These wills are from a variety of sources – some from the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, and others from county record offices. Most of the wills have been transcribed to include all the names mentioned, but not necessarily all of the details of what each person received, so please see the originals for complete details.
- Hill, Margaret, widow of Norwich, 1549
- Hill, Philip, of Norwich, 1538
- Hopton, Arthur, gentleman of London, 1647
- Howe, John, salter of London, 1636
- Howe, Robert, Citizen of London and Salter, 1590
- Hull, Richard, draper and citizen of the City of London, 1647
Hill, Margaret, widow of Norwich, 1549
- To be buried in the parish church of St Peter by my first husband
- Brother Robert Flynt: house I live in St Peter Per Mountergate, Norwich, and the house adjoining. All household stuff in the said houses, and tenement and close in Norwich bought by my late husband by Sir Robert Lewins, clerk.
- Widow Hare: to have her dwelling in the house she now lives in for life.
- Nephew Robert Flynt: property outside the city of Norwich when 21.
- Niece Margaret Flynt: 100 marks on her marriage, as long as marries with the permission of her father and grandfather. Also my “great cup”, which I will her grandfather Mr Rougge keeps until her marriage.
- Other properties in St Peter Per Mountergate to be sold.
- Brother William Flent: his children to have some of the proceeds from the sale on their marriages.
- Old servant John Holybake, and late servant Philip Coke: some money
- All other houses in Norwich and the parish of St Faith’s to be sold.
- Forgives husband’s nephew Humphrey Hill his debts.
Executors: brother Robert Flynt, Master Drake, a prebendary of Christchurch, Norwich.
Written 26 Oct 1548, probate 5 Feb 1548/9
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Transcriber’s notes: Margaret was the second wife of Andrew Pawe of Norwich (see his will), making her the stepmother (or mother, but stepmother appears more likely) of Margaret Pawe, one of the two wives of William Knightley. After Andrew Pawe’s death, Margaret married Philip Hill of Norwich (see his will below), the son of William Hill of East Bergholt (see his will). Keeping the families connected, Philip’s nephew Simon Hill (see his will) married Elizabeth, a daughter of William Knightley and Margaret Pawe. So in other words, mindbogglingly complicated as it is: Margaret’s stepdaughter married Margaret’s stepnephew.
Hill, Philip, of Norwich, 1538
- My brother’s children Symonde and Humfrey: 40sh when 16
- To Sir Robert 40sh
- Money to servants.
- I forgive my father his debts of 100 marks. To father: 40sh.
- Rest and residue to wife [unnamed, except in the probate]
Executors: wife and father
Witnesses: William Rogers, Alderman of Norwich, Robert Flynt of Gray’s Inn
Written 28 Aug 1517, probate 6 May 1538
Probate (in Latin) by Margerie Hill, relicte [Margaret]
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Transcriber’s notes: Philip Hill married Margaret (see her will above), the widow of Andrew Pawe of Norwich (see his will). He was a son of William Hill of East Bergholt (see his will), who died in 1528 or 1529, hence it was only Margaret who was able to probate Philip’s will in 1538. Robert Flynt, one of the witnesses, is perhaps the man of the same name was who was Margaret’s brother.
Hopton, Arthur, gentleman of London, 1647
[Transcriber’s note: notes in square brackets have been added from other sources to help identify the many people mentioned in this will]- £5 to the poor of Belaugh, Norfolk, where I was born
- £5 to the poor of the parish of St Sepulchre’s, where I’ll be buried, near my dear brother Henry Peynell (this surname is usually Pannell/Paynell)
- About 12 years ago, bought an annuity for £600 from brother Henry Paynell and my nephew Robert Paynell his son, £40 pa, to be paid from their land in Belaugh and some other places in Norfolk. Conveyance dated 1 Nov 1631. From this money, £20pa to nephw Robert, and the other £20 to nephew Edward Paynell. Plus a legacy to Edward, and his debt forgiven.
- Godson John Paynell, nephew Robert’s eldest son
- My noble kinsman Sir Raphe Hopton, knight, a silver bowl, and the ring with the Hopton crest.
