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Will of Hugh Frayne, intending a Voyage into the East Indies

[Family of Swimbridge]

Proved 20 July 1614

© Crown Copyright

PROB 11/124/202, Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury (P.C.C. ref. 68 Law)

Transcribed by Jonathan Frayne

IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN. The xviii day of March 1609, I Hugh ffrayne intendinge (by God's blessed assistance) a voyage into the East Indies on the vjth supply sent thither and Knowing nothinge to be more uncertain than mans life, do make and ordayne this my last will and testament in manner and forme followinge, ffirst I commit my soule into the hands of Almightie God my Saviour and Redeemer, and my body to the earth or seas as it shall please God of his mercy to dispose of mee. Secondly whereas I have adventured in the said voyage the some of threescore pounds my will is that if God should call me away that it should be disposed of in manner followinge to witt I give and bequeath my father James ffrayne of Swimbridge in the Countie of Devon ffive pounds. Item I give and bequeath yo my mother Ann ffrayne the some of five pounds. Item I give and bequeath to my brother William ffrayne ffour pounds, to my brother James ffrayne three pounds, to my sister Jenever Coombe alias Yeoland three pounds to my brother in law Hugh Coombe her husband ffortie shillings, to my sister Margaret Darracott and her husband William Darracott the some of three pounds and to his eldest sonne and three daughters new borne ffortie shillings. The some now in all is eight pounds. Item I give and bequeath unto my unkill Roger ffrayne ffortie shillings and to his wife twentie shillings. Also I give and bequeath to James ffrayne of Chittlehampton supposed the sonne of John ffrayne of Torrington twentie shillings and to his wife xxs. Item I give and bequeath to Henry Nowell of St Leonards Middlesex twentie shillings and to his wife Ann twentie shillings. Item I give and bequeath to Mistress Martha Johnson the some of ffive pounds. Item I give and bequeath to my cozen Campe glazier now apprentice in Mark Lane the some of three pounds. Item I give and bequeath to Margery ffrisbye now servant to Mr Robert Johnson twentie shillings. Item I give to William Johnson servant to my said Mr thirty shillings, To Suzan Parsons twentie shillings and to William Allyn servant also to my Mr ten shillings. And further my intent and meaning is that what profitt soever it shall please God to send upon the returne of the three scorepounds shall be equally divided amongst those here before expressed to everie one according to his portion given and bequeathd him as for example if it shall please God that it shall make one hundred and twentie pounds thus then each of their portions shall be doubled or more according to the profitt that shall arise theretofore and if lesse then thier portions to be lessened vareably. And for my wages that shall growe due unto me for my service whereof heatherto none hath beene receaved by mee and that is due unto mee thirtie pounds, my will is that out of that my Mistress Jane Johnson shall have for a peece of plate £v and also the rest of my wages I request may be equally divided (both that already due and that shall hereafter bee due unto mee) amongst my poore kindred such as shall be known to be of good and honest conversation, as also to some poore maydens at their days of marriage to poore scholars either in Cambridge or Oxford, provided that there be reserved out of the said money goods and chattells of what kynde quality or condition soever the same the some of twentie pounds whereof £vi be given to my Mr Robert Johnson £vi to Mr Robert Rosier and the other £viii to be divided between my father James ffrayne and William Darracott of Acland my brother in law and to these and that these things may bee performed and done according to my true meaning and intent I doe make and ordayne Mr Robert Johnson of London Grocer and Mr Robert Rosier of London my father James ffrayne and my brother William Darracott my sole executors and to order and to dispose of what sovreynes not here                    as to them shall seeme meete and conveniant and for my will and intent is in case any of the aforesaid parties shall die or decease that then the same goods or moneys given him shall goe to the next heir or to whom of right it shall apperteyne And thus beseeching Almightie God to blesse and prosper mee in this voyage and to send mee a safe returne into my native countrie I commit both myself and my affaires to the merciful guidance of our Goode God. Dated at Moha in the Red Sea abord the Trades Increase the 18th day of December 1610.
Hugh ffrayne.
Whereas by an inventory by mee taken in Moha Roads the xiijth day of December 1610 it appeareth what monies Debts and goods remayened in my possession and weare owinge unto mee by others I therefore pray you Mr John ffouler if God call mee out of this life duringe the time of our continuance together, or that I should bee betrayed ashore in any place where God shall send us to arrive or that by any other means I should be deprived either of life or returninge to the shippe that the said inventory shall bee used and notize taken of such goods as I shall have remayning, my will is that they bee all soulde at the mayne maste without partialitie for the most advantage of my friends that shall of right demand the same some things there are that are not put into the inventory lett notize bee taken of all, let the owing pay be soulde the rest of my papers and bookes written sent home sealed to the company as thay have ordered That whereas there is some money owing to me by Thomas Norris I fairly