Aldous, Robert (1478)|K27Y-MFS,KPW4-3GH
The earliest known record of the ROBERT ALDOUS born about 1479, is dated 1500, when he was apparently of age and named with his father, WILLIAM ALDOUS, in a deed by which they received property from his grandfather, THOMAS WARNER, property in Fressingfield, where they already resided. In 1502 another gift-deed includes ROBERT'S mother JOHAN (JOAN). There is also a 1518 deed about ROBERT and his parents deeding property to ROBERT'S brother THOMAS.
ROBERT, his father and brothers THOMAS and RICHARD appear on a tax list (subsidy) of 1524. In 1528 ROBERT and his daughter JOHAN (JOAN)are named in ROBERT'S father's will.
ROBERT and ELIZABETH had at least seven children; that number grew to adulthood and there could have been others who died young.
ROBERT'S will is dated 4 April 1558 and he calls himself ROBERT ALDOUS the elder of Fressingfelde. He had fairly extensive land holdings and probably lived comfortably.
In his Will his first concern is for his wife. "I will and geve to ELIZABETH my wiffe all my lands and Tenements bothe Free and bonde. Except onlye my Tenement with the lands belonginge therunto called Gorhams together with all my milche keene horses mares geldyings and Colts with all my howsholde stuffe Corne and other movables from the Feaste of Seynt Michaell the archangell next after my decease unto the end ¦and terme of ¦three years."
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This bequest has one condition, which is "That my sayd wiffe do not Labour traveyle go or ryde out of the sayd towne of Fresingfelde. And after the sayd terme of three yeres expired then I will that my sayd wiffe shall have the parlor and the chamber over the parlor in the sayd howse for terme of he naturall liffe together and the Browernewith the soller over the same. And to have the easment of the chymneyin the olde hall and the easment of the Oven in the Backhowse when and as often as she will duringe hir liffe. And also I Will that ELIZABETH my wiffe shall have halfe the Frute growynge of and upon the Tenement and land the whiche I have geven unto my sonne WILLIAM together with the goynge or pasture and sufficient wynter meate for foure mylche keene in the lands which I shall geve hereafter heryn to my sonne WILLIAM with the said howse.
Additionally ROBERT requests that ELIZABETH, since she will have the family home, accept the responsibility of "keping the with hospitalitye and sufferinge my sonnes suche as be singlemen to have the newe chamber in the howse wherin I now dwell duringe the tyme that they be single and unmaryed." Later in the will WILLIAM, JOHN and ROBERT are said to be unmarried. Also ELIZABETH is to have "all her Apparrell ornaments and Jowells belongynge to her bodye."
After the said term of three years son WILLIAM is to receive for his own "my Tenement wherin I nowe dwell called Bournys with all suche lands as be nexte adyoininge and belonginge. And also my horse mylle with the stones and other Appurtenances therunto belonginge. Except the sayd parlor and Chamber for terme of my wyves liffe. And after the decease I will the same parlor and Chamber shall remayne to my sayd sonne William. In addition to Bourneys WILLIAM is after the three years, to receive "my Close called Bardenes in Fressingfield aforesaid and all that my Tenement some tyme buylded called Cotwyns with all the land therunto belonginge. Except twoo peces percell of the same hereafter geven to my other sonnes."
For the privilege of inheriting the specified lands, ROBERT requests certain obligations of WILLIAM all after he comes into possession.
The first is that he shall pay his mother an "Annuytue or yerlye Rente" of thirty-three shillings three pence. The second is that he shall, "duringe the naturall liffe of my sayd wiffe delyver or cause to be delyvered foure Combes of good wheate and fyve Combes of good malte readye grounde in good pure meale to bake and brewe. The said meale to be delivered every weeke. A quantytye theof as my sayd wiffe shall have nede to have and occupye theof. Also he should within three monethes next after the sayd terme of three yeres expyred and ended make or cause to be made in the tresens betwene the hall and the parlor in the howse wherin I nowe dwell, for a quyetnes betwene my sayd wiffe and my sayd sonne A payre of Steyreswith a Dore goynge out of the sayd hall up into the Chamber over the sayd hall.
