He died 12 November 1595 while at sea on a voyage to the West Indies

© Geoff Ledden

(The original spelling has been retained. As is customary, no punctuation has been used throughout the will)

SIR JOHN HAWKINS of London Knt

I bequeath £50 among the poor householders of Plimouth, £50 to the poor householders of the parish of St. Dunstan's in the East London where I dwell and £50 to the poor householders of Deptford where I dwell

The SUM Of £2000 jointure of my wife Lady Margaret to be first satisfied by my executors, also £1000 which I bequeath to her in augmentation of her jointure & in recompense of her dower I give to her so much of my plate as shall amount to the value of £200 to be chosen at her pleasure, also so much of my household stuff out of my house in Mincing Lane & other my houses in Deptford as shall amount to £300, also all such jewels as heretofore I bestowed upon her

I give and bequeath to my dread Sovereign Ladie the Queen's most excellent Majestie that now is (to be delivered by my said wife) as a testimony of my true zeal and Loyalty a Jewell of the value of 200 marks

To my very good Lord William Lord Burghlie High Treasurer of England the sum of £100

To my very good Lord Charles Lord Howard of Effingham High Admiral of England my best diamond worth £100 or so much money in gold

To Sir John Fortescue Knt. Chancellor of the Exchequer £50

To my very good Cousin Sir Francis Drake Knt my best jewell which is  a Cross of Emoroldes

To Sir Henry Palmer Knt. a diamond worth £20

To John Heale £50 to be one of the Overseers of this my will

To Benjamin Gunston my brother-in-law my best bason & ewer of silver & gilt, or in lieu of it £50

To Edward Fenton Esq. & to Thomasine his wife my brother & sister in law £50 which she doth owe me

To Robert Peterson & Ursula his wife my brother & sister in law £20

(A lost list of legacies to servants and friends followed here)

100 marks each to every of the sons (now living) of my late brother Wm Hawkins Esq by Mary his 2nd wife, also £50 to each of the daughters of my said brother by both his wives

To my servant Roger Langforde an annuity of £20 during such term as he shall be employed going through my accounts with her Majestie which accounts I willed him to follow by the direction of my wife and of my son Richard Hawkins

Whereas I have assured all my lands, tenements & hereditaments within the Realme of England to Sir Henry Palmer Knt. Thomas Hughs of Gray's Inn Esq. Hughe Vaughan of the parish of St. Giles without Creplegate London, and Richard Reynell of the Middle Temple Esq. I therefore will & devise them to assure unto my wife my house in London wherein I now dwell for the term of her life the remainder thereof to my son Richard Hawkins & his heirs male for lack of such issue to my wife the Lady Margaret Hawkins & her heirs for ever In like manner I do devise that the said Sir Henry Palmer and his Cobargainzees their heirs shall assure to my said son the moiety of the house with the appurtenances of the garden, stable, cellars, the pallace, the wharf and forge house upon the said wharf in Plymouth that he now occupieth to hold to him & his heirs lawfully begotten the remainder thereof  in tail to the heirs of my said brother William Hawkins by Mary his second wife with remainder in tail to the heirs of my said brother by his first wife with re­mainder to my own right heirs for ever

In like manner Sir Henry Palmer & his Cobargainzees shall assure to the eldest son of my late brother by the said Marie the moiety of the dwelling house with the appurtenances in Plymouth wherein Warwick Heale Esq. & the said Marie now or lately  dwelt  and  the moiety of   the garden the  tower  house  to it  the  shop   the‘ bruehouse’ backhouse, the sellers upon the wharfe before the house, the moietie of the Crane And my parte of the gardeine and Orcharde in the Howe lane And my moitie of the stable to have & to hold to him & his heirs with remainder in tail to the next heir male of my said brother by the said Marie for default of such heir the remainder in tail to my son Richard Hawkins, with remainder to the next heir of my said brother with remainder to my own right heirs for ever

All the rest of my lands in Plymouth I bequeath to my son Richard Hawkins & his heirs males with divers remainders upon condition that my son within one year next after my death doe graunt & assure ten pounds rent charge yearly out of it to the Mayor & Cominaltie of Plymouth, or the Corporation of Plymouth if they may lawfully take it if not to the Overseers of this my last will & to their heirs to the use & to be paid to the poor for the time being in the Almeshouses there for ever

I will that my feoffees do go through with the erection of my hospital at Chatham. & provision of living for the same according to such directions as I shall give them if during mine own life I do not perform & parficte that work

I give & bequeath unto the children of my late brother William Hawkins a full fifth part of all such adventure and portion of mine as shall return to my use profit & benefit from the Seas in mine and Sir Frauncis Drackes viage and the like fifth part of mine adventure & portion which I have at the seas with my said son Richard Hawkins in the ship called the Daintie and in the rest of his shipps And the like fifth part of all mine adventure which I have at seas with Sir Walter Rawleighe Knt in his ship called the Rowbucke or Malcontent the same fifth parts to be equally divided amongst all the children of my said brother by both his wives and delivered to them within convenient time after the return of every of the said adventures And I do referr it to the further discretion of my well beloved wife to enlarge the said portions & to bestow more on the said children as God shall bless the returns of the said adventures which I hope she will liberally do if the same adventures by the death of my said son do happen to come wholly to her

To every child which William Hawkins the eldest son of my said brother shall have living at the time of my decease £100

I will that my Executors do bestow £50 on a " Tumbe " over me & the said Lady Katherine my first wife (if I do it not myself)

The residue of all my lands, tenements, leases & mortgages 1 give to my Executors, & all my leases, goods & chattels whatsoever I give to my wife & my son Richard Hawkins  whome 1 doe jointly ordaine & make my  executors.

To Judith Hawkins the wife & to Judith Hawkins the daughter of the said Ric. Hawkins the sum of £1500 to be paid to Thomas Heale Esq. of Fleete in Devonshire, to be employed by him to the best benefit of them both

I constitute Lawrence Hussey Dr. of Civil Law, John Heale Serjeant-at-­Law, & Hugh Vaughan to be Overseers of this my will

In witness whereof I have set my hand & seal the 3rd day of March, 37 Eliz. [1594]. Sealed & delivered in the presence of Richard Colthurst, John Wanler, Ed: Fawkner, Walther Wood, Edwa: Lawrance, John Hawkins

[Codicil Annexed]

Whereas by my will 1 have ordained my wife & my son my Executors forasmuch as the said Richard Hawkins is supposed to be taken detained prisoner in the Indies therefore my mind & will is if the said Richard shall not return into this Realme of England within the space of three years to commence & immediately ensue after the xxth day of December next coming after the date of my said will That then and thenceforth the said Dame Margaret shall be my whole & sole Exequutrix & that then the executorship & all legacies of any of my goods &c. by the said will given to the said Richard shall cease & be void saving only then the sum of £3000 1 will my said Executrix shall pay for & towards his redemption and ransome  if therewith only, or otherwith together with other supply or means he may be redeemed & not otherwise

I give to the two eldest sons of the right honorable the Lord Charles Howard Lord High Admiral of England the debt which his Lordship oweth me being near £700

I bequeath a further sum of £50 each to the poor of Plymouth, St. Dunstans, and Deptford

To Judith & Cleere daughters of my said late brother £200 each over above the legacies formerly bequeathed to them

I bequeath to William Cecil son of Sir Robert Cecil £500

All the legacies before given to my servants to be doubled

Codicil dated 16th of June 1595, 37 Eliz

Proved in London 28th day of April 1596 by Lady Margaret Hawkins the relict