forgive him the debt and also bequeath him a shirt of my worst wearing apparrell with my ould sea gonne. Also I bequeath to Augustine Arron my striped stiffe suite brought out of England, and to either of them a payre of my worst stockins in my chest. Also whereas Walter Woodward is debtor for a pounde I forgive him that debt and also bequeath him a booke of Plynys naturall historie, I give to Sir Henry Middleton our generall my best payre of gloves with goulde fringe, to Mr Gyles Thornton the second payre with silke fringe to yr. selfe the third payre as also out of such monies as shall be found as shall remayne in my possessions 10 Ryalls of                    be paid you presently, the rest if any be remayning with the money owing me which is to be paid in India at our first port of trade I desire to be put into some honest mans hands that may pay such reasonable profitt for the same at home as the place doth usually afford, or ells that your selfe imploy it as to you shall seeme most meete for my profitt, That is my debts be not paid in India. They may then bee sett down in the proper booke to be paid at home with what profitt shall to you bee thought fitt, for sale of my goods the Inventory will direct you what they cost most of them not havinge been worne or used, I also inclose herein the coppie of my will left in England with some small addition which I ordayne to stand in forme except those things bequeathed in those noate, lett my will be delivered in London to Mr Robert Johnson Grocer or to Mr Robert Rosier Lynnen Draper or to such as it shall concern. Such thinges as a whistall if any buy them their use is sett down in the begyning of my booke of Commissions and advizes so that the party buying them may know the use of them, or that they mat be soulde the Chirugions for the shippes provision and the Comp. made debtors for them for they are things of cheefe use. Yuse my written papers and have a care of the contents, also there is of Mr ffemels as his letter will appear j payre of mamillas of gould sett with ballast rubyes and other stones with a payre qts. 78 ballast rubies unsett which weare left in my hands. The ballast rubies remayne in my port mantell, but the mamillas are in the hands of Sir Henry Middleton our generall. In these things doe as you shall thike good, you shall find among his letters one that manifests his will what shall be done therein as also the value of the Commodities also you shall find a noate that makes mention that the mamillas were not Mr ffemels own but doe belong unto Mr Slaney of London, also another noate of two of the best found blades to be Mr ffemels owne as by the said noate under Mr Styles hand appeare. There is in my cabben a pistoll which belongs to Mr Bragg let him have it with a payre of small mountes for the same. I know of no other thing that I have of ant bodies of worth except two silver rings sett with blondestones of Mr ffemels with his papers and some 35 silver buttons these things Ipray you dispose of also. I owe nothing in the shippe save only for a case of bottles of ffrancis Slaneys with some drink amounting unto Lvi.vs.xd also for a knife of his xiid. These debts are to be paid in England and I desire that they be satisfied oute of my wages before any legacies are paid.
Dated in the Read Sea the vith day of August 1611.
Hugh Frayne.
M.G. that I Hugh ffrayne doe give and bequeath unto Richard Griffine one of the Chirugions of the Trades Increase in considerations of his paynes taken with me in this my
the some of ffortie shillings in Spanish money to be paid unto him present money after my decease, Item I give unto Walter Woodward the some of ffortie shillings to be likewise paid to him in Spanish money after my decease, Item I give unto John Cooper to be paid to him as aforesaid with the rest, Item I give unto Walter Woodward foure of my wearinge shirts, Item I give and bequeath unto Nethaniel Comethorpe my taffeta shirt which is in my chest, Item I give unto John Leach the some of twentie shillings to be paid unto him in England the rest of my readie money I give and bequeath unto the poore younge scholars of Saynt Johns Colledge in Oxford and to be ymployed here at sea for there best use by Sir Henry Middleton our generall as he shall think fittest. More I bequeath unto Mr Gielles Thornton our master out of the aforesaid readie money which I have in my keepeing to buy him a ring of the some of fortie shillings in Spanish money to be paid presently after my decease, Item I bequeath unto Mr Andrew Addams preeacher of the Trades Increase the some of fortie shillings to be paid him presently after my decease, also my will is to have bestowed in the best manner twentie Ryalls of Eight upon a tome upon me after my decease. And for the better performance of this my will I make Mr Gielles Thornton Tempest Perkrork merchant and Nethaniel Comethorpe purser my overseers to see these my legacies deliveredand my apparrell sould at the maste, Item I give unto Sir Henry Middleton our generall ffive pounds to be paid him in England to make him a ring and also a payre of gloves fringed with gould which are in my chest, Item to Mr Perkrork for his paynes ffortie shillings in readie money paid presently after my decease, and for the remaynes of those things that shall be soulde at the mayne mast the proceeds to be delivered to his friends with the rest of my wages as in my former will is specified. In witness whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seale dated the 2nd day of December 1612 by me Hugh ffrayne sealed and -do- in the presence of Tempest Perkrork, George Cokayne, Edmund Camden, Nethaniel Comethorpe.

Probate granted to Robert Johnson and Robert Rosier 8th July 1614.