Stephen Skynner

Of Le Burtons From the account of Robert Skinner DD, Bishop of Bristol, then Oxford, then Worcester in the 17thC, by Allan Maclean Skinner QC.

'Stephen is the ancestor, of numerous other branches, of the family of Skynner, of Ledbury. His burial at Ledbury, Sept. 14th, 1557, is one of the earliest entries in the eldest resister of that church; and his will, an antiquarian curiosity, is preserved in Cardinal Pole's register, now in the library at Lambeth Palace, where it was proved November 27th, 1557, the See of Hereford being vacant, and the Bishop's there closed, by reason of the death of Bishop Purefoy.



IN THE NAME OF GOD, AMEN:

The Sixte daie of September, in the Yere of Our Lord God, 1557, I, Stephen Skynner, of the parrishe of Ledbury, in the Dioces of Heref: being sicke in bodie, and of good and perfecte memorie, - lawde and praise be vnto Almighty God - do make this my present Testament, conteyninge therein my last Will, in manner and form following. First and principallie I bequeathe my Sowle vnto Almighty God, my maker and Redeemer; and my body to be buried within the parrishe Churche of Ledbury, aforesaid; as nere vnto my wife as may be convenientlie. And I geve and bequeathe to the Cathedral Church of Hereford, in lawful money, the some of 8s.4d. And I geve and bequeathe to the High Alter, within the parrishe Churche of Ledbury, aforesaid, for forgotten Tithes, in lawful money, the some of 12d. And I geve and bequeath towardest the reparacons of the saied parrishe Churche of Ledbury, in lawful money, the some of 6s 8d. And I will that myne Executor and Overseares shall bestowe, in the daie of my funerall at their good discreacons, for the wealthe of my sowle, in lawful money, the some of £16 13s. 4d. And I geve and bequeathe to my Sonne John, Junr., in lawfull money, the Some of £30. And I geve and bequeathe to Edward, my Sonne, in lawfull money, the some of £30. And I geve and bequeathe to Thomas, my Sonne, in lawfull money, the some of £30. And I geve and bequeaths to Joan, my Dawghter, in lawfull money, the some of £30. And I will, that if any of my said children shall happen to decease, before they shall accomplish their lawfull age of 21 yeres, or else to be maried, then the parte and portion of them, or any of them so deceasing, before to them bequeathed, shall wholie remaine amongest the survyvor or survyvors of them equallie, to be distributed by mine Executor and Oversears, or any of them. And I geve and bequeath to my Sonne John, Senr., in lawful money, the some of £10: my second best iron-bound wayne, with all things to the same belonginge, or in any wise apperteyninge, to yoke 8 oxen. And I geve and bequeathe to my said Sonne Thomas, as well all my Landes, Tenements, rents, charges, and holdinges whatsoever it be, within the Borowgh of Ledbury aforesaid, as also all Evidences, writinges, pattents, Escriptes, scrolls, and munyments concerninge the same, and every parcel thereof. And, I geve, bequeathe, and assigne vnto my Sonne Willm, as well my lease, or Counterpaine, of Kemplaie, within the Countie of Glouc, as, also all my rights, title, interest, possession, and terme of lease, for Yeres yet to come, comprised within the same. And I geve and bequeathe to my Dawghter Alice, the Wyfe of Willm Hall, my Wyfe's best beades, her harness girdell, two stone of my wooll, my best bering shete, a paier of my flaxen shetes, a paier of my hunder shetes, my best Feather bed and bolster, my best bed healinge, a paier of my Blanketts, my second best brass pot, my second best Cathome, my second best platter, my second best potinger and Candlestick. And I geve and bequeathe to my said Daughter Jone, my third best brasse potte, my third best Cawdren, my third best platter, potenger, and Candlestick. And, I geve and bequeathe to Willm and Alice, the Sonne and Dawghter of the said Willm Hall and Alice, eight.of my yereling calves. And, I geve and bequeathe to my servant Alyner Kiste, over and besides her ordinarie waiges, my wife's best Kirtle, best smocke, and two kerchers of the best. And, I geve and bequeathe to Jane, the Wyfe of John Morell, of Kempley, my Wyfe's best kirtell, and her best petticote. And, I geve and bequeathe to my said Dawghters, Alice and Joane, the residue of all my wyfe's wering gere, not before bequeathed, equally to be divided between them, by myne Executor and Oversears. And, I will that myne Executor shall well and trulie contente and paie, or cause to be contented and paied, unto my Brother, John Skynner, or to his Assignes, the sum of £10 of lawful money, yeerlie, during the terme of the natural life of Joane, now the Wife of the said John Skinn. And I geve and bequeathe to Thomas Bayliss, my best Russet Cote. And I geve and bequeath to Thomas Whorne, my best Tauring Cote, my work daie hose, with the dublet to the same. And, to William Apperly, one of my shirtes. And, I will that my Son Richard, and heire apparainte, shall enter into bondes, by Obligacon, to my Oversears, in the some two hundred pounds, well and trulie to contente, paie, and deliver, or cause to be contented, paied, and delivered, unto t’hands of myne Oversears, or some of them. All and singular, before to my seven Children bequeathed, at such time and times, as he the said Richard shall be, by my Oversears, or one of them, thereunto lawfullie required, to th' interest that my said Ovelsears shall see these, and every parcel thereof, well bestowed, and employed to th' use and behoof of my saied Children, during their non ages of 21 yeres, or else to be maried. The residue of all and singular my goodes, cattels and debtes, not bequeathed, my debtes paied, my bequests fulfilled, ancl my funerall expences pformed, and done, I wholie geve and bequeathe to my said Sonne Richard, whome I do constitute myne Executor, that he
shall vse the same as he will; and for the better accomplishement of all and singular the pemisses, I ordeine and constitute Henry Appary, Gent, my saied Brother John Skynner, Richard Hooper, my Cosin John Skynner of Dymocke, my said Son John, Sen., Oversears, to see that this my present testament and last will, be well and trulie performed and done, with effecte, according to the true meaning hereof, and every of them to have for their paynes in this behalfe the some of 6s. 8d. of lawfwl money. This Witness, Henrie Appary, Gent,, Thomas Hill, Gent., John Skynner, Richard Hooper, Edmund Turner, John Oky, John Wills, and other.'