Son THOMAS was already married and to him his father gave, "Imedyatlye after my decease all that my Tenement calle Gorhams with all the lands belongynge therunto lyenge and beynge in Wetingham (a hamlet in Fressingfield). Also at the end of the terme of the sayd three yeres the greater parte or parcell of my Closse called Bellyswale Closse asit ys devyeded and severed with and hedge lyeinge next unto Chchisclosse Fyndinge halfe the deade Fence devydinge the same Close."
To son JOHN, RORERT bequeaths " at the end of the sayd three yeres all that my medowe called Chepenhale Grene medowe withe thapprentennces conteynyngee by estymacon two Acres be yt more or lesse. And the two gardyn plotts next adyoyninge to the sayd medowe, parcell of the whiche sayd medowe was and ys parcell of the sayd tenement Cotwyns before excepted. And my medowe conteynynge be estymation halfe and Acre be yt more or less with the appurtenances as yt lyethe next the medowe of my brother THOMAS ALDOUS the elder called the Brydge medowe. And also all that my Close lyenge nexte the olde parke conteynynge by estymacon fyve Acres be yt more or lesse. All that aprt of the woode called Bellisuale woode conteynynge xxtie Acres together with the sponge lyenge up to Billisuale Closse lyenge next unto the pightellsof JOHN OWLES FYNDYNGE together halfe of deade Fence devydinge this his parte from the foresayd parte before geven to my sayd sonne THOMAS.
Son ROBERT is to have "at the end of the sayd terme of three yeres allmy Closse called Carlowe with the appurtenances and all that my Clossewith appurtenances called Androcks fylde with a little medowe therunto adjoyning called Geenes medowe conteynynge by estymacyon one Acre beyt ore or lesse whiche sayd medowe was and ys another parte or pece belongynge to the Tenement Cotwyns before excepted and halfe and acre of land called Wallys Slade and also one Acre of land lyenge in the parke Closse in Fressingfield.
There were three daughters in the family. Two of them were married before ROBERT made his will. They, AGNES BARBOR and JOHAN FOXE, were bequeathed four marks each. The unmarried daugher, ALICE was to receive twenty marks "to be payd to her at the daye of her marryage orelles when she shall be of the age of xxxtie yeres at whiche of the said tymes shall happen sonest. Three years following her father's decease ALICE was to receive "four mylche keen."
After the same three years JOHN and ROBERT are required to payannities to their mother ELIZABETH. JOHN'S amount is twenty shillings and ROBERT'S is thirteen shillings four pence.
If the sons fail to live up to the requirements their father makes of them their mother can "entre into all my lands and tenements and everye parcell thereofand there leade, dryve, carye awaye with her orher assignes to deteyne and kepe untill my sayd wiffe or her assignes shall be of the sayd Anuyties or yerelye Rents and the sayd wheat and malte and evry parte of them and the arragements of the same until she shall be fullye contented satifyed and payd. At the end of the three years, when ELIZABETH is to give up the property, ROBERT provides that she should have "my graye mare and foure of the beste of my keene to be taken at her choyse." At the same time daughter ALICE and sons WILLIAM, THOMAS, JOHN and ROBERT are to each receive 'foure mylche keene." Additionally WILLIAM is to have" my bay mare," JOHN "my blaacke Colte," and ROBERT "my graye balde Colte." Then, too, half of the household stuff that ELIZABETH had been using is "to be taken and parted in differentlie." The "other halfe of my howsholde stuffe" is to be parted and devyded evenlye amongeste sons WILLIAM, JOHN, and ROBERT, and daughter ALICE.
