Find your ancestors in Testamentary Records in the Commissary Court of London, Vol IV, Parts I-III 1626-1649 & 1661-1700, Introduction to Original Volume

Testamentary Records in the Commissary Court of London, Vol IV, Parts I-III 1626-1649 & 1661-1700

British Record Society volumes 102, 108 & 111

Published 1992

Introduction to Original Volume

Preface

That which was written in the Preface to Volume III regarding testators of the period is equally applicable to this volume. Indeed it may be said that from these two volumes and those for the Prerogative Court of Canterbury for the 17th century a very complete record of the voyages of the East India Company could be compiled together with tne names of a great number of crew members. French and Dutch Protestants continue much in evidence and since many of the London citizenry give their birthplace almost every county in the country as well as many in Wales are represented.

A few interesting items culled from the wills may be mentioned as illustrative of past lives: Margaret Ampleford, in 1632, gave 'a dozen good new leather buckets to be kept in the church (of St. Ethelburga)'; doubtless a parishioner's thoughful provision against the ever present danger of fire.

Richard Dixon, a whitebaker, in 1634, exemplifies the fact that the arts were followed by citizens of whatever occupation in their spare time; he bequeathed to his son 'instruments of musicke and all the books thereto belonginge'.

Anne Joannes, in 1640, bequeathed 'a little gilt silver tankard which her husband's father took in Cadiz'. This, doubtless, was looted during the capture of the city by Robert, earl of Essex and Sir Walter Raleigh in 1596.

A mariner, one Edward Lacy, in 1637, states that '700 lb. of tobacco was owed to him for goods sold in Barbados'. He was presumably not the only ordinary seaman to indulge in a little private commerce when serving overseas.

Francis Reston, gent., in his will of 1634, mentions 'his swoard and dagger p'cell gilt which was of King Henry the eight'. Was it afterwards lost or does it survive unrecognised?

Peter Rassinoux, (doubtless a Huguenot), writing his will in 1697 in French, gives his residence as Ma rue de couacre', which, Englished, becomes 'Quaker St., Stepney'.

John Smart, merchant, whose will was proved in 1641, is stated to have brought back from the East Indies 'calicoes, musk and ambergris' amongst his goods. Those who successfully made the hazardous round trip and brought back goods of high price made very handsome profits.

As far as is practicable in an undertaking so vast as a national index to Testamentary Records the editors of individual volumes aim, amongst other things, to lighten the searchers' task. A number of unavoidable circumstances influence this ambition and, in the result the editors' efforts are sometimes misunderstood and consequently not appreciated. Dr. F. G. Emmison courageously made the innovation of combining the Essex ecclesiastical courts in one index, identifying each court by an abbreviation; thus the Essex searcher now has only one index to consult instead, as he would previously have had, one for each court. The advantage to the Society is that its slender funds are expended to the greatest effect. The present editor considered the amalgamation of the courts covering London but decided in this case that nothing was to be gained by so doing. Where possible the date of the ending of a Will Register has been allowed to dictate the end of a printed volume. As a result, therefore of ending Volume III of the Commissary Court at 1625 there was scarcely any alternative for completing the 17th century, but to make, it not one volume, at least one alphabetisation. As elsewhere throughout England the period of the Commonwealth centralised all testamentary records in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, thus reducing the period to be covered to 63 years.

This volume forms the first part of Volume IV and lists all testators wills and acts of those who died intestate whose names began with the letters A-G. The following is the total list of Act Books with their dates and current Guildhall references:

Act Books:   9168/ 9168/
17  Jan. 1619 - Dec, 1626 24  Nov.1681 - Aug. 1685
18  Jan, 1627 - Dec.1638 25  Sept. 1685 - June 1688
19  Jan. 1639 - April 1647 26   Jan. 1689 - Dec. 1691
20  June 1647 - Sept. 1665 27   Jan. 1692 - Dec. 1695
21  Sept. 1665 - Aug. 1670 28   Jan. 1695 - Dec. 1699
22  Sept. 1670 - May 1677 29  Jan. 1700 - Dec. 1700
23  June 1677 - Oct. 1681 

The following is the list of references to Will Registers:

Will Registers:   9171/ Will Registers:   9171/
25  Jan. 1626 - Dec. 1629 37  Dec. 1679 - Jan. 1682
26A  Jan. 1630 - June 1634 38  Jan, 1682 - July 1684
26B  June 1634 - Dec. 1634 39  July 1684 - Dec. 1685
27  Jan, 1635 - Oct. 1638, 40  Jan, 1686 - Dec. 1687
   Feb. 1640 - Dec. 1645 41  Jan. 1688 - Dec. 1689
28  Jan. 1639 - Jan. 1643 42  Jan. 1690 - Dec. 1690
29  Jan. 1643 - Dec. 1644 43  Jan, 1691 - Feb. 1692
30  Jan. 1645 - Sept. 1646 44A  Jan.* 1692 - May 1692
31A  July 1660 - May 1663 44B  June 1692 - Dec. 1692
31B  June 1663 - Dec. 1664 45  Jan. 1693 - Dec. 1693
32A  Dec. 1664 - Oct. (665 46A  Jan. 1694 - May 1694
32B  Oct. 1665 - Dec. 1665 46B  June 1694 - Dec. 1694
33A  Jan, 1666 - Junc 1667 47  Jan. 1695 - Dec. 1695
33B  June 1667 - March 1670 48A  Jan. 16 - Dec. 1696
34  April 1670 - Nov. 1673 48B  Jan. 1697 - Dec. 1697
35  Dec. 1673 - Dec. 1676 49  Jan. 1698 - Dec. 1699
36  Jan. 1677 - Dec. 1679 50A  Jan. 1700 - Dec. 1700

*(sic)

The following is the list of Registers to Original Wills:

