Will of Edmund Paxton of Barton Hartshorn, yeoman, 1590 (proved 1596/7)

National Archives PROB 11/89/95

... indicates repetitive phrases omitted

In the name of god Amen the xvth day of Januarie in the xxxiijth yeare of the raigne of our soveraigne Lady Queene Elizabeth and in the yeare of our Lord God 1590 I Edmunde Paxton of Barton Harteshorne in the County of Buck yeoman being wholl in mynde and of good and perfect remembra(n)ce thankes be to God doe ordeine and make this my last will and Testament in manner and forme followeinge viz Firste I comend my soule into the handes of Almightie God my creator and redeemer assuredly hopeinge and verily beleeveinge that by the death and bitter passion of my Lord and Savio(u)r Jesus Christe I shall rise again in ioye And be p(ar)taker of the celestiall kingedome which he with his bloud hath redemed for me and all true beleevers And I will that my bodie shalbe buried within the p(ar)oche Churche at Barton Harteshorne aforesaide with such funeralls as be convenient for my degree Item I give to the mother churche of Lincolne iiijd and my will is that my Executor hereafter named shall paie all such debts and dueties wh(i)ch I shall owe to anie p(er)son at the time of my death and which either by the Lawes of this Realme or in conscience I am bound or chargeable to pay. Item I give unto my sonne William Paxton my Furnace or Leads my greatest paire of Cobbe yrons A mault mille all the bedsteedes and Testors in and aboute my house the table now in the hall with the frame formes and benches about the same The greatest spit and all the glasse and wainescot in and aboute my house. Item I give unto my sonne Peter Paxton certerne Landes Messuages Tenements and hereditaments with theire app(ur)tenances in Fynmer in the countie of Oxon viz one Messuage or Tenement w(i)th two yareds Lande in the teanure of Thomas Eaton One tenement and halfe yarde lande in the teanure of John Warren One Messuage or tenement with a yarde land in the teanure of Widdowe Bauden One Tenement or Cotage in the teanure of William Wheately One cottage in the teanure of William Kyrbie Item I give unto my said sonne Peter. One Messuage or Tenement with thapp(ur)tenances  and halfe yard land thereunto belongeinge in Newnton Purshill in the teanure of Peter Bearbon or his assignes. To have & to hold all and singular the saide Landes and Tenements with their app(ur)tenances in fynmer and Newnton Purshill aforesaide unto the saide Peter Paxton my sonne and to his heires for ever Item I giver unto my said Sonne Peter my Lease of Naste feildes and my lease \of/ Willoson  ground holden of John Arden gente to have and to hold the same unto the saide Peter and his assignes from and Imediatly after my death for and duringe all such tearme and time as shall happen to be then unexpired yelding payinge and performeinge such rents covenantes and  promises wherewith I stand charged by vertue of the saide leases Item I give unto my saide sonne Peter One gelding or Colt of three yeares old threescore sheepe and three kine to be delivered unto him p(resen)tly after my decease Item I give to Edmunde Paxton sonne of my saide sonne Peter One Bullocke and two sheepe to be delivered unto him Imediatly after my decease Item I give to John Paxton my Sonne all my Landes Messuages Tenements & hereditaments

[p.2] whatsoever with all and singuler their appurtenances scituate lyinge and beinge in Hillesdon in the countie of Buck To have and to hold the same unto my saide sonne John and his heires for ever And further I give unto my saide sonne John One messuage or tenement in Fynmor aforesaid with two yarde lande and a halfe in the teanure of Richard Smith or his assignes And also one other tenement in Fynmor … with one halfe yarde Lande thereunto belongeinge in the teanure of Richard Warren or his assignes And also one other Tenement in Fynmor ... with one halfe yard Lande ... in the teanure of Thomas Sharpe or his assignes And also one Cotage in Fynmor ... in the tenure of Henrie Day ... To have and to hold the saide Tenements Cotage land and all other the premisses in Fynmor ... unto my saide sonne John ... forever. Item I give unto ... John the one halfe of my lease interest and terme of yeares which I have yet to come of or in one close called Mede close the inheritance of which close is the Colledges of Brazen Nose in Oxon To have and to hold the moytie or one halfe of the saide Lease interest and Tearme of yeares unto the saide John and his assignes immediatly after my decease for and dureinge so longe  time and tearme of yeres as shall fortune to be then to come and unexpired yeldinge and payinge therefore yearely thone halfe of all such rentes and charges as shalbe due yssuinge and payable out of or concerning the same. Item I give unto my saide sonne John my lease interest and tearme of yeares which I have yet to come of or in one Close in Twyforde called Sherewater Close holden of William Colman To have and to hold the saide lease and closse unto the saide John and his assignes immediatly after my decease for and duringe all such tearme and time as shall happen to be then to come and unexpired. I give to my said sonne John Paxton One geldinge or a Colte of three yeares old and upward Threescore sheepe and three kine to be delivered unto him p(resen)tly after my death Item I give unto Edmunde Paxton sonne of the saide John One bullocke and two sheepe ... I give unto and bequeath to Edmunde Paxton my sonne all my landes messuages tenements and hereditaments whatsoever with all and singular their app(ur)te(na)ncs  profitts and com(m)odities scituate lyinge and beinge in Winslowe Shipton and Granborrough And two yarde land in Chorleton in the countie of Northampon now in the teanure of Roger Heritage or his assignes To have and to hold all and singuler the said landes messuages tenements and hereditaments whatsoever with all and singuler their appurtenancs  in Winslowe Shipton and Granborrough together with the two yardes lande in Chorleton ... unto my said sonne Edmunde Paxton and his heires forever. Item I give unto my said sonne Edmunde the moytie or one halfe of my lease interest and tearme of yeares which I have yet to come of or in one close afforesaid called Mede close To have and to hold the moytie or one halfe of  the saide closse unto the saide Edmund and his assign(es) Immediatly after my decease for and dureinge so longe terme and time as fortune to be then to com and unexpired, yeldinge payeinge therefore yerly thone halfe of all manner rentes and other charges which shalbe due payable or issuinge out of or concerninge the same. Item I give unto my saide sonne Edmunde One geldinge or a colte of three yeres old and upward Threscore sheepe and three kine ... Item I give also to his daughter Anne my greatest brasse panne ... Item I give unto my sonnes William Peter John and Edmunde all my tymber which doth lye uppon the lease to be equally devided amongst them And then the eldest shall choose firste and so the residewe as they be in age Item my will is that all my household stuffe (certeine ymplements before by these p(rese)ntes to my sonne William bequeathed onely excepted) shall (by mine Overseers hereafter named) by devided into five equall partes Wherof my said fower sonnes William Peter John and Edmunde shall every one have his choise beginninge with the eldest and so the residue as they be in age And then the fifte parte shalbe equallie devided amongst so manie of my daughter Moores children as fortune to be then liveinge & unmaried Item I give to Elizabeth Moore my daughter Tenne Poundes of lawful English money to be paide unto her within one yere next after my death. Item I give unto my saide daughter Elizabeth Moore One cowe and Twentie sheepe to my godsonne Edmunde

