Will of John Boston, yeoman, 1558

Herts RO 1AW12, 6AR136

John Boston was one of the largest landholders in Winslow according to the 1555/6 survey, had a contract to collect the great tithes, acted as collector of rents, and was bailiff of the market.

The will exists as a filed will (A) and registered copy (B); the text is based on A, with B used for damaged and illegible text.

In the name of God Amen the xxxth day of Juli and yn the yere of o(ur) lorde God MCCCCClviij I John Boston of Wynslo in ye Countie of Buck’ yoman ordayne & make this for my ~~last wyll~~ p(re)sent testament & last wyll fyrste I bequeth my soule to ye Father of heaven and to all the holy companye there my bodye to be buryed at my setes ende w(it)hin my parryshe churche of Wynslo, and for breakinge of the grounde there vi s viij d Item to ye mother churche of Saint Albans viij d Ite(m) to the hyhe alter of my parrysh churche of Wynslow for tythes forgotten yf any were iiij d Ite(m) to the mayntenance of ye Sepulchr lighte, roode lyght & to ye bells a quarter of wheate & a quart(er) of maulte and ij busshells of malt for to make the poore people drinke of fre coste att ye nexte churche ale. It(e)m yf there be any ale for the Roode light & Sepulchre light to that yerly a busshell of wheate & a busshell of malte and yf there be no ale then to fynde a taper yerly before the Sepulchre bur(n?)inge after s(er)vys don duringe ye tyme aft(er) the olde custome Ite(m) I wyll to ev(er)y poore wyddow w(it)hin my parryshe, of Grenborow Horwood & Shipton ij d Ite(m) to every poore couple lykewyse ij d Ite(m) to every of my godchilderne iiij d & every of my wyfes god childerne ij d Ite(m) to my s(er)vant Tomlyn a lame, too Butler an newe & a lame, to my sheparde a lame to every of my maydens a lame & to Kyrby a lame Ite(m) yf my executors do recov(er) my detts then to ev(er)y of my dowghters Jone & Besse xx li at the daye of there mariage or sone after, or ells xx marks & there chamber w(i)th there apparrell, & to ev(er)y of the(m) iij sylver spones. Yf one of them departe to God before she be maryed, the one halfe of her bequest to her syste(r) & the other parte to my childers childer there as most neade shall requyre, & I suppose

[page 2]
that ys to my dowghter Christians childerne motherles & Laurens Smythes. Ite(m) to my dyll Elizabet my yongest dowghte(r) my wyffes best beades & her best gyrdle & my masar, & to my dowghte(r) Jone my salt of sylve(r) Ite(m) to every of my childerns childerne a newe & a lambe or ells a shepe. It(em) to my sonne Rychard my howse (tha)t Parratt holdeth w(it)h the cotage betwexte the Harte & yt w(ith) thapp(ur)ten(ances) to hym and his heires. It(em) to my sone John my Cotage named Copped Haul (tha)t Bosworthe holdeth, & all my rigth tytle & state yt of right I owght to have as my copie dothe shew of ye malte myll granted to me by ye Abbot of Saint Albans & (tha)t of my blessinge yow bothe Rychard & George do ayede & strengthen him. Ite(m) to my sone George my howse (tha)t I dwell yn, (tha)t as Mayne do hold, yeldinge & paying yerly to his saide brother Jhon duringe his lyffe xj s toward ye mayntenans of his howse & his rent, & after his death to his sone yf god send him any Also to my saide sonne George my howse that Kyrby holdeth w(ith) thapp(ur)ten(ances) yeldinge & payinge yerly to his brother Rychard vi s viij d tyll he be <be>nefysyd the saide Kyrby nev(er?) put forth payinge his rent, Ite(m) to my sayde sonne John yerly duringe my yeres of my patent ij lodes of hard wood & ij of under wood, Item I wyll my executors do gyve and delyv(er) ev(er)y good frydaye to ye poore people there as most neade ys iij s iiij d and uppon ye even of the burthe of o(ur) lorde iij s iiij d & to kepe an obett aft(er) my death (tha)t day as I was quycke and ded yerly for me & my ij wyffes Elizabet and Jane & to deale to ye poore yt daye there as most nede ys iii s iiij d & for non’ doyinge of ye p(re)mysses I wyll ye churchwardens or any of my childerne & oversears do dystrayne uppo(n) any of my howses yt my executors shall have, Ite(m) yf my executors do recov(er) my detts or halfe I wyll to ev(er)y of my childerns childerne v s there as most nede ys to ye motherles my daughters Christians and Agnes Smythes vi s viii d to ev(er)y of them v childerne motherles. Ite(m) I gyve ye p(ar)sonage & Baly-

