Will of Roger Hurte, merchant of Bristol, w.d. 1 Sep 1612, w.p.27 Oct 1612. Prerogative Court of Canterbury – folio 84 Fenner – 1612, FHL# 92051-

The ffirst daye of September Anno Domini 1612 And in the Tenth yeare of the Reigne of our Soveraigne Lord James by the grace of God of England, Ffrance and Ireland kinge Defender ofthe faithe And of Scotlande the sixe and fortithe, I Roger Hurte of the Cittie of Bristol, Marchante, beinge sicke in bodye but in p’fect memorie, Thanke be given to All mightie God, Domake and ordayne this my Last will and Testament in manner and forme followinge:

Ffirst I bequeath my Soule unto All mightie God my maker and Redeemer and Savior by whose death I stedfastlye beleive to be saved, and by none other merrite or deserte of myne owne. And my bodye to be buried in the Gronde of St. Nicholas Church in Bristoll.

Item: I give Twelve ffrize gownes to Twelve Poore men as seeth being fitt to be bestowed by my Executors and Overseers.

Item: I give Tenn pounds in money to remayne in store for the port of the p’she (parish) of all Saints in said Cittie of Bristoll in the manner followinge – (That is to saye) And my weill is that the Church wardens of the said p’she (for the tyme beinge) shall from tyme to tyme yearley and evire yeare for ever bestowe uppon every poore woman in the Almshouse of the said p’she two shillings a peece in wood and Coles (That is to saye) at the ffeaste of St. Michael Archangell Twelve pence and the birth of our Lord God – Twelve pence.

Item: I give five pence in money to the p’she of all Saints aforesaid Condicionally that the church wardens of the same p’she for the tyme beinge shall yearely and every yeare forever cause and promice a sermon to be preached in the p’she Church of All Saints aforesaid the first Sunday in Lente in the afternone in remembrance of me and that the paye unto the preacher of very such sermon bee payde five shillings and eight pence.

Item: I give five pounds in money unto the p’she of St.Nicholas within the said Cittie Condicionally that the Churchwardens of the said p’she of St. Nicholas (for the tyme beinge) shall yearely and every yeare for ever cause and promice a sermon to be preached in the said p’she of St. Nicholas aforesaid uppon the ffirst daye of the Nativitie of St. John Baptiste in the forenone in remembrance of me and that they paye unto the preacher for every such sermon forsaid five shillings and eight pence Provided all wayes and my will is That yf the said church wardensof the said severall p’shes of All Saints and St. Nicholas (forthe tyme being) shall refuse of neglect the pronuncment of the said severall sermons or the payment of the said six shillings eight pence a peece for the same sermons contrary to this will and guitte That then the said severall somes of five pounds or such of them forwith such sermon shall not be soe preached as aforesaid accordinge to this my will shall revert and return to my executor of this my last will and shall remayne to the use of my said executor for ever.

Item: I give unto Roger Adams, sonne of Daniell Adams offoresaid Cittye marchante and of Maude his wife, my sister, the some Twentie poundes in money to be delivered unto my said syster Maude within six monthes next after my decease, to be ymployed or put out for the use of the said Roger Adams untill he shall accomplishe his age of one and Twentie yeares. And if the said Roger Adams shall happen to decease before he shall accomplish his said age of one and Twentie yeares Then my will is and I give the said some of Twentie poundes to be equally devided betweene the survivinge children of the said Daniell Adams and Maude his wife, yfe and yfe like.

Item: I give unto my brother Thomas Hurte Twenty shillings to make him a ringe.

Item: I give unto my brother William Hurte Twenty shillings to make him a ringe.

Item: I give unto my sister Maude Twentie shillings in money to make her a ringe.

Item: Whereas my father Raphe Hurte du heretofore give his bond in confirmation of my marriage for the payment of one hundred poundes at a certain daye after his decease. Nowe my will is and I doe hereby appoint, That yf my said father shall survive my said wife, That then the said hundred pounds payable by her said bond shal be payed to my said brother Thomas one legacy of Twentie marks which was given unto me by my brother Phillip for the payment whereof I gave his wife.

Item: I give and devise and my will is that my said wife, Margaret shall within sixe monthes next after my decease make over convey and assurt unto my Godsonne, Roger Hurte, sonne of my said brother Thomas All those Tenements with their appurtenances given unto me and her in marriage by my said father and my said wife to my saide god sonne and to his heires males of his bodie begotten forever. And yf he happen to decease without such yssue Then the some to remayne to my saide brother Thomas and his heires for ever freed of all incombrances by such good and sufficient assurance and conveyance in the Lawe as by my said brother Thomas Hurte or his assignes or by his or there Counsell learned in the lawe shal bee resonablie devised, advised and reasoned with.

Yf my said wife shall refuse to doe, Then my will is and I doe further give unto my saide godsonne Roger Hurte the full some of one hundred pounds in money to be payed unto him by my saide wife within Twelve monthe next after shee shall refuse to do the same.

All the rest of my goodes and Chattells moveable and unmoveable (heretofore in this my will given and bequeathed) my debts being payed and funeral performed, I give and bequeath unto my saide wife Margaret whome I make, ordayne and appoint sole executrix of this my last will and Testament.

And I doe ordayne and appointe my said brother Thomas Hurte and my friende Willm. Jones of the foresaid Cittie,Marchante, Overseers of this my will, And doe give to either of them for their paynestaking herein, a mourning Cloake. In witness whereof, I the said Roger Hurte have hereunto set my hand and seale the daye and yeare first above written.

Item: my will is that my sister Martha Hurte shall paye for the Diamond Ringe to Alice, the daughter of Daniell Adams and my sister Maude Adams the some of ffortie shillings in full payment of the saide Ringe.

Item: My will is that my foresaide bequest to Roger Adams shal be voyde yf the saide Daniell Adams refuse to give my saide executrix a full release for any matter of demand or debt doe unto him by me, for God is my witnes, he is rather in my debt than I in his.

The said Roger Hurt – his marke X

Witnes hereunto: Willim. Crispe, Wi. Jones, John Morgan

Many thanks to Varla Jane Owens Wright for submission of this bio. She notes, “We haven’t found any sign of a will for Thomas – yet. He may have initiated a later-used family policy of handing the property over before his death in a deed of gift.”

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