Office copy, National Archives (Family Records Centre) London, reference PROB11/157 fo. 384LH-385LH. This will was subjected to legal challenge and a sentence appears in the probate records. Here are images of the original document from which the following transcript was made:
Permission for the publication of these images is given by TNA in section 6.1.1 of its copyright statement.
In the Name of God Amen The sixteenth daie of March Anno domini One thousand sixe hundred twentie nine I Robt-e Alefounder of Dedham in the countie of Essex Clothier of good and pfect memory thanks be to god, doe make this my last will and testament revokinge all former wills by mee heretofore made, First I bequeath my soule into the hands of allmightie god my mercifull father trustinge through the meritts of my saviour Jesus Christ to obteyne pardon of all my sinnes, And my bodie to the earth in Christian buriall in assured hope of a ioyfull resurrection to everlastinge life, Concerninge my worldlie goodes wherewith god hath blessed me withall I doe dispose them in manner followinge, Inprimis I giue vnto my lovinge wife one hundred poundes to be paid vnto her within sixe moneths after my decease, Item I giue vnto her further a litle silver winecupp, And I will that my sonne John Alefounder shall giue and allowe vnto her in my nowe dwellingehouse her board and dwellinge freely for the space of sixe moneths after my decease Item I giue vnto my sonne Robert Alefounder and to his heires forever, all those my landes and tenements in Kirkeby in the countie of Essex in the occupac-on of Robert Coppe or his assignes Also I giue vnto my ^said sonne Robert all that my howse and lands whatsoever lyinge and being in Walton in Essex aforesaid now in the occupac-on of John Cole or his assignes to hold vnto him and his heires forever Item I further giue vnto my said sonne Robert Alefounder, and to his heires for eu~ all those my lands and tenements with th'appurtenances whatsoever lyinge in Walton aforesaid which I bought of John Purdy together also with all those lands and tenements which I bought of Anthony Sherlocke, to hold to him and his heires forever, Also I giue and bequeath vnto the said Robert Alefounder my sonne all those my landes and woodes whatsoever lyinge in Walton aforesaid which I bought of one Richard Caldy, and also all those my lands in the occupacon of Thomas Walden or his assignes To hold vnto the said Robert Alefounder my sonne and to his heires forever, Item I further giue vnto the said Robert Alefounder my greate silver salt, and also the some of fiftie pounds to be paid vnto him within one moneth after my decease Item I giue vnto my sonne John Alefounder and to his heires forever all those my howses lands and meadowes lyinge in Dedham aforesaid now in mine owne occupa~con which I bought of Mary Bentley Hanna Neavard and Susan Salmon Item I giue vnto my said sonne John Alefounder And to his heires forever all my howses and lands scituated in Northstreete in Dedham aforesaid now in the occupacon~ of Robert Freeman th'elder And also all those my landes which I bought of William Wilkinson now in the occupac~on of Thomas Wilson, To hold to him and to his heires forever Also I giue vnto my said sonne John Alefounder and to his heires forever all those my houses and lands with the appetenn~cs lyinge in Beamont and Tenderinge in the said countie of Essex now in the occupac~on of the widowe Ewers or her assignes, Item I further giue vnto my said sonne John Alefounder and to his heires forever, all my howses and lands with the appertenances lyinge in Thorpe in the said countie of Essex now in the occupa~con of Stephen Coker or his assignes Item I giue vnto my said sonne John Alefounder all my household stuffe cattell the wood in the yard belonging to my dwelling howse, together with all such thinges as are in the woodhowse my plate readie money and debttes excepted And also the sume of twoe hundred pounds to be paid within one moneth after my decease, Item I giue vnto my daughters Sara Browninge Rachell Sherman and Anne Fenne one hundred pounds a peece to be paid vnto them within sixe moneths after my decease Item I giue vnto my daughter Susan Alderman three hundred pounds to be payd vnto her within six moneths after my decease in discharge of her por"con which I agreed to giue vppon her marriage, Item I giue vnto my daughter Browninges tenne children being my grandchildren to either of them tenn pounds a peece at their severall ages of eighteene yeares, And if either of them happen to die before their said severall ages Then I will that the part and parts of him her or them so dyinge to be devided amongst ye survivors of them Item I giue vnto everie of my sonne Robert Alefounder his children (exceptinge his sonne Robert) To everie of them the some of tenne pounds a peece at their severall ages of eighteene yeares with the same proviso and lymitaco~n as I haue given to my daughter Brownings children Item I giue vnto my daughter Shermans children being grandchildren viz~t to my godsonne Robert Sherman twenty pounds and to her three other children tenn pounds a peece To be paid vnto them in such manner and forme as my daughter Brownings children are to be paid, Item I giue vnto my grandchilde John Wilkinson tenn pounds And to my grandchilde Anne Wilkinson thirtie pounds To be paid vnto them at their severall ages of eighteen yeares Item I giue vnto my daughter Fenns three children beinge my grandchildren tenn pounds a peece in such manner and forme as I haue giuen to my daughter Brownings children Item I giue vnto Stephen Howe twentie pounds within one moneth after my decease vppon condition that he seale a generall release of all demaunds whatsoeuer vnto my executors, Item I giue vnto my daughter in law Susan Salmon tenn pounds to be paid vnto her at such time or times