In the name of God hereafter followeth the last Will and testament of William Bonde, Alderman of London; written the xxth daye of October, 1574.

In the name of God. I Wyllyam Bond, Alderman of London, being of perfecte mynde and good remembraunce, doe make my last Wyll and Testament in manner and forme following. - ffyrst, I bequeathe my sowle unto Allmightie God, not-withestanding though I be an offendor, verie gre-uous, yet nowe repenting, and bewaylinge my wyckednes, yelding my self wholly to his mercie, do not mistrust but stedfastly do beleue that he shall receaue me according to his promisses, not for any worthines of my owne parte, but onely for the worthy meritte of his owne and onelye sonne my sauiour and only redemer Jesus Christe, who for my synnes hath suffred death uppon the Crosse, and for my wyckednes hath shedd his most precious blood. In this faith and belefe I committe my sowle unto the liuinge God; and my uyle bodye to the yearth, when and where yt shall please God to call me, at his most pleasure out of this worlde. Secondarely, I bequeath to my welbe-loued wief, according to the custome of the Cittie, the thirde parte of my substance: the other thirde part to my children; to say, Daniell Bond, William Bond, Nicholas Bond, and Martyn Bond. And forasmuch as my sonne William Whytmore hath with my daughter a thousande pounde of money sterling, my promyse ys that each of my children hauing so moche, then my daughter Whytmore to haue as the rest of my children shall haue, resenting my heire, unto whom and to my other three sonnes I giue and bequeath my place, garden and Tenemente thereunto belonging, and that the suruiuor of them shall enjoye yt, and so the heires of their bodyes for euer. Item, my mynde ys that my wief shall continewe there and joyntly contin-ewe in the trade of marchandise.

And if my wife do continue a Widow, then I give her two hundreth pounde of my parte and poroon (portion); yf she refuse yt and marrye, then yf the lawe will permitte yt, my mynde ys she shall departe out of that mansyon howse, lest that by marrying of such a one shall defeate my sonnes of the said place. Item, I bequeathe and giue to my louing brother George Bond the some of two hundreth pounde, and to each Childe of his, at the daye of their manage, twentie marke a pece. Item, I bequeath to John Howghe two hundreth poundes of money. Item, I bequeath to Symon Bow reman a hundreth marke. Item, to Thomas Marwell, Walter Ead, John Auster, Richard Thompson, Valentyne Palmer, Richard Flox, Fraunce Tyrrell, Symon Smyth, Andrew fforsland, to each of them fortie poundes of lawful money a peoe. Item, to my other seruannte, as Desy, the purser, Abraham Kynge, Jeffery, William Randall, Thomas Pottell, John Grenc, twenty nobles a pece. And each of all my seruannte to haue black cloath for gownes or cloake, and they that haue fortie pounde a pece to haue a ringe of gold of fortie shillinge a pece, and my name written on yt. So God blesse them all. Yf there be any more that maye perchaunce come to my semice, I give them also twenty nobles. I say six pounde thirtene shillinge foure pence a pece. And to Besse, my mayde, one hundreth pounde to her manage: to the rest of my mayde twentie nobles a pece. Item, to William Godwyn, fiue marke. Item, to each of my Cosyn Turke children, twentie nobles a pece, to be paid at the day of their mariage, so as they marrye with their parente goodwill. Item, I give to each of them, I saye, my cosyn Turke and his wief two blacke gownes, and two ringe of fortie shillinge a pece. Item, I bequeath to my sonne Whytmore and daughter, two blacke gownes, and two ringe of fortie shillinge a pece. Item, to my daughter children, fortie pounde a pece, that are lining at the hower of my deathe, to he paid at their manage. Item, I bequeath to my syster Catharyne Palmer twentie marke, and to each of her children fine marc a pece. Item, I bequeath to Walter Welkome children, and William Jefforde children, and Crede children, that they had by my three Sisters, fine marke a pece. Item, to Mother Wuluer and John Dyer, fortie shillinge a pece, and blacke gownes. Item, to Byrkelle wief and Byrkelle fine marke a pece, and each of them a black coate or gowne. To Alice Goodladd, fine marke. To my Godson there, fine pounde, to be paid to the Scolemaiester that shall teache him.

