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To Thurly [Thurleigh] church III III To Mylton [Milton Ernest] church 111III. To Bletnesho [Bletsoe] church 111 1111. To the rood in Suldropp church III III. To the peyntyng of the holy Trinite loft in Sharnebrok church vis. VIII. To the rood of the same xs. To the byyng of a new roope xs. And if the same parishonns of Sharnebrok will begyn the brotherhed of the Trinite I will that they have xxs therto ats non. Itm I give to the reparacon of the ways about Sharnebrok ther as most nede is to be done xxs To Clenyhoggs brigg 1 d. Itm to the reparacon of Melton towne [Milton Ernest] if they will make it before Mychaelmas next comyng xs ats non Itm I geve to ech oon of my godchilderne an ew [ewe] and an hoggerell. To John Sere the sonne of Willm Sere a new [an ewe]. To John Sere the sonne of John Sere a new. To John West an ew. To Elizabeth vesall I shepe. To Margaret Oldeshaw II shepe. To John my sonne my horsys and my cart and I will that all corne and grayne be devydid bytweene my wyff and my sonne by egall porcons and my tilth of my landes in like case as towchyng this tilth and all my other stuff of my howse what name soer' they be named by in like wise Itm I will that an honest prest syng for my sowle my wiff my children my father and my mother in the parrish church of Sharnebrok by the space of 11 yerys after my deth. Itm I give to Margaret my wiff my tenement that I dwell in with a litle orchard in Calfulende terme of her liff and after her decease to remayne to John my Sonne and his heyres lawfully begotyn. Itm I give to John my Sonne and to his heyrys of his bodye lawfully begotten all my other lands medows lesys and pasturys in the towne and felds of Sharnebrok and the sayd John dy w'owt heyres as it is before rehersid byfore Margaret my wiff then I will that she have all the sayd tenement wt londs and theyr app'tenncs terme of her liff and after her deceasse all the sayd tenement lands medes with theyr app'tenncs to be sold and done for me my wiff my childerne my father and mother and all Cristen sowlys. Itm to ffelm'sham church xxs To Thomas my broder II shepe and to William his Sonne II shepe Itm to the parrish church of Odell 111s I will that and if John my Sonne live after the deceasse of my wiff and then fortune to dy without heyrys lawfully begotyn that all the sayd tenement lands medows pasturys with al theyre app'tenncs be sold and done for me and other as it is above rehersid Itm I geve to the vicar of Sharnebrok and his successors oon acre of the best land that I have in the felds of Sharnebroke uppon this condiccon that he kepe myn obit yerely with placebo dirige Masse of reqiuem w' a solempne pele song for my sowle and all Cristen sowlys The Residew of all my goodes above not bequethed my detts well and truly payd my buryall done and this my p'sent testament fullfyllyd I will that yei be devydid if any thyng remayne bytwene my wiff and my Sonne iontly to gither so long as they ca' accord and agre to gither she kepyng hir self sole and when and what tyme they ca' not agre or discorde I will she heve deliv'd unto her xx or els asmuch other goods and cattalles concernyng the Im of the sayd xx✩ by the vertue and aūcte of this my sayd p'sent testament I constitute and ordeyne my tru and faythfull executors Ser Willm Senton vicar of Sharnebrok Ser Willia Grene p'son of Suldropp and John my Sonne that they may so do for me as they shall answere byfore god at the dredefull day of dome Thies beyng witnes Richard Newma John Ódam Richard ffisher and othur.

Probat' est dcu testamentu cora nobis Robto halu decertoy Doctore Comissar Bedfordie necnon dni Arctu eiusdem offic' XVIII die Mensis January anno dni Millesimo quigenteso XIX et p nos probat' approbat' et insinuat' ac pro valore eiusdem prin'cat' &c Et comissa fuit adm' straco oin et singlore bonor catallor et debitor dcm testatorem et eius testm concernen' executoriby in hmoi test' nocat' in forma iuris iurat'.

(ARCHDEACONRY OF BEDFORD,
Lib. II, p. 149.)

7

We next give the wills of William Sayre, "the elder," who is mentioned in the citations from Harvey's" History"; of Alice, his wife; and of Thomas, their son, from which we get the facts which reveal the line of the direct ancestry of our Thomas Sayre of Southampton.

