Thomas Mathew ^{1 2}

  Events

• Will, 9 Oct 1630, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7, GB. In the name of God Amen the Nynth day of October Anno Dmi 1630 I John Mathew of Lewes in the County
of Sussex Butcher doe make and declare this my last will and testament in writinge in manner and
forme followinge First I comitt my Soule into the hands of Almighty god my creator …….
assured for his deare sonnes sake Jesus christ my redeemer will assist me with his holy spirit ….
receive the same at the howse of death and glorify it forever Item my will and mynd is
that my body be buried in the parish church of St Michaell in Lewes in such decent manner as
shall seeme best to my executor hereafter named Item I give unto the poore of the parish of St
Michaell in Lewes twenty shillings of lawfull money of England Item I give unto Joane my
loveing wife the high bedstedle in the hall chamber with the curtens and curten rodds ….
coard to it also the trundle bed there with the best flocke bedd and boulster with a dornix Coverlet a
blanket to it? And also the livery Cubberd chest box truncke & greene chaire in the hall chamber Item I
give more unto the said Joane my wife the best featherbed I have but one Also I give unto her
one feather boulster and two pillowes to it the yellow and redd coverlet and a blanket half
a dozen of napkins two paire of the best sheets and two indifferent paire of sheets and two
paire of pillowcoats a little Iron pott and a brasse possnett two pewter platters and two fruit
dishes and a little round square table and two lowe ioyned stooles and a payre of pewter
Candlesticks and five pounds of lawfull money of England a dozen of trenchers and a tablecloth
a fire shovell a paire of tongs and a paire of brandirons Item I give unto my brother Thomas
Mathew one hundred pounds of lawfull money of England to be paid unto him
within one yere after my decease Item I give to John Mathew sonne of my brother
Richard one hundred pounds more of like lawfull money of England to be paid unto him
at his age of one and twenty yeares and if the said John shall dye before his said age then to
the said Richard his father within two monthes after the said John should have accomplished
his said age of one and twenty yeres Item I give unto William Mathew my brother
one hundred pounds of like lawfull money to be paid unto him in manner and forme
followinge that is to say fifty pounds thereof within one yere after my death and fifty pounds more
within two yeres after my death Provided Nevertheless that if my said brother
William and his heires shall not within six monthes after my decease surrender
All such Coppyhold lands and tenements as shall descend and come unto him or them after
my decease as next heire unto me into the hands of the Lord of such respective
mannors or whome the sme are holden To the intent the Lord or Lords of whome
the same are holden may grannt the said Coppyhold lands and tenements To the use of my
brother George Mathew for terme of his naturall life and after his decease to the
use of John Mathew sonne of my said brother George and my godson and his

heires for ever That then the said legacy of one hundred pounds given to my said
brother William shalbe void and the said William Mathew my brother shall have
noe benefit of this my last will Item I give unto my sister Joane Mathew one hundred
pounds of like lawfull money of England to be paid unto her at her day of Mariage or within
one yere after Provided Nevertheless that if she shall marry Barnerd Bourne of
Battell That then the said Joane shall have noe benefit by this my last will Item I give
and bequeath unto my man Richard Grisbrooke five pounds of lawfull money of England
and my two worst clokes and my Russett suit I weare every day
And as touching the disposition of all my Messuages lands tenements and hereditaments whatsoever
situate lying and beinge in the parishes of St Michaell and St Johns under the Castle in
Lewes in the said County of Sussex or elsewhere in the said County of Sussex I will and
dispose of them in manner and forme followinge Item I give and bequeath all my said
Messuages barnes lands tenements and hereditaments whatsoever in the said parishes of St Michaell
and St Johns in Lewes aforesaid nor elsewhere in the said County of Sussex And the revercon
and revercons remaynder and remaynders thereof To my brother George Mathew for
and dureinge his naturall life and from and after his decease to my godson John Mathew sonne
of the said George Mathew and his heires for ever Provided Nevertheless that if the said
George Mathew his heires executors administrators or assignes shall not within six
monethes after my decease give sufficient bonds unto my said brother Thomas Mathew
Richard Mathew and William Mathew and to my said sister Joane for the payment
of the said severall porcons given to the said Thomas William and Joane and to John
Mathew sonne of the said Richard accordinge to this my last will Then my will and
mynd is and I doe hereby devise the Messuage or tenement wherein I now dwell with the barne
slaughter howse and backside thereunto belonging and also the garden heretofore
purchased of Robert Ottringham unto my said brothers Thomas Mathew and Richard
Mathew and theire heires for ever. To the intent nevertheless that they shall
grannt bargaine & sell the revercon & revercons thereof for the best benefit & profit they can and
the money arising upon the sale thereof to imploy towards the payment of such legacies hereby
devised as my personall estate will not extend to pay and the over plus (if any be)
shall pay unto my said brother George Mathew Item I give unto my said
brother George Mathew all my tymber stone bricks and other materials
provided for the buildinge of my tenement called the Catt To the intent he shall
ymploy the same in new buildinge the said tenement called the Catt

