Dr. Hamel, of whose memoir of the elder Tredescant and his voyage to
Russia I gave some account in Vol. iii., p. 391., being again in England
last year, pursued with unremitting zeal his researches into the history
of the Tredescants, and has given the results in a short Memoir read
before the Imperial Academy of Sciences at Petersburg on the 5th of
December last. Having been favoured with a copy of the memoir, and a
flattering letter from the writer, I think it incumbent upon me to add
to my former communication a brief abstract of this interesting paper.
Dr. Hamel first directed his researches toward an endeavour to develope
the means by which Elias Ashmole became the possessor of the Tredescant
collection; and naturally expected that he should be able to trace the
document of 1659, upon which Ashmole rested his claim to the ownership;
but he could not find any such deed.
He was, however, fortunate enough to trace out the original Will of John
Tredescant the younger, bearing his seal and signature, made at a
subsequent date, and formally proved, after his death in 1662, by his
widow Hester. This important document throws much light upon the
transaction respecting the Museum, and its destination. Dr. Hamel was
naturally much pleased with this discovery, and rejoiced to see for the
first time the autograph of a man about whom he had so much interested
himself, but was somewhat surprised to find that the name which has been
usually written Tr_a_descant was uniformly spelt Tr_e_descant in the
body of the Will, as well as in the signature; the seal, bearing the
same coat of arms given on a plate in the Catalogue of the Museum, being
placed between the syllable _Tre_ and _descant_. This document runs
thus:
"THE LAST WILL AND TESTMANENT OF ME JOHN TREDESCANT.
"In the name of God, Amen.
"The fourth day of April in the yeare of our Lord God one thousand
six hundred sixtie-one, I, John Tredescant of South Lambeth in the
Countie of Surrey, Gardiner, being at this present of perfect
health, minde, and memorie, thanks be therefore given to Almightie
God, and calling to minde the uncertaintie of death, and being
desirous whilst I am in a Capacity to settle and dispose of such
things as God of his goodnesse hath bestowed upon me, doe make and
declare this my last Will and Testament as followeth. First and
principally I commend and yield my soule into the hands of
Almighty God my Creator, and my bodie to the Earth to be decently
(according to the quality wherein I have liued) interred as neere
as can be to my late deceased Father John Tredescant, and my sonne
who lye buried in the parish Churchyard of Lambeth aforesaid, at
the discretion of my Executrix hereafter named; hopeing by and
through the merits, death, and passion of my onely Saviour and
Redeemer Jesus Christ to have full remission of all my Sinnes, and
to see my God in the Land of the Living; and for my temporall
Estate I doe will, bequeath, and dispose thereof as followeth.
That is to saie, I will that all such debts as shall be by me
justly due and owing to anie person or persons whatsoever at the
time of my decease (if anie such be) shall be truly paid and
satisfied, and after my Funeral charges shall be defrayed, for the
doeing whereof I appoint the summe of twenty pounds or thereabouts
shall be expended by my Executrix but not more. Item, I giue and
bequeath upon the condition hereafter mentioned to my daughter
Frances Norman the summe of ten pounds of Lawfull money of
England, which I will shall be paid unto her within six moneths
after my decease, and likewise I doe forgive her the summe of
fourscore pounds or thereabouts, Principall Money, besides the
Interest thereof which I long since lent her late deceased husband
Alexander Norman. Provided that shee and her husband, if she shall
be then againe married, give my Executrix a generall release for
the same. Item, I give and bequeath to my two namesakes Robert
Tredescant and Thomas Tredescant, of Walberswick in the Countie of
Suffolk, to eache of them the summe of five shillings apiece in
remembrance of my loue, and to every childe or children of them
the [said] Robert and Thomas that shall be liuing at the time of
my decease the summe of two shillings and sixpence apiece. Item, I
giue to Mris. Marie Edmonds, the daughter of my louing Friend
Edward Harper, the summe of one hundred pounds, to be paid unto
her after my wife's decease; and in case she die before my said
wife, my will is and I doe hereby giue and bequeath the said summe
of one hundred pounds, after my wife's decease, to my Foure
God-children, vizt. Hester, John, Leonard, and Elizabeth Edmonds,
sonnes and daughters of the said Mris. Mary Edmonds Equally to be
diuided amongst them, share and share alike; and if either of them
die before he, her, or they receiue their share or portion so to
be diuided, then the said share or portion of him, her, or them so
dying to goe and be giuen to the survivor and survivors of them,
share and share alike. Item, I doe hereby giue, will, devise and
bequeath to my Cosin Katharine King, widdow, after the decease of
my wife, the Little House commonly called the Welshmans house
situate in South Lambeth aforesaid, together with that Little
Piece of Ground now enclosed thereunto adjoyning; and to her heirs
and assignes for euer. Item, I giue, devize, and bequeath my
Closet of Rarities to my dearly beloued wife Hester Tredescant
during her naturall Life, and after her decease I giue and
bequeath the same to the Universities of Oxford or Cambridge, to
which of them shee shall think fitt at her decease. As for such
other of my friends and kindred as I should nominate for Rings and
small tokens of my Loue, I leaue that to the Care of my said wife
to bestow how manie and to whome shee shall think deseruing. The
rest and Residue of all my Estate Reall and personall whatsoeuer,
I wholly giue, devize, and bequeath to my deare and louing wife
Hester Tredescant, and to her heires and assignes for euer. And I
doe hereby nominate, ordaine, constitute, and appoint my said
Louing Wife Hester Tredescant full and sole Executrix of this my
last will and Testament; and I doe desire Dr. Nurse and Mr. Mark
Cottle to be Ouerseers of this my last Will and Testament, and I
giue to each of them fortie shillings apiece. Lastly, I doe hereby
revoke all Wills by me formerly made, and will that this onely
shall stand and be my last will and Testament, and no other. In
Wittnesse whereof I the said John Tredescant to this my present
last will and testament haue set my hand and seale the daie and
yeare aboue written.
"JOHN TRE (L.S.) DESCANT.
"Signed, sealed, published, and declared by the said John
Tredescant the Testator, as and for his last Will and Testament,
in the presence of John Seatewell, Foulk Bignall, Robert Thompson,
Jun'ris, Ric. Newcourt, Jun'r, Richard Hoare, Notary Publique.
"Probatum apud London coram venerabili viro D[=n]o Williamo
Mericke milite Legum Doctore Commissario, etc., quinto die mensis
May Anno Domini 1662, iuramento Hestore Tredescant, Relicte dicti
defuncti et Executricis, etc."