Sunday, February 13, 2011

Question from Katie R. - Unfulfilled gifts clause in Henry VIII's will

Hi everyone! I am wondering whether the full details of the "unfulfilled gifts clause" in Henry VIII's will is available online. I have found any number of summaries of it, but I would like, if possible, to see the actual words.

Thanks so much

1 comment:

Foose said...

"Furthermore, we will that all such grants and gifts as we have made, given, or promised, to any, which be not yet perfected under our sign or any our seals, as they ought to be, and all such recompense for exchanges, sales, or any other thing or things as ought to have been made by us, and be not yet accomplished, shall be perfected in every point towards all manner of men for discharge of our conscience, charging our executors and all the rest of our counsellors to see the same done, performed, finished, and accomplished in every point, foreseeing that the said gifts, grants, and promises, and recompense, shall appear to our said executors, or the most part of them, to have been granted, made, accorded, or promised, in any manner of wise."

I found it in Thomas Fuller's The Church History of Britain, available online at Google Books, which reproduces the entire will; Chris Skidmore details the clause in his book on Edward VI, also partially available online at Google Books.