing family tree. William is the other named brother of Thomas Herd. The testator has a son, Thomas, and grandson, Thomas. Family historians have to be careful not to omit a generation when constructing their family tree. He also leaves money to “John Heard my uncle George Heards sonne his fower Children that he had by his first wife”. John was Thomas’ cousin.

A Thomas Herd is mentioned as “my kinsman” in Susan Winter’s will of 1625, appointed as an overseer alongside the minister, M[aste]r Juby. She had three sons: Thomas, John and William. When her husband, William, writes his Will in October 1613 he mentions only Thomas (who was not 20 years old) and John “my yongest sonne” but later mentions “these my three Children”. Perhaps William was alive but did not receive an inheritance, or was perhaps unborn with a daughter not receiving an inheritance. A puzzle for the Winter family.

Robert Hill’s will (d. 1613) does not mention by name his family. “I give to my wife all the goods and Chatles as 7 beaste 26 sheepe 2 mares and 2 Colts with all my houshold stuffe and moufable goods also I giue to my 5 chilldren at 18 years of age 3 to oxenone of them”. He names Thomas Hill his brother as overseer. He names the people who owe him money. There is no note for write off but a reminder.

Robert Knoppe’s lengthy will (d. 1614) names his wife Mary, Robert his son and three unnamed children. It is full of conditions, including provision should “thre skore poundes” not be paid to “the residue of my children”.

John Moore, yeoman, wrote his Will on 16 November 1616. He was buried on 20 December 1616. He mentions firstly his wife, Catherine, his children William and Joan, and brothers and sisters, including the children of Thomas the older and Elizabeth. Here follows an extract, which has some interesting spellings and unusual bequests to modern eyes.

9 It[e]m doe giue and bequeath unto Cathron moore my wiffe twenty poundes of good and lawfull money to be paid
10 hir w[i]thin wone month after my goodes shall be sould by my Exec[u]et[o]r. Item I giue my daughter Joone forty
11 shillings to be paid her at the age of wonantwanty years or day of maridg by my Ex[e]c[u]ter. Item I doo will
12 and giue to my sonn William Moore the sum of threescore pounds to be paide him by my Ex[e]c[u]tors
13 upon he shall acomplesh the age of wonantwanty yeares p[ro]vided that my son William deseas
14 befoore hee shall com to the age of xxi years my will and mynd is that the remainder of his ledgesie I giue
15 and bequeath as followeth first I giue to my sister Elizabeths Children x Li[bor] pounds to be paid them when they
16 shall com to the age of wonantwanty years of p[ro]vided that if ether of them s[h]all deaseas befoore thay
17 acomplesh to thare Seavorall ages of xxi years then my will is that his or her porsion so deseas shall be
18 equally devidded amonste them that are living. Item I will that … shall rest in my Ex[e]c[ut]ors
19 handes shall be dividded amonste my brother Thomas Mores Children equally to be divided amonste them
20 upon they shall com to thar severall ages of xxi years p[ro]vided alwaies that if any of them shall suffer
21 to deaseas befoore thay com to the severall ages of xxi years then my will is that thar leggeses so deseased
22 is also equally dividded amonste them that are livinge. Item I will and giue to my brother Thomas Moore
23 the older three pounds of good and lawfull money to be paid him within six months after my deseas. Item I will
24 and giue to to Alys Ingold vis viijd to be paid by my Ex[ecu]ters which are underwritten. Item I will and giue
25 to catarne my wiff the bed steed which I liupon with the worshe fether bed and a pare of sheetes to blankets and
26 won pillow …
27 … will all her aparill with the yarne and a linne whode.
28 Item I will and giue to my older brother Hen Moore my Cloock and my best hat and all my wordadaie
29 apparill. Item I will and giue to my brother Thomas More the younger my best seute of apparill
30 and I do intreate my loving nabore Thomas Filde of theydon mount and William Start
31 of lucton … to be my Exsectors and Itim I giue them for thare pains xxs apece and
32 and I intreate my loving naber Thomas Feuens to be my overseer of this my last will
33 and teastament and I giue him for his pains xxs in witness wharof I the said John Moore hand hear unto sett to
34 my hand and seale the daie and yeare firste about written sined sealed made in the p[re]sent of us
35 whoos names are heare under written
36 The mark of John Moore
37 The mark of Joone Inggoll
38 The mark of Phillos Sharpe
39 [Probatum]

Richard Gladwin (d.1625), our bricklayer, had a wife, Susan, and two children, Richard and Bridgit.

Finally, the Will of Thomas Bredge (d.1612) led me to conclude that he died fairly young. He wrote his Will on 27 April 1612 and was buried three days later at Theydon Garnon believing that his wife, Agnes, was pregnant with their fifth child: “If it happen my wife to be with childe …”. A search of Registers may determine a baptism thus revealing a fifth child in addition to James, Margaret, Anne and Elizabeth. Also named were his brothers Robert and Richard.