Aug. 18. 1855.] 



NOTES AND QUEEIES. 



11^ 



Tintll they unwarily enter a room of which their 

 uncontrollable subjects have secured the bolt or 

 key ; one or other is then speedily turned upon 

 the unconscious victim, and no liberty is vouch- 

 safed imtil a holiday is promised. The servants 

 indulging in the sports of liberated vassals, secure 

 their masters and mistresses in some convenient 

 apartment, from which there is no regress until a 

 hard and fast bargain is made, or some douceur 

 promised. If mamma is entrapped, the captors 

 stipulate for some favourite viand or much- re- 

 lished sweetmeat ; and papa from his cage is glad 

 to secure his liberty by a donation from the 

 cellar. Should the captors leave unsecured the 

 means of escape, the penalties fall with terrible 

 vengeance upon the subdued delinquents, and 

 reprisals alike agreeable and disagreeable are 

 mercilessly enforced. 



January 19. The anniversary of the return of 

 the Brusselois to their wives, who from an ab- 

 sence of seven years believed them lost in the 

 Crusades of 1100, is announced by the merry- 

 going chimes. To commemorate the happy re- 

 turn, the husbands are locked in by their wives, 

 and no egress can be obtained, while the very un- 

 musical clangour from the bells in almost every 

 tower proclaim the joys of wedded life. 



Henry Davenet. 



THOMAS TUSSER S WILL. 



In 1846 Mr. Charles Clark, of Great Totham 

 Hall, Essex, well known and esteemed as a 

 zealous antiquary, printed at his private press the 

 last will and testament of the above celebrated 

 writer on agriculture, &c. The existence of this 

 document appears to have been unknown, until 

 its discovery through the instrumentality of re- 

 searches made at the instance of Mr. Clark. As 

 but a limited number of copies were printed, it 

 has been seen but by very few ; and relating as 

 it does to a worthy and excellent man, whose 

 memory will ever be held in respect, perhaps the 

 Editor will allow it a place in " N. & Q. : " 



(^Verbatim Copy.') 



" The last Will of Thomas Tusser. — In the name of 

 God, Amen. The xxv of Aprill, 1580, 1, Thomas Tusser, 

 of Chesterton, in the countye of Cambridge, gent., being 

 feeble in bodye, but perfecte in memorie, thanks be to 

 God, doe make and ordaine this my last will and testa- 

 ment in manner and forme followinge, revokinge all other 

 wills heretofore made ; that is to saye, fSrst and princi- 

 pallye, I give and betake my sowle to Allmightie God 

 the Father (my Maker), and to his Son Jesus Christ (my 

 onelye Kedeemer), by whose merites I most firmlye 

 beleve and trust to be saved, and to be partaker of lyef 

 everlastinge, and to the Holye Gost (my Comforter), three 

 personnes in one everlastinge Godheade, whome I doe 

 most humblye thanke that he hathe mercifully kepte me 

 untill this tyme, and that he hathe given me tvme and 

 No. 303.] 



space to confessee and bewaile my sinnes, and that he 

 hathe forgiven me them all, thorough the merites of our 

 Savioure Jesus Christ, which I doe undoubtedlye beleve, 

 because he hathe mercifullye promised yt, to whome be 

 praise for ever and ever, Amen. Item. I give and be- 

 queathe unto Thomas Tusser, my eldest sonne, to be de- 

 livered unto him within one yere next after my decease,- 

 ifyftye pounds of good and lawful monye of England, 

 parcell of the three hundrethe and thirtie pownds which. 

 William Tusser, my brother, dothe owe unto me uppon 

 one recognisaunce wherein he standethe bownde unto me 

 for the true paiement thereof ; and my will is, that suche 

 trust3'^e frend, or frends, as shall be hereafter in this my 

 last will and testament named, shall have the use of the 

 said fiftie pounds for and duringe the nonage of my said 

 sonne Thomas, and untill suche time as he shall accom- 

 plishe and come the age of xx and one yeres, putting in- 

 sufficient suerties for the true paiment thereof unto the 

 said Thomas my sonne ; and alsoe to payefor and toward? 

 the bringinge up of my said sonne Thomas, yerelye, the 

 summe of fyve pownds, untill he shall accomplish and 

 come to the age of twentye and one j-eres ; and when my 

 said sonne Thomas shall accomplish his said age of 

 twenty and one yeres, I will that the said summe of 

 fyftye pownds shal be, within one monethe next ensueing. 

 after the said accomplishment of twenty and one yereSr 

 unto him well and trulye contented and paid at one whole 

 and entire paiment, &c. Item. I give unto John Tusser, 

 my second sonne, other fyftie pownds of lawfull monye of 

 England due unto me by the fore said recognisance, and 

 to be bestowed and employed to his use duringe his 

 minoritie, and likewise to be paid unto him in suche and 

 as lardge manner, and firme to all constructions and pur- 

 poses as is before declared of the other fyftie pounds' 

 before devised unto my sonne Thomas Tusser ; and alsoe 

 fj've pownds to be paid yerely, duringe his minoritie, ia 

 manner and forme before rehersed. Item. I give and be- 

 queathe unto Edmond Tusser, my sonne, and to Marye 

 Tusser, my daughter, and unto either of them, the summe 

 of fyftye pownds, due to me by force of the foresaid recog- 

 nisaunce, and to be bestowed and employed to the severall 

 uses and benefitts of them, and either of them, duringe 

 their minorities, and likewise to be paid to either of them, 

 in such and as lardge manner and forme in everie respecte, 

 to all constructions and purposes, as is before declared of 

 the fyftye pownds devised before to my soime Thomas- 

 Tusser; and also fyve pownds a peece yerdye, during 

 their minorities, in manner and forme before rehersed. 

 Item. I give and bequeathe unto Amye Tusser, my wyef, 

 the summe of foure score pownds of lawful monye o£ 

 England, dewe to me by force of the said recognisaunce, 

 and to be paid unto her within one wholl yere next en--^ 

 sewinge after mj' decease. Item. My will and intent is, 

 that yf my brother, William Tusser, doe accordinge unto 

 the intent and true meaninge of this my last will and 

 testament, well and trulye paye the foresaid severall 

 summes of monye, before geven and bequeathed, unto 

 Amye, my wyef, to Thomas my sonne, and to the rest of 

 my children before named, and alsoe doe from tyme tc' 

 tyme, and all times hereafter, save and kepe harmeles my 

 heires, executors, and administraters, and everie of them, 

 of and from all trebles, chardges, and encumbrances, 

 which maye at anye tyme hereafter come, rise, or growe, 

 for or by reason of any manner of bonds wherein I standa 

 bounde for or with him as suertie, that then I give and 

 bequeathe unto him the summe of fyftie pownds, beinge 

 the residue of the said summe due unto me by the force 

 of the said recognisance before rehersed ; and 5'f he doe 

 not well and trulye performe the same, then I give the 

 said fiftie pownds unto my executor of this my last will 

 and testament. Item. I will that yf anye of my children 