To Gylbert Thrunston and his wief, fiue marke to make them ringe, besyde blacke gownes. Item, I forgiue Bond of Yngston, that as he owethe me. Item, I bequeath to euerie godson, not before specifyed, twentie shillinge a pece. Item, to my cosen William Bowman 1s. (50s.) for a ringe. To Harry Bowman, Lewes and Christopher Bowman, fortie shilling a pece, to buy them a ringe. Item, Igiue to my brother Edward Bond children fiue marke a pece when they come to age. Item, I bequeathe to John ffoxall and Nicholas Parkynson fiue pounde, to be made in ringe. Item, to the maiesters, as to to the maister of the barke Bond, the Valentyne, the Prymrose, the Jonas and Fortune,* fortie shillinge a pece,to be made in ringe: I say to such as shall be maisters of them at the houre of my deathe. Item, I giue to Dary Howgh, twentie nobles and a blaeke coate. Item, to the ij Sisters in Kent, fine marke a pece, yf they be lining: to her mayde that cometh to London, fine marke. Item, I forgiue Bullock all that he oweth to me. Item, I bequeath and giue to my deputy and his wief fiue pounde to make them ringe, and to each of them black gownes, and to each of his children twentie shillinge a pece. Item, to fortie mayde marriages, to be given to them that' hath dwelte fiue yeare in a bowse, either in St. Margarette parrishe, St. Dunstan parrishe, or in my ward, nine and twenty shillinge a pece. Item, to Richard Brabam a blaeke gowne and a ringe of fortie shillinge, and so to his wief.. Item, I bequeath and giue to the poore of St. Margarette parrishe, in coles, fiue pounde, and as much at St Dunstans in the caste, and in this parrishe at St. Ellens, also in coales the ualue of fiue pounde to be distributed in two yeare Item, to have twelue sermonde preached for me in iij yeare,*  and the preacher, at my buriall to haue a blacke gewne and is. for a sermon. Item, I bequeath and give to the poore for the maintenaunce of their leartunge at Oxford, fortie pounde, to be payd in a yeare after my decease.

Item, I bequeath to Christe Hospital!, St Thomas Hospitall, fortie malice a pece. Item, I bequeath fortie pounde to the poore prisoners which shall be in Ludgate, under fine matke a pece,'my mynde ys they may be delmered from time to time until that be paid. Item, to John Jefforde, now in Rysby, twentie marke. Item, to Mr. Burd and his wief, Mr. Saandets and his wief, Lerring Lambert, black gownes. Item, to all the tenaunto, being englishe, to dwell one yeare, rotate free, after my decease. Item, I give to fortie poore men fortie black gownes of Bristowe (Bristol) frise, to be giuen in my ward, and this ward, St. Margarete parishe, or St. Dun-stans parrishe. Item, I give to the haberdaashers twentie marke to make them a dynner.* Iteta, the lease of the howse to he deliuered that longe to the Crowne in newe fishe-streate, and they to enioye the benefitte thereof according to my late Mr. Easex meanings Item, I bequeath and give to the companye of the mysterye of haberdasshers, that twelue honest poore young men beinge free of the mysterye of the haberdasshers and haying serued theire whole apprentisshippe in that misterye. Item, one hundreth and three score pounde which I will haue diuided to the foresaid twelue, to say, twenty.marke a pece for two yeares, for them to haue yt in occupyinge without payinge any thing for interest, and to putt in three suertyes a pece, to repaye at the two yeares ende, and so to be re-deluiered to others, for. other two yeares, and so for ij yeares, to two yeares for euer. And for as-much as this may be a treble, to the wardens to see this accomplished. Item, I giue to. the Hall the some of fortie ponnde that some parte thereof-may be giuen to some such use, as maye the soner pro-uoke the wardens to take paines therein, and no man to be at any more charges of those that shall receaue tho money, but to paye for the objigacons. Provided, yf any thing should be taken in reward, then I desire the Master and. Wardens that some fyne be sett upon such as should offend, for my mynde ys. they should haue yt free without any interest. And for the better performaunoe thereof I would haue the haberdasshers bound to the Cham-ber of London, before the Lord Maior, to see yt accomplisshed. Item, I bequeath and giue for a stocke to he layed out forwheate, for the mayne tenaance of this noble Cittee, and that good accompte therof, and the stocke well loked unto, and also uppon condicons that each of my children stock of my lyuing (leaving) shall be founde that yt fall ont to be two thousand pounde sterling a pece, then my mynde ys that they shall haue fiue hun-dreth pounde sterling, to be paid in one year after my decease to serve for the onely use to be employed in buyinge of corne for the use of the Citizens.

The Residue of all my goode not bequeathed I giue unto my Children equally to be diuided, and constitute and ordeine for my executors my wellbeloued wief and ray sonne Sir Daniell Bond, and they to haue for their paynes twentie pounde a pece, and my ouerseers I consti-tude my wellbeloued brother George Bond and my sonne William Whytmore, and they to have for their paynes twentie marke a pece. And this my trust ys they will see this my last Will and Testament dewly performed and accomplished, as my trust is in them, desiringe God to forgiue me and all the world; and that I hope and stedfastly beleue, that by the meritte of Christte passion and by the sheddinge of his most precious bloode to be saued, and to rise againe the last day; thus besechinge God, for his mercy sake, to forgiue and preserve my sowle in his tuission, (tuition) and to take me to his mercie, when and where yt shall please God to call me; and my trust and hope ys to be one of Gode ellecte, into whose hands I commytte me. And for as much as this ys my last Will and Testament, and that it maye the rather (be) taken for a troth, I haue written it euerie word with my owne hand, and haue setto (set to it) my sealle, and doe entend to cause others to setto their hande, and thus to Gode tuyssion I committe me. By me William Bond, Alderman. by me Thomas* Gresham. by me Blase Saunders by me William Hagar.