wise in token of my love I give three pounds Item I give to my said executors and Overseers eight pounds by them to be bestowed on such Christian poore as they thinke fitt And I will that all my legacies formerly given and bequeathed except the two hundred pounds payable by the obligačon as aforesaid shalbe paied and deliuered by my executors wthin one moneth after my decease The residue of all and singular my goods Chattells and Psonall estate after my debts payed and funeralls discharged I give and bequeath unto my said sonnes John Hervard and Thomas Hervard equally to be devided betweene them In wittnes whereof I have unto every sheete being seaven in number put to my hand and have sealed the same this second daye of Julie in the eleventh yeare of the reigne of our Souaigne Lord Charles by the grace of God of England Scotland ffrance and Ireland Kinge Defender of the faith &c. Annoq Dñi 1635. The marke of Catherine Yarwood. Memorandum that theis wordes vizt porčons in the seaventh lyne and John in the fourteenth lyne of the fourth sheete were interlyned and afterwards this will was read sealed and published to be the last will and Testament of the said Catherine Yarwood in the p'sence of us; Sealed and published by Katherine Yarwood aforesaid in the presence of us William Brayne Robert Greaton William Sheap. PROBATUM fuit Testamentum suprascriptum apud London coram mrō Johanne Hansley Clico Surrogato veñabilis viri Dñi Henrici Marten militis legum etiam Dcoris Curie Prerogative Cantuar mağri Custodis siue Comrii Itime constituti vicesimo septimo die mensis Julii Anno Dñi millesimo sexcentesimo tricesimo quinto Juramentis Johiš Hervard et Thome Hervard filiorum dcē defunctæ et executorum in huiusmodi Testamento nominatorum Quibus comissa fuit administračo omnĩ et singulorū bonorū iuriu et creditoru dcæ def de bene et fideliter administrando eadm &c Ad sancta dei Evangelia Jurat. 77, Sadler. IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN the fiefteenth daie of July Anno Domini one thousand six hundred thirtie and six And in the twelueth yeare of the raigne of our Soveraigne Lord Charles by the grace of god kinge of England Scotland ffraunce and Ireland Defender of the faith &c I Thomas Harvard of the pishe of Saint Olave in Southwarke in the County of Surry and Cittizen and Clothworker of London beinge att this presente sicke and weake in bodie but of good and pfecte mynde and memorie all laude and praise be given to Allmightie god therefore and consideringe with my selfe the frailtie and mutabilitie of this present life and the certaintie of death, And to the end that I may bee the better prepared and settled in my mynde whensoever it shall please god to call me out of this transitorie life I doe by the pmission of god make and declare this my last will and Testament in manner and forme followinge, That is to saie, ffirst and principally I comend my Soule into the hands of Allmightie god hopeinge aud assuredly beleevinge through the death and passion of Jesus Christe his only sonne and alone Saviour to obtaine Remission and forgivenes of all my Synns and to be made ptaker of everlastinge life My bodie I comitt to the earth from whence it came to be decently buried att the discrečon of my executors here under named, And as concerninge all such worldly goods Chattelles and Psonall estate as it hath pleased god to endue me wth in this life I give and bequeath the same in manner and forme followinge, That is to saie Inpri mis I give and bequeath unto my deere and welbeloved wife Elizabeth Harvard the some of fower hundred poundes of lawful English money to be paied unto her within six monethes next after my decease More I giue and bequeath to my said lovinge all my plate and howsehold stuffe exceptinge only my best standinge bowle of silver guilte and my great Cheste with two lockes Item I give and bequeath unto my said lovinge wife Elizabeth Harvard one Annuitie or yearely payment of thirty poundes of good and lawfull Englishe mony to be yearely due goeinge out issuinge and payable unto my said wife out of all those messuages and Tenementes with thappurtenñces And the rentes issues and proffites of them scituate lyinge and beinge att or neere Towerhill in the parishe of All Saintes Barkinge in London which I hould ioyntly togeather with my brother John Harvard by vertue of a lease to us thereof made by the M1. brothers and sisters of the Hospitall of Saint Katherines neere the Tower of London, To have and to hould the said Annuitie or Rente charge of Thirtie poundes p Anñ unto my said loveinge wife for and duringe the tearme of her naturall life to be paied unto her att fower feastes or tearmes in the yeare, That is to saie att the feastes of Saint Michaell Tharchangell, the