In the name of God amen, in the yere of o' lord god 1562 I Willm Sayer ye elder of hynwyke w'hin the p'ishe of Pooddyngton in ye county of Bedford yeoman beynge of p'fect memory make my Testamet & last Will in man' & forme followynge ffyrst I beqth my sowle to allmyghte god & my boddye to be buried in the churcheyard of poodyngton It' I beqth to the churche of Poodyngton aforesaid vis vid It' I beqth to ye Mother church of Lincoln 11 It' I beqth to the poore people in pooddyngton Is шd. It' I beqth to Thom's Seyer my sone XIII vis VIII in mony or money worthe over & besydes a cowe & a heekfer. It' I beqth to Willm Seyer my cosen half a quarter of malte It' I beqth unto Joane petyť my cosen half a quarter of malte It' I beqth to Alyce west & Agnes makernes my doughters to eche of them half a quarter of malte It' I beqth to every one of my godchildren a stryke of malte It' I beqth to Alyce my wyf all my lands and tenements what so ever durynge her naturall lyf & after her decease I will y' they shall remayne unto Willm Seyre my sone & to his heyres for ever. It' I will Alice my wyf & Willm Seyer my sone my executors to dispose & p'forme all things conteyned in this my last will It' I ordeyn & make Edmond Squyer my brother in lawe the sup'visor of this my will to whome I geve half quarter of malt for his labor. wytnesses hereof John Austleg Willm Abbot ye elder & Edmond Squyer.

pta.d. 1564 cora' mro' Johe Langford comiss' adisto execut' norât' in eodem etc.

(ARCHDEACONRY OF BEDFORD, Lib. XIV, p. 116.)

The wills of William Abbot, the elder, dated 1582, and of Edmond Squire, dated 1593, the witnesses named above, were written by as well as witnessed by William Sayre, styled the cousin of the latter, and the signature appears, in a "very good hand,” William Sayre, which we assume settles the correct spelling of the family

name.

WILL OF ALICE SAYRE.

In Dei nomie amen the xxth day of Aprill 1567 and in the nynth yere of the Reinye of o' sov'eigne lady Elyzabethe by the grace of god of England ffrance and Ireland Quene defender of the faythe etc I Alice sayer of hinwicke within the p'isshe of Podyngton in the Contie of bedf' widowe late wyfe of willm sayer of hinwicke aforsayd husbandman deceassed being holle of mynd & in good & p'fete memori laud & praise be unto almyte god doo make & ordeyne this my p'sent testament conteyned herein my laste wyll in man' & fowrme as folowth fyrst comend my soule unto almighte god my macare and redemer & my bodye to be buried in the churche yeard of podyngton aforsayd Itm I bequethe & geve unto the poore of the sayd p'ise vid. Itm I bequethe to the Reparcion of the sayd churche or to the mainteans of the belles there 11s Itm I bequethe unto my dowetur [daughter] alse west wife of Robte weste & unto him the sayd Robt towe pore of shets thone of flaxe thother payre harden half a quarter of malte one candlestyke one late basone twoe pewter platers & one table clothe. Itm I bequethe unto wyllm sayer the yonger & unto Robt sayer chyldren of wyllm sayer thelder unto John west & gorgs west chyldren of the sayd Robt west & unto ev'y one of

the sayd chyldren a hogrell. Itm I bequethe unto wyllm makernes the yon ger towe hogegerells Itm I bequethe unto ev'y one of my godchyldren one stryke of barle or XII of mone to be at the eleccon of the executor Itm I bequethe unto wyllm pickeryng wyllm peere & allce pickering a hogerell or a lambe unto ev'y of the persons laste before Rehersed Itm I geve & bequethe unto Thomas my sonne all the reste of my sheppe & all oth' my shepe wheresoew they pasture or be (except before bequethed) thre mylche beassts namely brockell old chery and youg chery one yong mare one gret parre & tow pylobers tow quarters of malte Vi payers of shets on table cloth a towel & or platers all the Residewe of my goods not bequethed my detts payd & funerall expèses discharged I geve & bequethe unto wyllm sayer my sonne whom I constitute & make executor of this my sayd testamet & laste wyll unto who I geve & bequeth halfe a quarter of malte for his paynstaking to se all things done accordyng to the teno' and true meanyng herof witnesses of this laste wyll francis wodmansey vicar Edmond Squier wyllyiam Sayear wyllm abbott agnes squier a'ctor cumultis allyis

ProTM fuit hoc testm aute script' apud Bedf' xvis die Jun 11 as dni 1567 Cora mro Johe' langford Comiss' Bedf' comisse administratio execut' norat'.

(ARCHDEACONRY OF BEDFORD, Lib. XV, p. 3.)

