Posted by e.m.vine@exeter.ac.uk
24 September 2024Emily Vine
This ‘Will of the Month’ post features the will of a man ‘local’ to the University of Exeter: Alderman Thomas Hunte, who died in 1548 in the reign of Edward VI, having been mayor of the city three times.[1]
In the first few lines of his will Hunte identified himself as ‘one of thaldermen of the Citie of Exceter’. He asked to be buried ‘wthin the parrishe churche of Saint Petrocke’ and left six shillings eight pence to the ‘highe aulter’ of the same. The small medieval church of Saint Petrock still stands today as a striking example of a red ‘Heavitree stone’ building, nestled right in the centre of Exeter between the High Street and the Cathedral Green.
Thomas Hunte the civic leader
Hunte’s will shows that he was as embedded in city life as the central church he wished to be buried in. At his funeral he intended to have forty shillings distributed to the poor, and black cotton gowns and hoods for twelve poor men to wear. He also bestowed money to other Exeter institutions and the maintenance of the city. He left ‘to the prisons of the Castell of Exceter three shillinges four pence in bread’, ‘twoo pence a pece’ to the ‘poore people of the house of Saint Marye Magdalen wthout the South gate’, a hospital for the infirm and poor, and 20 shillings to the maintenance of ‘Cowleigh Bridge’, a main route into the north of the city.
On the day of his ‘monthes mynd’ (one month after his death) he asked for a ‘dynner at my house’ attended by ‘the Righte Worshipfull mr maier of the saide Citie his bretherne the Aldermen and all the Residue of the xxiiij of the same Citie and there wiffes if it please them’. Hunte envisaged a memorial dinner attended by all the civic leaders and important men of Exeter: men he considered his peers and equals. This bequest also hints at the possession of a substantial enough property to accommodate such an illustrious gathering. In addition, he entrusted the oversight of his last will and testament to the ‘Righte Worshipfull master maier of the saide Citie of Exeter for the tyme being’ alongside other named ‘gentilmen’. Hunte’s will was in many ways a means of reinforcing his local standing. His bequests accord with expectations of charitable giving to the local poor and institutions, as well as designs to cement his memory amongst his fellow men of business and office.
Thomas Hunte the draper
Hunte was a draper by trade, and aspects of his working life are apparent in his final bequests. He left to his wife Elizabeth ‘all the hollonde dowlas locram (dowlas and lockeram – both types of fabric) and other lyninge clothe in my shopp and Russettes worsted. And also all my woll and yarne that maye be founde within my house after my deceas.’ This itemisation of Hunte’s stock hints at the often-fluid division between ‘workplace’ and ‘home’ in the early modern period, where tradespeople would often live above or behind their shop, and many forms of work would take place in domestic places. Elizabeth was also left all the ‘apparrell belonginge to her body’ and other ‘housholde Stuff’ that filled their second, rural home in the Devonshire village of Farringdon, including ‘pottes pannes beddes carpittes’.
The identification of unspecified quantities of yarn and wool – seemingly scattered around Hunte’s house – appears quite vague. Yet unusually, the registered copy of Hunte’s will is appended by a copy of his probate inventory: an itemised list of the objects and furnishings found in each room of his property. We know for example that ‘In the kytchen’ of his house there were ‘three kettles’ and ‘three pannes’, and in the parlour ‘a joyind chaier covered wth redde lether’. This provides greater insight into Hunte’s possessions than is apparent in the umbrella category of ‘housholde Stuff’, or cloth ‘founde within my house’. Yet the will itself also contains more specific and itemised bequests, most pleasingly the gift of ‘my night gowne furryd with blacke lambe’ to one John Mutton.
A coffer locked with two keys
Later in the will, Hunte stated that any ‘goodes money and plate debtes my ware in my shopp’ and other items that had not already been mentioned, should be appraised, sold, and the money placed in ‘a coffer in the counsaile chamber’ and kept for the use of all his children and to be ‘devyded equallie’ amongst them. He directed: ‘in the same coffer to putt all myne Evidences and this my present Will and to be locked wth twoo keyes thare to remayne in the custody of the maier of the saide Citie for the tyme beinge and the other wth one of myne overseers’. This is a striking bequest that sees his will and some of his children’s inheritance left to the trust not of the executrix of his will, his wife Elizabeth, but to the mayor of the city and another as yet unspecified gentleman. Equally this precious locked box of legal documents and money was kept not in his own home, but in the civic space of the council-chamber. The separate possession of two keys appears more suited to attempts to secure the money held by a guild or livery company than the administration of a will. It was perhaps because all of Hunte’s children were minors at the time of his death, that when looking to secure their future, he turned not to his own family, but to the office holders of the city in which he had already placed so much trust.
