Office copy, Prerogative Court of Canterbury, The National Archives, reference PROB11/77/538 fo 348-350
Voluntas Radulphi Fynch armigeri
In the name of god amen the nineth daie of Marche One thousand five hundred ninetie and in the Thirtie three yeare of the raigne of our soveraigne Ladie Queene Elizabethe I Ralphe Finche of Kingesdowne in the Countie of Kent g~tmen~ beinge sicke in bodie notwithstandinge of good and perfecte remembrance, thankes be vnto allmightie god doe make this my laste will and testamente in manner and forme followinge. Firste and principallie I commende my soule vnto allmightie god my saviour and onlie redeemer, hopinge by his deathe and passion to inherite the kingdome of heaven prepared for all his electe, and my bodie to be buried in the Chauncell of Kingsdowne at the discretonn~ of mine Exequutor Item I doe give to be emploied about the reparaco~nns of Kingsdowne churche and towardes the buienge of books for the same churche fower poundes to be paide within one yeare nexte after my decease by my Exequutor Item I doe giue to the poore people of the parishe of milsteade Twentie Shillinges to be paide to them ay the discret~onn of mine Execuutor within one yeare nexte after my decease. Item I doe giue to Bridgett my welbeloved wife Threescore poundes of Lawefull Englishe monie to be paide her within one yeere nexte after my deathe by my Exequutor Further I giue to the saide Bridgett Twoe of my beste kine my sorrell geldinge my blacke nagg A bed well furnished for her selfe in all pointes Annother bed well furnished in like sorte for her frende A conveniente bed for her maide And one other in like sorte for her man, Tenn quarters of good wheate, As muche of like barlie And tenn quarters of oates with the one halfe of all my linnen wch my minde and will is shalbe delivered and appointed to her by my brother Thomas Potter esquier within one month nexte after my deathe Item I Item I doe giue to me daughter Joice for her preferrmente Twoe hundreth poundes of lawfull english monie to be paide to her if shee soe longe live within one yeere nexte after my deathe And to mainetaine her in the meane time I doe giue her fower acres of wood to be felled and taken awaie out of my wood called Kingesdowne wood nexte towardes Dougate Item I doe giue to Bridgett my daughter to her prefermente Twoe hundrethe poundes of like monie to be paide to her by fiftie poundes euerie yeere vntill it be paide if she live soe Longe and the firste paimente thearof I will shall beginn presentelie after my decease And for her mainetenannce in the meane time vntill the said somm of twoe hundrethe pound be paide to her, my will and minde is, that the said Bridgett my daughter shall haue fell and take yeerelie Three acres of wood in kingsdowne wood aforesaide to be had and freelie taken awaie to her owne vse Item I doe giue to my daughter Gresham one ringe of golde of six angells with my armes in it to be deliuered within one yeere nexte after my decease Item I doe giue to my daughter Cheineie a ringe of golde of the like value and in suche sorte as is aforesaide Item I doe giue to mistris Worley a peece of gold of the value of thirtie shillinges Item I doe giue to my brother John Finche a ringe of golde of the like value as the others be and in suche sorte as is aforesaide to be deliured Item I doe giue to euerie one of my sonn Chaneyes childrenn Three poundes six shillinges eighte pence to be presentelie emploied to theire beste vse vntill theie shall come to the age of twentie yeeres at the discrecon~ of my saide brother Thomas Potter And if aine of them shall die before the saide time Then his or her parte soe dienge shall remaine to my Exequutor Item I doe giue to John Plommer of Newneham a peece of golde of the value of fifteene shillinges to be paide within one yeere nexte after my decease Item I doe giue to William Finche my sonn Three hundreth poundes of lawfull moneie of England to be paide to him in manner and forme followinge if he be then livinge, That is to saie when he shall come out of his apprentiship One hundrethe poundes And within one yeere then nexte ensuinge One hundrethe poundes And within one monethe nexte after the deathe of my brother John Finche One other hundrethe poundes in full satisfaction of my saide legacie of three hundrethe poundes Provided allwaies and my will and minde is, that if my brother John Doe happenn to die before my saide sonn William doe come out of his apprentishipp, That then the saide hundreth poundes in forme aforesaide willed to him within one monethe after my saide brothers decease shall remaine in my sonn Thomas Finches handes vntill one monthe nexte after the time of his apprentiship ended, Anie thinge herein contained to the contrarie notwithstandinge And further my will and minde is That if my sonn Thomas Finche be minded to retaine and keepe in his handes, the saide somm of twoe hundrethe poundes before by me willed and bequeathed vnto Bridgett my daughter in manner and forme aforesaide, That then he shall enter into bonde with sufficiente sacuritie to my wief and to my saide brother Thomas Potter or to one of them then livinge for the paimente thereof, when shee shall accomplishe her age of fifteene yeeres if shee bee then livinge And if shee shall refuse to enter into bonde with sufficiente sacuritie to paie yt in manner and forme laste recite Then my will is that he shall paie the same accordinge to my firste legacie to her heerein