WILL OF THOMAS SAYRE (GREAT-UNCLE OF THE EMIGRANT THOMAS).

In the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy ghoste, so be it. Be it knowne unto all men by theise presentes that I Thomas Sayre of Hynwicke in the parishe of Podington in the countie of Bedf. yeoman the 30th of Maye in the yeare of our lorde god 1581 and in the 23th yeare of the raigne of our soveraigne ladie Queene Elizabeth &c beinge sicke in bodie butt whole of minde, and of perfecte memory ordaine and make this my laste will and testament in manner and fourme followinge that is to saie firste I bequeathe my soule into the handes and tuicion of god allmightie my onely savour and redeemer throughe Jesus Christe and stedfastly beleeve freely to be iustified and saved through faithe in the bloude of Jesus Christe whoe died for me and by his deathe and pretious bloude shedding hathe delivered me from the thralldome & bondage of sathan sinne deathe and hell and hathe purchased for me an everlastinge inheritance in his kingdome of glory wh throughe true faith I stedfastly beleeve my soule shall enter into and possesse with full ioye presently after it is dissolved out of this life and I committ my bodie to the earth whence it was made being to be interred in the churche or churche yarde of Podington aforesaid and att the laste and general daie of Judgement I beleeve that my bodie shall rise againe and be ioyned to my soule and so beinge glorified shall live with Christe for ever in his kingdome of glory ffirste I give and bequeathe to the poore of the parishe of Podington aforesaide to be indifferently devided by the discretions of my executrix minister and church wardens there where most neede is vII Item I give and bequeathe to the poore of Wemington to be likewise distributed in manner & forme aforesaid where moste neede is III Item I give and bequeathe to the poore of Odell to be distributed in manner & fourme aforesaid where moste neede is vs. Item I give and bequeathe to Willyam Makernes the younger in full payment of a lagacie of one hoggerell or younge sheepe to him given by the laste will of my late deare mother Alice Sayre deceassed xis. Ite I give and bequeath to Elizabeth Sayre late wife of my late brother Willyam Sayre late deceassed all such goodes & cattells wch late was delivered to me by Inventory or else the price

of the same goodes thearein expressed to the vse of the said Elizabeth and to the vse of the chilldren of the saide Willyam Sayre the tyme for the inioying of the farme & occupyinge whearein my beloved wife Margery Sayre and Elizabeth Sayre her sister now inhabite as allsoe the tyme for deliveringe over of the same parcelles of goodes & cattalls abovesaide to be sett downe by the deliberate advise of such overseers as heare after shall be named by this my will wch thinge if they cannot in full wise decide then I will that they shall choose & electe suche wise and indifferent men as they shall thinke meete to determine the same cawse this beinge allewaies my will that my wife my sister Elizabeth Sayre and my well beloved nephew Willyam Sayre to give their consents in the same arbitrements to be made that nothinge be donne any wayes either by overseers or others by their appointment in any cawses concerninge this my will without the consent of my saide wife her sister Elizabeth Sayre and Willyam Sayre that theareby as well my wife her sister Willyam Sayre & the reste of the poore children of my brother may have every waye that is due unto them & my selfe theareby to be discharged of the dutie in consciens wch I my selfe am bounde to for them all deducting unto my saide executrix forthe ofthe p'cells aforesaide aswell the some of xx£ paide unto Richard Wagstaffe & Elizabeth now wife to Robert Laudes as allso suche somes as I have laide forthe divers & sundry tymes about the placinge out my saide nephew Willyam Saire as otherwise in extraordinary chardges wch I have beene att by the schoolinge of the children of my saide brother. Item I give and bequeathe to Robert Sayre my nephewe v wheareof I hadd by three bullockes to me solde by the overseers of my brother his laste will by the praisers [appraisers] of the goodes to me delivered LVIS VIII. Item I give and bequeathe to Thomas Sayre my nephewe 1 x. Item I give and bequeathe to frauncis Sayer my nephewe xxs and to Alice Sayer my neece xx3 all the saide legacies to be paide & delivered vnto the chilldren abovesaide when they shall come to the age of XIX yeares. Item I give and bequeathe to everyone of my godchilldren vid. Item I give and bequeathe to Margery Sayer my wife all those my leeses as of one tenem' in Hinwicke called Sir Percies lande with their appurtenñcs & allso the reuersion of the same landes wch I bought of Edmond Aprece gent and allso of my cloose in Wemington called Rushe bushe cloose and allso all that my lease of one yarde [year?] lande wth the appurtenñcs lyinge in the towne parishe and feildes of Woolaston in the Countie of North: and allso all my righte of one cloase lyinge in Chillington nighe the river side and all my right title interest terme and termes of yeares wch I have in the premisses above saide. Item I give and bequeathe to Willyam Sayre my nephew 30s. Item I will that my saide wife shal further the saide Willyam to have the vse of any of my saide [sic] bookes and that she give vnto him any of the saide bookes that shall be best for his purpose. Item I give and bequeathe to John Coxe my man one quarter of malte Item I give and bequeathe to John Hull one quarter of Malte. Item I give and bequeathe to John West vi: strike of malte Item I give and bequeathe to Thomas Greene twoe strikes of malte Item I give and bequeathe to Willyam Masters three strike' of malte. Item I give and bequeathe to Anne Lambert my maide serv'nt three strike' of malte Item I give and bequeathe to Alice Weste my sister one royall of goulde I will that all my legacies laste recited shall be paide & delivered to them to whome they are given within the space of a yeare and a quarter after the daie of my deathe: the residue of my goodes nott bequeathed my debtes paide & funerall expences dischardged I give and bequeathe vnto my deare and lovinge Wife Margery Sayre whome I make executrix of this my laste will and testament desiringe and chardginge her before the lorde to performe & fullfill this my will willinge & desiringe the saide Margery & Elizabeth her sister as allsoe all my brothers chilldren & the others wch I have hadd the chardge of for theire

