In the Name of God amen the 13th February in the nyne and thirtieth yere of the Reayne of our soveregne Lady Elizabeth [1596-7] by the grace of God Amen of England France and Ireland defender of the Faythe etc I ROBERT RYDER of Horsehouse in Coverdale in the County of Yorke yeoman sicke in Body notwithstanding of a perfect remembrance I preyse my lord god for the same do instructe order and make this my last will and testament in manner and forme as followythe First and principally I give and commyt my soulle unto almyghte god in his son Chryst Jesus by and throwe whosse merryt and Bloude shedinge I do fully beleve to be saved and my Body to be buryed within the parish church of Coverhame.

Item yt ys my will and mynd and ?...lse I do geve and graunt unto my wyffe IDETHE and unto her assigns all that my messuage and tenement and farmhold lying and being at Horsehouse aforesaid with appurtenances of the yerely rent xxxii s vi d (savinge ?...? PHILLIS RYDER my stepmother shall have the ?....? thereof during her lyffe naturell) for and duringe the space and terme and by all ? the space and terme of fyve yeres from the Feast Day of the Annunciacion of the Vyrgen ..... next after the day of my death.

Item it ys my will and mynd and in like manner I do give and graunt unto my said wyffe IDETHE all my messuage tenement and farmhold at Arundell House in Coverdale aforesaid of the yerely rent xxx s for and during the same terme of fyve yeres from the Feast day of the Annunciacion of the Vyrgen next after the day of my death.

Item yt is my will and mynde and in like manner I do geve and graunt unto my said wyffe IDETHE all my farmhold and tenement at Coverhead of the yerely rent viii s iiii d for the same terme of fyve yeres aforesaid And that she will all my said Farmynge and tenements at Horsehouse, Arundel Howse and Coverhead aforesaid shall educate Foster nuryshe and bring upp all my children such of them as will be goverened and guyded by her to lyve in the fear of god and in such dewtyful obedience as that beleveth children.

Item yt ys my will and mynd and in like manner I do geve and graunt unto my son FRANCIS RYDER and unto his assigns (after the ?preparation? determynaconb and end of the aforesaid terme of fyve yeares) all my said tenement and farmhould at Horsehouse aforesaid with appurtenances with all my Interest and Tythe of tenement wyth in the same at the will and pleasure of our Soverayne Lady Elizabeth the Quenes most excellent majestie that now ys her heres and successors forever. Provyded that yt is my will and mynd that my said wyffe IDETH and her assignes shall ?...? and injoye the Third Part thereof with the appurtenances for and duringe her lyffe naturall.

Item it ys my will and mynd and in like manner I do geve and graunt unto my said son FRANCIS RYDER and his assignes after the preparation determynacion and end of the aforesaid fyve yeres unto my said wyfe of the premysses graunted all my tenements and farmynge at Arundel House as at Coverhead with the appurtenances with all my Interest and to the tenant right term at the will and please of the lord thereof from tyme to tyme for ever in like manner. And that yt ys my will and mynde that my said wyffe IDETH and her assignes shall have and Injoye the moietie and one halfe of all the said tenements as well at Arundell Howse as at Coverhead for and during the wholl terme of her lyffe naturell.

Item yt ys my wil and mynd that if that yt fortune my said wyffe IDETH do marry and take any husband and so do not lyve in the name of my wyffe that then she shall come no more of my tenements and farmynge above mencioned then by leave shalbe done unto her.

Item I geve and bequeath unto my daughter MARGARET RYDER xl £ of good englysh money to be paid unto her at the tyme of her marriage in respect and in full consideracion of all the filiall porcion which in any wyse should be dewe unto her after my death.

Item I do geve and bequeath unto my daughter JANE xl £ in full consideracion and satysfacon of her filiall and childe porcon in any wyse dewe unto her after my death.

Item I do geve and bequeath unto my daughter ELIZABETH xl £ in like manner in full consideracion and satisfacion of her filial and childe porcon with such Implements within my howse as my said wyffe IDETH wilbestowe upon my said iii daughters by name and names MARGARET JANE ELIZABETH at the tyme of their said mariage. And that those legacyes in ?....? shall not be paid unto my said two daughters JANE and ELIZABETH until they shall come to marriage. Always provided that yf the said MARGARET JANE and ELIZABETH do fortune to marry without the consent of my said wyffe IDETH and there nearest Frends in Kyne [kin] and in like manner do not geve A lawfull acquaintance and dyscharge unto my executors at the tyme of there several marriages by the consent of there said Frends that then yt ys my will and mynde the said severall legavyes of xl £ be every one of them Above in these presents bequeathed shalbe as no legases and in any wyse not to them or any of them dewe or payable by my said executors but that they and every of them such as will not ?.... forme and keep this my will concernyng the premises ?... and bestowing of themselves in ther mariage by the advice of there said Frend and my said wyffe IDETH shall have then such Filiall and child porcions as by law shalbe dewe unto them and every of them. Anythinge or thinges above said to the condicion contayned notwithstandinge.

Item yt ys my will and mynd that my son FRANCIS RYDER shall geve unto my two yongest sons by name JOHN and ROBERT unto either of them Ten Pounds.

Item I geve and bequeath unto my said son FRANCIS xl £

Item I do geve and bequeath unto my supposed son RAPHE RAYDER eight pounds

And lastlie ?..... thinge my said children in generall and especially my three youngest children JOHN ROBERT and CATHERINE unto the good government and bringing upp of my said wyffe IDETH as also to see the contente of this my last will and testament Trulye executed and performed I do constytute nomynat and make my lawfull executors my said wyffe IDETH and my son FRANCIS RYDER 1596.

Debts owinge unto me the said Testator

Imprimis by John Ripley of Bradley xl £

by William Hawmond of Coverhead x £ xiii s iiii d

by Otywell Ryder of Wodall and }

Richard Ryder his ?Brother } xiii £ vi s viii d

By the said Otywell Ryder x s

by Raphe Ryder of Horsehouse x s

by John Preston of ? Anclysse? }

Leonard Atkinson of the same place } iiii £

by William Watson of Carleton x s vi d

by Lancelot Harryson iiii £

By Mr Francis Topham iii £ xiii s iii d

By George Spence of Mydleham iiii £ xiiii s

By Thomas Dawson of Mydleham xxii £ iiii d

By William Fletcher alias E ...ffryson xxii s

By Simon Plowes of Hawkswell xxv s

By Christopher Pears of Burrell iii £ viii s iiii d

By Francis Tomplin of West Wytton xvii £ xi s viii d

By John Craven of Netherdale xix £ x s

By William Messenger x s v d

By Cuthbert Geldert v s

By Symon Wilson xx s vii d

By Henry Heryson? iiii £ vi s viii d

By William Dyghton of Carlton xx s

By Oswald Dawson of Melmerbie xxxiii £ iiii s

By William Ripley of Wodall x s

Owing by me ... unto Henry Pears of Bedall xxiiii s

Wytness this my last will and testament

Thomas Stevenson, clerk

Lancelot Harryson

From the collection of the late Roger Davies.