John Whetcombe of Shirborne, Dorset, mercer, dated 2 May 1598, prov. 22 Sept. 1598 (PCC 76 Lewyn)

To the parish Church there for and towards the reparations of the same. To Francis Scarlett, minister there. To the Free Gammar School there. To the Alms house and to the poor of Shirborne. My two hired servants and my apprentice Mellige. Elizabeth my wife shall have my tenements and dwelling house &c. that I bought of John Frye, with that parcel of land adjoining which I brought of Philip Manfield, during her natural life. And she shall enjoy my lease that I bought of Sir Walter Rawleighe, knight, for the term of thirty years &c.. Other leases. To my son RobertWhetcombe my lands and tenements in Trent, Somerset, he to allow out of said lands, to my son John, his brother, six pounds a year for twenty one years. I give Robert also my dwelling house &c. in Shirborne. He shall have to apprentice my son Joseph for seven years. To my son John my lands and tenements in Ackerman Street, Shirborne. To son Samuel (after the decease of my wife Elizabeth) my lease which I bought of Sir Walter Raleighe, knight, &c.

Item, I give and bequeath unto my son Symon, immediately after the decease of Elizabeth my wife, all that my lease of Westcome and Spargrove, lying and being in the parish of Batcombe in the County of Somerset, ....... and also the sum of fourscore pounds to be paid him at his age of one and twenty years. To my daughter Jane my lease of Beare Mill in the parish of Beere Haggat in the county of Dorset and one hundred pounds at her day of marriage, if she shall marry with the consent and good liking of her mother and my overseers. My brother Thomas Whetcombe's children, which be four in number, shall have twenty shillings apiece at the age of twenty one, i.e. Thomas, Edmond, Christian and John. Provisions against death of any of the sons without issue male &c. Wife Elizabeth to be sole executrix and Mr. William Mewe, my brother Hugh Whetcombe, my brother Edmond Lane and John Stoite to be overseers.

1. Robert Whetcombe of Sherborne, Dorset, gent./merchant - M. Mary Allen , dau. of John Allen and Dorothy Smithes ( Somerset Visitations 1623, p.2) Dorchester Adventurer

2. John Whetcombe

3. Joseph Whetcombe

4. Samuel Whetcombe - M. Alice Audrye, 26 June 1615, Taunton, St. Mary Magdalene

6. Jane Whetcombe

Children:

1. Dorothy Whetcombe - M. Jacob Avery of Mells, Somerset, son of William Avery and Ann Irish. ( Somerset Visitations 1623, p. 3).

2. Christian Whetcombe - M. Edward Barnard, son of John Barnard and Margaret _______(Somerset Visitations 1623, p. 6)

3. Joan Whetcombe - John Barnard , son of John Barnard and Margaret ______(Somerset Visitations 1623, p. 6)

To Robert Lane, son of my brother Robert, all my messuages &c. in Sherborne. George, another of my brother Robert's sons, at twenty four. Timothy Lane, another (to be apprentice in London). Mary Lane daughter of my said brother Robert. Anne Lane, another of his daughters. To Thomas Whetcomb, son of my brother in law Thomas Whetcomb, ten pounds, at his age of twenty and four years and if he happen to decease before he to that age then to his brethren. To Joseph Harris, son of Alice Harris ten pounds at four and twenty. Edmond Whetcomb, another son of the said Thomas Whetcomb.

To these preachers following, viz Mr. Rowse, Mr. Crane, Mr. Wilinson, Mr. Hanley and Mr. Forwoode, forty shillings to be divided amongst them by even portions. I do freely forgive and remit unto John Yarde, Alice Harris, Anne Cooke and Edmond Harris all such debts as they or either of them do owe me. The residue to Alice my wife whom I ordain and make my full and sole executrix. And my will and desire is that Hugh Whetcomb, Thomas Strowde, William Mewe, Richard Cowth, John Stoyt and Robert Whetcombe shall be mine overseers.

Commission issued 30 Oct. 1627 to Robert Lane, nephew by the brother of the deceased, to administer the goods &c. not fully administered by Alice lately relict and executrix, now deceased

17 Sept. 1629. Taunton Magdalene. Office of the lord [bishop] against Robert Whetcombe, 'that the last daie of Julie 1629 hee held a fast or conventicle in his chamber with diver others with him, of which companie was Thomas Musgrove of Riston [i.e. Ruishton], and one [blank] Baker of Cheddon, who came togeather immediatelie after the sermon in the forenoone and continewed theare untill neere about six of the clock in the afternoone.'

He answered [on 18 Sept. 1629 at the Three Cups, later the County Hotel of Taunton] 'that hee and divers others of severall families mett togeather about six weeks since in this respondents howse, and did theare doe exercises of religion amongst themselves contrarie to the lawes of this realme.

Thomas Musgrove of Riston nr. Taunton

John Baker of Chedon for same.'

Inventory of Dorothy Whetcombe of Taunton St. James, sworn 20 July 1629, total 39 pounds 1s 2d.

19 Mar. 1629/30 Holway Hundred. Dorothy Whetcombe for 2 1/2 acres meadow of overland called Waterslade in the tithing of Holway, formerly of Thomas Pope and late of Thomas Whetcombe, by grant of Johane Whetcombe, widow, her mother, on condition that the said Johane Whetcombe have and hold the same for her life. Refers 18 James I [1620/21]