In the name of God Amen the seventeth daye of September Anno domini millesimo sexcentesimo secundo and in the foure and fortithe yeare of the raigne of our soveraigne Ladye Elizabeth by the grace of God of England, France and Ireland Queene defender of the Faithe &c I Phillippe Jones late of London mercer, and one of the company of marchante adventurers, but nowe of the parishe of Lanarthe in the Countie of Monmothe being whole in bodye and of good and perfecte mynde and memory (laude and praise be geven to Allmightie God, and yet calling to mynde the frayle and shorte time of mans life, and howe certen, and sure deathe is, and yet the hower and tyme thereof most uncerten, doo make, ordaine, publishe and declare this my laste will and testamente in maner and forme following. That is to saie, First and principally I geve and comend my soule into ye handes of Allmightie God the Father, sonne and holy Ghoste, hoping and most assuredly beleeving by the precious deathe and bloudsheding of the second person in Trynitie Jesus Christe to have sure remission and forgevenes of all my synnes, and to be saved, my bodie I bequeathe to the earthe decentlie to be buried without any pompe or vaine glory in the parishe Churche of Llanarthe in the Countie of Monmothe where I am a parishioner. Item I will that all the debts as I owe at the tyme of my deathe shalbe satisfied and paide to the uttermost penny whiche any waie in righte and conscience can be justly demanded. Item I geve devise and bequeathe unto my cozin William Jones sonne and heire apparent of my brother John Jones of Treowen in the County of Monmothe Esquire all those my mannors of Hendre obeth? and Llanarthe with the Royaltie of Llaniseryn and Llanvapley with all and every their rightes members and appurtenances as much as to the same belongeth or in any wise appertayneth to me the said Phillippe Jones (viz) as well all those lands and tenements, meadowes, leasues, pastures, woodds and under woods whiche I hadd and purchased of Thomas Morgan of Tredegre in the Countie of Monmothe Esquire, as allso all and singular those landes, tenements, meadowes, leasues, pastures, woodds and underwoods whiche late I hadd purchased of Anthony Morgan of Llanvihangell Killcorny in the said Countie of Monmothe Esquire. To have and to hould the said mannors Royalties, herryable, proffitts, and comodities, landes, tenements, meadowes, leasues, pastures, woods and under woods with all and singular every of their rights, members and aoourtenances whatsoever unto him the said Willm Jones his heires and assignes for ever. Item I geve, devise and bequeathe unto my said cozin Willm Jones all those my severall houses, barnes, buyldings, edifices, gardens, orchards, lands, tentes, meadowes, leasues, pastures, woodds, underwoodds with all and singular their appurtenances wch I late had and purchased to me my heires and assignes of the severall gifts and graunts Willm Thomas David als Jones, David John Morris, and John David Lewellen seytuat, sett lieing or being within the severall parishes of Llanarthe and Bringwyn or elswhere within the Countie of Monmothe to have and to hould the said houses, barnes, edifices, gardens, orchards, lands, tenements, meadowes, leasues, pastures, woods and underwoods with all and singular their rights, members and appurtenances unto him the said Willm Jones his heires and assignes for ever. Item I geve and bequeathe unto the Burgesses and inhabitants of the Towne of Aburgaveny in the Countie of Monmothe twoo hundred marcks of good and lawefull money of England for and towards the erecting, making and buylding of a decent and comely markett house in the said Towne of Aburgaveny by the worshipfull magistrates, Bailiff and chief Officers of the same Towne after the maner of the Markett house in Monmothe by me erected and buylte. The same twoo hundred marcks to be payde within fower yeares nexte after my decease. And on condicon that the better sorte of the magistrates, Bailiffs & chief Officers of the said Towne of Aburgaveny for the tyme being doe and shall firste enter onto bond in the some of fower hundred marcks to my executor hereafter named to erecte and buyld the same marckett house within twoo yeares nexte after the payement and receipte of the same twoo hundred marcks. And in case the better sorte of the magistrates, bayliffs, burgesses, and chief officers for the tyme being of the said Towne of Aburgaveny shall, or do refuse to enter into bond to my executor hereafter named in the said some of fowre hundred marcks to cause the same markett house to be there erected and buylte in maner and forme aforesaid by me herein declared within the space of twoo yeares next after payement of the same twoo hundred marcks, then my will and very minde is that the said inhabitants and Burgeses of the said Towne of Aburgaveny shall not take any benifytt or comoditie of this my devise or bequeste any thing before devised, or bequeathed to the contrary in any wise not with standing. Item I geve devise and bequeathe unto the manor and Bailiffs of the Towne of Monmoth in ye Countie of Monmoth to their successors mayors and bayliffs of the same Towne of monmothe for ever the annuall or yearley rente of all my landes and tenements purchased by me of Charles Harberte of Bayliepitte in the Countie of Monmothe, gent, amounting to sixe score pounds. And in case the said the said Charles Herberte doe redeeme the same landes at Candlemas nexte comeng after the date hereof, then my will and minde is, that the same sixe score poundes be answered and payde to the mayor and bayliffs of the sayde Towne of Monmothe for the tyme being to be by them and their cobrethren bestowed to purchase so muche lands as they convenyently can get for the said sixe score poundes for and towerds the freeing of all & every person and persons at all tymes passing thoroughe monowe bridge gate, or in the Towne of Monmothe thoroughe or in at monowe bridge gate comeng or going to the Towne of Monmothe with any cattells or caryages whatsoever towle free the tyme of fayre eves and fayre dayes houlden with in the said Towne of Monmothe onely excepted so as no towle at all be taken uppon any marckett daye at any time hereafter for passing in or thoroughe monow bridge gate as aforesaid with any cattell or cariages aforesaid (excepte before excepted). And