Item all other my goods and chattells howsehold stuffe and ymplements of howsehold
whatsoever I wholly give and bequeath unto my brother George Mathew
aforenamed whome I ordeyne and make the sole and only executor of this my
last will Item I desire my loveing friends John Aylewyn and Richard Knight
gent to be the overseeres of this my last will to whome I give twenty shillings
a peece In witness whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seale and
published this to be my last will and testament the day and yere abovesaid
In the presence of Roger Coby
Will DurrantJohn Mathew

[Transcribed by Helen Hartley]

• Will, 20 Jan 1631/32, Alfriston, Polegate, East Sussex, BN26, GB. In the name of God Amen the xxth daye of January in the yeare of ower Lord god 1631
I John Mathew of the parish of Allfriston in the Countie of Susses yeoman Being sicke in
Bodie but in good & perfect Remembrance I thanke Almightie god doe ordaine and make
This my Laste will and Teastament in maner and forme following First I bequeath
my Sowle to the Almighie god my Redeemer & maker by home I hope to be . and my bodie
to be buried in the parish Church yarde of Allfriston if it please god that I doe die there
Imprimis I give to the pore people of Allfriston five shillings Item I give to my sonne
George Mathew twell pence Item I give to my sonne Richard Mathew twellpence
Item I give to my sonne William Mathew twellpence and all my furniture that is belonging to
the marster ?my picke ? & Coate sworde? dager?& headpease Item I give to my sonne
Thomas Mathew Fortie pounds of money the which he hath of me and(fold in paper) hownde
in bande for three score poundes and the other twentie poundes (fold in paper) parte of the threescore
my mind and will is that my daughter Jone Mathew will have the said twentie pounds
to be paid to the said Jone Mathew within one month after my decease Item I give
more to my daughter Jone Mathew one feaderbed & stedell with the Canobe owfer it with
the Coverled & blanket & all thinges belonging thereto. Item I give to my daughter Jone
more one Covering? which is wroath with Fowldes uppon him that which her one mother b……?
Item I give more to Jone Mathew one Jorne? potte & one Garderen? with to Joane Kinge ? ?
And one littell brasse potte Item I give to her more one greate ginde Cheste the which
is that her mother boath? Item more to her I give one littell Cheste the which I youse my selfe
Item I bequeath and give to my daughter Annese Mathew my dwelling house in the towne
of Lewes in Fisherstreate After the decease of Annes my wife Item I give more to my
daughter Annes Mathew one Federbed & steddell with allthinges thereunto belonging After the
decease of her mother Item more I give to my daughter Annes one Coverlinge? which her
one mother boath and one bell brasse potte & a midell Coatell with one taiste? & to paire
of pothangeres And all these saide goodes ?which I give to my daughter Anne Mathew my
?meaning is that Annes my wife her mother shall have the use of it during the terme of her
liffe provided Allso if it shall happen (fold in paper)
that my sonne William Mathew shall have them After the decease of Annes my wife (fold in paper)
more I give to my sone William Mathew all my dettes which is owinge to me in Allfriston
uppon bonde bill or boocks namely one bonde of John Paxton which he standeth bownde to me
to paye fortie shillings yearlie mensoned in the bonde for five yeres And all the Reste of
my goodes and Chatteles & moveabell goodes whatsoever I give unto Annes my wife

whome I make my hole
Executrix of this my Laste will and Testament Item my mind is that George Mathew
and Richard Mathew & William Mathew shal be my Overseres of this my last will
and teastament the which I give to other of them three shillings fower pence apiece
further more my will and minde is that at my funerall or buriall that my Executrix
shall give me Asarmant? paying to the preacher 10 s In witness hereof I sete
my hand & seale in the presence of

Item my minde and will is that Annes my wiffe shall have twentie poundes of the
said Thomas Mathew and Annes Mathew twentie poundes more within one month
to be paide to either of them after my Departure? which is dew to me upon
bonde?

