Office copy, National Archives (Family Records Centre) London, reference PROB11/180 fo. 254RH-256LH. 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 transcripts of the will and sentence were made; the will occupies the first two pages and part of the third:
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 This Tenth day of February one thousand six hundred thirtie five I Robert Alefounder elder of Eastbergholt in ye Countie of Suffolke Clothier in good health & perfect memorie I doe make this my last will & Testament in manner & forme followinge Revokeing all other willes heretofore by mee made First I give my soule into the hands of Almightie God my mercifull Father Trusting thorough the pretious meritts of Jesus Christ my mercifull Savio~r to obteyne pardon for all my synnes & thorough his precious obedience to be saved by faith in him And my body to the earth in Christian buryall in full assurance of a ioyfull Resurrecion vnto eternall life And for the worldly goods wherewith God haue blessed mee withall I give & dispose them in manner & forme following First I give vnto Elizabeth my beloued wife ye full som~e of Threescore pounds a yeare out of my lands called Grofe howse & Brownes now in ye occupacon~ of John Cole in Wolton in Essex That is to say Thirty pounds Twenty dayes after ye Anunciacon~ of or blessed Lady Marie And Thirty pounds more Twenty dayes after Michell the Archangell This Neweltie to be payd by Robert my sonne for ye terme of the naturall life of my foresaid wife And for want of payment of any parte or parcell of ye foresaid Newelty yt shalbee lawfull for Elizabeth my wife or her assignes to strayne any Cattle or moveable goods in or vpon ye foresaid Howses or lands if Robert my sonne or his Assignes doe not pay her. Further I give vnto Elizabeth my wife her dwelling in my litle Parlour & twoe or three Convenient roomes & the vse of my Garden with the vse of ye furniture of the roomes for the tyme of her widdowhood All this gifte of Threescore pounds a yeare & her dwelling is in Consideracon~ that shee give vp her right of all the Thirds of my Freehold lands or else the foresaid guift to be voyd I give to Robert Alefounder my eldest sonne All that my Mannor called Grofe howse in Wolton to him & his heires for ever And I give vnto Robert my sonne all that my Tenemt Mechis called Brownes & Brasis or by any other names now in ye occupacon~ of John Cole in Wolton or his assignes I give it to Robert my sonne & his heires for ever More I give to Robert my sonne all my lands called Elletts & Backes in the occupacon~ of John Cole to him & his heires for ever More I give to Robert my sonne & his heires for ever my Tenement & lands called Pye in ye occupacon~ of Thomas Whiting More I give vnto Robert my sonne & his heires for ever that my Farme called James Sturdes Cookes Paktes or by any names now in the occupacon~ of John Coke or his assignes More I give vnto Robert my sonne & his heires for ever All that my Capitall Messuage called Faythes in Kirbye in the occupacon~ of Robert Cops Further I give vnto Robert my sonne all my freehold & Coppiehold ^houses lands woods pastures whatsoever in the County of Essex to him & his heires for ever. Further I give vnto Robert my eldest sonne & his heires for ever that my Coppiehold howses & lands & gardens wth thappetenn"ces belonging therevnto where I now dwell in Eastbargholt called Mereles to him & his heires for ever. And likewise I give vnto Robert my sonne all my howshold stuffe plate Cattle & furniture of my howse excepting that in my litle Parlor for my wife Elizabeth To haue ye vse of it for the terme of her widdowhood I give more to Robert my sonne that Tenement & the lands belonginge therevnto called Grefles in the occupacon~ of George White & my self to him & his heires for ever More I give vnto Robert my sonne & his heires for ever that my freehold Tenemt called Barnerd Darte or Cartes & the lands therevnto belonging now in the occupacon~ of James Barker Thomas Greene & my self lyeing in Eastbargholt I give vnto John Alefounder my youngest sonne that my Farme in Winson in the County of Suffolke Called Boweles for terme of his naturall life And if that John happen to marrye Then that Robert my shall settle ye Fee simple estate vpon John heire