[page 3]
weke to George my sonne onely, my legac(ies) payed p(er)formed and my detts payed the rest of my goods to my sonne George and my youngest dowght(er) Elizabet whom I make my executors she not to have hallffe hal my goods and the some above named to. And yf my sonne George have no mo(re) childerne by this woman & yf he depart to god before here, than she to have all his goods that were his & hers before and v li more of my goods. Ite(m) I wyll that Elizabet my youngest dowghter shalbe yn the tuition of Rychard Edmonds and Jone [B: John] Boston and thei and ether of them to have her stocke untyll she be maryed And I ordayne & make my ov(er)sears Rychard Edmonds and John Myllar alias Graunte to every of them for there paynes vi s viij d wytness Rychard Edmonds Anthony Wendelborow, Wyllam Jacson w(i)th other more

[Latin:] Probatum fuit presens testamentum xxvi^to die mensis Septembris Anno Domini 1558 coram Domino Thoma Whetherhed surrogato [B only:] venerabilis viri Jacobi Dugdall archidiaconi &c ac per eundem surr’ approbatum &c commissaque fuit administratio omnium & c Georgio uni exec’ in huiusmodi testamento nominato primitus in debita Juris forma jurat’ reservata potestate &c altr’ exc’ &c cum venerit &c Salvo &c

[translation:] The present will was proved on 26 September 1558 before Master Thomas Whetherhed, surrogate of the Venerable James Dugdall the Archdeacon etc., and proved by the same surrogate etc., and administration of all etc. was entrusted to George, named one executor in this will, having been sworn first in due form of law, with power reserved etc. to the other executrix etc. when she comes etc., notwithstanding etc.

Inventory of John Boston, 1558

Herts RO A25/275

The Inventori of the goodes moveabells and unmo(v)ables of John Boston of Wynslowe who dep(ar)tyd to god ye xviij^cimo daye of Auguste Anno Domini 1558 w(hi)ch same goods wer p(ra)syd bye John Graunte, Wylliam Glenyster Anthonye Wenborow, Wylliam Jacson, Thomas Tomlen

