Office copy, National Archives (Family Records Centre) London, reference PROB11/152 fo. 396LH-396RH. Here are images of the original document from which the following transcript was made:
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In the Name of God Amen The Third daie of Julie in the third yeare of the raigne of our Soveraigne Lord Charles by the grace of god King of England France and Ireland defender of the faith &c Ano~ Dni~ One thousand sixe hundred twentie seauen I John Alefounder of Eastbergholt in the countie of Suffc Clother being sicke and weake in body but perfect in mind thankes bee giuen vnto allmightie god therefore Doe make and ordaine this my last will and testament reuokeing all former wills and Testaments heretofore made by mee in manner & forme as followeth First I giue and bequeath my soule into the hands of allmightie god my creator and to Jesus Christ my blessed Redeemer by whose meritts I hope onely to bee saued and my body to the earth from whence it came And for that porcon of worldly goods wch god of his goodnes hath endued mee wthall as hereeafter expressed Item I giue vnto Mr Doctor Joanes Preacher of the word of god of the said Towne of Eastbergholt the som~e of twentie shillings Ite~ I giue vnto my Sister Emme White the like some of twentie shillings Item I giue vnto my Sister Marie Howard the like some of twentie shillings Item I giue vnto my Sister Audrey Moore the like som~e of Twentie shillings Item I doe giue vnto the poore people of the said Towne of Eastbergholt the like som~e of twentie shillings to bee distributed where most neede shalbe Ite~ I giue ^vnto my Sonne Beniamin Alefounder my two head teare blue broad clothes to bee deliuered vnto him prsently after my decease Item I giue and bequeath vnto my said Sonne Beniamine Alefounder all that my part of the Shopstuffe wch I doe now hold and enioye wth Thomas Clarcke being the implements belonging to Clothworkers Craft And the halfe of all my household stuffe and implements of household and the some of fortie pounds of lawfull English money wch said tot I will shalbe paid by my Executrix wthin one yeare next after my decease Ite~ my will and minde is that my Cosin Robart Alefounder shall haue paid into his hands by my Executrix the som~e of sixescore pounds of lawfull English money wch he the said Robert Alefounder shall become bound^en vnto Marie Alefounder my wife to paie vnto her yearely at two seuerall tymes of the yeare for the vse of the said sixescore pounds the som~e of nine pounds for long as she shall liue and keepe herselfe vnmarried But if my said wife shall happen to marry then I doe giue and bequeath the said sixescore pounds and euery pte thereof vnto Beniamin Alefounder my sonne and alsoe all that my part of the good shipp called the good intent wth my part of the boate tackle furniture and apparell vnto the said shipp belonging or appertayning Prouided allwaies and my will and meaning is that if my said sonne Beniamin shall depte this life in the life tyme of my said wife vnmarried or wthout issue of his body lawfully ^to bee begotten or to bee vnmarried at the daie of his death my will is that after the death of Marie my said wife being vnmarried as aforesaid that my said Cosin Robart Alefounder shall keep and hold in his hands the som~e of one hundreth markes of lawfull English money part of the said sixescore pounds wch my said sonne Beniamin Alefounder should ashad and enioyed if he had liued after the death of Marie Alefounder his mother or after her marriag as aforesaid thirtie pounds of it shall remaine vnto the said Robart Alefounder his Executors Administrators or assignes and the remainders of the said one hundred marks my will and meaning is that he shall giue the same out vnto such of my kindred wch he shall see fitting And for the rest and [resid]ue of my goods and Chattells of what kinde and nature soeuer vnbequeathed (my debts funerall expences and probate of this my will paid and discharged) I ^doe giue and bequeath them vnto Marie Alefounder my wife whom I doe ordaine and make the said Marie my wife the sole and onely Executrix of this my last will and testament hopeing she will performe the same faithfully as my trust is in her In witnes whereof I haue herevnto put my hand and seale the daie and yeare first abouewritten John Alefounder Sealed published and deliuered as the last will and testament of the said John Alefounder in the pesents of vs Abraham Payte and Joh-is Steauenson Thomas Clarcke his marke./
Probatum fuit Testamentum suprascriptum apud London Coram Venerabili viro Domino Henrico Marten Milite legum doctore Curie Prerogatiue Cantuariensis Magistro Custode siue Commissario ltim~e constituto Nono die mensis Novembris Anno Domini Millesimo sexcentesimo vicesimo septimo Juramento Marie Alefounder Relicte dicti defuncti et Executricis in huiusmodi Testamento nominat Cui Commissa fuit Administratio omnium et singulorum bonorum iurium et Creditorum dicti defuncti, De bene et fideliter Administrando eadem ad sancta Dei Evangelia Coram Willimo Jones Clerico Vigore Commissionis in ea pte al-s emanat Jurat./~ exe
[Probate of the abovewritten will was granted at London before the Honorable Sir Henry Marten Knight Doctor of Law Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted the nineth day of the month of November AD 1627 by the oath of Marie Alefounder Widow of the said deceased and likewise Executrix named in the will To whom Administration was granted of all and singular the goods rights and Credits of the said deceased, Well and faithfully to Administer the same as sworn on the Gospels of God Before William Jones Clerk Power to act in that part otherwise arising]
Transcribed and translated by Peter Alefounder October 2002 |