- Kinsmand Sir Arthur Hopton, Lord Embassador in Spain: a silver bowl, and the lesser seal ring with the Hopton crest, “which ring I the rather presume to give him, for that it was a legacy bequeathed unto me by his dear sister and my best kinswoman Lady Bacon.” [Dorothy Hopton, 1570-1629, wife of Sir Nathaniel Bacon, d 1622]
- Nephew Judge Bacon, Justice of the King’s Bench: a silver bowl [According to Norwich Heritage, this is Sir Francis Bacon, 1587-1657, born in Kings Lynn and the son of John Bacon and Elizabeth Paynell]
- Lady Elizabeth, Countess Rivers, a dozen silver spoons “as a testimony of my dutiful respects.” She owes him £100, which he asks his executor not to press her for.
- “Noble friend” Viscountess Andevor, a dozen silver spoons.
- Friend Mr Thomas Savage, son of Countess Rivers, a dozen silver spoons [Godfather of Thomas Mann, his late niece’s son]
- Niece Thomazine Fyrmen, wife of Strange Fyrmen, £40 [Thomasin was the daughter of William Crachrode (d1625) and Mary Paynell or Hopton (d1642)]
- Niece Margery Hull, wife of Richard Hull, £40 [Margery was another daughter of William and Mary Crachrode]
- Niece Mary Coale of Ipswich, widow, £40 [Daughter of Anthony and Bridget Mannock – Bridget was Arthur’s sister or half-sister]. Mary’s three children: Nathaniel, John and Elizabeth Coale, £5 each
- Niece Elizabeth Mayer, sister of Judge Bacon, £20
- Jane Mann daughter of Edward Mann of Ipswich, by a beloved niece of mine, £20 [Jane was the daughter of Edward by his second wife, Dorothy Mannock – the daughter of Anthony and Bridget Mannock. Dorothy died young].
- Goddaughter Margaret Paynell daughter of Edward Paynell, £20
- Brother Henry Paynell’s four daughters: Katherine, Thomazine, Elizabeth, Bridget, £5 each to buy a piece of plate
- Niece Thomazine Miller, one of the daughter of my sister Mannock, £5 to buy a piece of plate [Thomasin, the daughter of Anthony and Bridget Mannock. Her first husband was William Bendish of Elmstead, Essex. Second husband not yet identified]
- My goddaughter Anne Whittacres, £5 to buy a piece of plate [Daughter of Thomas Whitaker and Martha Hull. Martha was the daughter of Richard Hull and the testator’s niece Margery Crachrode, daughter of William and Mary Crachrode]
- Friend Mrs Alice Hulet? of Greenwich, widow, £10 to buy a diamond ring
- My cousin William [surname hard to read], a gentleman’s usher quarter waighter to his majesty, of Westminster, 40s for a ring
- My cousin, his sister Turner, a widow, living at the Tower of London, money for a ring
- John Wells, my landlord
- Cousins Mr Richard Hull, William Hull
- Nathaniel Deards
- Cousin Barbara Firmen and her brother William [Perhaps children of Thomasin and Strange Firmen]
- Cousin Martha Whittacres, and her husband, my cousin Thomas Whittacres
- My cousin Mary Cratchered: her grandmother’s wedding ring which my sister Cratcherod left me for a legacy
- Friend Mr John Barry, steward to Countess Rivers
- Grace wife of Mr James Hills, sometime servant to Countess Rivers
- My sister Paynell, and my niece Judith Paynell
- Cousin Elizabeth wife of the aforesaid Edward Mann of Ipswich. [Unclear how Elizabeth is related to Arthur, other than his niece having married Edward before]
- Thomas, son of Edward Mann of Ipswich, some plate that belonged to his godfather, Lord Viscount Savage
- Deed for the manor of Stoke Hall, Suffolk, near Ipswich, for the use of Thomas Mann
- Deeds between sister Cracherod and Edward Bigg of Toppesfield, Essex, concerning her granddaughter Mary Cracherod
- Mr Matthew Cracherod
Executor: nephew Robert Paynell of Gray’s Inn, £100
Written: 24 May 1644, probate 5 Nov 1647
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Note: Arthur says he was born in Belaugh, Norfolk, and there’s a baptism there on 15 Dec 1576 for Arthur, son of Charles and Tomazine Hopton. They also had a son called , baptised there on 28 Dec 1578. It seems possible that Tomazine was first married to a Paynell as that family did live in Belaugh too, and her name seems to have been continued down the generations as Arthur has several nieces of that name.