Thomas Hunte’s tombstone
This was just one facet of Hunte’s careful attempts to make provisions for after his death. As well as ensuring that his affairs were in order, and his will and papers safely locked away and secured by two keys, Hunte asked that his grave be marked with ‘a certeyn Tombestone nowe beinge at my howse’. He had not only established his wishes for his funeral and elaborate memorial dinner, but by the time he made his final will in April 1548, around two months before his death, his tombstone had already been designed, carved, delivered, and was being carefully stored in his own home. Thomas Hunte was nothing if not fastidious: his will is a snapshot into the life of a man determined to tie up the loose threads of his drapery business, to provide for his several young children, to ensure a burial befitting a man of his status, and to uphold his legacy as (at the time) one of Exeter’s twenty-or-so most important men.
[1] PROB 11/32/164, Will of Thomas Hunte or Hunt, Alderman of Exeter, Devon, 5 July 1548; https://www.exetermemories.co.uk/em/exetersmayors.php
In the name of god Amen The twentie day of Aprill in the yere
of ower lorde god a thousande fyve hundrethe fortie and eighte And in the seconde yere of the Raigne of ower Soveraigne Lorde
Edwarde the Sixte By the grace of god kinge of Englande ffraunce and Irelonde defendoure of the faiethe and of the churche
of Englande and also of Irelonde in earthe the supreme heade I Thomas Hunte one of thaldermen of the Citie of Exceter
Beinge whole of mynde and in good and parfite Remembraunce lawde and praise be unto almightie god make and ordeyn
this my present Testament in manner and forme followinge ffirste I commende my soule unto almightie god my maker and
Redemer and my body to buried wtin the parrishe churche of Saint Petrocke in the saide citie if it fortune me to deceas
wtin the saide citie or eles where in xpen buriall if it fortune me to deceas wtoute the same Citie. Item I will that a certeyn
Tombestone nowe beinge at my howse be laide uppon my buriall Item I Bequethe to the highe aulter of the same churche
for my tithes necligentlie forgotten six shillinges eighte pence Item I will that if it happen me to deceas wtin the saide Citie
that I be broughte corse present to the saide Churche of Saint Petroke and there to continewe and be the nighte before that I
shalbe buried and on the morrowe there buried. Item I geve to xij poore men twelve gownes of black cotton and xij hods
to the same to be at my burynge and monthes mynde Item I will that on the daye of my buriall that there be distributed amonges
poore people fortie shillinges Item I will that on the daye of my monthes mynd there be distributed amonges the poore people fortie
shillinges And that the same day there be at dynner at my house the Righte Worshipfull mr maier of the saide Citie his bretherne
the Aldermen and all the Residue of the xxiiij of the same citie and there wiffes if it please them Item I Bequethe to the persons
of the Castell of Exceter three shillinges foure pence in bread And to all the poore people of the house of Saint Marye Magdalen
wtoute the Southe gate of the same citie to every of them twoo pence a pece Item I will that at my twelvemonth mynde to be
distributed amonges poore people fortie shillinges And the Residue of buriall monthes mynde and twelve monthes mynde to be
don by the discrecion of my overseers Item I geve and bequethe to Elizabethe my wiffe tenne poundes in money and all the hollonde
dowlas locram and other lyninge clothe in my shopp and Russett Worsted. And also all my woll and yarne that maye be founde
wtin my house after my decease And all the Juelles Payment and apparell belonginge to her body and also all my householde Stuff
noew beinge and Remayninge at ffaringdon as pottes pannes beddes recepittes and other stuff there Item I geve will and assigne
to the saide Elizabeth five acres of wood Standinge and growynge wtin my wood called Shillingeforde wood Sett lyinge and beinge wt
in my manner of ffaringdon in the countie of Devonshire to be taken together wtin the same wood by the same Elizabeth in suche
place or places as it shall please her To have fell cut downe and carry awaye the same v acres of wood to the same Elizabethe
and her assignes during her life with free incommynge and owte goynge of and into the same wood wt all manner of carriages
duringe the same terme withe oute anny manner of Trouble lett vexacion impleadinge or denayinge of anny of myne heires
or assignes or of anny other parson or parsons in there name or by theire procurement. Item I will that the saide Elizabeth
my wife shall have her dwelling and inhabytinge wtin my dwellinge howse wherein I nowe dwell wtin the saide Citie during
