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Samuel
Merrill, 1928, reprint 1983
The
Wills of Three John Merrells - Chapter IV,
pp32-47
Will
of John Meryell 1528
The
third will in which we are interested is that of
another John Merrell of Wherstead, its record reference
being Archdeaconry of Suffolk, book x, folio 40.
This also appears to have been unsigned, though
regularly admitted to probate. In it the family
name is written Meryell and Moryell indiscriminately.
This
interesting old document is entered in the record
book under the caption “Testam Johnis Moryell.”
Copied carefully, line for line, it reads as follows:
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In
the name of god Amen, the iij daye of
Decemb in the yere of our lord god mlcccccxxviij
I John Moryell of Wherstede wthin
the Countye of
Suff husbondman beyng seck and ffebill of bodye |
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5
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hooll
and pfyght of rememberaunce make this my
psent testament and last will under this maner
of
of fourme and condicion folowyng Inprimis I
bequeth}
my soule to allmyghtie god to our blessed Ladye
saynt
Marie and to all the glorious company of hevyn
my |
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10
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bodie
to be buried wthin the cherch yerde
of Wherstede
aforesaid unto the which highe Aulter for my
tythes
and oblacons forgoton & unpaid I bequeth
iijs. ii ijd.
Item I bequeth likewise unto the highe Aulter
of
Belstede cherch iijs. iiijd.
Item I geue un to Syr |
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15
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John
ffulchehm my gostlie ffather and vicar of
Wherstede xs. for a trentall to syng
it where it shall
please hym for my soule and all Crystyn soulys
Item
I geve and bequeth unto John meryell my oldest
son my tenement in Belstede wt all
my londes wt |
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20
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in
the said towne both fre and bonde in fee symple
upon this condicion that the said John my son
shall
paye or cause to be paid unto Anne my wiff Im
mediatlie aftr my decease the yerelie
ferme of
the said tenement and londes the space of ij
yerys |
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25
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and
also to pay or cause to be paide unto John
meryell his brother xxs. out of the
said tent
and londes as the said John shall nede it to
his
fynding to lernyng And ovyrthat I will the
said John my oldest son shall kepe or cause
to be |
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30
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kepte
an obite wtin the cherch of Whersted
the
terme and space of v yerys next folewyng aftr
my decease and evy obite to be kept to the valewe
of viijs. starling money Item I geve
and bequeth
unto the said John my oldest son all my bargayn
and |
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35
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pte
of Goodylsforde woode and also my Cartys plowys
and tomberellys wt. all the utensells
to them belongyng
Except horsys and Oxsen) payeng unto his brother
John vjs. viijd. to receyve
them att the fest of
Saynt mychaell next aftr my decease
Item I will |
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40
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yf
the said John my yongest son depte the worlde
or he have receyved the foresaid xxs.
of myn
tenement and londes before specified that than
the
said xxs. to be paide to Anne my
wiff un to the which
Anne I geve and bequeth all my stuffs and utensills
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45
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of
houshold. Item I geve and bequeth unto Julyan
and Elyn my doughters un to evy of them xxs.
starling mony to be paid att the daye of the
mariage of eyther of them And yf eyther of my
said doughters depte the worlde or they com
to |
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mariage
than I will the survyv of eyther of them
shall haue other parte and if they both departe
the
worlde or the com to marriage than I will the
said
xls. be don in dedys of charite by
the discrecion
of myn executors for my soule and
all cristen soulys |
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55
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Item
I geve unto Johan meryell my sonnys doughter
a combe of barly The Residue of all my gooddes
not be
quethed this my will pformyd and dettys paid
I geve
and bequeth un to Anne my wyff Item I will that
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60
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myn
executors shall occupie my parte of my ferme
that
I dwelle in un to the most profight for the
pformaunce
of this my last will and testament whom I ordeyn
and make John moryell my oldest son and Thomas
Belchm my brother in lawe they to receyve my
detts
and pay my detts and pforme this my psent testament
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and
last will unto the which Thomas for his labor
and payn I bequeth vjs. viijd.
These beyng wittnesses
John Goldynghm priest Syr John ffulchehm, Vicar
of Wherstede Edmunde Wyng of Belstede wt
other. |
This
will was proved 12 March, 1528/9.
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Line 15.
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gostlie:
spiritual |
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16.
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trentall:
trental; a service of thirty masses. |
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23.
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ferme:
farm, revenue. |
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26.
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tent:
tenement. |
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28.
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fynding
to lernyng: expense of education. |
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28.
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ovyrthat:
moreover. |
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30.
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obite:
obit; a memorial service on the anniversary
of one’s death. |
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34.
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bargayn
and pte: share. |
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35.
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tomberellys:
tumbrels, dump-carts. |
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41,
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49,
52. or: before. |
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56.
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combe:
four bushels. |
In
this will his wife Anne is mentioned, and children
John (I), John (II), Julian and Eleanor. John (I)
was of age; he was named as one of the executors,
and he had a daughter Johan, to whom was given in
the will a “combe” of barley. John (II)
was probably a minor, receiving an education. Was
either of these sons the “John Meryell”
whose will was proved in 1551/2?
Only
one child of John (I) is mentioned in the will.
If John (I) had no other child in 1528, he could
hardly have been the John who made his will 1551,
for the latter John had ten children in 1551, four
of whom, at least, were grown up. But John, whose
will we are considering, was under no obligation
to make bequests to his grandchildren. The fact
that the bequest to Johan was four bushels of barley
would indicate that Johan was not a young child,
and this would strengthen the theory that John (I)
may have had other children in 1528, making quite
plausible the assumption that “John Meryell,”
who made his will in 1551, was son of the John whose
will was dated 1528.
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