[p.3] Moore a bullocke and two sheepe And to every of my childers children beinge not my godchild a shepe a pece ... Item I give to every of the naturall children of Agnes Orcharde a sheepe a peece ... Item I give to Richard Blabie an ewe and a lambe And to Agnes Roundhill one cowe and a heicfor … And I give also to Gyles Paxton his sonne two sheepe and to everie other of his children one sheepe  And to his sonne Edmunde Paxton two sheepe And to every of my godchildren one sheepe a peece ... And I give to every of my household servants Six shillinges eighte pence a peece over and above their wages. And to every poore Cotiger within the towne of Barton aforesaide Twelve pence a peece  And I give to Edmund Paxto(n) my elder brothers sonne two sheepe ... and to every other childe of his one sheepe ... And to Thomas Paxton now of Buck two sheepe … Item I give to Gyles Paxton my brother Williams sonne two sheepe ... The residue of all my goodes cattells and chattels redy monie  debtes and whatsoever els my funeralls discharged my debtes paid and this my will performed. I doe whollie give and bequeath to William Paxton my sonne whome I doe make of this my last will and Testament my full and sole Executor. And I will request my loveinge sonne in lawe George Moore gent and my loveinge freendes Edmunde Birtwissell and William Coleman to be Overseers of this my Will and I give to every of them for their paines Fortie shillinges a peece to be paid to them p(re)sentlie after my decease. And in witnes that this is my laste will and that I doe hereby revoke and adnihilate all other former wills legacies bequeathes executors and Overseers I have to every leafe hereto contayninge three sheetes of Paper set my m(ar)ke and to the wholle my seale in the p(re)sence of Edmunde Birtwissell William Elmane  George Illinge his marke 

[Probate at London 5 Feb 1596/7 to William Paxton, son and executor]

Notes

Edmund Paxton was a very substantial landholder in and around Barton Hartshorn, and had also acquired a 60 acre freeholding in Winslow. This holding, which can be traced back to the 14th century, was in the hands of Richard Dele in 1556. It is mentioned in the Inquisition Post Mortem below. It passed down through several generations of Paxtons until it was sold by another Edmund Paxton to Thomas Blake in 1683, along with 40 acres of copyhold (which did not belong to the first Edmund). None of the Paxtons appears to have lived in Winslow until the last Edmund, who seems to have lived at what became Blake House (now Tinkers Corner).

Inquisition Post Mortem of Edmund Paxton, 1597

National Archives, C142/250/80

Summarised from Latin

1. Writ of Elizabeth to George Throgmerton esq., John Curson gent., Henry Fletewood gent. feodaries of Bucks and the Escheator of Bucks to enquire into the holdings of Edmund Paxton “yoman” deceased in Bucks on the day he died.  Given at Westminster 7 Feb 39th year = 1597

2. Inquisition held at Great Missenden 19 May 39 Eliz [1597] before John Curson gent., Henry Fletewood gent. feodaries and the Escheator, on the oaths of James Dell, David Blaykes, Robert Felowes, Edward Fysher, John Salte---, Richard Tockefielde, William Groover, John Baldwin, Matthew Clarke, William Deane, John Byscoe, Robert Randall.

On the day before his death Edmund Paxton was seised of:

He died on 2 Dec last.  William Paxton is his son & next heir, aged 40 and more.

Copyright 6 April, 2024