birth of our lord god, Thannuntiacon of the blessed virgin Marie and the Nativitie of Saint John Baptist or within one and twentie daies nexte ensuinge everie of the same feaste daies by equall and even porčons, The first paimente thereof to beginn and to be made att the feaste of the feastes aforesaid which shall first and next happen and come after my decease, or within one and twentie daies then nexte ensuinge with power to distreyne for the same Annuitie in and upon the said tenementes or anie of them, if the same añuitie shall happen to be behinde and unpaied contrary to this my will, Provided that my ffather in lawe M'. Nicholas Kinge or his heires att any time duringe the tearme of my naturall life doe assure and conveie unto me and my heires or within six moneths after my decease to my executors hereunder named or to such pson or psons as I the said Thomas Harvard shall by anie writinge under my hand name and appointe, And theire heires and assignes, And to such use and uses as I shall thereby lymitt and declare and in such good sure and sufficiente manner and forme as by learned Councell shall be advised and required All that messuage or Tenement with thappurtenñces and the rente and Reverčon thereof scituate and beinge in or neere Shippyard in the pishe of Saint Saviours in Southwarke now or late in the tenure or occupacon of Owen Jones or his assignes Item I give and bequeath unto such childe or Children as my wife nowe goeth with or is with childe of the some of three hundred poundes of lawfull Englishe money to be paied and deliuered into the Chamber of the Cittie of London for the use of such Child and children within one yeare nexte after my decease to be imployed for the use and benefitt of such childe and children untill they shall accomplishe the age of Twentie and one yeares Item I give and bequeath unto such childe and children as my wife goeth with or is with childe of all that my moitie or halfe parte of the lease of the said Tenemtes. with thappurtenñces att or neere Tower hill in the said pishe of All Saintes Barkinge holden of and from the IIospitall of Saint Katherines and the moitie of my rentes and reverčons thereof, And all my estate tearmes of yeares and demaund therein charged with the said Annuity of Thirtie poundes p Anñ by me herein before given unto my said wife, Prouided all waies and my mynde and will is that if my said wife shall not be with childe att the time of my decease, or that such childe and children shall happen to miscarry or dye or departe this life before he she or theie shall accomplishe the age or ages of twentie and one yeares then in such case or cases and not otherwise I doe giue and bequeath unto the severall persons hereunder named the seu'all legacies and somes of money hereunder menconed, That is to saie, To my said lovinge wife one hundred poundes. to my said brother John Harvard one hundred poundes. To and amongst the children of my unckle Rogers fforty poundes To my godsonn William Harvard ffiefteene poundes, To the eldest sonne of my Cossen Thomas Willmore ffower poundes to my Cossen Robert Harvard five poundes to John Brockett the sonne of Joseph Brockett ffortie shillinges, And then alsoe and in such case, I doe give and bequeath unto my said brother John Harvard my said moitie or half parte of the lease of the said Tenementes with the appu'tenñces att or neere Towerhill aforesaid and the rentes and the Revercons thereof, And all my estate tearme of yeares and demaunde therein charged with the said Annuity of Thirtie pounds P anñ by me given to my said wife, Item I doe alsoe by this my will give and bequeath unto my said brother John Harvard the sume of one hundred poundes lawfull English mony, and my standinge bowle of silver guilt and my Chest with twoe lockes before excepted, Together with my best whole suite of appell and my best cloake, And all things belonginge thereunto, Item I give and bequeath unto Mr Nichollas Morton Minister and Preacher in the pishe of Saint Saviors in Southwarke the some of fforty shillinges in recompence of a Sermon which I desire he should preach at my funerall, for the better Comforte edifyinge and instrucčon of such my freinds and neighboures and other people as there shalbe assembled, Item I giue and bequeath unto James Archer Minister twentie shillinges, Item I giue and bequeath unto Mr Osney Minister the some of twenty shillinges, Item I give and bequeath unto Mr Clarke Minister the some of twenty shillinges, Item I give and bequeath unto my said ffather in lawe M'. Nicholas Kinge the some of three poundes to make him a ringe, Item I giue and bequeath unto my Cossen William Harvard the some of Tenne poundes, Item I give and bequeath unto my said Cossen Robert Harvard