Will of THOMAS TRETHURFFE, Esquire

Written 20 Sep 1528

Found in Testamenta Vetusta, pages 643-647

In the name of God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, I, Thomas Tretherffe, Esquire, the xxth day of September, the xxth year of King Henry the Eighth, being whole and perfect of mind and remembrance, thanked be Almighty God, and considering that the hour of death is uncertain, and that it is necessary every good Christian man, while his reason and health endureth, to dispose himself to be in readiness to abide the mercy of Almighty God, make and ordaine this my present testament and last will in this manner and form following. First, I the said Thomas Tretherffe bequeath my soul to Almighty God, our blessed Lady St. Mary Virgin, and to all the Holy Company of Heaven; and my body to be buried, when it shall please God to call me to his mercy, in my parish Church whereat I shall fortune to depart this world; and I will that the day of my death there be said for my soul, and for all Christian souls, placebo and dirige, with masse of requiem on the morrow following. And I will that there be a trigintall of masses sung for my soul, and all Christian souls, the day of my burying, in the Church where I shall fortune to be buried, and that every of the said priests that shall sing and say dirige, and any of the said xxx masses, shall have for their salary and wages viijd sterling. And I will that the day of my burying every man, woman, and child, that shall be present at my burying, and pray for my soul, have one penny sterling. And I will that the Church that I am buried in have to their rom'eis' [Footnote: Query, if this word be correctly written: it is nearly illegible in the MS. whence this Will has been copied.] box immediately after my decease xs. to the intent that my name may be put in the beadroll, and prayed for every Sunday in the pulpit by name, as the custom of the country is.

Item, I will and bequeath to St. Martin's at Reprynne mine avowre, to the parish store vis.viiid. sterling. Item, I will to St. Peran's store in the Sands vis. viiid. Item, I will to St. Michael at Mount xiid. Item, I will to the Image of Our Lady, called Our Lady Portall, at Truro, to the use and intent of and for the reparations of the said Chapel, and of and for part of the priests' wages, there singing, and of and for the name of the said Thomas to be out upon the Beadroll of the said Chapel, xxs. sterling.

Item, I will and bequeath all my tin-works, where-soever they be, as be within my several grounds, or in waste ground, or elsewhere within the shire of Cornwall, to Alice Christopher, the wife of William Christopher, during her life, according to my last will triplite indented, and my deeds of feoffment triplite indented, to the said will annexed, whose date beareth the xxth day of July, and the xviiith year of our Sovereign Lord King Henry the Eighth [Footnote: 1526.] , as by my said will more plainly appeareth, to have and to hold to the said Alice, according to the said will, during her life; and after her decease I will and bequeath all the said tin-works to the Warders of the Shryen of St. Enoder, and their successors for ever, to the intent that the said wardens and their successors shall cause yearly my soul to be prayed for, my father and mother's souls, and all Christian souls. Also, I depute, ordaine, and constitute, by this my testament and last will, that John Chapell and William Bere, immediately after the decease of me, the said Thomas Tretherffe, and Alice, the wife of the said William Christopher, shall receive and take all the issues, profits, rents, revenues, of all and singular the dwelling-places, lands, tenements, rents, revenues, and services, with all and singular their appurtenances in Penpith, Picherine, Windesore, within the parish of Si. Filye, Tradenwartha, within the parish of St. Enoder, and Nancarowe, within the parish of St. Mighell Penkevill, with the issues and profits of all my tynne-works in Whele Ankeye, Whele Flatt, Whele en duse gentill, and Whele Linna, Whele Angrovose, within the parish of St. Agnes, Whele Peyse in Elezar bonnale vine, within the parish of St. Peran, Beame, quifer [Footnote: Query this word? it is scarcely legible in the manuscript.], Penwinnas, within the parish of St-Austell, Trewilke Whele, within the parish of St. Mewan, Dogowise and Trethillan, within the parish of St. Stephen in Brannel, and St. Enoder Beanne, within the parish of St. Columb, and elsewhere within the county of Cornwall, to that use, as is expressed in my said last will tripartite indented.

Also, I give to the Church of St. Enoder, to be used at the tombe, my chalice and my payre of vestments sacred or halowed. Also, I will that after my decease my best gowne of damask be delivered to St. Enoder, and thereof a robe to be made, and so there to be used to the honor of God, of Our Ladye, and St. Enoder. Also, I will after my decease that the Churches Store of St. Columb the Nether shall have th'one halfe of my bote, with th'half of my seynne nett [Footnote: One half of his boat and sean net."], and all things belonging to the same att Towne.

And th'other half I give to Alice, the wife of the said William Christopher. And as for my goods within my doors and howse, furst, I geve to John Vyvyan, my son, to the entent that he be good to see my will performed and fulfilled, and to helpe and ayde the forenamed Alice to have and to enjoy all such things as I doo will and entend hereafter to geve her, for her great labor and paynes taken with me and my howse: first, a pott of silver, a salte of silver with a cover, a great brasen pott, a chitell [Footnote: Sic in the MS. but query the meaning ?], twoo fether-bedds, and two flock-bedds. And all the residew of my goods and stuffe within my doors and howse I geve to Alice, the wife of the said William Christopher. Also, I will that after my decease all my corne and cattell, as horses, kyne, oxen, &c. be devided between my son, John Vivian, and Ales, the wife of William Christopher. And to the entent that the said Ales may have and enjoy all such things as I have geven her, or do entend to geve her, I do constitute and ordayne them too, scil. my sonne, John Vyvyan, and Ales, the wife of the said William Christopher, mine executors, to dispose the rest of my goods to the pleasure of God, to the helthe of my sowle, and to the discharge of their conscience. And if my sonne, John Vyvyan, will not ayde and helpe her to obtayne and enjoy the forsaid gifts and bequests, I will then that the forsaid Ales, the wife of the said William Christopher, shalbe my sole and full executrix, to dispose all my goods to the pleasure of God, to the welthe of my soule, and to the discharge of her conscience. Also, I will that my cosen Nicolas Carminowe, and my cosen John Rosowyan, be overseers to see and help that this my last will and testament be fulfilled; and every of them to have for his prayers xxvis viid. Item, I will that the freers of Truro to have xs to synge a solempne dirige and masse of requiem for my sowle, and for all Christian souls, and to sing xxx masses that contyneth Gregories trentall, for my sowle, and for all Christian souls, as shortly as they may after my decease conveniently. These witnesses, Mr. William Reskymer, Parson of Ladoke, Sir Henry Bone, Preest, and Mr. William Bere, Gentleman.

Proved in the Court of the Archdeacon of Cornwall, 26th October, 1529, and Administration was granted to the John and Alice within named. [Harl. MSS. 597, fo. 28, 29.]

Note to the will: "The representative of an ancient Cornish family; and, in right of his mother, Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Hugh Courtenay, of Boconnock, in Cornwall, Knt. he was one of the coheirs of Edward Courtenay, Marquess of Exeter, and last Earl of Devon of that family. John Vyvyan, mentioned in his Will, was the husband of his eldest daughter, Elizabeth, who was eventually his coheir, and from whom Sir Richard Vyvyan, Bart. the present Knight of the Shire for the County of Cornwall, is descended. It would perhaps be difficult to explain the motive which induced the Testator to bequeath the chief part of his property to Alice, the wife of William Christopher, in a manner creditable either to his memory or her virtue."