222 



The Society's MSS.—JS'ote I. 



property at Bromley, in Kent ; that he had a brother John, also 

 of London and a fishmonger; and it is highly probable that these 

 two men, Richard and John Yilett, are identical with the sons and 

 sole legatees mentioned in the will of J oane Yiolet, of Bromley, 

 which bears date 16th April, 1554, was proved at London by her 

 son Richard, 26th April, 1563, and is registered C.P.C. " Chayre," 

 fo. 16. The will is curious in itself, and may be permitted to find 

 place here, upon the theory that it is the earliest consecutive notice 

 yet met with of the ancestors of the Wiltshire line : — 



" I Joane Violet, widowe, in the parishe of Bromeley . . . my house at 

 Bromeleis Commyn to Jhon Yiolet, my sonne, withe an Aker and a ffielde and a 

 groue thereto belongethe. Item I giue my sonne Jhon Yiolet a nother feelde 

 called Alis ffielde, hounding to the Layne going to South horowe. Also it is my 

 will that it shall goo to his after his decease of his body lawfully begotten (sic) 

 Excepte Jhon Yiolet by chaunce be fallen into the decaye, that then my will is 

 he make the best he canne of it to helpe him, And I will my sonne Eicharde 

 Yiolett lett Batlers Croftes, with two Cloases bounding to the Lorde, called Small 

 meyde. Item I give to Eichard Yiolett a peece of lande called Batlers Lande 

 with two Cloases boundinge to Maister Knightes. Item I geue to Eicharde 

 Yiolette a peece of grounde called Pettis Crofte boundinge- to the Lorde. Item 

 it is my will that Eicharde heires shall inherite the grounde as it speaketh afore 

 to his brothers heires. Item I will the saide Eichard Violett shall paye or cause 

 to be paied to his brother Jhon Yiolette x 1 '. . . that Jhon Yiolet paied to his 

 brother William Violett, And the saied money to be paied in tenne yeares da : 

 ye of paimente, that is to saye, euery yeare xx s untill the money be paied. Item 

 I will Eicharde Violet my sonne shall haue my moueable gioodes, and that he to 

 distribute to the poore as he thinketh best whome I make my executor. In 

 witnesse whereof at the making thereof, William Bodley, Thomas Beste, Steuin 

 Turner, with other moe." 



The testatrix's son John did not " fall into the decaye/' a phrase 

 presumably parallel to the " decayed gentlewoman " of the last 

 century, but died a prosperous man in 1577 (will dated 11th, proved 

 16th February, 1576-7, C.P.C, " Daughtry," fo. 7), leaving issue, 

 by Johan his wife, two sons, Henry and John, and two daughters, 

 Margaret, the wife of John Stokes, and Mary, the wife of Thomas 

 Bodye. Her other son, if the identification be correct, describing 

 himself as " I Richard Vyolett fnshnionger and citizen of London, 

 being of hole minde and of good and perfect remembraunce, Laud 

 and praise be unto god therfore," made his will 15th December, 

 1571, which, however, was not proved till the last day of September, 