bringinge vpp quiettly and dutifully every of them to behave themselves as well towardes theire mother and aunte as allsoe to all other theire ellders wheareby godes glory may shine and be sett forthe by them: Item I constitute and make my deare freindes in the lorde Robert Hattley Esq' John Harveye Esq' Robert Smithe & George Hilles overseers of my laste will and testamente desiringe them most humbly in the lord to see the same performed and to be good vnto my saide deare wife and Elizabeth Sayre my poor afflicted sister and to my brothers chilldren & to doe for them in good cawses what they maye willinge and chardginge them and every of them that in all cawses what soever may arise in any cawse concerninge my will to dispose and order the same in such wise as before in this my will is expressed for the benefitt & best profitt for the saide Margery Elizabeth and the reste of the chilldren: all other willes I revoake & call in & make this my last will to stande in force: In wittnes wheareof I have subscribed the same with my owne hande the daie & yeare above written in the presence of Steven Hodges, John Barnes, Edmonde Squier and Willyam Abbott the ellder.

Probatum fuit hmoi testam' cora' nobis Willimo Smithe tt d'cor' comissar' et offic' archinat' Bedd: 3 die mēsis octobris A° dni 1581 de per nos approbat' et coissa bonorn dic' def' adTM executrici in deō testāto nořat in forma iuris iurať’ salvo jure cuiuscug etc.

(ARCHDEACONRY OF BEDFORD, Lib. XVIII, p. 11.)

From a passage in the last-cited will it would appear that Thomas's brother William had made a will. Unfortunately, it has not yet been brought to light, though diligent search has been made in every office where it was deemed probable it had been probated.

Podington, the residence of William Sayre, as stated in his will, is thus described in Lysons's "Magna Britannia," Vol. I, p. 125:

Pudington, or Podington, in the hundred of Willey and deanery of Clopham and diocese of Lincoln, lies on the borders of Northamptonshire, thirteen miles northwest of Bedford, about five miles from Higham Ferrers, and about sixtythree miles from London. King Henry III in 1227 granted the manor of Pudington to Isolda de Dover, till such time as he should think fit to restore it to the house of Reginald Damastin, Earl of Boloigne, whose property it had formerly been; in which case he promised to grant her an equivalent.he manor was afterwards successively in the Grays of Ruthin and in the Bromfletes. In the reign of King Henry VIII, being vested in the crown, it was annexed to the honor of Ampthill. In 1557 it was granted to George Bredyman. In King James' reign it was in the family of Payne, from whom it passed by an heir female to that of Child. The seat of the ancient manor house, which appears to have been a castellated mansion, is occupied by a farm.

Before the Conquest it was held by Levenot, a thane of King Edward, and in Domesday by Hugh Flandrensis.

In 1782, Rev. Oliver St. John Cooper, then vicar of Podington, compiled a short account of the place, which forms a part of No. VIII of the “Bibliotheca Topographica Britannica," published in 1783, a copy of which was found in the Public Library of Boston, Mass., and from which we quote:

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