In primis fuftyn sylv(er) spones presyd at fower	markes
It’ a goblet of sylv(er) p(ra)syd at	xl s
It’ a salt of sylv(er) p(ra)syd at	xvj s
It’ a maser egged w(i)th sylv(er)	xiij s iiij d
It’ a pare of bedes & a harnes gyrdell	x s
It’ fyve fether beddes fyve bolsters viij coverings fyve Mattresses bedsteds & hangings	viij li
It’ iiij pyllowes iij p(a)re of pyllowe beres p(ra)syd at	ix s
It’ iij p(a)re of blanketts p(ra)syd at	xv s
It’ xxij p(a)re of shetes p(ra)syd at	iij li xiij s iiij d
It’ his aparell p(ra)syd at	iiij li
It’ xij coffers p(ra)syd at	xx s
It’ vj towells vj table clothes vj table napkins p(ra)syd at	xvj s
It’ ij copbords p(ra)syd at	xxvj s viij d
It’ iiij tables & iiij formes	x s
It’ ij cheres ij joyne stoles	iiij s
It’ vij coshins & ij carpetts	ix s
It’ vj panns & iiij kettells x brasse potts iiij posnetts	iiij li
It’ ij dosen of pewter platters ix potengers viij sawsers ij basens of pewter ij salt sellers	xxx s
It’ fyve basens ij chafinge dyshes iiij yoors of latten one of pewter fyve candelstycks & a strayner	xij s iiij d
It’ iij p(a)re of Cobe Ires & vj Spytts ij fryinge pans ij gose pans	xx s
It’ a fornes	v[?] s
It’ iij p(a)re of hangers & a bar a p(a)re of tonges, ij fyre forks & a gryd yre(n)	vj s
It’ xiiij lods of fire wood p(ra)syd at	xlij s
It’ xij peces of Tymber	xvj s
It’ for a vate & hobbes[?] w(i)th other Cop(er)rye ware	xx s
It’ for iiij troges	iiij s
It’ for vij hogs & a bore	xxxiiij s iiij d
It’ xiij mylche best & a bull iiij yerlyngs & ij weaners	xv li vj s viij d
It’ vij schore shepe	xxxiij li vi s viij d
It’ iiij horse & ij mares p(ra)syd at	vj li
It’ iiij colts p(ra)syd at	xxxiiij s iiij d
It’ ten quarters of malte	v li
It’ iij baye of wheat & Rye & iij baye of barle & otes	xvj li xiii s iiij d
It’ the benes p(ra)syd at	iij li
It’ fortye stook[?] of haye	v li
It’ a shod carte & a bare carte w(i)th ye horse harnes p(ra)syd at	xxxiij s iiij d
Summa Totalis Cxviij li xvj s viij d
It’ in monye	viij li

[Latin] Exhibitum et approbatum xxvj^to die Septembris Anno Domini 1558

[signed] J[?] Caste[?]

Notes

John Boston came from Wiltshire, probably Fifield Bavant (a manor belonging to Dartford Priory). The following dispute concerns his father's estate:

TNA, CP40/1092 image 3587d Hilary 1537
Wiltes. Elizabeth Prioress of the Monastery of the Blessed Mary & St Margaret the Virgin of Darteford & the Convent of the same place by their attorney against Geoffrey Frankecanne[?] late of Fyfeld Wilts "clothmaker" & Alice his wife execut[rix] of the will of John Boston sen’ late husband of Alice, & (against) John Boston jun’ of Wynslowe on a plea that they together with Thomas Boston of Fyfeld "husbondman" should render to them £40 which they unjustly withhold etc. And they did not come. And as before the sheriff was ordered to take them etc. And the sheriff now reports that they were not found etc. Therefore as many times let them be taken to be here in the octaves of Candlemas etc.

John Boston's first wife Elizabeth Willows was still alive in 1521, but he was married to his second wife Agnes by 1528 (Court Rolls, f.32). She must have died before 1533; she was the widow of Thomas Janyn, d.1506. His (third) wife was called Jane in 1543 according to the will of her cousin Isabel Jenyns, or Joan daughter of Thomas Tommys (see below); they were married before 1533.

John and his father-in-law Richard Willows took on a 24-year lease of the tithes of Winslow starting in 1524, which led to a dispute with Henry Watts.

John Boston was a friend and possibly legal colleague of Thomas Palmer (d.1518). He is the attorney at the Court of Common Pleas, c.1520-35, listed by Sir John Baker, The Men of Court 1440 to 1550 (Selden Society Supp.Ser.18, 2012), i 338.

He was in a dispute in the Court of Common Pleas 1526-29 with Thomas Redman or Rodman of Oving, from whom he was trying to recover £20. In 1528 he also had a case against Richard Tevessall late of St Albans Herts gentyl man to render 46s 8d, and against Henry Logge late of Stonton Garre [Stantonbury?] in the said county [Bucks] to render a horse worth 40s. He represented himself in court (CP40/1049 image 916d, CP40/1057 image 7982d, CP40/1060 image 4912). He also took a Winslow man to court in a case which shows something about how Winslow market worked:

CP40/1060 image 5195 Hilary 1529
Buk. John Boston in his own person against Richard Edmondes late of Wynslowe "shomaker" otherwise called Richard Shomaker of Wynslowe "cordyner", and against Geoffrey Stokdale late of Tame "chapman", on a plea that each of them should render to him 20 quarters of barley worth £10 which they unjustly withhold from him.