as Mr Rogers shall thinke fitt, Item I giue vnto the children of my wifes daughter Mary Bently that were borne before my wifes death to either of them tenn shillinges a peece at their severall ages of eighteene yeares, And if anie happen to die before their said ages, Then the part or parts to be devided amonge the survivors Item I giue vnto the children of Hanna Payte my wifes daughter that were borne before my wifes death twentie shillinges a peece at their severall ages of eighteene yeares, And if any happen to die before their said ages, Then the part or parts of them so dyinge to be devided among the survivors of them, Item I giue vnto the children of my wifes daughter Susan Salmon tenn shillinges a peece at their severall ages of eighteene yeares, And if anie happen to die before their said ages, Then the part or parts of them so dyinge to be devided among the survivors of them, Item I giue vnto my sister Eme White five pounds to be paid vnto her at the discretion of my executors, And moreover I will that my sonne Robert and my sonne John shall giue vnto my said sister Eme White yearely and eu~ie yeare duringe her life thirtie shillinges a peece, Item I giue vnto my sister Mary Howard five pounds to be paid within one moneth after my decease ^ Item I give vnto my sister Awdrie Moore five pounds to be likewise paid vnto her within one moneth after my decease Item I giue vnto my sister Groomes children to the poorest of them five pounds which I will shalbe devided amongst them at the discretion of my executors within one moneth after my decease, Item I giue vnto Richard Alefounder my kinsman fortie shillinges within one moneth after my decease Item I giue vnto my kinsman George White fortie shillinges to be paid within one moneth after my decease Item I giue vnto the poore people of Eastbergholt five pounds to be distributed by Mr Doctor Jones and my executors at the time of my buriall, Item I giue vnto the poore people of Dedham five pounds to be likewise distributed at the discretion of my executors at the time of my buriall Item I giue three pounds to be distributed to poore Christians within one moneth after my decease where Mr Rogers shall see it fitt, and at his discretion desiringe him to giue my children good Councell, Item I further giue twenty pounds towards the purchasinge in of impropriations and for other good and charitable vses and works of those natures to be imploied at the discretion of the said Mr Rogers, Item I giue vnto Thomas Darbie twentie shillinges, Item I giue vnto my brother John Vpcher and his wife three pounds to buie either of them a ringe Item I giue vnto everie one of my servants that shalbe in my service at the time of my decease twentie shillinges a peece, Item I giue vnto my brother Thomas Woodgate and his wife three pounds to buie either of them a ringe, Item I giue vnto Thomas Branston of Eastbergholt three pounds to buie him a ringe, Item I giue vnto my sonne Thomas Glover three pounds to buie him a ringe Item I giue vnto my sonne Richard Browninge three pounds to buie him a ringe, Item I giue vnto my sonne Ezekiell Sherman three pounds to buie him a ringe Item I giue vnto my sonne Henry Fenne three pounds to buie him a ringe Item I giue vnto my sonne John Wilkinson three pounds to buie him a ringe Item I giue to my sister Cole thirtie shillinges to buie her a ringe Item I giue vnto my daughter Sarah Browninge one silver bowle, Item I giue vnto my daughter Rachell Sherman one other silver bowle Item I giue vnto my daughter Anne Fenn one other silver bowle Item I giue vnto my daughter Susan Alderman my biggest silver wine Cupp and a litle wine cup Item I giue vnto my daughter in lawe the widowe Alefounder one litle silver wine cupp All the rest of my plate not giuen I bequeath vnto my sonne John Alefounder The residue of my goodes and chattells not giuen and bequeathed, my debtts legacies and funeralls Expences discharged I will shalbe equally devided amongst my sixe children pt and pt like And I ordaine and appoint my two sonnes Robert Alefounder and John Alefounder executors of this my last will, and my lovinge freindes Mr John Rogers George Cole the elder and Willyam Cole Supervisors to see the same dulie pformed in everie point And they to determine all questions differences and controversies that may arise vppon this my will And I giue vnto my said Executors and Supersors three pounds a peece In witnes of the same, I haue caused the same to be made conteyninge three sheetes of paper being signed sealed and published in the pesence of those whose names are here vnderwritten Rob~te Alefounder, Witnesses Andrewe Bacon Edmund Sherman Edward Cardinall.
Probatum fuit testamentum suprascriptum apud London coram venerabili viro magro~ Willim"o Sames legum doctore Surrogato venerabilis viri Domini Henrici Marten militis legum etiam doctoris Curie Prerogative Can~t magr"i Custodis sive Comissarij ltime constituto.^Sexto die mensis Maij Ao. Dni 1630 Juramento Roberti Alefounder et Johannis Alefounder filiorum et executorum in eodem testamento nominat~ Cui commissa fuit administratio omnia~ et singulorum bonorum iurium et creditorum dict defunct de bene et fideliter administrando eadem ad sancta dei Evangelia Jurat: exr
[Probate of the abovewritten will was granted at London before the Honorable William Sames doctor of law Surrogate of the Honorable Gentleman Sir Henry Marten Knight also doctor of law master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted the sixth day of the month of May AD 1630 by the oaths of Robert Alefounder and John Alefounder sons and executors named in the same 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]
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Transcribed and translated by Peter Alefounder Sep-Oct 2002 |
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