Fordington

The Will of John WHYTE [WHITE] (d.1600) Senior
Yeoman of Fordington

Link to place in WHITE FAMILY Biography

Will Dated 3rd Jan 1597; Died 27th May 1600; Inventory of Goods 2nd June 1600: Proved 17th July 1600
Will, Letter of Administration and Inventory held at the Wiltshire Archives SPC 1600 6 245: P5/1600/76 + P5/6REG/245C

©Transcribed by Michael Russell OPC for Fordington August 2020

In the name of God Amen I John WHITE Senior [Elder] of Fordington within the peculiar jurisdiction of Sarum being sick in body but perfect in memory (thanks beunto God therefore) do make this my last will and testament the third day of January Anno Domini 1597 as followeth:

First: I commend my soul into the hands of heavenly father thou that diddest fashion me of earth, and hast given thy son to die for my sins and for the sins of his people & further for they sons sake have mercy upon me and forgive me my sins here

As concerning my body I bequeath it to the earth from whence it came to be buried within the xpian (christian) burial of // Fordington :

Item: I give unto the parish church of Fordington 2 shillings;

Item: I give unto the poor people of Fordington two bushells of wheat to be baked and given amongst them by the discretion of my executrix and overseer within the space of one month after my decease;

Item: I will that a surrender of this my tenement be made and the same to take again unto my self, unto Robert WHITE and Roger WHITE my two sons and to which of them succesively according to the custome of the Mannor .

Item: my will is that Hanmett WHITE my son shall have the bakehouse with the backside as is now lying unto the same he paying unto the tenant therefore the yearly rent of two shillings to be paid by even portions vitz six pence quarterly i.e. to bake all such bread as shall be for the tenents provision.

Item: my will is that the head tenant shall allways at his own proper cost and charges may maintain the bakehouse aforesaid.

Item My will is that Hammett WHITE shall have four acres of arable land within the fields of Fordington , two acres thereof lying next adjoining unto an acre of William WYNSOR [WINSOR] (2) lying on the south side of two barrows, one acre near adjoining unto long barrow, and the other on the west side of Mambury.

Item: My will is that the four acres before mentioned shall the first year be sowed unto him with wheat, and with barley by the head Tenant.

Item: My Will is that yearly after the said four acres shall be eared? and sown by the head tenant during the time aforesaid unto the only use of the said Hammett. Provided always that the said Hammett shall at his own cost provide food thereunto.

Item: I give unto Hammett WHITE as many sheep as shall make him a score [i.e. 20] with those which already he holds.

Item: Forty Four Bushels of wheat and as many of barley to be delivered unto him at the times as my wife decease or depart from this my tenement

Item: I give my sparked? cow unto the said Hammett and to be delivered unto him within the space of one month after my decease

Item: I give unto William WHITE my son the sum of ten pound to be delivered unto him at such time as he shall be fully admitted to the Ministry of the sacrements

Item: My will is that if the said William WHITE be not admitted to administer the sacrements that then my executrix shall yearly bestow on him the sum of twenty shillings until the full term of ten years after my decease at which time my will is that he shall then receive the said ten pound.

Item: I give unto Thomasin WHITE my daughter £20 to be delivered unto her at the time of her marriage.

Item; I give unto Elizabeth daughter, unto Roger WHITE one platter, one pottinger, one salver, unto Sisley his daughter the like, unto John and William his sons, to both of them, a chilver Hogg.

Item: Unto Elinor daughter of Christopher WAYE one platter, one pottinger, one salver, unto Margery his daughter the like, unto William his son one chilver hogg, one salver, to be delivered to them within one month after my decease

Item: I give unto Humphrey PERRICE half an acre of wheat lying in Wynstreet? and the first sheep that shall go out of the field.

Item: I give unto Robert WHITE my son ten sheep as they go out of the fold.

The Residue of my goods moveable and unmoveable I bequeath unto Elizabeth my wife whom I do appoint to be my Executrix of this my last Will and Testament, and she to see my debts levied and my funeral accomplished and I appoint Roger WHITE my son to be overseer of this my Testament and last Will. Witnesses have unto are these her under written. Vitz John WHITE; William WYNSOR; and William TUCKER

PROBATE of this written testament of Johannes WHITE deceased of the parish of Fordington within the peculiar jurisdiction of Sarum --- granted 17th day of the month of July 1600 to his Executrix.

Letter of Administration:

[Written in Latin to the effect :-] Know all men by these presents that Elizabeth WHITE of Fordington in the County of Dorset Widow, William WYNDSOR of the same --- etc --- are bound

The condition of this obligation is such that if the above bound Elizabeth WHITE the relict and executrix named in the last Will and Testament of John WHITE the Elder [Senior] late of Fordington in the county of Dorset deceased do well and truly satisfy content and pay, or cause to be well and truly satisfied contented and paid, all and singular of the legacies gifts and bequests willed given and bequested in and by the last will and testament of her said husband deceased according to the tenor effect and true meaning of the same, without all fraud, deceit or frustrating delays of at then this obligation to be void and of none effect or else it to stand and abide in his full power and virtue.