CP40/1076 image 6405d Hilary 1533
Buk. John Boston in his own person against Geoffrey Stokdale late of Tame "chapman" on a plea of why Geoffrey sold to John 20 quarters of barley, namely 10 quarters of pure & best barley & 10 quarters of second barley, for a certain sum of money agreed between them, of which 7s 6d were paid by John into Geoffrey’s hands at Wynslowe, and Geoffrey was to deliver the barley to John within a certain time now past in the market-place of Tame, or he faithfully promised and took on himself the 7s 6d paid into his hands and another 7s 6d for release the bargain to be paid at Wynslow before the time of payment. Geoffrey has not repaid the 7s 6d or paid any part of the other 7s 6d nor delivered the barley, but still refuses, to a loss for John of 100s. Geoffrey did not appear; to be attached; to be taken to be here 15 days from Easter.

The following disputes provide further information about John Boston's third wife, evidently the daughter of Thomas Thommys whose place of residence isn't stated but was probably in Beds:

CP40/1076 image 5093 Hilary 1533
Bed. John Boston & Joan his wife executrix of the will of Thomas Tommys by attorney against Thomas Colsell late of Stokehamond yoman on a plea to render 20 marks, and against Fowk Heryng late of Newenton Purcell husbondman to render 66s 8d, and against Lewis Thommys late of Leyghton Bosard bocher to render 40s.
CP40/1084 image 3033d Hilary 1535
Buk. Thomas Colsell late of Stokehamond yoman was summoned to respond to John Boston & Joan his wife executrix of the will of Thomas Thommys on a plea to render 20 marks. John & Joan by Thomas Poynour their attorney say that TC on 12 Sep in the 20th year [1528] at Lemboroe bought of TT 26 tods [of wool] for 20 marks, to be paid to TT at Lady Day following, but TC refused to pay TT during his life of Joan after his death while she was single, or John & Joan after their marriage, but still refuses, to a loss for them of £10.
TC by Christopher Hole his attorney said that he did not withhold the 20 marks or any part in the form which they claimed. On this he put himself on the country and John & Joan likewise. The sheriff is to have 12 men come [15] days from Easter. [This was respited many times]

CP40/1088 image 2724 Hilary 1536
Wigorn. Richard Walford by his attorney against John Boston late of Wynslowe gentilman & Joan his wife, executrix of the will of Thomas Thomas, on a plea that they should render to him £14 16s 10d which they unjustly withhold from him etc.

CP40/1096 image 2863d Hilary 1538
Buk. John Ingoldesby esquire [of Lenborough] plaintiff against John Boston & Joan his wife on a plea of waste.

A variety of other cases shows how geographically widespread John's business interests were:

CP40/1076 image 5230 Hilary 1533
Buk. John Boston otherwise called "John Boston of Wynslowe in the countie of Buckyn gentylman" by his attorney against John Edmundys late of Kencote Oxon "yoman" otherwise called "John Edmunds of Kencott in the countie of Oxford yoman" on a plea that he should render to him £11 6s 8d, and against Robert Boteler late of Senell Warws "yoman" otherwise called Robert Boteler late of Solihull Warws "yoman" on a plea that he should render to him £6, and against Thomas Shyngesby late of Swanborne "gentylman" on a plea that he should render to him 100s, which they owe him & unjustly withhold etc.
CP40/1092 image 3571d Hilary 1537
Warr. John Boston by attorney against Robert Butler late of Colsell "yoman" & Thomas Corser late of Sulhill "yoman" on a plea that each renders 10 marks.
CP40/1096 image 1861 Hilary 1538
Buk. John Boston in his own person against Robert Heryng late of Hyllesden "husbondman" on a plea to render £12, and against Robert Boteler late of Colsell Warws "gentylman" & Thomas Corser late of Sulhyll Warr jun’ "yoman" on a plea for each to render 10 marks.