The will concludes with, "The resydue of all my goods, cattells, moneye, plate, corne, and movables not afore geven and bequeathed I putt them to the disposycon of my executors whom I ordeyne and appoynte my wiffe, WILLIAM, and JOHN my sonnes they to paye my debts and performe thewith this my laste will and Testament and honestlye to burye me.
In 1558 their daughter AGNES, the widow of ROBERT BARBOR, prepared her will in which she names her brothers THOMAS ALLDOWES AND JOHN ALDOWES as well as her children.
Two and a half years after preparing his will ROBERT died. He was buried at Fressingfield in 1559. Undoubtedly his wishes were carried out, with mother, daughter and sons living at Bourneys and carrying on the farm tasks much as before. Two years later the daughter ALICE died, and after three years the sons came into their possessions.
(It would be interesting to find out if the property still exists and if the staircase and rooms were divided as directed in the will.)
ELIZABETH wrote her will on 4th April 1566 and is quite specific about what she gives to her heirs. These were sons: WILLIAM, THOMAS, JOHN, ROBERT, daughter JOHAN, and grandchildren: ELIZABETH ALDOWES, FRAUNCES ALDOWES, and JOHN ALDOWES. (No mention seems to have been made to who were the parents of these children.)
Cash bequests total thirty-seven pounds five shillings. Of furniture she mentions two beds, including "my posted bed, with one featherbed, one bolster, one paire of shets and one paire of blanketts, one coveringe and two pillowes and my trundlebed that I lye in with a fetherbed, one bolster, one payre of blanketts, one paire of shets and one coveringe."
Bed linen given separately from beds consists of two pillows, two beares (Pillowcases), four pairs of sheets and "my red saye bedcloth."Two table are listed a "rownde" one, as well as the "table and form(bench) in the hall."
Her four sons are to receive a table clothe each. Other pieces offurniture named are a 'greate hutche," a red coffer, a black coffer, and two chairs. Quite a number of household containers, untensils, and dairy inplements are named. The following were probably all used at the fireplace: "my spete and Aundiron, my latten ladle, and my keatle callled Abbotts keatle, my fire pane, and my gridiron and also my tongs." Dishes include "fyve greate pewtre platters, two saseers, achafing dishe, three pewter Dishes, and fowre porrengers. Probably used in the preparation of food were these items: "little brasse potte, greate brasse potte, greate keatle, copper keatle, keatlecalled tynkers deatle, two eared brasse pane, latche pan, spicemorter, frienge pan."
The dairy and other outbuilding likely are wher the majority of the next items were kept and used: "lesser brasse mylke pans, greate brasse pane, litle brasse mylk pan, great caldron, newe mylke tubbe, saltinge trough, one litle keler (a keeler is a broad shallow tub),great keler, flitch, (probably indicating made of laminated pieces of wood) trough, charne, great sallowin boule, two great fatts, (vatts)one greate printe, one breade, laver, litle starte pane, brewenge tubbe, chese press, rest of my small fatts not before gyven." Some of these items were obviously used in the brewery, called the Browerne in ROBERT'S will.
ELIZABETH also bequeathed a candlestick and of personal items, "corall beades, a silde hatte, a red mentyll, a black mentyll, and ttwelveyard kerchers (kerchiefs)." For working in flax and wool are the" hickle (hackle) and three "towe combes." Three of ELIZABETH'S heirs were to receive a "mylche cowe" each. She also gives specific family members her "plowe cheynes, a carte rope and all my planke and borde."
To the disposition of her Executors ELIZABETH gave "all the reste of my goods bequeathed bothe corne and haye and other my goods, cattalls, implements, untensills, howsholde stuffe, and moveables." With the provision "that if my seid sones or doughter or anie of them shall stryve againste my executors and not be contentid with the reasonable parting of theise my goods before gyven and bequeathed then I will that he she or theye shall not have anie part of theeise my goods gyven hym and them before."
ELIZABETH lived for ten more years, her will being probated 11 April 1576.
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