Help needed to read will please

[Giddysue]

I would greatly appreciate some help in reading a will.

The details of the will are on Ancestry and concerns probate granted on 29th May 1659 in relation to John Heywood (Johannis Heywood) of Wiinckeley, Devon (Winkleigh, Devon).

I have tried enlarging the script, but it appears more indistinct (my eyesight is not perfect I admit) so I would love some assistance in reading the contents of the will which appears to be long and involved!!

Many thanks for any help in this matter.

Giddysue

[Jill on the A272]

Happy to begin but I have to go to work soon, so someone else may have to pick up the baton, though I can take a look this evening.

In the Name of God Amen I John
Heywood of ?iton within the parish of Winckeleyin the County of Devon yeoman
being sicke of bodie but of sound and perfect memory (thanks so be to my God), doe make
and ordayne this my last Will and Testament in manner and forme following First
I bequeath my soule to God my maker and blessed Redeemer and my bodie to be buried
where it shall please God Item I give to humprey Heywood my sonne one shilling Item
I give and bequeath unto John Heywood and Mary Heywood and Mary Heywood the sonne
and daughter of Humphrey Heywood aforesayd Twenty shillings to each of them to be
paid when they shall accomplish the age of one and Twenty yeares Item I give and
bequeath unto John Heywood and Katherine Heywood the children of Robert Heywood
my

[Jill on the A272]

my sonne deceased Tenn shillings to each of them to be paid when they shal?? one and Twenty yeares old Item I give and be-
queath unto Thomas Isaaks my sonne in Lawe

got to go now

[Jill on the A272]

It's here if anyone else wants to try

[Jill on the A272]

be-
queath unto Thomas Isaaks my sonne in Lawe and to Margarett my daughter the sayd Thomas Isaaks wife ????y
markes of good and lawfull money of England to be paid unto him when hee shall a????? his wife (my said daughter)
of some house or means to the value of forty shillings yearely during her life And if he doe not assure my daughter
his wife of some ???? or ?????????? value of forty shillings yearly as aforesayd That then the sayd forty
Markes to remayn in the hands of my Executor for the use of the sayd Margarett and her children my
Executor payeinge yearly to the sayd Thomas Isaack Twenty shillings for the interest ?????? Item
I give and bequeath unto Thomas Isaack my ??????????? one Ewe sheep Item I give to my sonne John
Heywood his children one Ewe sheep to each of them Item I give to my daughter ??sula Bond and
unto her Children one Ewe sheep to each of them Item I give and bequeath unto Margarett Isaack my
daughter one little ki?? one bedsted and the curtain with the furniture thereunto belonging Item I
give and bequeath unto ???????? Heywood my Wife all the household stuffe standing and Being within
my house

I'm running out of steam after a busy day, will do some more when I feel a little brighter, it's here if anyone else wants to review what I've done of continue further.

[Giddysue]

Hi Jill,

You've been absolutely remarkable - it certainly is a comprehensive will isn't it?

Goodness only knows what else will transpire ..........

Many thanks once again for all the time and effort you're putting in to transcribing this for me.

Giddysue

[Jill on the A272]

The rest, but with a lot more words I can't read

my house and Garden except this ???? pewter dishes two whereof are platters and eleven are podden [?]
???? And my will is that after the death of my sayd wife the sayd household stuff shall remayne
and John Bond my sonne in lawe and ?????????? All and singular my goods and Chattells not
before by the ???????? given now bequeathed I give and bequeath unto John Heywood my sonne and
unto John Bond my sonne in law whom I do make and ordain jointly to be my whole and
sole Executors of this my present Testament and last will charging them to see my funeral
duly discharged my legacies paid and all things ???????? them to be equally and ?????? per-
formed In Witness whereof I have hereunto with my hand and seale Dated the thirteenth day
of December [?] in the yeare of our Lord one thousand six hundred and fifty eight Codicilla
before the sealing ha?? I doe give to John Bonde my sone in Lawe my best Cloake and
I doe give to my brother Hugh Heywood one Large Doublett and b????? and M?????????
The signe of John Heywood in Witness hereunto ??? William Fisher Richard Alford

This Will was proved at London the seven and twentieth day of May with ????? of
our God one thousand six hundred and fifty nyne before the Judges for probate of wills and granting
Administration by the Oaths of John Heywood the sonne and John Bond the sonne in
Lawe and joint Executors &c To whome Administration was Committed then being sworn
by Commission truly to Administer


If anyone else can spot the words I can't read, let me know and I will go back and edit in red so it reads better.

[Jill on the A272]

I've been through again and made some small changes, though there are still a number of words I can't make out.

[Giddysue]

Gosh Jill, you have been absolutely brilliant.

I can now understand an elusive family connection. Many thanks for your patience and expertise it is so much appreciated.

Giddysue x

[Jill on the A272]

My pleasure Sue

[Elizabeth Herts]

be-
queath unto Thomas Isaaks my sonne in Lawe and to Margarett my daughter the sayd Thomas Isaaks wife Forty
markes of good and lawfull money of England to be paid unto him when hee shall assure his wife (my said daughter)
of some house or meanes to the value of forty shillings yearely during her life And if he doe not assure my daughter
his wife of some house or meanes to the value of forty shillings yearly as aforesayd That then the sayd forty
Markes to remayn in the hands of my Executor for the use of the sayd Margarett and her children my
Executor payeinge yearly to the sayd Thomas Isaack Twenty shillings for the interest thereof Item
I give and bequeath unto Thomas Isaack my grandchild one Ewe sheep Item I give to my sonne John
Heywood his children one Ewe sheep to each of them Item I give to my daughter Ursula Bond and
unto her Children one Ewe sheep to each of them Item I give and bequeath unto Margarett Isaack my
daughter one little ki?? one bedsted over the entrance with the furniture thereunto belonging Item I
give and bequeath unto Arminell Heywood my Wife all the household stuffe standing and Being within
my house


FindMyPast:
https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=gbprs%2fdev%2f007271038%2f00091&parentid =gbprs%2fdev%2fmar%2f154405%2f1


First name(s) John
Last name Heywood
Age -
Birth year -
Marriage year 1646
Marriage date 09 Mar 1646
Place Sampford Courtenay
Spouse's first name(s) Arminell
Spouse's last name Heathman
Spouse age -
County Devon
Denomination Anglican
Country England
Archive South West Heritage Trust
Archive reference 1232A/PR/1/1
Record set Devon Marriages

[Elizabeth Herts]

my house and Garden except this thirteene pewter dishes two whereof are platters and eleven are podden-
gers And my will is that after the death of my sayd wife the sayd household stuff shall remayne
and John Bond my sonne in lawe and to his children All and singular my goods and Chattells not
before by these presents given nor bequeathed I give and bequeath unto John Heywood my sonne and
unto John Bond my sonne in law whom I do make and ordain jointly to be my whole and
sole Executors of this my present Testament and last will charging them to see my funeral
duly discharged my legacies paid and all things betweene them to be equally and iustly per-
formed In Witness whereof I have hereunto with my hand and seale Dated the thirteenth day
of December in the yeare of our Lord one thousand six hundred and fifty eight Codicilla
before the sealinge hereof I doe give to John Bonde my sone in Lawe my best Cloake and
I doe give to my brother Hugh Heywood one Large Doublett and breeches and M?????????
The signe of John Heywood in Witness hereunto ??? William Fisher Richard Alford

[Elizabeth Herts]

Arminell Heywood was buried 10th Jan 1665 at Winkleigh

[Elizabeth Herts]

https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=gbprs%2fdev%2f100121888%2f00067&parentid=gbprs%2fdev2%2fbur%2f257085

John Heywood burial

[Heather Positive Thinker]

I understand when they give a shilling only it means that they would have liked to give nothing at all but give something so that the will cant be challenged as missing someone out (I remember that from my Acton lot, one of the sons was basically disowned but got the shilling in the Will about same era too)

[Giddysue]

Yes Heather that sounds totally feasible as rumour has it that John Heywood's son (Humphrey) was the father of the household maid's illegitimate child so was, to all intents and purposes, disinherited!!! What a naughty boy!

[Heather Positive Thinker]

I expect that he did more than that - but we shall never know............. Did he marry her? Would you find anything in court bastardy bonds?

[Jill on the A272]

Thanks for polishing up the bits I couldn't read Elizabeth Herts

[Elizabeth Herts]

That's OK, Jill. I love transcribing wills.

[Giddysue]

Jill and Elizabeth you have both been absolutely phenomenal and all your assistance has been so much appreciated.
Many, many thanks
Sue
xx