Will of George Burgoyn of Seale, South Tawton

Proved 29 October 1558

National Archives Ref: PROB 11/41/214

Transcribed by Pat Garnett-Frizelle

In the name of God amen, I George Burgoyn being parfite of memorye but weke in bodie thanks begiven unto almighti God make this my laft will and testament in manner and fourme following.
First I bequeath my soule unto almighte God my bodie to be buried in the hollie sepulcture that is to say church or church earth at the disposition of my executors
Item I bequeath to the poore of Saint Andrews South Tawton vjs vjd.
Item I bequeath to the poore of the chappel of Seale vd.
Item I bequeath unto the poor mens boxe of South Tawton vs.
Item my will is that vj masses shall be saide at the day of my burial if so many preests maybegotten together,if not the same masses to be said at such time as the said preests maybegotten.
Of the which vj masses one to be said of the Father another of the Sonne and the thirde of the Hollie Gooste, the iv" of the Trinitie, the v" of Our Ladie and the sixth of requiem.
Item my will and intent is that xld shall be given and distributed for me at the day of my burial to the moost poorest people then there present and that everie preest shall have for his trouble viijd and the [nk] iijd with their meat and drinke.
And at my monnie? this mynde my will and intent is to have said the like vj masses or as shortlie after as preests maybegotten and they and them pleased to have like [nk] as is aforesaid.
Item my will and intent is that if any more preests come as other of the aforesaide that none of them to be refused but to have like [nk] as aforesaide.
Item I bequeath unto Mathewe Whiddom my servant for his good service hereto fore this doos to me xls and to Willm Will my servant likewyse for his faithful service xls and to Henry Lake xs and to Thomas Burgoyne my servante tenne shillings.
Item to my servant Alice vjs vjd.
Item to Katherine Stelbard vjs vjd ffurther my will and intent is that the iijl that i promised to paye towarde the preferment of the marriage of the said Katherine Saer if she left unmarried in my wifes service until she accomplishe the age of xxi"yeares and then departe not out of her service till she be married the saide three poundes then to her be paide and the directive apparelled as best unto one of her [nk].
Item I bequeath to everie of my godchildren xijd or one lambe at the will and libertie of my executors.
Item I bequeath to my children that is to say William,Robert,Besse,Jane,Margaret and Mary to every of them xxvjl xijs iiijd to be paide to my sonnes when they shall accomplishe the full age of xxiiij years provided if either of my two sonnes dye before his [nk] parte is delivered then his parte that so [nk] to remayne to them that surviveth.
Item my will is that my daughters portion shall be delivered to them at the daye of their marriage and if any of them dye then the parte and portion of her or them that so die to be equallie divided amongst the residue of the sisters that then be alive and resting unmarried payable as is aforesaide and if they all dye that is to saye my iiij daughters thenne the said good to remayne to my executors my saide executors paying then xxl more to everie of my saide two sonnes or xxl to each one as they shall fortune to be alive if the other be deade payable to them as is aforesaid that is to say at terms of xxiiij years.
It   I bequeath all my parte and partes in [nk] tynne workes called Bradford otherwise monthlie as all other my tynne workes partes and portions and purportions of tynne workes within the countie of devonshire unto Elizabeth my wif for and during the spare and tenure of xxj yeres next ensuing the date of this my patent will and my will and intent is that my said wif shall verylebie and take all the issues and profittes rising and paying of all my tynne workes and partes of tynne workes shall yearlie accomplishe before my overseers that is to say the iiij daye of januarye at Seale within the parish of South Tawton by bill indented whereof those to remayn in the hands of my overseers and the other with my said executors and the third part of the profittes of the same my saide wife shall take to her [nk] behol?? in the name of Rcd Solbery and the other two partes rising and paying as is aforesaid my said wife shall verable and the same to divide equallie amongst my seaven children that is to say John,William Robert,Bess,Joane,Margaret and Mary to be delivered to my sonnes when as they shall accomplishe the full age of xxiij" and to my daughters at the daies of their marriages provided that after the 3 marriages they nor any of them to be married to take no further payments of the issues and profittes of the foresaid two partes of the aforesaide tynne workes and if any of my aforesaide sonnes or daughters dye before their partes delivered to them of the aforesaide gaynes [nk] the partes of them and being to them due at the tyme of their deathe to remayne to my saide executors.
Item further my will and intent is that vjs viijd yearlie rising and proven in and upon the saide two partes of the issues and profittes of the saide tynne workes shall be paide out during the saide xxi"years to Willm Will otherwise [nk] and xxl likewise to be taken of the saide two partes yearlie and equallie divided amongst my overseers the whole sum of xxl and vjs vijd to be yearlie paide at the aforesaide day of the accounte of my said executors to th  intent that the shall be [nk] and assisting to my foresaide wife.
Item I bequeath unto my brother Thomas Burgoyn xxl.
ItemI bequeath unto my said wife all my lands and tennements in Lovaton within the parish of South Tawton aforesaide for and during the spare and terme of xxx"yeres next ensuing the date of this my present will upon condition that she to long live all the residue of my goods and chattels not given nor bequested i will and bequeathe to Elizabeth my wife and her i doo ordaine constitute and make to be my sole and only executor to dispose of at her will and pleasure as her cons-----? shall direct her whome i charge to pay all my due debts paide and to that intent that my said will shall be the better observed in every point i do nominate and ordaine Laurence Hernaman,William Ashe and William Maio to be my overseers to whome i give for their labor to everye of them vjs viijd to be paid at the daye of my months [nk] and further my will and intent is that if any doubt be in any point of this my last will my mynde and intent is to have it discussed and expounded by my saide overseers to whome i have opened my hole mynde and intent countering every [nk] and [nk] contayned in this my will and this i the saide George Burgoyne doo make an ende of this my last will and testament for witness of Richard Arscott, Laurence Heber and Willm Will as?.Furthermore that they and others dated at South Seale the second daye of october in the v and vj year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord and Ladie Philip and Mary by the grace of God, King and Queen of England,Spayn,Ffrance,both Sicilies,Jerusalem and Ireland defenders of the faith,Archdukes of Austria,Dukes of Burgundie Milan and Brabante, Countes of Haspburg Fflanders and Tiroll.

Probate London 29 dai october one thousand five hundred fifty eight by William Walker to Elizabeth relict and executor.

Note: Bradford tynne workes was an open cast tin works inbetween Whiddon Down, Chagford and Drewsteignton on the edge of Dartmoor above the parish of South Zeale and South Tawton, also known as Bradford Pool and Bradmere Pool.