CP40/1088 image 2332 Hilary 1536
Buk. John Boston in his own person against John Stevyns of Muresley "husbondman" on a plea that he should render to him £12, and against John Brome of Wolverton "husbondman" on a plea that he should render to him £4, which he owes him & unjustly withholds etc. And he [sic] did not come. And as before the sheriff was ordered to take them etc. And the sheriff now reports that they were not found etc. Therefore as many times let them be taken so that they are here three weeks from Easter etc.

CP40/1092 image 2203 Hilary 1537
Buk. John Boston of Wynslowe in his own person against John Atkyns of Bukyngham "fysshemonger", and against John Wykyn of Buckingham "draper", and against Thomas Atkyns of Buckyngham "fysshemonger" on a plea that each of them should render to him 20 marks. And against Thomas Lucas of Boreton "husbondman" on a plea that he should render to him 40s, which they owe him & unjustly withhold etc.

CP40/1096 image 3111d Hilary 1538
Buk. John Boston by attorney against Robert Smythson late of Little Horwood "smyth", John Ward late of Little Horwood "husbondman" & Henry Warde late of Muresley "husbondman" on a plea of why by force & arms they cut down John’s wood & underwood growing there to a value of 100s & carried it away, and pulled down his fences [sepes] erected there to a value of 40s.

CP40/1116 image 50 Hilary 1543
Buk. John Boston by attorney against William Dyer & Thomas Stocker of Basyngstoke clothyers on a plea that they should render £4 12s, and against William Deverell of Swanbourne yoman on a plea that he should render 4 pigs worth 40s.
CP40/1120 image 7468d Hilary 1544
Buk. William Dyer & Thomas Stokker of Basyngstoke clothyers were summoned to respond to John Boston on a plea that they should render to him £10 12s. John in his own person said that on 10 June in the 34th year [1542] at Wynslowe they bought from him 39 todds of wool for £24 12s, to be paid to him when required. Afterwards they did satisfaction to him for £14, but although often required they refuse to pay the £10 12s, by which he has damage to a value of 100s. They appeared by Nicholas Vane their attorney and said nothing in bar of John’s action. It was considered that he should recover the debt and damages of 10s 8d. William & Thomas amerced.
CP40/1120 image 6255 Hilary 1544
Buk. Case between John Boston plaintiff and William Deverell of Swanbourne yoman on a plea of detinue is placed in respite up to 15 days from Easter.

CP40/1124 image 6 Hilary 1545
Buk. John Boston in his own person against John Pen of Berkhamstede "bocher" on a plea that he should render £10.
CP40/1127 image 2038d Hilary 1546
[as above] JP to be sought from county to county, to be here in the octaves of Trinity.

dyll: abbreviation or variant of dilling: A term of endearment, sometimes equivalent to darling, sometimes, the youngest of a family, the last born. In modern dialects applied to the weakling of a litter. (OED)

masar: i.e. mazer: A bowl, drinking cup, or goblet, usually without a foot, made from a burr or knot of a maple tree and frequently mounted with silver or silver-gilt bands at the lip and base. Also: a similar vessel made of metal or other material. (OED)

A: b[ - - ], B: nefysyd: i.e. beneficed. A Richard Boston was rector of Purley on Thames 1567-1577.

latten: A mixed metal of yellow colour, either identical with, or closely resembling, brass; often hammered into thin sheets. (OED)

Cobe Ires: i.e. cob-irons for supporting a spit

gose pans: i.e. goose pans: large stew-pans (OED)

shod carte: cart with shod wheels, i.e. edged with metal (OED).

George Boston the son is still described as being "of Winslow" in Court of Common Pleas disputes in 1563 (Ralph Pollyngton gentleman of Wallingford "clothier" sued him for debt, CP40/1208 image 578) and 1584 (the same man sued him for £20, CP40/1422 image 132d). He (assuming it's the same man) sued Richard Wedon of Pednor in the parish of Chesham for £10 in 1593 but no address is given (CP40/1506 image 765).

Click on the pictures for full images of the documents:

The will p.1:

The will p.2:

The will p.3:

The inventory: