Title
Probate of Hen.,6th Earl of Kent, Lord Hastings, Waysford & Ruthin:
(long religious introduction 'beinge frelie chosen and ellected by the
very same constant hope and most assured faith');
to be buried at Flitton in a burial-place which he has lately
erected, where he has put a small monument to self & wife
(Mary Cotton, sometime Countess of Derby, dau. of Sir Geo.
Cotton of Cheshire, kt., buried at Gt. Gaddesden); 'which
I the rather caused to be done for that it pleased (the) Almighty
...to use me as his instrument for the raising of my house...
formerly for some time eclipsed by the vain prodigality of Ric.,
Earl of Kent...to the end...that my posterity may avoid the like
evil and imitate the good;' no vain pomp, but having regard to
his honour and state; sermon to be preached either by Dr. Sparke
of Bletchley or Dr. Buckley (i.e.Bulkeley) of Odell (preacher to
receive a standing cup of silver with cover and a mourner's gown);
servants to be retained at Wrest till after funeral;
to surviving trustees Ol., Lord St. John, & Ric. Bowle 1,700 plate
as in schedule, Pigott & Fitt being dead;
(recites 10 May 1601:
(i) Hen., Earl of Kent
(ii) Gilb., Earl of Shrewsbury & w. Mary
(iii) Thos., Lord Buckhurst, Ol., Lord St. John,
Sir Wm. Russell, Sir Drue Drury, Pen. Pigott
agreement to put in hands of St. John, Pigott, Bowle & Fitt
plate on trust;)
to Sir Hen. Hobert, Lord Chief Justice of Common Pleas, a gilt cup
of silver with cover, worth 20 marks, or the 20 marks;
to Sir Humph. ?inch, Justice of Common Pleas, similarly worth 5;
to niece Eliz. Pigott, dau. of bro. Ben. dcd., 100 in addition
to the 100 lent her;
to Luke Norton of Offley esq. 66 13s.4d., 'being of my counsel';
to Ric. Bowle esq., 'my auditor', the like;
to neph. Hen. Pigott gent., s. & h. of Ben., the like;
to servt. Giles Blofield, gent., the like;
confirms various rents which he has by deed 30 March 1609
granted to various, Luke Norton 5, Ric. Bowle 10,
servt. Thos Hill 13 6s. 8d., Thos. Daniell gent, 10, neph.
0l. Pigott gent., 5, late servt. Ben. Bowle gent., 5
to 6 persons entrusted with will 3 gold angels apiece for
purpose of gold ring enamelled with death's head and black ragged staff;
to all household servts. 1/2 year's wages, and hopes that bro. Chas.
will take on all those who so wish;
to Thos. Hill 26 13s.4d.; to servt. Robt. Watson, gent., 20;
to neph. 0l. Pigott 6 13s.4d.; to servt. Thos. Daniell, gent, 26.13s.?d.;
to servt. Hen. Hill, clerk of kitchen, 20 marks;
to servt. Hen. Attwell, groom of bedchamber, 20 marks;
to late servt. Jn. Field sr. 5 marks;
to servt. Sim. Salter, 5 marks; Edw. Puttyfant 5 marks;
to late servt. Jn. Myllward 5 marks; to Edw. Hill, yeo., usher
of chamber, 20; to servt. Hen. Richardson, 5 marks;
to poor of Beds., 50;
sole exor. bro. Chas. (whom testator earnestly begs to undertake it),
assisted by 6 trusty friends, Luke Norton esq. 'being of my counsel
in my law causes', Ric. Bowle esq., auditor, Hen. Pigott, gent., neph.,
Gyles Blofield, gent., Thos Daniell, gent., & Wm. Briers, gent.;
has already conveyed to trustees for Anth. Grey of Burbage, Leics.,
clerk 'being of my name, blood & kindred', next heir male if bro.
Chas. has no heir, those manors and lands limited to himself in
fee simple, with remainder to Anth.'s e.s. Hen., then 2nd s. Job,
then 3rd s. Theoph.; and now confirms; also leases of 2 gardens
adj. house in Barbican in suburbs of London, leased from Jn. & Anne
Harrison of London, gent., & household stuff in house;
supervisors: Gilb., Earl of Shrewsbury, 0l., Lord St. John, Sir
Hen. Hobert, Sir Drue Drury & Sir H. Winch;
(Shrewsbury is to have testator's own gelding called Grey Hawtrey
'which I do much esteem of' or 20 to buy one; the others a gilt
cup of silver with the weaver (sic) and ragged staff);
to neph. Sir Hen.Grey,kt.,ring 10; niece Eliz. his w. ring 10;
ready money to be counted publicly as soon as possible;
witn., Ste. Daniell, (blank) entworth, Robt. Jenison,
Jn. Skinner, Ric. Woode.
19 January 1614/15
(pcc) pr. 15 May 1615.
Schedule:-
a basin & ewer richly wrought in black work, engraven with s. d.
stories, wt. 136 oz. @ 10s. 68 3 9
12 fruit plates with 12 little plates to lie within them,
161 oz. @ 10s. 81
1 gilt basin & ewer, 78 1/2 oz. @ 5s.6d. 20 11 9
1 great gilt salt of embossed work with a trencher salt
suitable to the same, 45 oz. 12 7 6
2 other great gilt salts, with 2 trencher salts to them,
66 1/2 oz. 19 0 6
2 gilt pots with covers, 71 oz. 19 14 17 1/2
1 great gilt bowl with a cover, 40 1/2 oz. 11 2 9
2 lesser bowls with covers, 91 oz. 6 13 4 (sic)
agate set in gold 20
emerald ring 1
jacinth 5
pearl & pomander chain 12
1 basin & ewer parcel gilt, 84 oz. @ 4s.6d. 20 7 2 1/2
1 'voyder' parcel gilt, 58 oz. @ 4s.10d. 13 14 3 1/2
2 trencher plates, parcel gilt, 74 oz. @ 4s.10d. 18 10 0
4 candlesticks, 109 oz. @ 4s.8d. 25 9 10
2 silver bowls without covers, 32 oz. @ 4s.8d. 7 9 4
12 silver spoons, 15 oz. @ 4s.8d. 3 11 2
all the household stuff, bedding, linen, utensils and
implements of household and husbandry at rest, Cainho
and Blunham, set down in an inventory book and valued at:
1,156 15 8d
all the armour, weapons and implemts. of war at Wrest
or elsewhere, likewise, 106 5 8
one 'corcache' and 1 coach with harness and furniture
and 4 coach horses 100 0 0
1,727 2 3
Ends with thanks for his position, prayers for his heir's
success, 'but most especially and most gracious God and loving
Father I do most humbly beseech thy majesty to bless both myself
and them with inward gifts of grace and true understanding...
that we may rightly know from whom we do receive and how we
ought to possess and employ them.'"