her life the paying therefore to the Landelorde of the same yerelie the rent of liijsiiijd And also well and Sufficientlie kepe yr
Reparacons thereof accordingelie as I ame bounde to doo. And I will that the saide Elizabethe shall have the continuwall
usage and occupacon of all my Implementes and householde stuff beinge wtin the saide howse conteyned mencond and specified in
a certeyne Inventary to this my present testament annexed as by the same more playnlie at appeathe wtowte anny duvyinshon
there of uppon Sufficient suerties by her to be founde to be bounde to myne overseers for the fourthe comynge renderinge and
Redeliveringe thereof after here deceas Item I geve and bequethe to the saide Elizabethe a blacke gowne Item I geve will
and assigne to George Hunte my Sonne after the deceas of the saide Elizabethe all my estate intereste and terme of and in all
my saide dwellinge house and all the saide Implementes and howsholde stuff menconed and specified in the saide Inventary
to this present Testament annexed Item I geve will and assigne unto my Sonne John all my estate interest and terme
of and in all my farme of Burden sett lyinge and beinge wtin the parrishe of lygheampton in the saide Countie of devon
there Item I geve will and assigne unto the saide John one tenement wt thappurtennces sett lyinge and beinge in the north
strete of the saide Citie of Exceter wtin the saide parrishe of saide Petrocke in the whiche Hughe Southay nowe dwellith
in To have and to holde the saide Tenement wt theire appurtennces to the saide John my Sonne and to theires males of the
body of the saide John lawfully begotton forevermore. And for defaute of suche issue males of the bodye of the saide
John Hunte lawfullye begotton the saide tenement wt thappurtennces to remayne to the righte heires of me the saide
Thomas for evermore. And I will that my goodes monney and plate debtes my ware in my shopp and other my
goodes not above bequethed nor hereafter in my saide Will menconide and given to be equally praysed and souled by myne
overseers. And the same so praysed and souled to be putt into a coffer in the counsaile chamber and there to remayne to
the use if all, my childrene And to be devyded equallie amonges them my saide childrene that I nowe have or that
hereafter shall have by the saide Elizabethe nowe my wiffe every of them to have there equall porcion of the same
when they shall come to there full ages of xxj yeres or before as before as by the discrecion of myne overseers shalbe
thoughte moost beste for theire preferment And also in the same coffer to putt all myne Evidences and this my present
Will and so locked wt twoo keyes there to remayne in the custody of the maier of the saide Citie for the tyme beinge
And the other wt one of myne overseers And if anny of my saide children happen to decease before anny of them do
accomplisshe the saide age of xxj yeres Then I will that his or her parte and porcion of my saide goodes so to him or her
Bequethed shall remayne to the other of them Survivinge Item I geve will and assigne to Roger Hunte my Sonne
all my landes tenementes Rentes reversions and suires in the marsshes sett lyinge and beinge within the parrishe of
saint George Clifte in the saide Countie of Devonshier and a certeyne wood called Benlowe woode witin my mannore
of ffaringdon To have and to holde all the saide marshes and wood wt theire appurtenances to the saide Roger and
to his heires males of his body lawfullye begotten forevermore. And for defaute of suche issue the Remaynder thereof to
the Righte heires of me the saide Thomas Hunte forever Also I will geve and assigne to Thomas Hunt my Sonne
all my Mannour of ffarringdon and also all my meassuages Landes tenements Rentes reversions or suires wtin
the parrishe of ffaringdon in the saide Countie of Devonshier excepte and resind the measuage theire latelie
Buylded by me the saide Thomas Hunte the ffather and the gardeyne and twoo meadowes adioyninge graunted to the saide
Elizabethe my wiffe before this tyme And fyve acres of Woodd lyinge in shillingeforde woode witin the saide mannour geven and willid
to the saide Elizabeth by this my present Testament as is before mencond and the wood called Benbowe woode Before graunted to
my Sonne Roger To have and to holde all the saide mannour and other the premysses excepte before excepte to the saide Thomas
my Sonne and to his heires males of his boddy laufully begotten forevermore: And for defaulte of suche issue the Remaynder
thereof to the Righte heires of me the saide Thomas the ffather forevermore And farther I Will that the saide Rentes and
