The will of Alice Midwynter (c.1445-1502) of Northleach, Gloucestershire wife to both William Midwynter and John Bussh, all three prominent wool dealers, and engaged in business with the Cely family. This Midwynter line are probable ancestors although I still have a gap of about a century to jump to link the bottom up tree to the top down. Transcribed by myself.
Source: UK National Archives, PROB 11/13/2386
In the name of god amen the iiijth daye of the moneth of Marche In the yere of our Lord
god M CCCCC and ij And in the xviijth yere of the reigne of Kyng Henry the viith I Alice Midwynter of North//
lecche in the Countie of Glouc wydowe houle of mynd and good memory thanked be almighty god make and ordeyne
that my present testament conteynyng my last will in the maner and fourme folowing that is to say First and principally
above all earthly things I bequeth and recommend my soule to almighty god my creatoure maker and Savior and rede//
mer of alle the world to oure blissed Lady saint Mary the virgyn his most glorious moder and to alle the holy company
of heven And my body to be buried in the parisshe church of Northlecche aforesaid And I bequeth to the high awter
of the same church for my tithes and offeryngs by me forgoton or negligently withholden in dischargyng of my sowle xxs
Item I bequeith to the works of my moder church of Worcester xxd Item I bequeith to the wardens of the works and
reparacions of the said parishe church of Northlecche xli and such certeyne lede as by myn executours to the same
works and reparacions of the said parisshe church shalbe delivered Item I bequeith to x parisshe churches where I
have moost accustummed to bye wolls x vestuments for a preest to sing masse in that is to sey to every church
one vestument Item I will that I have an honest preest of good name and conversacion to sing for my soule and
the soules of John Busshe and William Midwynter late my husbands my faders soule my moders soule my
childrens soules and alle xyen soules in the parisshe church of Northlecche aforesaid by the space of iiij yeres
next ensuyng after my decesse And I will that the same preest shalbe at alle divine servicesto be songen in the same
church And that he shalbe ayding and helping to his power to the Curate of the same in mynmsering
of the sacraments and other divine services And I will that the said preest shall have every yere of the
said my yeres for his salary and wags ix marks to be paid and delivered to him by myn executors Item I be//
queith to eaiche of my godchildren beyng on ly? to praye for my soule iijs iiijd Item I bequeith to Thomas
Mydwynter my son his faders best gowne and a salt of silver with a euver. Item I bequeith to the same
Thomas Midwynter my son xxli to be delivered unto him within a yere after my decesse Item I bequeith to
Elizabeth my daughter the wif of Peter Reynolde xxli to be delivered unto her within a yere after my decesse
Item I bequeith to Agnes my daughter the wif of Richard Wenman xxli in lyke wise to be delivered within
a yere after my decesse Item I bequeith to Margery my daughter the wif of Richard Buke in lyke wise to her
to be delivered within a yere next after my decesse xxli Item I will that the said Thomas Mydwynter my
Son shall have alle the Tymbre and Stonys that lye at Thomas Robts house Item I bequeith to the said
Thomas Midwynter ij shupchifts such as myn executors shall deliver to him Item I bequeith to the
forsaid Elizabeth Agnes and Margery my daughters and to Johan Busshe alle my wetyng gere evenly
and indifferently among them iiij to be devided distributed and departed Item I bequeith to every child of my
said my daughters nowe borne and also those being in theire moders wombes xls to be delivered
unto them when they com to theire lawfull ages or at their marriage And if any child or children of the children
of my said daughters nowe borne and also those being in their moders wombes fortune to decesse before
they com to theire lawfull age or be married I will this theire that parte of the parts of their child or
those children so decessed shall remayne unto the other surviving among them to be departed Item I bequeith
to Margarete Reynold xxs Item I bequeith to Rauf ?Eby vjs viijd Item I bequeith to Robert Tryngham vjs
viijd Item I bequeith to Robert Pratte xxs Item I bequeith to Alice my servant xxs and ix pecs of peawter
bessett so that she be guyded and ruled by myn executors Item I bequeith to William Baron a ayacrs a pair
of blanketts or paire of shets a bolster and xxs in money And I will that the same William Baron be in keping and
rule of Thomas Bussh The residue of alle my goodes detts and catalls after my detts paid my
burying made and this my present testament fulfilled I gyve and bequeith frely and holy to Thomas
Busshe my sone he therof to do and dispose his owne will and pleasure And of this my present testament I
make and ordeyne the forsaid Thomas Bussh my my sole executor And Ovirseer of the same my testament
I make and ordeyne the forsaid Richard Wenman and Peter Raynold to whome I bequeith for their labors
and busynes in the premisses to be had vili xiijs iiijd thatt is to saye to either of my said Ovirseers iijli
vjs viijd In witness wherof to this my present testament I have set my seale written the daye and
yere aforesaid beyng witnesse to the same will that is to saye Sir William Launder clerk my gostly
fader Richard Launder Robt Mydwynter Richard Halle John Tryngham and many other
Probatum fuit suprascriptu[m] test[amentu]m coram mag[ist]ro Rogero Church decretorum doctore preroga/
tive Eccl[es]i[a]e xpi Cant[uariensis] Custodi &c Comissario l[egi]time deputato xj die mensis Maij Anno domini
suprad[i]c[t]o Juramento Ric[ard]i Wenman execut[oris] personaliter comparentis et mag[ist]ri Joh[ann]is Long procur[at]is Thome
Busshe execut[oru]m d[i]c[t]o test[ament]o no[m]i[n]at[ur] &c Ac approbat[ur] et insumat[ur] &c Et comissa fuit administracio om[n]i[um] et sing[u]lor[um]
bonor[um] et debitor[um] &c execut[oru]m d[i]c[t]o test[ament]o no[m]i[n]at[ur] de bene et fidelit[er] admi[ni]strandi Ac de pleno et fideli Inventario
om[n]i[um] et sing[u]lor[um] bonor[um] et debitor[um] &c citra festum Pentecostes &c Necnon de plano et vero comp[u]to &c
The above written testament has been proven before master Roger Church doctor of decrees Warden
of the prerogative Church of Christ of Canterbury etc. legitimately deputy Commissary on 11th day of the month of May Anno domini
above written By the oath of Ricard Wenman executor appearing personally and master John Long proctor Thomas
Busshe executors of the said named testament etc. And approved and registered And was commited the administration of all and singular
the goods and debts etc. to the executors of the said named testament to be administered well and faithfully And of a full and faithful Inventory
of all and singular the goods and debts etc. on this side of the feast of Pentecost etc. And also of a clear and true calculation etc.
