In the name of god Amen. The xix^th day of August in the xxvij^th yeare of the raigne of our
souereigne Lady Elizabeth by the grace of god of England France and Ireland Quene
Defender of the feith etc. I Katherine Benchkyn of the parishe of St Myldred of the
citie of Canterbury widowe being in good and perfect remembrance (god be praysed therfore)
considering w^th my self that all people are mortall and vncertaine of the hower of their
deathe, I do therefore make my last will and Testament in manner and forme following
That is to say. First I commend my sowle to almightie god my maker redemer and
comforter most stedfastly trusting to be saved and inherite eternall lief only by the death
and passion of my Lord and savior Jesus Christ, And my will is that after my discease
my body be decently buried in the churchyard of the parishe of St Mildredes aforesayd as nere to the [1.10]
grave of my late husband Jeames Benchkyn as may be. Item I will, there be made att my
buriall a sermon by some learned preacher, Item I give to the poore people of the parishe
of St Mildred aforesayd xx^s, to be distributed amongest them within one weeke next after
my buryall. Item I give to the poore people of the parishe of St Marie of Northgate
of the same citie, xx^s to be distributed amongest them within one weeke next after my
buryall. Item I will that my executors shall pay to the mayor and cominaltie of
the said citie of Canterbury for the time being xx^li of good and lawfull monie of
England within one yere next after my discease. And my will is that the sayd mayor
and cominaltie of the same citie for the time being shall with the said monye within one
yere next after the receit therof buy one Tenement within the sayd citie of [1.20]
Canterbury or within the liberties of the same And that the yearlie proffittes and revenewes
of the said tenement shalbe and remaine to the vse of the brothers and sisters of the Hospitall
commonly called Maynardes spittle Sett and being within the said parishe of St Myldred
for ever, And my will that the said Mayor and cominaltie of the said citie of
Canterbury for the time being shall vppon the receipt of the sayd xx^li be bounden in
writing obligatory to my executor his heires or assignes in dowble the value therof, either
to bestowe the same xx^li in manner and forme as is aforesayd and to the vse as is
aforesaid, or ells to repay the same xx^li to my executor or to his assignes To the vse of
my said executor his heires and assignes within one yeare and a quarter next after the said receipt
therof. Item I give and bequethe to Jehan Ansted my mayd servant v^li of good and [1.30]
lawfull mony of England, a fetherbed, a bolster a blanckett a coverlett iiij^or payer
of sheets ii^o pillowes two fine pillowe coates A spitt a dripping pan a brasse pott of ij^o
Gallons or therabouts, a cobyron a Stupnett a chafing-dishe & a chest To be payd
and delivered her within one yere next after my discease, Item I constitute and
appoint John Benchkyn the sonne of my late disceased husband Jeames Benchkyn to
be the sole executor of this my last will and Testament and I desyer my kinsman
Thomas Greneleafe to be the overseer of the same. Also I will that the ccc^li that
is now in my cosen Greneleafes handes to the vse of the sayd John Benchkyn yf he
[Sheet 2]
Dye before he comme to the age of xxj^ty yeares shalbe payd to the major and cominaltie of the citie of
Canterbury for the time being to the vses and intentes herafter following That is to say I will
that the sayd ccc^li shall from time to time herafter forever, by the mayor and cominaltie
of the sayd citie of Canterburie or the more part of them for the time being be freely lent to
suche persons as shall inhabite & dwell within the sayd citie of Canterbury and liberties of the
same, vsing the trade of clothe making, that is to say in making of wollen clothe And my
will is that noe man shall have above 1^li therof att one time But a lesse portion therof
as yt shall seme meete to the sayd mayor and cominaltie of the sayd citie of Canterbury or the more
part of them for the time being during the space of fower yeres without paying anie thing for the vse
and occupieng therof, And that every suche person which shall receive suche summe of mony or lesse, [2.10]
(as to the mayor and cominaltie or the more part of them for tyme being shall seme good as aforesaid)
shalbe bound with two sufficient suerties to the mayor and cominaltie of the said citie of
Canterbury or the more part of them in dowble the valuc therof for the repayment of the same
to them, att every suche iiij yeres end, and so from iiij yeres to fower yeres in manner and
forme as is aforesaid forever, Item I give and bequethe to Julyan Bonham of
Stalesffeld iij^li of good and lawfull monie of England to be payd vnto her immediatly after
my discease, Item I give and bequethe vnto the ij^o childeren of my sayd sister Julian
Bonham xl^s apeese to be payd vnto them within one yere next after my discease.