  • 9172/32. Jan.-June 1621 129 Ws. July-Dec. 1621 149 Ws.
  • 9172/33. Jan.-June 1622 91 Ws. and 1 sentence. July-Dec. 1622 118 Ws.
  • 9172/34 Jan.-Dec. 1624 151 Ws. Jan.-June 1625 101 Ws.
  • 9172/35. July-Sep. 1625 206 Ws.
  • 9172/36. Oct.-Dec. 1625 237 Ws.
  • 9172/37. Jan.-June 1626 162 Ws. July-Dec. 1626 88 Ws.
  • 9172/38. Jan.-Dec. 1627 175 Ws. Jan.-June 1628 79 Ws. July-Dec. 1628 56 Ws.
  • 9172/39. Jan.-June 1629 70 Ws. July-Dec. 1629 82 Ws. Jan.-June 1630 80 Ws. July-Dec. 1630 83 Ws.
  • 9172/40. Jan.-Dec. 1631 161 Ws. Jan.-June 1632 83 Ws. July-Dec. 1632 59 Ws.
  • 9172/41. Jan.-June 1633 63 Ws. July-Dec. 1633 65 Ws.
  • 9172/42. Jan.-July 1634 85 Ws. July-Dec. 1634 76 Ws.
  • 9172/43. Jan.-June 1635 95 Ws. and 1 sentence. July-Dec. 1635 69 Ws. Jan.-June 1636 80 Ws. July-Dec. 1636 77 Ws.
  • 9172/44. Jan.-June 1637 86 Ws. July-Dec, 1637 76 Ws.
  • 9172/45. Jan.-Dec. 1638 228 Ws.
  • 9172/46. Jan.-March 1639 48 Ws. April-June 1639 54 Ws. and I sentence. July-Dec. 1639 66 Ws. and 1 sentence.
  • 9172/47. Jan.-June 1640 120 Ws. July-Dec. 1640 77 Ws. and 2 sentences.
  • 9172/48. Jan.-June 1641 81 Ws. July-Dec. 1641 81 Ws. and 1 sentence.
  • 9172/49. Jan.-June 1642 76 Ws. and 1 sentence. July-Dec. 1642 53 Ws.
  • 9172/50 Jan.-June 1643 98 Ws. July-Sep. 1643 103 Ws. Oct.-Dec. 1643 82 Ws.
  • 9172/51 Jan.-June 1644 130 Ws. July-Dec. 1644 125 Ws. and 1 sentence.
  • 9172/52. Jan.-June 1645 62 Ws. July-Dec. 1645 88 Ws. Jan.-June 1646 66 Ws. July-Oct. 1646 50 Ws.
  • 9172/53A. Bound volume. June-Dec. 1647 53 Ws.
  • 9172/53B. Bound volume. Jan.-Dec. 1648 78 Ws.
  • 9172/53C. Bound volume. Jan.-Dec. 1649 66 Ws.
  • 9172/54. July-Dec. 1660 17 Ws. Jan.-Dec. 1661 131 Ws. Jan.-June 1662 83 Ws. July-Dec. 1662 64 Ws.
  • 9172/55. Jan.-Dec. 1663 .162 Ws. Jan.-Dec. 1664 194 Ws.
  • 9172/56. Jan.-Aug. 1665 150 Ws.
  • 9172/57. Sep. 1665 135 Ws.
  • 9172/58. Oct. 1665 148 Ws. Nov.-Dec. 1665 89 Ws.
  • 9172/59. Jan.-Dec. 1666 227 Ws. Jan.-Dec. 1667 138 Ws.
  • 9172/60. Jan.-Dec. 1668 103 Ws. Jan.-Aug. 1669 103 Ws. Sep.-Dec. 1669 55 Ws,
  • 9172/61. Jan.-Dec. 1670 155 Ws. Jan.-Dcc. 1671 168 Ws.
  • 9172/62. Jan.-June 1672 128 Ws. July-Dec. 1672 111 Ws. and 1 inv.
  • 9172/63. Jan.-Dec. 1673 183 Ws.
  • 9172/64. Jan.-June 1674. 108 Ws. July-Dec. 1674 79 Ws.
  • 9172/65. Jan.-March 1675 36 Ws, April-June 1675 46 Ws. July-Sep. 1675 43 Ws. Oct.-Dec, 1675 54 Ws. Jan.-March 1676 55 Ws. April-June 1676 46 Ws.
  • 9172/66. July-Sep. 1676 45 Ws. Oct.-Dec. 1676 49 Ws. Jan.-March 1677 58 Ws. April-June 1677 35 Ws. July-Sep. 1677 38 Ws. Oct-Dec. 1677 43 Ws.
  • 9172/67. Jan.-March 1678 34 Ws. April-June 1678 57 Ws. July-Sep. 1678 37 Ws, Oct.-Dec. 1678 64 Ws. Jan.-March 1679 62 Ws. April-June 1679 43 Ws.
  • 9172/68. June-Sep. 1679 51 Ws. Oct.-Dec. 1679 73 Ws. Jan.-March 1680 61 Ws. and 1 sentence. April-June 1680 54 Ws.
  • 9172/69. July-Sep. 1680 57 Ws. Oct.-Dec. 1680 85 Ws. Jan.-June 1681 130 Ws.
  • 9172/70. (May, 2 Ws, missing) July-Dec. 1681 142 Ws. and I sentence. Jan.-June 1682 111 Ws.
  • 9172/71. July-Dcc. 1682 % Ws. Jan.-July 1683 81 Ws. and 1 sentence. July-Dcc. 1683 89 Ws.
  • 9172/72. Jan.-June 1684 128 Ws. July-Dcc. 1684 140 Ws.