male lawfully begotten But for want of heire male thus begotten by John I give vnto Robert my eldest sonne this Farme called Boweles in Winson to him & his heires for ever. Further I give vnto Elizabeth Trenham my eldest daughter One hundred pounds to be payd vnto her within one yeare after John Trenham haue made her a Joynture which he promised vpon marriage & when he receaved her former porcon~. I give to Ann Alefounder my daughter four hundred pounds to be payed her at ye age of Twenty yeeres or six monthes after her marriage These twoe porcon~s to be payd to my twoe Daughters at their tymes appointed by Robert my eldest sonne I give vnto my daughter in lawe Mary Roberts wife Tenn poundes to buy her a peece of Plate one yeare after my decease for a token of my love to her I give to George White & Robert White her sonnes to both of them five pounds a peece Georges to be payd with one yeare after my deceasee And Roberts to be payd at his age of two & twentie yeares by my Executor Further I give vnto my sonne in lawe John Trenham Fortie shillings Further I give vnto my sister Sara Brauning and my brother Brauning both of them five pounds a peece And I give vnto my brother John Alefounder & Mathe his wife five pounds a peece And I give vnto my brother in lawe Ezekiell Sharman & my sister Rachell five pounds a peece And I give to my brother Henry Fenn & my sister his wife five pounds a peece And I give to my brother in lawe John Alderman five pound a peece And all theis legacyes to be payed within one yeare after my decease I give to my brother Thomas Wood & his wife fortie shillings a peece within one yeare after my decease. I give to my Nephew Robert Brauning Tenn pounds within one yeare after my decease I give vnto the poore people of Eastbargholt Tenn pound toward a Towne stocke to be payed within one yeare after my decease And five pound to be given out at my funerall to the poor people of East barge fold. I give vnto Mr William Jones fortie shillings And to Mr John Long five pounds And to Mr Cornelius Fisher Fortie shillings And to Mr Thomas Wytem Three pounds And to Mr Rewes of Bently forty shillings And to my Three servants Twentie shillings a peece within one yeere after my decease all these to be payed I give vnto Mr Thomas Barke of Sipton & his wife fortie shillings a peece to buy either of them a ringe I give vnto my loveing frend Mr Samuell Ward of Ipswich five pounds to be payed one yeare after my decease Further I doe make & appoint my eldest sonne Robert Alefounder the sole Executor of this my last will & Testament to pay my debts & legacies which I haue herein given And in Consideracon~ hereof I doe give vnto Robert my sonne All my lands goods & Chattles vnbequeathed whatsoeuer, hee payeing my debts & legacyes & funerall Charges. The remaynder I give vnto Robert Alefounder my eldest sonne & his heires for ever. And to this my last will & Testament I sett my hand & seale as my Act & Deede the day & yeere aboue written with my owne hand Robert Alefounder elder Robert Atichell John Benn wittnes herevnto
Probatum ac p Snia~m Diffinitivam approbatum et insinuatum fuit Testamtu~ suprascriptum apud London coram venel-j viro Dn-o Henrico Marten milite legum D-core Curie Prerogative Cant Magro Custode sive Comissario l-time constituto Decimo octavo die mensis Junij Anno Dni Mill-mo sexcen-tim tricesimo nono Juramento Robertj Alefounder filij nra-lis et l-time dict Defunct et Executoris in h-moi testamento nominat Cui comissa fuit Administra~cs omnia et singl-orum bonorum iuria~ et creditorum eiusdem defunct De bene et fidelr~ administrand eadem Ad sancta Dei Evangelia Jurat./.exe
[The abovewritten will was approved and registered for Probate and Definitive Sentence at London before the honourable Gentleman Sir Henry Marten knight doctor of law Master Custodian or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted on the 18th day of the month of June AD 1639 on the oath of Robert Alefounder natural and legitimate son of the said deceased and Executor named in this will To whom Administration was granted of all and singular the goods rights and credits of the same deceased Well and faithfully to adminster the same Sworn on the Gospels of God]
Transcribed and translated by Peter Alefounder Sep-Oct 2002 |