Date Written: 14th May 1577
Date Proved: 28th January 1578
Held by: The National Archives
Family Members Named: sons Christopher and Edmund STEVENSON; brother John STEVENSON ; daughters Margery HOLME, Alice TREATON, Joane THORPE, Jane GREAVES and Elizabeth VESSEY; grandaughters Elizabeth HOLME and Agnes TREATON
Other bequests: the poor of Dronfield, Chesterfield, Sheffield and Eckington
Executors: Christopher and Edmund Stevenson
Witnesses: John MEYTAM, Rowland WATSON, Richard STEVENSON, Robert LEGGE
In the name of God Amen the fouretenthe Daye of Maye in the yere of o[ur] Lord god AThousand Fyve hundrethe seventie seven and in the nynetenthe yere of the Raigne of o[ur] moste gratiouse soveraigne Ladye Elizabethe by the grace of god Queene of England France and Ireland Defendo[ur] of the faithe &c I Richard Stevenson of Ounston in the Countie of Derbye beinge of whole and p[er]fecte memory thankes be to Allmightie god make and declare my laste will and testament in manner and forme followinge that is to saye Firste and before all thinges I bequeathe my soule into the handes of Allmightie god my maker savio[ur] and Redemer throughe whose aboundannt mercye I assuredly truste to be saved and made p[ar]taker of the Joyes and habitac[i]on celestiall And my body to be buryed in [christ]ian buryall Where it shall please Allmightie god to dispose the same And as concerninge the distribuc[i]on and disposic[i]on of my goodes and chattalles Landes and tenements I will & bequeathe them in manner and fourme followinge that is to saye
First whereas of Late I boughte and purchased of one Roger Foliambe gent[leman] one messuage or tenement and diverse other Landes Lyinge and beinge within the p[ar]isshe of Brampton in the said Countie of Derby I will give and bequeath unto my two sonnes Edmund and [Christ]ofer and to theire heires for ev[er] to the intente and uppon this condic[i]on that they the same Edmunde and [Christ]ofer ^and theire heires^ shall yerely & ev[er]y yere for ev[er] distribute and bestowe to and amonge the moste poore and needy people for the tyme beinge inhabitinge within the p[ar]isshe of Dronefield once ev[er]y weeke in the Lent tyme one halfe hundred of good heringes and as muche wheaten bred as shalbe made uppon one strike of good wheate without fraude covyne or any substraction
And uppon this condic[i]on and intent also that the said Edmunde & [Christ]ofer and theire heires shall yerely and ev[er]y yere for ev[er] dispose give and bestowe uppon good fryday to and amongest xxx of the moste poore and needy p[er]sones for the tyme beinge inhabitinge within the p[ar]isshe of Dronfield xxxd and to and amongest xxx of the moste poore and nedy p[er]sonnes for the tyme beinge inhabitinge within the p[ar]isshe of Chasterfielde xxxd and to and amongeste xxx of the moste ^poore and^ nedye p[er]sonnes inhabitinge within the p[ar]sshe of Ekington xxxd And to and amongest xxx of the moste poore and needy p[er]sonnes for the tyme beinge inhabitinge within the p[ar]isshe of Sheffelde xxxd and that to be donne and contynued from tyme to tyme for ev[er] by the said Edmund and [Christ]ofer and theire heires forev[er]
Item I give and bequeathe unto Margery Holme my daughter the wife of [Christ]ofer Holme six poundes xiijs iiijd to be payde unto her within one yere next after my decease ov[er] and beside iiijl which I lent her husband at Tydewall fayre which I do clerely remytt and forgive
Item I give and bequeathe unto my daughter Alice the wife of John Tre[a]ton tenne poundes to be payde unto her within one whole yere next after my decease
Item I give and bequeathe unto my daughter Joane the wife of Robert Thorpe iijli vjs viijd to be payde to her within one yere next after my decease
Item I give to my daughter Jane the wife of Will[ia]m Greaves the some of iijli vjs viijd to be payde to her within one yere next after my decease
Item I give to Elizabethe my daughter the wife of William Vessey the some of iijli vis viijd to be paide to her within one yere next after my decease
Item I give and bequeathe unto my brother John Stevensone Clerke the some of tenne poundes And ov[er] besides that I will devise and bequeathe that my said brother shall at all and ev[er]y tyme and tymes when and as often as he shall come and repayre to my Mansion House wherein I now dwell have sufficient and convenient meate Drincke and Lodginge mete and convenient for his estate and degree by and duringe all the tyme of his abode and tarryinge there and that to be from tyme to tyme borne and provided by my executors or by the survivo[ur] of them theire executors of assignes
Also I devise will and bequeathe unto my two sonnes Edmund and [Christ]ofer all my tanne yarde and Lether and all my Leases and Fermes to be occupyed ioyntely together by them to theire owne uses and to the p[er]fourmannce of this my Laste will and testament
Item I give ^ & bequeathe^ unto Agnes Treaton the daughter of John Treaton xls in money and one newe calved cowe and one hecfer of two yeres olde to be payde and delyvered unto her at the daye of her marriage
Item I give unto Elizabeth Holme the daughter of [Christ]ofer Holme xls in money & one newe calved cowe to be likewise payde unto her at the Daye of her marriage Also I will and devise that if either of the said Agnes Treaton and Elizabethe Holme shall happen or fortune to dye and dep[ar]t this life before the be married that then the Legacie and bequeaste to her bequeathed which shall so happen to dye before marriage shalbe by my executo[ur] payde to the reste of her fathers children then lyvinge at the tyme of her deathe
Also I will and devise that my iuste and trewe Debtes and my Funerall charge mortuarye and probate of this my testament and Laste will shalbe borne and payde of my whole goods And all the Rest and Residue of all my goodes cattalles Householde stuffe and other goodes whatsoever not before given or bequeathed I will give and bequeathe the same unto the same Edmunde and [Christ]ofer whome I name and appoynte to be my executors of this my Laste will and testament Desiringe and charginge them in gods behalfe to se the same dulye and truly executed accordinge to my speciall trust in them reposed In witness whereof I have hereunto sett my hande and seale the Daye and yere above written These Beinge witnes John Meytam Rowland Watson Richard Stevenson Robert Legge with others