Howe, John, salter of London, 1636
- To be buried in the parish church of St Margaret, New Fish Street, London, where his late father, mother, and brother, are buried.
- farm in Stowmarket, Suffolk, called Thorps, and property in Hawley (Haughley?), etc. plus more properties in Stowmarket, other places in Suffolk, and London.
- niece Elizabeth wife of Thomas Mollineux
- niece Mary Eyre, sister of Elizabeth
- niece Anne Eyre, sister of Elizabeth and Mary
- niece Martha Eyre, their sister
- nephew Robert Eyre, their brother
- nephew Richard Eyre, their brother
- brother-in-law Robert Eyre
Executor: nephew Robert Eyre
Witnesses: Raph Moore, Henry Shelbery
Written 21 July 1636, probate 6 Aug 1636
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Transcriber’s notes: the testator was the grandson of John Howe senior of Stowmarket, who wrote his will in 1586. The testator’s father was John Howe senior’s son Robert Howe, described in the 1586 will as “now of London, merchant”, and Robert’s sons John, Edward, and Richard are named in the will. See Robert’s will below.
St Margaret’s church was located near the epicentre of the Great Fire of London, only thirty years after John’s death, and it was the first to be destroyed by the flames. It was one of the few churches never to be rebuilt, and the Monument stands on the site of the church – where John and his family had been buried only a few decades before the conflagration destroyed much of the old City that they would’ve known.
Howe, Robert, Citizen of London and Salter, 1590
- to be buried in the chancel of St Margaret’s near Fish Street.
- wife Elizabeth
- brother Tirrell and his wife
- cousin Waste and his wife
- cousin Pigott and his wife
- sister Gilbert
- daughter Chelsham and her husband
- daughter Gippes
- three housemaids
- Mr Cotton, parson of St Margaret’s, and Mr Manncell his curate
- son John Howe
- “my children” – not named
- friend Mr John Edwardes
- cousin Mr Allen Thompson
- notary Andrew Turnor
Executors: wife Elizabeth, son John
Overseers: brother Tirrell, cousins Waste and Pygott
Witnesses: Andrew Turnor, Richard Smythe, John Edwards, Michaell Blake
Written 23 July 1590, probate 6 Aug 1590
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Transcriber’s notes: see the will of his son John above.
Robert was the son of John Howe of Stowmarket, who died in 1586. His wife was Elizabeth Hall, daughter of Edward Hall, Citizen and Haberdasher of London, who died by 1584. Elizabeth had been married to Thomas Trumball before her marriage to Robert; he died by 1570. Thomas’ sister Jane married Emmanuel Lucar after the death of his first wife, Elizabeth Withypool. The widow of John Howe (died 1580), Robert’s brother, married Peter Withypool: Peter was the nephew of Elizabeth Withypool. This does not appear to be a coincidence; this complicated web of relationships is a consequence of the way family networks functioned at the time.
Hull, Richard, Draper and Citizen of the City of London, 1647
- Wife Margery, executor
- Son William Hull, executor
- Daughter Martha, wife of Thomas Whitacre (overseer of the will)
- Granddaughter Anne, a daughter of Thomas and Martha Whitacre
- Sister Mrs Mary Wright, wife of Henry Wright, Citizen and Dyer of London.
- Cousin Elizabeth Short
Written (not given?), probate 11 Oct 1647.
Note in Latin in the margin: 15 March 1670/1: Martha Randall alias Hull, daughter of…? (It appears the will was left unadministered. The testator’s daughter swore to do so – and she had since remarried).
Transcriber’s notes: The Hulls are mentioned in Arthur Hopton’s will, above.