John Field

Will of John Field, the Astronomer.—In the name of God Amen the xxxiith day of december a thousand fyve hundreth eyghtie sixe Anno Regine Dne nre Elizabeth Regina viscessimo nono, I John Feld of Ardeslowe in the Countie of York farmer sometymes studente in the mathv mathicales sciences, beinge weake and feble in bodie but of good and pfect memorie laud and prayse be unto Almyghtie God, do make, ordeyne and declare this my psent testament conteyninge therein my last will in maner and forme followinge, that is to say:

First and principallie I bequeathe and comende my soule unto Almightie God my Creator and to his dearlie beloved sonne Jesus Christ my onelie Saviour and Redemer, in whome and by the merritts of whose most precious deathe and glorious passion, resurrection and assencon I hope and stedfastlie beleve to have full and cleare remission, pdone and forgivenes of all my synes and offences. And my bodie to the earthe to be buried wthin the pshe church porche* of Ardeslowe where I am now a prsheoner.

Itm I will that all suche debts and somes of money whatsoever as I shalbe indetted in, or owe of Right by bound obligatorie. bill or conscience unto any psone or psons at the tyme of my decease shalbe well and trulie answered, satisfied and paid by my executrix hereafter named.

Itm whereas I do stand bound unto John Franklyne of little chart in the Countie of Kent, esquier. by my deed obligatorie in the some of two, or three hundrethe pounds wth condicon that yt God do calle me out of the world before my wyfe Jane Feild, that then I shall leave her the said Jane worthe the some of one hundrethe poundes at the least in money plait, household stute or other shattalles as by the condicon of the said obligacon mor at large yet dothe and shall appeare. In consideracon whereof as well in pformance of the same condicon of the same obligacon as also for divers other good causes and consideracons me nowe movinge. I do give unto the said Jane Feild my wife my whole intrest title and farmehold lease or leases and terme of yeares wch I now have, or shall have hereafter of my farmehold wherein I nowe dwell. And the water come mylne belonginge to the same, wth all the houses, buyldinges, lands, tenements, pfytts and hereditaments whatsoever wth all and singular their appurtenances to the same belonginge, or in any wyse appteyninge, as I nowe the said John Feild enjoyeth the same wth the moytie or one half of all my moveable goodes, as oxen, kyne, yonge beastes, cattalles, horses, meares, colts and calves and the moytie, or one halte of all my said moveable goodes, as gucke or dead whatsoever. And also the moytie or one halfe of all my corne nowe in the barne and growinge on the ground nowe sowne, wth the moytie of my hay. Also I give unto her all my goodes wthin my bed Chamber wherein I nowe lye, wth all household stufe and furniture wthin the same Chamber to her propr use for ever. And the said Jane to have and to hold the said farmehold her naturall lyfe yff the said lease, or leases so long contynewe. And yf yt it fortune her to dye before the ende of the same lease, or leases be expired then my will is that she shall bye her will and testament in writinge, or otherwise disposse the same her intrest and possession of my said farmehold to some such one of my child, or children as to her wisdome shall best be licked of.

Itm I do gyve to James Feild and Martyne Feild my two yongest sonnes all my plate and Jewelles of gould and sylver equallie to be divided betwixt them wth eyther of them a bedstead wth the furnitur, havinge a fetherbed, blanketts, sheets, and counterpayntes to the same.

Itm I do gyve unto fyve hundrethe poure folkes peny dole, and dynynge all my poure neighboures, the day of my burial, as shortlie after as may be.
Itm I do give to all my god children twelve pence apece at my wyfes discrecon.
Itm I do give to my cosine Nowell and Xpofer his Sonne some cott or dublatt at my wyfes discrecon.
Itm to Willm Medley some hose or cott at her discrecon.
Itm I do give to my gossoppe Willm Shereley and Rowland of the newe pke my huntinge home wth the rest pteyninge to yt, wth an Inglishe booke at my wyfes discrecon.
Itm I do give to my maid Alice Butler and to my man John Hill, yf he please and be obedient and serviceable to my wyfe, attendinge my svice trulie some such like consideration and remembrance as shall seame good to my wyfe's discrecon.
Itm I do give to my dislyall and loose lyved sonne Richard Feild one sylverspoone in full payment and satisfacon of his child's porcon wth wch yf he be not satisfied I will he lose the benefytt of the same.

The Rest and Residue of all my goodes whatsoever, my debts paid and my funerall expences discharged, I give and bequeath the residue to my eight children, to be bestowed upon them equalie at the discrecon of my wyfe at such tymes and sessons as they shalbe thought sufficient by their good mother to order and disposes the same with the consent of my supervisors of this my last will and testament hereafter to be named.

Itm I do ordeyne and applynt the said Jane Feild my true and lawfull wife to be my sole executrix of this my last will and testament and do nominate for my supvisoures Roberta Greenwood, gentleman, and Roberte Abbott of Bentley, tanner, wth Mr. Wm. Dyneley of Swillington to be supervisors of this my last will and testament, pratinge them and everie of them to pforme the speciall trust I have reposed in them, to see the same executed accordinge to my conscience and my true meanynge of the same.

In witnes whereof I the said John Feild to this my psent last will and testament have sett my hand and seale the day and yeare above written.
These beinge witnesses and sealed and delived in the psence of me John Naler, John Adamsone.

*Jane, widow of John Field, in her will, dated 1609, desire "my bodie to be buried by my husband.'John Feild, in Ardslaw church porch.¹