Catalogue description Certified copy of the will (dated 7 Dec. 1598) of Alice Barneham of London (wid. of Francis Barneham of London, citizen and alderman, decd.) 15 May 1604 (date of probate)

To be buried by, and in the same vault as, her husband in the parish church of St. Clement, (This is St. Clement, Eastcheap, where the testatrix, described as wife of Mr. Francis Barnham, Alderman, was buried on 14 May 1604, and where her husband had been buried on 23 May 1576 (A.W. Hughes Clarke (ed.), The Register of St. Clement, Eastcheap and St. Martin Orgar, pt. 1 (Harleian Society, Register Section, vol. 67), pp. 171, 163).) 'Where I now dwell', and bequeaths £13 6s. 8d. to the Drapers' Company for a dinner on the day of her burial

Bequeaths £120 to the Mayor and Aldermen of Chichester to be freely lent to four young men, being traders and inhabitants of the city, for periods of three years, i.e. £30 each, who shall become bound to the Mayor, Alderman and Corporation in a reasonable penalty and with three sureties for the repayment of the money at the end of each three years

Bequeaths to her sister Patrick a black gown and a ring of gold price 40s. Od.; to her cousin Sir Steven Slanye, kt., and to his wife, a black gown each; to her cousin Dr. Smith a black gown; to her sons Martin and Stephen and to each of their wives a black gown; to Anne Robinson, Alice Johnson, and Suzan Levenge (daus. of her late sister Marston) £10 and a black gown each; to Richard Bennett the elder a black gown and £10; to the preacher of her funeral sermon a black gown; to George Utley and John Utley a black gown each; to 'Emme' Adams, w. of Toby Ashebie, a black gown and £5; to every one of her menservants black cloaks, and to every one of her maidservants black gowns; to her servant Ellis, her cook (if he be in her service at the time of her death), £5; to 100 poor man and women (50 of each) a black gown (one half to be given to the poor inhabitants of Chichester), and such gowns, coats and cloaks to others as her executors shall think meet; further to all her menservants and maidservants dwelling in her house at the time of her death (except Joan Whittington and said Ellis, her cook) 40s. 0d. apiece, and directs that said Joan Whittington shall be paid such money for which she stands creditor in her (the testatrix's) husband's inventory, which she (the testatrix) takes to be £10, and 40s. 0d. more for a legacy due to her which was given by her (the testatrix's) late husband, and bequeaths to said Joan Whittington a further £18 upon condition that she release her (the testatrix's) executors from all claims and demands whatsoever

Bequeaths £10 to be distributed among the poor inhabitants of Chichester; £5 to be distributed among the poor inhabitants of Southwick (co. Hants); £5 to be distributed among the poor inhabitants of Singleton, where her father was born; £5 to be distributed among the prisoners in each of the prisons of Newgate, the King's Bench, and the White Lyon in Southwark; £10 towards the releasing of poor prisoners out of the two compters in London; £20 to be given to the poor scholars, being students of divinity, in the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge; £10 to the poor children 'harboured' in Christ's Hospital; £4 to be distributed among the poor people 'harboured' in Bedlam in bread and meat; £5 to the poor people at the time of her burial; £5 to the poor people inhabiting the parish of St. Mildred in the Poultry London

Bequeaths to said s. Stephen, the nest of bowls without a cover which he bought and gave her; to her said sons Martin and Stephen all the rest of her plate to be divided equally between them; to her kinswoman Mary Adams so much money as with the money that she (the testatrix) owes her will make up £100, upon condition that she release her (the testatrix's) executors of all claims and demands; to Francis Barneham (son and heir of her said s. Martin) her chain of gold, which she wears; to Brodebridge Barneham (son and heir of Stephen Barneham) her bracelets of gold; to Alice Barneham (dau. of her said s. Martin), and to Alice Barneham (dau. of her said s. Stephen) a chain of gold of the value of £20 apiece; to her cousins, William Blandford, and his brother, the minister, sons of her sister Blandford, £5 apiece

Appoints said sons Martin and Stephen as joint residuary legatees, and executors

Witnesses - Abraham Cartwright, Christopher Harberte, Edmond Hill, Thomas Nellson, scr. [? scrivener], Robert Dorrell, William Grenewell

Proved P.C.C. by Stephen Barneham alone, Martin Barneham having renounced probate. Copy certified by Henry Dawes, notary public, Augustine Hichcocke, Richard Bennett, draper, John Sherwyn, grocer

K.M.E.M., no.18