David T…sser By me John Mathew

[Transcribed by Helen Hartley July 2017]

• Marriage Licence, 5 Mar 1635/36, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7, GB. ¹

• Probate, 13 Apr 1637, London, GB. ³ Probatum fuit testamentum suprascriptum apud London coram venerabili viro domino Henrico Marten milite legum Doctore Curie Prerogative Cantuariensis Magistri Custodis sive Commissario legitime constituto Decimo tertio die mensis Aprilis Anno Domini Millesimo Sexcentesimo tricesimo septimo Juramentis Thome Mathewe et Thome Alchorne executorum in huiusmodi testamento nominat Quibus commissa fuit administratio omnium et singulorum bonorum iurium et creditorum dicti defuncti de bene et fideliter administrando eadem ad sancta sei Evangelia coram Magistro Georgio Bunyard clerico vigore Commissionis in ea parte als emanat iurat


[Transcribed by Rosie Ansell January 2016]

• Occupation: butcher, 15 Mar 1636/37. ³

• Will, 22 May 1658. ² In the name of God Amen I
Thomas Mathew being sick & weak but yet of perfect memorie
doe make my Last will and testament in manner and forme as
followeth: First I bequeath my Soul into ye handes of Almightie God my
Creator and my bodie to be buried the Churchyard at St Michaels
& my estate in manner and forme as followeth that is to saie my dwell
ing house wherein I now live the Orchard and barne with all the
appertenances thereunto belonging I doe desire by my will to be sold to the
best Advantage for the paiement of all my debts credits And for this
end I doe nominate & appoint John Scotson and John Mathew of Denton my kins-
man Thomas Diggons of Lewes to be feoffees in Trust to sell my Tenements afore-
said to paie all my debts or debets and to returne ye overplus to Ellinor Mathew
my onlie childe whom I appoint Executrix to this my last Will Also my
will meaning is that the profit or Interest of all yt which shall remaine my
debts being first paid to be for the maintenance of my Loving wife Ellenor Mathew
and also my moveables what shalbe though by my Overseers or feoffees best and
most Convenient by them to be sold or turned into monie for the good of my wife
& child I leave to them and to their discretion. This being my last will & testament
for the Confirming hereof I set my Hand and Seal: Thomas Mathew Dated
Maie two and twentieth One Thousand Six Hundred Fiftie eight in presence
of Sealed signed and declared in the presence of Tho Mathews Junior Edward
Fitzherbert Junior

[Transcribed by Helen Hartley]

• Probate, 26 Aug 1658, London, GB. ² This will was proved at London the
Six and twentieth daie of August One Thousand Six Hundred Fiftie
Eight Before the Judges for probate of wills and grannting Administra-
tions lawfullie authorised By the oath of Ellinor the daughter and sole
Executrix named in the said will To whom was Committed Administracion
of all and singular the goods Chattels and debts of the said deceased She being
first sworne by Commission first sworne surelie Administer the same

[Transcribed by Helen Hartley]

Thomas married Elizabeth Faulkner on 8 Feb 1637/38 in All Saints' Church, Friar's Walk, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 2LE, GB.¹ (Elizabeth Faulkner died before 28 Jul 1637 and was buried on 28 Jul 1637 in St. Michael's Church, High Street, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 1XU, GB ¹.)

Thomas next married Eleanor FitzHerbert on 8 Feb 1637/38 in All Saints' Church, Friar's Walk, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 2LE, GB.¹ (Eleanor FitzHerbert died before 6 Nov 1683 and was buried on 6 Nov 1683 in St. Michael's Church, High Street, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 1XU, GB ¹.)

• Marriage Licence, 7 Feb 1637/38, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7, GB. ¹