IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN The fourteenth day of November in the yeare of our Lord Gode a thousande fyve hundrethe three score and one I George Losemore of Tyvertone in the countie of Devon beinge holle of mynde but sicke of bodie thankes be geven to almightie Gode make my testamente and last will in manner and forme followinge First I render and yelde upp to almightie God my creatore redeamer and savioure my soulle trustinge throughe his infynite mercie and by the merytes of his passione to be delivered owte of the captivitie of my gostlie enimie frome the whiche he hathe redeamed me and all my kynde And I will that my bodie be buried in the parishe churche of Tyvertone where my executrixe hereafter named shall thinke conveniente and in suche forme as she shall thinke mete withe owte pompe or pride.
Item I will and geve to the poore people of Tiverton twentie poundes to be distributed by my overseers in manner and forme followinge that is to say fyve poundes at my buriall And after that fyve poundes everye quarter untill the foresaide some of £20 be fullie distributed
Item I will and geve to Margaret my wife the house with his appurtenaunces in whiche I nowe dwell duringe my lyfe and yf it happen that she do marrie then I will the foresaide house with his appurtenaunces to remaine to Robert my sonne and his heires for evermore.
Item I will and geve to Margaret my wife my mannor of Tempill [3] to have it duringe her lyef And after her decease I will that the foresaid mannor of Tempill with the appurtenaunces wholie to remaine to Roberte my sonne and his heires for evermore.
Item I will and geve to Lewes my sonne one tenemente with his appurtenaunces cauled Thornes place to have it to him and his heires for evermore.
Item I will and geve to the foresaide Lewes my sonne all my landes and tenementes in Farringdon whiche one Sterre holdeth to have it to him and his heires for evermore.
Item I will and geve the foresaide Lewes my sonne 12s. of rente whiche Thomas Deyman must paie for the highe rente of Pruston Landes to have it to hime and his heires for evermore And yf the saide Lewes do die withowte heires I will all the foresaide landes and tenementes with theire appurtenaunces to remaine to Robert Losemore my sonne and to his heires for evermore.
Item I will and give to Lewes my sonne so that he may be ruled and abide the order of my executrixe and rulers £200 of goode and lawful monie of Englande to be ymployed for his best profitt as it shalbe thoughte beste by my executrixe and rulers And yf the foresaide Lewes my sonne happen to die before he be married or at anie tyme refuse to abide the order and rulle of my executrixe and rulers that then I will the foresaide some of tow hundrethe poundes to remaine to Edithe my daughter.
Item I will and geve to Edythe my daughter so that she be ruled and byde the order of my executrixe and rulers three hundrethe poundes of goode and lawfull monie of Englande to be paide unto here at the daye of here marriage and yf the foresaide Edethe my daughter happen to die before she be married or at anie tyme refuse to abide the order and rule of my executrixe and rulers That then I will the foresaide some of three hundrethe poundes to remaine to Lewes my sonne And yf it happen that they the foresaide Lewes and Edethe do die bothe of them before they be married That then I will that the foresaide some of two hundrethe poundes bequeathed to the foresaide Lewes And also the three hundrethe poundes bequeathed to the foresaide Edethe shall remaine to Roberte Losemore my sonne.
Item I will and geve to Roberte Losemore my sonne three score and tenne poundes of good and lawfull monie of Englande.
Item I will that all suche terme of yeares as I have yet to come in the Shambels [4] of Tyverton shall remaine to Roberte Losemore my sonne.
Item I will and geve to everie of my god children 12d a pece to be paied them within one monthe after my buriall by myne overseers and rulers.
Item I will and geve to Mighell Carnsey ten shillinges; Item I will and geve to Roger Londe 20s.; Item I will and geve to everie of Edethe Loys children 12d a pece; Item I will and geve to Alice my servaunte 12d.
Item I will and geve to Sir [5] William Triscombe curate of Tytcombe quarter 20d.
All the residue of my goodes and chattells not bequeathed my debts and funeralls [‘expenses’ probably omitted here in the original] firste paide I do geve and bequeathe to Margaret my wife whom I make my whole executrixe to dispose it for the welthe of my soulle as she shall thinke beste. Also I doe make Thomas Deyman and Harrie Losemore my overseers and rulers to see this my testamente and laste will in all thinges performed unto whom I geve to everie of them for theire paines takinge 20s. a pece
Witness unto this my laste will Sir William Triscombe curate, Thomas Deyman, Henrie Losemore, Michell Carnsey and John Deproy.
Probate granted 7th February 1561/2 to Margaret Losemore, widow and executrix.
[1] See Chapter 4, section “Family Relationships”.
[2] The will is deposited at the FRC, London, ref. PROB 11/45.
[3] Tempill = Templeton, his first major purchase, see Chapter 4.
[4] ‘Shambels’: Tiverton market, every Monday “was held in a field, for some time known by the name of the Shambles, now called Great Tilson, and is immediately opposite the two-mile stone on Wellington road,” see W Harding, The History of Tiverton, 2 vols., 1845-7, p107.
[5] The title was commonly applied to the holder of a benefice who was not in holy orders; it almost certainly does not here signify a knight.