the some of six poundes, Item I give unto the said Joseph Brockett my seale Ringe of gould, I will that there shalbe distributed by my executors on the day of my buriall the some of ffortie shillinges, that is to saie to and amongst the poore people of Saint Saviours in Southwarke the some of twenty shillings and to And amongst the poore people of the pishe of Saint Olave in Southwarke the like some of twenty shillings Att the discrecon of my Executors where moste neede shall appeare. Item I give and bequeath unto my Mother in lawe Margarett King ffortie shillinges and unto her twoe daughters Margaret and Hanah the like some of ffortie shillinges a peece to make them Ringes. The rest residue and Remainder of all and singuler my goodes chattelles and worldly substance whatsoever not herein before given or bequeathed, I give and bequeath in forme followinge, that is to saie, Twoe full third pts thereof unto such childe and children as my said wife nowe goeth withall or is with childe of And thother twoe third ptes thereof I fully and wholly give unto my said lovinge wife Elizabeth, and my said lovinge brother John Harvard equally betweene them to be devided pte and porcon alike. And in case my said wife shall not be with childe att the time of my decease or that such child and children shall dye before theie shall accomplishe theire age or ages of twentie and one yeares Then in such case I give and bequeath the residue and remainder of my estate my debtes funerall expences, and my legacies beinge paied and pformed unto my said lovinge wife and my said brother equally betweene them to be devided pte and porčon alike, And my will and mean inge is that the legacies by me in and by this my last will given and bequeathed unto my said wife and such childe and children as she nowe goeth with or is with childe of is and are in full Recompence and satisfacčon of such parte of my estate shee they or anie of them shall or may claime or challenge by the custome of the Citty of London, And to the end they shall make noe clayme. or challege thereby, And if they shall make such Claime or challenge by the said custome Then I will that the said legacies by me to them given shall cease and bee voide and not be paied, And I doe ordaine and make my said welbeloved brother John Harvard And the said Nichollas Morton preacher executors of this my said last will and Testa ment in trust for the due pformance of this my said laste will and the pay ment of the legacies herein included and given and especially and before all of such debtes as in right and conscience I shall owe to anie pson or psons att the time of my decease as my trust is in them, And in recompence of theire paines therein to be taken, I give and bequeath unto either of them the sume of fiue poundes lawfull englishe mony apeece, And I doe nominate and appoint my said lovinge ffather in lawe Mr Nicholas Kinge and my lovinge Cossen Thomas Harvard and my lovinge freind Mr. John Spencer Merchante to be overseers of this my will desiring them to se the same pformed accordinge to my true meaning and to be aidinge and assistinge to my said Executors with theire best advice And for theire paines therein to be taken I give and bequeath unto every one of them three poundes apeece of like mony, And I doe hereby revoke and disalowe of all former willes and bequestes by me in any wise heretofore made And this to stand and continewe for and as my last will and testament, In witnes whereof to this my said last will and testament conteyninge with this sheete, Nyne sheetes of paper, I the said Thomas Harvard have sett my hand and seale the daie and yeare first aboue written Thomas Harvard Sealed and published by the said Thomas Harvard for and as his last will and testament the daie and yeare abovesaid in the p'sence of me Richard Greene Scr: Richard Barlowe. PROBATUM fuit Testamentum suprascriptum apud London coram magro Willmo Sames legum dcore Surrogato venerabilis viri domini Henrici Marten militis legum etiam dcõris Curie Prerogatiue Cant magri Custodis sive Comissarii ltime constitut, Quinto die mensis Maij Anno domini millimo sexcentesimo tricesimo septimo Jurament Nicholai Morton Cleric executoru in humōi testament nominat; cui comissa fuit administracio omni et singulorü bonorü iuriu et creditoru dict def de bene et fidłe ad° ead ad scta dei evang: iurat, Reservata Ptate similem comissiōem facieñd Johanni Harvard alteri execut etiam in dicto testament nominat cum venerit eam petitur. 