allso my will and very mynde is that some parte of the annuall or yearely proffytte of the sixe score pounds comeng or arising thereby shalbe for ever hereafter allowed and bestowed uppon the repairs of the markett house or Towne hall of the Towne of Monmothe yearley for ever when and as often as need shall require at the discretion and dyrection of the mayor and bayliffs of the Towne of Monmothe for the tyme being. And whereas allso the said Charles Herberte is to paye in redeemption of the same landes eighteene poundes besides the said sixe score poundes at Candlemas (as aforesaid) wherefore my will and very mynde is that my said cozin Willm Jones shall have and receave to him the said Willm Jones the said eighteene poundes. And if defaulte shalbe made of the payement of the same sixe score and eighteene poundes by the said Charles Herberte in manner and form aforesaid in redemption of the same landes, then my very will and mynde is that my said cozin Willm Jones his heires and assignes for ever shall and maye have, hould, occupie and enioye so muche of the same lands as is worthe eighteene poundes to be sould for the fee simple thereof. Provided nevertheles in case the mayor and bailiffs of the Towne of Monmothe for the time doo not or shall not grante for them and their successors mayors and bailiffs for ever hereafter the towle of the said monowe bridge gate to any person or persons comyng or passing in or thoroughe the same gate to the said Towne of Monmothe towle free with any manner of cattells or cariages without taking of any maner of towle for the same (excepte before excepted) , that then the mayor and bayliffs of the said Towne of Monmothe for the tyme being shall not take any benifytt of this my bequeste, any thing before in this my present testament contayned or declared to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding. Item I doe geve and bequeathe towerds the amending and repayring of Diginstowes bridge and the paving and amending of the highe waies from the Churche of Trergaer unto the said bridge of Dignestowe, and from thence to the Towne of Monmothe where need requires for the amending of the same waies, and Dignestowes bridge aforesaid the some of fiftie poundes of lawefull money of England in maner and forme following (viz) Thirtie poundes thereof to be for and towerds the reparacons of Dignestowe bridge aforesaid, and twentie poundes residue of the said some of fiftie poundes to be for and towards the reparacons of the highe waies sforesaid, and the same fiftie poundes to be paide by tenne pounds a yeare nexte after my decease by my executor hereafter named untill the same fiftie poundes be fully satified and paide. Item I geve and bequeathe unto all my houshoulde servants bothe men and mayde servants over and above their wages fortye shillings a peece in readye money as many as shall be then found in my service at the tyme of my deathe. And unto Johan Jones my maide servante I geve and bequeathe to her twentie nobles of good and lawfull money of England, or the insre? value thereof in good kyne as maye be worthe that money. Item I geve and bequeathe to the poore people within the Towne of Monmothe fortye shillings of lawefull money of England. Item I geve and bequeathe to the poore people of the parishe of Wonastowe twenty shillings. Item I geve and bequeathe to the poore people of the parishe of Dignestowe twentie shillings. Item I geve and bequeathe to the poore of the parishe of Tregaer twentie shillings. I geve and bequeathe to the poore of the parishe of Llanarthe twentye shillings. Item I geve and bequeath to the poore people of the parishe of Bringwin twentye shillings. Item I geve and bequeathe to the poore people of the parishe of Llangattock iuxta Uske twentie shillings. The same severall somes of money to be bestowed at my buryall or ymedyatly after by the discretion and dyrection of the overseers of this my laste will hereafter named. Item I geve and bequeathe to Willm Roberts, gent, nowe mayor of Monmoth my nexte best furred gowne. Item I geve and bequeathe to Willm Fortune my best furred gowne. Item I geve and bequeathe to the nowe Vicar of the parishe Churche of Llanarthe aforesaid twentie shillings for and towerds the making of three sermons, whereof one sernon shalbe made at my buryall, and the other twoo sermons within shorte tyme after. Item I doo hereby forgeve and release my brother John Jones of Treowen Esqire of all debts, dueties and demanndes whatsoever. Item I geve, devise and bequeathe to my said cozen Willm Jones twoo lytle meadowes lieng or being within the parishe of Llanarthe aforesaid whiche John Phillippe, Powell Willyam sold to George Watkyns of the said parishe of Llanarthe, and whiche twoo meadowes the same George hathe undertaken and promised to reassure? And convey back to me and to my assignes. To have and to houlde the same twoo meadowes unto my said cozin Willm Jones his heires and assignes for ever. Item I do doo appointe overseers of this my laste will and testament my brother John Jones of Treowen, and my cozen Moore Gwillims of Monmothe whom I doo hereby desire and chardge to see my wife Jone maynetayned decentlie and comely wanting nothing, with meate drynck and lodging & all other things necessary or belonging to her degree or calling so long as shee liveth. The rest and residue of all and singular my goods, cattelles, chattelles, jewells, and plate moveable and unmoveable in whose hands, possession, or custodye, the same nowe are or remayneth I geve and bequeathe the same goods, cattells, chattells, jewells, and plate whatsoever to my said cosen Willm Jones his executors and assignes for ever. And I doo hereby constitute noiate and appointe my said cosen Willm Jones to be my sole executor of this my laste will and testamt. In wytnes whereof I have hereunto subcrybed my name and sette my seale yeoven the daye and yeare firste above wrytten. Phillipp Jones

Wytnesses at the sealing and delyvery hereof Thomas Jones, Clarck, Vicar of Llanarthe, Charles Jones, Hughe Evans, James Gunter, Willm Fortune

(Latin) Proved in London 20 April 1603 jurisdiction to John Price, Public Notary for William Jones, executor named in the testament

Transcribed from a photocopy by Dave Woolven, 2 Aspen Way, Malpas Park, Newport, South Wales. NP20 6LB Tel 01633 858 359 1 January 2001