proffites as well of my saide mannoure and Landes in ffaringdon as of all my other Landes and tenementes afore dispoased willid and
assigned to any of my saide childrene mencond in this my will to be gathered and receyved by myne overseers every yere unto the
saide Thomas my Sonne shall accomplishe the full age of xxj yeres. And my said overseers yerelie to make accompte thereof before
the maier of the saide Citie for the tyme beinge of the saide proffites and thereof to be allowed for theire paynes every of them
five shillinges And suche monney as shalbe yerelie clere uppon theire accompte to be put into the saide coffer in the counsaile chamber
to those of my saide children. And if it happen anny parcell of my landes afore geven to anny of my saide children to be in sute
Then I will that it be defended wt the saide proffites coinynge and growynge of the saide mannour and Landes in ffaringdon onlie
graunted to Thomas my Sonne and the saide charges to be allowed yerelie uppon there accompte. And also I geve will and
dispoase to my Sonne George all my landes tenements rentes Reversions and suices in kenaforde wtin the parrishe of Saint George
Clifte And also all my landes tenements and othere hereditaments in Rockebere wtin the countie of Devonshiere. To have
and to holde all the saide landes and tenementes and other the premisses wt theire appurtences to the saide George and his
heires of his body laufully begotton for ever And for defaute of suche issue to the righte heires of my the saide Thomas for
evermore. Item I Will that when anny of my saide children shall come to anny preferment of my saide childe or
otherwise to be Imployed to thuse and profittes of anny of the saide children And to take suche honest and suer bonndes for
the same as they by theire discrecions shall thinke moost conveynient Item I geve and bequethe to William Hussey a blacke
gowne and to John Mutton a blacke gowne Item I geve and bequethe towardes the mayntenince of Cowleighe Bridge xxs
Item I geve to the churche of saint Petrocke for my burial sixe shillinges eighte pence Item I geve and bequethe to
every of my foure Sonnes a blacke gowne and a blacke cote And to Thomas Ratcliff a black gowne. Item I will
that Thomas my Sonne shalbe kepte to gramer scoole wtin the citie of Exceter until that he accomplishe the full
age of fyftene yeres and then afterwarde to be sett and kepte at the universitie of oxforde there to remayne at his
Learninge during the space of thre yeres then nexte ensurynge fully to be completed the charges whereof allways to
be taken and levied of the proffites and Revenues of my mannoure of ffaringdon as well for his exhibycon and
apparrell and to be payed by the handes of myne overseers And they thereof to make and yelde accompte before the
manor of the saide Citie for the tyme beinge yerely wtin one monithe after the fest of Saint Michaell tharcahngell
Item I Bequethe to every of my servntes beinge in my service at the tyme of my deceas thre shillinges foure pence a pece
Item I bequethe to Richarde Pranz gentilman sworde berer of the saide Citie of Exceter twelve pence Item I geve
and bequethe to every of the foure Sergeantes at masse of the saide citie twelve pence a pece. And to Oliver ffullerton
twelve pence And to one Roger the poore man at saint Davyd Downe twelve pence Item I geve and bequethe to
John Mutton my night gowne furryd wt blacke lambe Item I geve will and assigne to Julyan my Daughter all my
chattel landes wtin the parrishe of saint David wtoute the north gate of the saide citie of Exceter towardes the
findinge of the saide Julyan. The Residue of all my goodes cattalles and debtes not above bequethed I wholly and frelie
geve and bequethe to George John Roger and Thomas my Sonnes and to Julyan my Daughter and to all other my
Issue the whiche of the body of the saide Elizabeth nowe my wiffe it shall happen me to have whom I make and
ordeyne my very and whole executours And of the oversighte of this my present testament I make and ordeyne the
Righte worshipfull master maier of the saide citie of Exceter for the tyme beinge William Buckham John Buckfilde
Richarde Herte gentilman and Henry Tomie myne overseers to se this my presente Testament parformyd as my special
trust is in them And I geve and bequethe to every of my saide Overseers for theire laboure in that behaulfe xiijs iiijd a pece
And to every one of them a black gowne In witness to this presente testament John Hill marchante George Bulleyn
William White Thomas Hore and others
The occupacon and usage of their parcelles of howseholde stuffe and Implementes hereafter conteyned in this
Inventary are graunted to Eliz the wife of the said Thomas duringe her life as more playnlie apperithe in this
present Testamente.