69, Goare. [At last, thanks to the mother that bore him, and who by her careful mention of him in her will as 66 'my eldest son, John Harvard, clarke," has again, as it were, brought him to light, we are enabled to lift the veil that for nearly two hundred and fifty years has hidden our modest and obscure, but generous benefactor, the godfather of America's oldest University, the patron Saint of New England's scholars; to learn his parentage and birthplace, and to form some idea of his youthful surroundings. The will of his brother Thomas, to be sure (discovered by me on Washington's birth-day, 1884), furnished the first important evidence in regard to him. It will be noticed in that will, made 15 July, 1636, that he appoints his brother, John Harvard, and the Rev. Nicholas Morton, parson of St. Saviour's, joint executors; that this will was presented for probate 5 May, 1637, by Mr. Morton alone, and power granted only to him, a similar power being reserved for John Harvard, the other executor, when he should come to seek it. This seemed to show plainly enough the absence of John Harvard, the brother of Thomas, on that fifth of May, 1637. Well, that was the year of the first appearance of our John Harvard on the soil of New England, as shown by the records of Charlestown; so that probably on that very day in May he was on his way across the Atlantic. The inference then was a reasonable one that the John Harvard named in the will of Thomas Harvard of Southwark and the wise benefactor after whom our ancient University was named were one and the same person. But it needed just the mention of him in his mother's will as "clarke," taken in connection with this fact of his absence at the proving of his brother's will, to put the matter beyond question. Here too it seems as if envious chance had sought to hide him, for in the Calendar of 1637 the name of the testator, which in the record is plainly enough Harvard," was entered " Haward," a name which might be passed over by any one hunting for the name of Harvard. It was only by gleaning that I came upon it. 66 Again--the Register Books of St. Saviour's, Southwark, the parish in which our benefactor first saw the light, seem to have lent themselves to increase the mystery that has enveloped the English surroundings of John Harvard, as will appear from the following list of baptisms :* 1601 May 31 Marye Harverde d. of Robert, a Butcher. Why, if his name was Harvard, should we accept the baptism of John Harvye as the baptism of our John Harvard? Here again the mother comes to our assistance. It can readily be seen that Katherine Yearwood must have been the widow of Robert Harvard and mother of the John, Thomas and Peter named in his will. It may not appear so evident that John Elletson, whose will I have given in its order of time, had married the widow Harvard before she became the wife of Richard Yearwood. The will of John Elletson makes no mention of any of the Harvard family; yet no one can read attentively that will and the will of Mrs. Katherine Yearwood in connection with each other, without being forced to the conclusion that Katherine Yearwood must have been the widow of John Elletson and the executrix of his will, and, as such, the successor of his trust in regard to the children of Hugh Horsall, or Harsall, deceased. So convinced was I of this that almost the first object of my quest in the register of St. Saviour's, was the record of the marriage of John Elletson with the widow Harvard. And I soon found it entered thus: 1625 Januarie 19 John Ellison & Katherine Harvie. Here we find mother and son both appearing under another and the same name, viz., Harvie or Harvye. I found too in the will of Thomas Cox, citizen and vintner of London, made 12 September and proved 21 September, 1613 (79 Capell) bequests made to sundry members of this family (John Harvard's uncles ?) as follows: I give Mrs Herverd als Harvey wife of Mr Thomas Harverd als Harvey of St Katherines Butcher six payre of best sheets," &c.-" I doe give and bequeath unto Richard Harverd als Harvey of St Saviour's parish aforesaid butcher, my now tenant, the sum of ten pounds," &c. A Robert Harvy als Harverde the elder of Rookeby (Rugby) was mentioned by Thomas Atkins of Dunchurch, Warwickshire, in his will, 41st Elizabeth. (48, Kidd.) The burial of the father of John Harvard is thus entered: 1625 August 24 Mr Robert Harvey, a man, in the church. The youngest son, Peter, mentioned in his father's will (of 28 July, 1625) but not in the widow's, was buried four days before the father, also in the church, where also Richard Yearwood (a vestryman) was buried 18 October, 1632, and Katherine Yearwood 9 July, 1635. John Harvard's elder brother Robert was buried the very day before his father made his will. Evidently the family were suffering *The first two children in the list, viz. Mary (bapt. 1601) and Robert (bapt. 1602), were probably the children of Mr. Harvard by his first wife, Barbara Descyn, whom he married 26 June, 1600. |