Will of Mary Gyles, widow, 1703/4 (proved 1705)

Herts RO 142AW10

In the Name of God Amen I Mary Gyles of Winslowe in the County of Bucks Widdowe being Weake in Body but of perfect minde and memory Praised be Almighty God therefore and Considering the Certainty of Death and the Uncertaine tyme thereof Doe make and Ordeyne this my Last Willl and Testament in manner and forme followeing (that is to say)  First and Principally I Com(m)end my Soule into the Hands of Almighty God my Maker hopeing through the Merritts Death and Passion of Jesus Christ my Saviour to be made Pertaker of Everlasting Life And my Body I Com(m)itt to the Earth to be decently Buryed att the Discretion of my Executor herein after named And as for such Temporall Estate as itt hath pleased Almighty God to Bestowe upon me I Give and Dispose thereof as followeth  Impr(im)is I Give Will Devise and Bequeath unto Mary Gyles my Daughter my Silver Tanckard my Biggest Gold Ring my Biggest Paire of Handirons and my best Beddstead standing in the Best Roome and the Feather Bedd Flock bedd two Feather Pillowes One Bolster the Curtaines Two Blancketts and Coverlidd belonging to the same and Two Paire of Sheets Two Paire of Pillow Beares Two Table Cloaths Six Napkins Two Towells Four Leather Chaires One Turckey workt Stoole One Table One Cupboard One Paire of Bellus One Fire Shovell One Paire of Tongs One Gridiron One Trevat One Little Kettle my Middle Porridge Pott One Skillett Two Pewter Dishes Three little Plates Four Pewter Porringers Four Pewter Spoons One Iron Linck One Pewter Candlesticke Two Truncks Two Little Barrells my New Tubb One Buckett One Kiver One Bole One Tosting Iron One Warmeing Pann One Spitt Two Joynt Stooles and all my Weareing Apparrell (Except my Black Silck Gown and Pettycoat) to be delivered unto her by my Executors within One Moneth after my Decease  Item I Give Will Devise and Bequeath unto the said Mary Gyles my Daughter One Annuity or Yearely Sum(m)e of Twenty Shillings of Lawfull money of England for and dureing the Terme of her naturall Life to be paid unto her by halfe Yearely Payments by my Executor herein after named  Item I Give Will Devise and Bequeath unto Anne Griffin my Daughter my Least Gold Ring and my Silver Taster to be delivered unto her by my Executor within One Moneth after my Decease  Item I give Will devise and Bequeath unto Martha Norman my Daughter my best Blacke Silck Gown and Pettycoate my Feather Bedd Flock Bolsters Flock bedd Two Flock Bolsters Six Feather Pillowes the Sett of Curtaines Coverlidd Two Blancketts Coverlidd and Beddsteed in the Parlour and the Cowch and Furniture belonging to the Cowch One dozen of Pewter Plattes One Greate Kettle the Least Porridge Pott Four Blacke Chaires flagg bottomd the Little Square Table Two Paire of Flexen Sheetes One Long Diaper Table Cloath One dozen of Napkins workt across with White Thredd the Finest Holland Pillowe beere and One Paire of Flexen Pillowbeers and the Flockbedd Bolster Coverlidd Blanckett and Curtaines in the Least Chamber and One Iron Linck the Little Fire Forke the biggest Tubb but One One Brass Pann One Bole One Kiver and the Ale barrell to be delivered unto her by my Executors within One Moneth after my Decease  Item I Give Will Devise and Bequeath unto Anne Gyles my Daughter in Lawe (the wife of Joseph Gyles my Sonn) my Still and the Frame belonging to the same and my Stone Mortarr and all my Surrupp Glasses Surrupp and Stilld Waters in and belonging to the same and my Saves and Oyles to be delivered unto her by my Executors within One Moneth after my Decease  Item I Give Willl Devise and Bequeath unto Mary Gyles my Grandaughter (Daughter of the said Joseph Gyles my Sonn) my Redd Bedd and the Beddstead and Furniture belonging to the same and Two Paire of Sheets and my Greate Chest Two Paire of Pillowe Drawers Six Napkins Two Pewter Dishes Two Leather Chaires and One Long Table Cloath to be delivered unto her by my Executor within One Moneth after my Decease  Item I give Will Devise and Beqeath unto Joseph Gyles my Sonn the Sum(m)e of Twelve Pence of lawfull money of England to be paid unto him by my Executor within One Moneth after my Decease  Item I Give Will Devise and Bequeath unto William Gyles my Sonn the Sum(m) of Twelve Pence of lawfull mony of England to be paid unto him by my Executor within One Moneth after my Decease  Item all the Rest of my Goods Chattells and Personall Estate whatsoever and wheresoever I Give Will Devise and Bequeath unto Daniell Gyles my Sonn Paying my Debts Legacyes and Funerall Expences whome I make full and Sole Executor of this my Last Will and Testament  And I doe desire the said William Gyles my Sonn and Samuell Norman my Sonn in Law to be Overseers of this my Last Will and Testament and to see this my Will Performed  And Lastly I doe hereby Revoke and make Voide all former Wills by me heretofore made and doe declare this to be my last Will and Testament  In Wittnesse whereof I have hereunto sett my Hand and Seale this Seaventeenth day of January Anno D(o)m(ini) 1703 and in the Second Yeare of Queen Anne over England.

Mary Gyles her Marke

Signed Sealed Published and Declared in the Presence of us who have hereunto Subscribed our Names as Wittnesses in the Presence of the Testators   
Mary Griffin  
Peter Goldsworth 
Mary Wats[?]  

[Latin] 31 May 1705
Daniel Gyles son & executor sworn before John Cole archdeacon of St. Albans  

Inventory of Mary Gyles, widow, 1705

Herts RO A25/4562

An Inventory of all and Singular the Goods and Chattells rights and Credits of Mary Gyles late of Winslow in the County of Bucks Widdow deceased taken and apprised by Robert Gybbs the Elder and Thomas Foster the Thirtieth day of May Anno Domini 1705 as followeth (viz)

li
s
d
Imprimis her Wearing apparel and Money in Pocket
5
0
0
Item in the Hall one long Table three joind Stools and six chairs valued at
0
12
0
Item one Clock one pair of Iron doggs an Iron Fender and other Implements
1
0
6
Item in the Cellar four Tubbs one old Cupboards two drink Stalls and other Lumber
0
18
4
Item in the Parlor one Trundle bed and one Bedstead
0
7
6
Item in the Yard three Cowes Cribs one Ladder and a pair of Harrowes
0
10
0
Item five Cowes
10
0
0
-----------------
In toto
18
8
4

Apprised by Us
[signed]
Robert Gibbs   
Tho(mas) Foster

Notes

Mary, nee Monk, originally from Bierton, was the widow of William Gyles the elder (d.1702), Winslow's leading Baptist. She was buried on 4 March 1704/5, presumably in Keach's Chapel as her burial is not in the church register. See Gyles Family page.

The reference in her will to her "Still and the Frame belonging to the same and my Stone Mortarr and all my Surrupp [syrup] Glasses Surrupp and Stilld [distilled] Waters in and belonging to the same and my Saves [salves] and Oyles" is an indication of her involvement in medicine: see Medicine in 17th-century Winslow.

 

 

Copyright 5 October, 2017