  • 9172/73. Jan.-June 1685 98 Ws. July-Dec. 1685 118 Ws. and 1 inv.
  • 9172/74. Jan.-June 1686 141 Ws. July-Dec. 1686 118 Ws.
  • 9172/75. Jan.-June 1687 114 Ws. July-Dcc. 1687 lllWs.
  • 9172/76. Jan.-June 1688 122 Ws. July-Dec. 1688 109 Ws.
  • 9172/77. Jan.-June 1689 105 Ws. July-Dec. 1689 181 Ws.
  • 9172/78, Jan.-Feb. 1690 69 Ws. March 1690 37 Ws. April 1690 23 Ws. May 1690 42 Ws. June 169.0 25 Ws.
  • 9172/79. July 1690 40 Ws. Aug, 1690 29 Ws. and 1 sentence. Sep. 1690 20 Ws. Oct. 1690 35 Ws. Nov. 1690 44 Ws. Dec. 1690 27 Ws.
  • 9172/80. Jan. 1691 35 Ws. Feb. 1691 33 Ws. March 1691 35 Ws. April 1691 35 Ws. May 1691 37 Ws. June 1691 27 Ws.
  • 9172/81. July 1691 18 Ws. Aug. 1691 23 Ws. Sep. 1691 47 Ws. Oct. t691 44 Ws. Nov. 1691 26 Ws. Dec. 1691 32 Ws.
  • 9172/82. Jan. 1692 28 Ws. Feb. 1692 41 Ws. March 1692 30 Ws. April 1692 33 Ws. May 1692 40 Ws. June 1692 23 Ws. July 1692 19 Ws, Aug. 1692 18 Ws. Sep. 1692 26 Ws. Oct. 1692 21 Ws. Nov. 1692 24 Ws. Dec. 1692 26 Ws.
  • 9172/83. Jan. 1693 23 Ws. Feb. 1693 22 Ws. March 1693 22 Ws. April 1693 23 Ws. May 1693 26 Ws. June 1693 14 Ws. July 1693 16 Ws. Aug. 1693 23 Ws. Sep. 1693 34 Ws. Oct. 1693 18 Ws. Nov. 1693 31 Ws. Dec. 1693 26 Ws.
  • 9172/84. Jan. 1694 30 Ws. Feb. 1694 29 Ws. March 1694 33 Ws. April 1694 35 Ws. May 1694 22 Ws. June 1694 33 Ws. July 1694 26 Ws. Aug. 1694 14 Ws. Sep. 1694 14 Ws. Oct. 1694 26 Ws. Nov. 1694 24 Ws. Dec. 1694 16 Ws.
  • 9172/85. Jan.-June 1695 124 Ws. and 1 sentence. July-Dec. 1695 110 Ws,
  • 9172/86. Jan. 1696 30 Ws. Feb. 1696 16 Ws. March 1696 14 Ws. April 1696 22 Ws. May 1696 34 Ws. June 1696 18 Ws. July 16% 21 Ws. AuK. 1696 16 Ws. Sep. 1696 17 Ws. Oct. 1696 10 Ws. Nov 1696 17 Ws. Dcc. 16% 21 Ws.
  • 9172/87. Jan. 1697 22 Ws. Feb. 1697 17 Ws. March 1697 28 Ws. April 1697 20 Ws. May 1697 18 Ws. June 1697 27 Ws.
  • 9172/88. Jan. 1698 26 Ws. Feb. 1698 16 Ws. March 1698 20 Ws. April 1698 19 Ws. May 1698 19 Ws. June 1698 28 Ws. July 1698 27 Ws. Aug. 1698 11 Ws. Sep. 1698 17 Ws. Oct. 1698 19 Ws. Nov. 1698 21 Ws. Dec. 1698 17 Ws.
  • 9172/89. Jan. 1699 22 Ws. Feb. 1699 25 Ws. March 1699 25 Ws. April 1699 23 Ws. May 1699 28 Ws. June 1699 25 Ws. July 1699 18 Ws. Aug, 1699 27 Ws. Sep. 1699 19 Ws. Oct. 1699 18 Ws. Nov. 1699 18 Ws. Dec. 1699 15 Ws.
  • 9172/90. Jan. 1700 16 Ws. Feb. 1700 22 Ws. March 1700 17 Ws. April 1700 24 Ws. May 1700 32 Ws. June 1700 17 Ws. July 1700 23 Ws. Aug. 1700 16 Ws. Sept. 1700 19 Ws. Oct. 1700 23 Ws. Nov. 1700 22 Ws Dec. 1700 23 Ws.

There now remains the pleasant task of acknowledging the contributions of all those who have made it possible to bring this, the largest Court concerned with deceased Londoners, to completion down to the year 1700. Once more the Corporation of the City of London through its Library Committee has subsidised the writing of the slips for the volume. Dr. Albert Hollaender, F.S.A., most regetfully now deceased, was ever ready to put his profound knowledge of the Guildhall archive at the editor's disposal and to assist him over many a hurdle. The slips themselves were written by Mrs. G. L. Marsh and Miss M. Kennedy always with the greatest goodwill and an intelligence that has brought light in many dark places.

Geneva, 1991 M.F.