Life History

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• Will of Lewis Dyson of Bradley 3rd May 1580
  
  Probate was granted on this will in 1583 by the PCC- Perogative Court of Canterbury. Few wills were administered in this way, usually wills of rich, notable people. The original will, held at Somerset House in London was destroyed by them, due to "lack of space."  However the following will extracts were microfilmed before destruction. A Yeoman is a freeholder of land, a farmer with a large acreage or a major tenant rather than a freeholder.;
  
  I Lewis Dison of Bradley in the County and Diocese of Worcester, Yeoman.
  To be buried within the Chapel of Bradley 5/8d to be given to the Chapel for burial expenses.
  
  Item;To Margery, my wife, £10. Also to Margery, my wife, my featherbed with bolster, pillow, blanket and covering. Also 6 milk kyne upon condition that before and at the delivery of them she enter into bond obligation to my executors, or to one of them, in the sum of £20 to leave and give, at her decease, 3 good milk kyne to Henry Hunt, her son, and other 3 milk kyne that be good to Francis Dison, my son.
  
  Item;Mortimers Coppice, purchased from Antony Borne, lying and being within the Parish of Inkberrow, Worcestershire, now in the occupation of one Margaret Freeman and Francis her son, one of the appertenances, that is to say, that nest to the house and where one John Prentice now dwelleth, I give and bequeath to John Dison, my son, and to his heirs and assigns for ever. The other of the said pasture with appertanances, that is say that next to the house where one Richard Leyte now dwelleth, I give and bequeath to Francis Dison, my son, and to his heirs and assigns for ever.
  
  Item;To sons John and Francis, "all his woods", including 5 coppices in the Parish of Hanbury. Both sons to get an annuity of £4 a piece, to be paid out of all other of my lands by my son, Henry Dison
  
  Item;To Henry and Lewis, children of Henry Dison a yearling heifer.
  
  Item;To my G/son Richard Hobdays children 5/- each.
  
  Item;To Anne Cook wife of William Cook of Bromsgrove one sheep.
  
  Item;To William Barrett, my servant, a sheep.
  
  Item;To Robert Stephens, my servant, a sheep.
  
  Item;To Alyce Willett, my servant 20/-.
  
  Item;To Judith and Allyson, my two servant maids 20d each.
  
  Item;I give £6 to the poor, and that one quarter of wheat to be baked into bread with sufficient to be distributed among my friends and neighbours.
  Overseers of the Will;  Mister Thomas Savage and my brother John Fincher and my son in law Nicholas Hobday
  
  Witnesses;Thomas Wakeman, Clerk
  Walter Rosse
  Richard Wharton
  William Cook
  
  Note on the will by transcriber;  To put this will into perspective we should remember that Margery was the second wife of Lewis Dyson who seemingly had no offspring by her. She had undoubtedly been the widow of Robert Hunt who had made his will in 1558 making his wife, Margery, his executor. Lewis left four sons William, James (aka John) Francis and Henry and three daughters, the last three sons and the three girls were all minors and in their mothers care. In calling John Fincher his brother suggests that Margery was born a Fincher. The three milk kyne that Lewis Dison left to Henry Hunt were left to her youngest son. Nicholas Hobdale had married Margaret (aka Margery) daughter of Lewis Dyson and by whom she had a son Lewis Hobday who married Dorothy the next younger sister of Bridget Hunt, who was baptised at Bradley in 1572, the marriage taking place in 1592. I can only assume that Richard Hobday was another son of Nicholas and therefore a grandson of Lewis Dison. Thomas Wakeman, Clerk, was the Parson of Bradley and probably the scribe who wrote the will; the Parish Priest usually performed this role.