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Stephen Kevall
Duff (p. 86) summarizes Kevall's activities as a stationer from 1535 to 1571, primarily as an official of the Stationers' Company, of which he was a charter member in 1557. Numerous references to him occur in the Stationers' Register in his official capacity. Duff notes that he died on 13 April 1571, and Plomer (pp. 18-19) prints an abstract of his will (supposedly dated 28 October 1570), as probated in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 20 April 1571. The parish registers of St. Mary at Hill record the burial of "Stephe [sic] Kevall" on 17 April 1571 (Guildhall Library MS. 4546). Another copy of his will, this one dated 20 October 1570, was probated in the Archdeaconry Court of London by his widow Jane on 24 October 1572 (Guildhall Library MS. 9051/4, fol. 20v). The content of this will is the same as that in Plomer (from P.R.O., Prob. 11. 53/Holney 17). The following names from the will are in addition to those in Plomer: Alice, wife of Hugh Woodcock, citizen
Duff (p. 86) says that Jane Kevall died in 1573, but this information derives from Plomer's statement (p. 19) that Kevall's bequest to the Stationers' Company "did not come into the hands of the Company till the death of Jane Kevall, the widow, in 1573." The registers of St. Mary at Hill in fact record the burial of "Ianee Kevall widdow" on 14 July 1580 (Guildhall Library MS. 4546). On 22 March 1575/6, "Iane Kevall of London widowe, beinge at this presente in healthe of bodye," made her will, in which she asks "to be buryed within the parrishe church of saincte Marye at Hill in London, wheare I am a parishioner . . . nere the place where my late husbande Stephen Kevall lieth buried" (P.R.O., Prob. 11. 63/Darcy 25). Among her bequests is 20s. for a repast to the Livery of the Stationers' Company in London for accompanying her corpse to burial. As sole executrix, she names her cousin Alice Woodcock, wife of Hugh Woodcock, salter. She adds that she has devised to the Stationers' Company a message that her husband had purchased from William Kelley (and that Stephen Kevall had mentioned in his own will). Through a notary public, Alice Woodcock probated the will in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 13 June 1581.
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