Theydon Mount: Wills during the Reign of King James I (Part 4). The Last Will and Testamentof Thomas Herd, 1624

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.