St Georges Church Fordington

INVENTORY

A true & perfect Inventory of all the / goods & chattels moveable or unmoveable of John WHITE of Fordington deceased the 27th day of May & valued & appraised by John WHITE, Richard PROWER and William WINSOR ye second day of June Anno Domini 1600.

Impremis: A standing bed with his appurtenances ----- xxxs [30s.]
Item: one Troockle bed [i.e. truckle bed] & one table boarde ----- xjs [11s]
Item: two other beds & one chest & two coffers ----- xvjs
Item: his apparel & two cupboards ----- xljs Viijd
Item: one Laver, a mortiz & five candlesticks -----vjs [6s.]
Item: xviij [18] platters one basin, iiij [4] pottingers ij [2] saucers & broken puter [dish made of pewter] ----- xxvjs [26s.]
Item: one table board with a frame & a foorme -----xs [10s.]
Item: one charger & ij [2] Stools & ij [2] brass pots ----- xixs [19s.]
Item: a furnace or brewing frame with old brass -----xxvjs viijd [26s. 8d]
Item: a payre [pair] of anndyrons [ i.e. andirons], ij [2] broches ij [2] pot hangers, a pair of cottrels? & a brandyron [i.e. brandiron], a slet [slate] with a coul [i.e. cow or trough] [used to hold cold water into which the blacksmith plunged hot irons]----- ixs [9s.]
Item: three barrels, one firkin, ij [2] stonders?, iij [3] trendles, a brewery vat & coule [trough], iij [3] sieves, one wyllowe? ----- xjs vj d [11s.6d]
Item:ij [2] fates, one bushel & one pecke, one fatehorse, ij [2] pailes [pails] ----xs[10s.]
Item: one musket furnished & wheat in the barn xxxxxs [50s.]
Item: corn in the grenter [granary?] & xvij [17] acres of wheat xvli [£15]
Item: xxij [22] acres, ij [2] acres of oates ----- xvli xvj s [£15. 6s]
Item: ij [2] acres of fetches & Lxxviij [78] sheep ------ xxz?li xiijs iiijd [£20? 13s. 4d]
Item: xiiij [14] lambs, a barre [bar] and hurdles ----- xxxxjs 8d [41s 8d]
Item: iij [3] kyne [cows] & ij [2] bulls, iij [3] bullocks & iij [3] calves ----- ixli vjs 8d [£9. 6s.8d]
Item: ij [2] hogs & five horses ----- xli xiijs iiijd [10. 13s. 4d]
Item: ye furniture to the horses, ij [2] carts & their furniture ----- [rest damaged missing]
Item: the plough with the appurtenances & one yoting fate [vat] ----xxvs [rest damaged missing]
Item: fifty reed sheeves & wood in the backside [back yard] xxxijs [rest damaged missing]

Debts that ye testator did owe which is not yet paid

Impremis: to Robert RASKER ----- xli [£10]
Item: unto William RASKER -----x [10] [Bottom of Inventory not filmed] [On the reverse "The whole sum 99li [£99]"]

Genealogical Notes:-

(1). John WHITE Senior is the second surviving son of Agnes WHITE and a beneficiary under her will proved in 1576. His elder brother is Ambrose WHITE and he has 3 younger siblings Elizabeth, Eleanor, and Agnes. John WHITE Senior's wife is named Elizabeth, and as executrix of his will she is left the rest of his estate after various bequests to their children who are John, Robert, Roger, Hamnet, William and Thomasin. His children were already adults having probably been born in the 1560's, well prior to the start of these parish registers. The best guide we have is the marriage of his son Roger WHYTE [WHITE] to Alce [Alice] Standlie [Stadly] at St Georges Church in Fordington on 15th May 1586.

(2) William WINSOR was obviously a close family friend acting as a witness to John WHITE Senior's will and supporting his widow Elizabeth in 1600 when he is bound with her in the Letter of Administration for his estate. He married to John White's daughter Thomasin c 1603 as when Elizabeth died in 1607 she refers to him as her Son-in-law and that he already has 3 children. The marriage registers for St Georges Church in Fordington have not survived for the period 1595 to April 1606 but we have the baptisms of their 3 children during 1604-1607.

(3) Christopher WAYE: John White Senior makes bequests to the three children of Christopher WAYE. It is clear from the will of his widow Elizabeth in 1607 that Christopher WAYE was their son-in-law and the 3 three children their granchildren.

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