Item I give and bequeth to the iij children of my sister Johan Wells xl^s a peese to
be payd to them within one yeare next after my descease Item I give and bequethe vnto [2.20]
Stephen Glover Josua Glover Richard Glover Nicholas Greneleafe and John Greneleafe
the childeren of Margaret Greneleafe my kynswoman now wief of the sayd Thomas Greneleafe xl^s
a peese of good and lawfull mony of England to be payd vnto them within one yere next
after my sayd decease, Provided alweis and my will is that if anie of the said childeren
shall chaunce to die before his or their portion shalbe due to be payd, then my meaning is that
my sayd executor shall have his and their portions so dyeing to his owne vse for ever, Item
I give and bequethe to the sayd Margaret Greneleaf my kinswoman xl^s of good and lawfull monie
of England to be payd her within one yere next after my sayd decease. Item I give and
bequethe to Margery Drawnam my kinswoman xl^s of good and lawfull mony of England to be
payd her within one yere next after my sayd decease. Item I give to John Benchkyn [2.30]
my late husbond Jeames Benchkyns brothers sonne xl^s to be payd vnto him imediatlie after my
decease, Item I give vnto Margaret Fusser my daughter in lawe xl^s to be payd vnto her
imediatlie after my discease, Item I give unto Haywardes wief my late husband Jeames
Benchkins kynswoman xl^s of good and lawfull monie of England. Item I give to the five
childeren of John Fusser vj^s viij^d a peese, Item I give to my daughter in lawe John Wevells
wief xl^s Item I give to her ij^o childeren vj^s viij^d a peese, Item I give to my sonne in
lawe John Hart xl^s, and I give to his sonne George Hart vj^s viij^d, Item I give
to Agnes Post widowe my kinswoman xx^s, Item I give to my cosen Harris wief of
Pluckley xx^s. Item I give to Fordes widowe of the parishe of St Mary of Northgate xx^s
to be payd imediatlie after my decease. Item I give to Aunsells widowe of St Mildredes [2.40]
aforesayd xx^s, Item I give to Crowder of the same parishe xx^s Item I give to Joane ys [sic]
[Sheet 3]
of the same parishe xx^s. Item I give to Adams widowe xx^s Item I give to Drables widowe
xx^s. Item I give to my cosen Agnes Poyser xx^s. Item I give to Agnes Aunsell the
daughter of the foresayd widowe Aunsell xx^s, Item I give to Johan Aunsell her sister
xx^s. And my will and meaning is that all those aboue named where noe time of payment is
expressed shalbe payd presentlie after my descease. Item I give to Mr Hills parson of
St Mildredes aforesayd xx^s to be payd him within one yere next after my said decease.
Provided that if anie here mencioned in this my will shall fortune to dye before the
payment of the monie above bequethed, then I will that the legacie of him her or
them so dyeing shalbe and remaine unto the aforenamed John Benchkyn my executor
his heyres and assignes. The resydewe of all my goods chattells and moveables [3.10]
whatsoever not bequethed my debts and legaces payd and all ordenarie charges satisfied
I give and bequethe vnto the aforenamed John Benchkyn my sayd executor and his assignes
for ever. Provided alweis and my will and minde is, that if the sayd John Benchkyn
shall dye before the age of xxj^ty yeres that then the foresayd John Benchkyn my late
husband Jeames Benchkyns brothers sonne shall have v^li of lawfull monie of England out
of the resydewe of my goodes given as aforesayd to the sayd John Benchkyn my executor.
And also I will that if my executor shall dye, (as aforesayd), then I will that Richard
Glover my godsonne shall have out of the same resydewe of goodes given as aforesayd to the
sayd John Benchkyn my executor. A fetherbed and a dozen of damaske napkins, And
the resydewe of that goodes to be sold to the value thereof And my cosen Thomas [3.20]
Greneleafe (yf he shalbe then living) to have the buying therof before another. And
the monye therof comming to be payd to the mayor and cominaltie for the time being of
the citie aforesayd by them to be employed towardes the maintenaunce and bringing vp of
poore childeren within the same citie. Provided also and my will and intent is, that
yf my executor John Benchkyn dye (as is aforesayd) That then the sayd Thomas
Greneleafe shal have to him and his assignes the ij leases wherof thone is of ij
gardens in the parishe of St Mary of Northgate aforesayd and now in the occupation of
one George Jeffrey, and the other is of ij howses within the parishe of St Mildred
aforesayd. In witnes wherof I the sayd Katherine Benchkyn to this
my present will have sett my marke and seale in the presence of [3.30]