In the fore haule
In primis thanginges of grene saye paynted
Item iij curtins of changeable sarcenet panyds
Item one coverlet of fyne Tapesterye
Item one joyind chest and one coffer
Item one carpit tapestery
Item one joyind forme
Item a joyind Bedsted parcell gilted wt gowles and byce
Item a ffetherbedd a boulster and twoo pillowes
Item one coverlet channgable silke lynid wt canvas
Item a longe table paynted wt redde and Blacke
Item foure quyshens
Item the wyndowe curtins of grene saye
Item twoo Aulter clothes
Item one paier of Vestmentes of channgable redde
Bodkyn wt crosses of grene damaske
Item a corveras wt a case of grene velvet
Item an Iren for a water pott wt a pott and a
bason of tynne and a vice of bras
Item one aulter clothe of blewe velvet and Crymesen
Satten and birdes of copper golde
Item one masse booke
Item a Superaltare and twoo paxes of Silver
Item a paier of blankettes of white wambolles
In the Lowe hawle
Item thanginges of canvas Staynid
Item a cubbourde parcel gilted wt golde and bice
Item one ffyne carpit of tapestery
Item one Rounde table and a carpit for the same
It a candelsticke hanginge wt ij lightes in a hand of latten
Item one garnishe pewter vessel
Item the Settinges and benches rounde aboute of waynescott
Item one ffoldinge table ij formes
Item xij quysshens of carpetworke
Item a beame hanging wt iiij lightes of latten
Item one paier of greate dundyeons
In the parlour
Item thanginges of Redd and yellowe saye
Item a joyind cubbourde and beaches waynescott
Item iij quishins of golde sylver and crymesen velvet
Item iij carpettes for the windowes of tapesterye saye
Item a latten candelsticke in a post
Item a paier of dundyeons
Item other hanganges fyne tapesterey wt buckes and doves
Item one folding bourde and a carpet of tapistery
Item one quishen blacke velvet and v olde cushins
Item a counter bourde and a carpett
Item a joynid chaier covered wt redde lether
Item a bason and ewer of tynne
In the Brode chamber
Item thanginges of grene saye and dormx wt
Borders of canvas
Item one Joyind presse and a coffer
Item a little cubourde and a counterbourde
Item a joyind Bedstedde of waynescott
Item one featherbed one bolster one paier blankettes j coverlet
Item an alter a superaultare and saint Johns head
Item an nother presse
In Mr huntes owne chambr
Item a joyind bedsted of waynescott karvid
Item one paier of blankettes and one coverlett tapestery
Item one cubbourde and one coffer
Item one little paier of dundyeons
Item a featherbed a flockebed ij bolsters and twoo pillows
Item iij curtins red sarcenet lyind wt yellow clothe
Item one little coffer of ciperers and a close chaier
In the Study
Item the hanginges of paynted clothes
Item one fetherbedde and one boulster
Item one bourde uppon twoo trestles
Item one paier of blankettes of broode white
In the maydens chambr
Item thanginges of paynted canvas
Item twoo mattresses a boulster a coverlet and
a paier if blankettes
Item a paier of blankettes and coverlet one boulster
And twoo pillowes
Item a playne bedsted of bourdes and a tester of
Redde and yellowe saye
Item another bedsted and a fetherbedde
Item one coffer
In the kytchen
Item twoo great dundyeons and iiij broches
Item one garnishe pewter vessel
Item tenne candelstickes
Item one chafer [illeg]
Item five pottes of brasse
Item three kettles
Item three pannes
Item one longe Barr of tren