men~coned Item I doe giue to Lawrence Sannder my servaunt Six loades of wood to be taken yeerelie by him out of Kingsdowne wood for his owne vse duringe his naturall life Item I doe giue to Ralph Finche my sonn Twentie pounds of Lawefull englishe moneie to be paide him within one yeere nexte after my decease Item I doe giue to John Spencer and Ursula Edwardes to either of them ten shillings To be paide within one yeere nexte after my deathe Item I doe giue to Jane Salmon five shillinges to be paide as is aforesaide The risidewe of all my goodes and cattell not before giveun nor bequeathed, my debtes and legacies beinge paide and my funeralls dischardged I doe giue and bequeathe to my saide sonn Thomas Finche whome I doe ordaine and make my sole & onlie Exequutor And my saide Brother Thomas Potter and my lovinge frende mr Stephen Worley I doe appointe my ouerseers of this my saide will, Desiringe them to aide and assiste my saide sonn for the exequuc~on of the same will as muche as in them liethe Unto either of wth twoe I doe giue for theire paines to be taken and sustained in that behalfe one ringe of golde of the value of six angells And in suche sorte as is aforesaide to be Deliuered to them within one yeere nexte after my decease This is the laste will of me the said Ralphe as concerninge all my landes Tenementes and heriditamentes in Kingesdowne or ells wheare in the Countie of Kente made the daie and yeere firste aboue writtenn Firste I giue vnto my welbeloued wief Bridgett Threescore poundes by the yeere during her lief to be paide her yeerelie at fower seuerall feastes That is to saie Thannunc~ation of out Ladie The natiuitie of St John the Baptist St michaell tharkanngell The natiuitie of our Lorde god by even porc~ons oute of all my Landes Tenementes & heriditaments in Kingesdowne or ells wheare within the Countie of Kente vppon condic~on, That shee hold her selfe satisfied with my guifte contained herein this my laste will, and not to seeke to take anie benifite by waie of Dower or otherwise whearebie to vex my sonns or alter aine guifte contained in this my laste will wch if shee doe Then my will and minde is, that shee shall vtterlie loose the benifite of this my will And that all and euerie thinge heerin contained as touchinge my saide wief shallbe vtterlie voide and of none effecte But being contented I further giue vnto my saide wief the vse of my parlour with the occupac~on of the table, forme, cupboorde, stooles and carpett, with the inwarde parloure, my owne chamber The childrenns chamber The maidenns chamber, Twoe closetts The house of office, and all the Garretts ouer the same roome, with free ingress egress and regresse att all time and times bothe for her selfe and whome soeuer yt shall please her throughe anie parte of the reste of the house Closes and groundes of mine in Kingesdowne with free libertie of the kitchenn to Dresse her meate for her and her assignes from time to time And of the water from the well or ponde, Aine herbes in the Gardine or fruite in the orcharde for her owne pleasure or commoditie And twentie loades of wood yeerelie to be Deliuered her at Kingesdowne house duringe her time of abode theare All wch vse of Parlour or anie other parte of the house before by me willed and bequeathed, wood herbes and water my minde and will is shee shall enoie them noe longer then shee keapethe her selfe vnmarried or vncontracted to anie man And if shee shall marrie or be contracted to anie man, Then shee shall haue onlie her threescore poundes by the yeere, her Corne, moneie, horses, kine and howseholde before by me willed and bequeathed And allso Loose the benifite of all her Dwellinge and profitt of Parlour, Chambers, woode vse of house gardines and orchardes And for defaulte of paimente of the saide somm of Threescore poundes by the yeere by me before willed and bequeathed to my saide wieffe It shalbe Lawefull for her and her assignes yeerlie duringe her naturall lief to enter and Distraine in all and euerie my landes tenementes and heriditamentes in Kingesdowne aforesaide or ells wheare in the Countie of Kente And the Distresses then and theare soe takenn, Lawefullie from theire to loade, drive and carrie awaie vntill the saide annuitie with tharrereages theareof be fullie to the saide Bridgett my wief satisfied, contented and paide Item I Doe giue and will to Richarde Finche my son~ one annuitie or yeerelie rente of fifteene poundes by the yeere Issuinge and goinge out of all my Landes Tenementes and heriditamentes in the countie of Kente to him and to his heires foreuer Att the feastes of Thannuncacon of our Ladie And St Michaell tharckanngell or within fowerteene Daies nexte after eather of the saide feastes, by evenn porro~ns And for not paimente theareof in manner and forme afores~d It shalbe Lawefull for him his heires and assignes to Distraine in and vppon anie my Landes Tenementes and hereditamentes for euer Item I doe giue to Michaell my sonn one other annuitie of fifteene poundes by the yeere oute of the Landes and tenementes aforesaide to him and his heires for euer with like clause of Distresse for non paymente of the said rente in manner and forme as is aforesaide Item I doe giue to Ralphe Finche my yongeste sonn one other like annuitie of fifteene poundes by the yeere out of my landes and tenementes aforesaide to him and his heires for euer with like clause of Distresse for non paimente of the same rente in manner and forme as is aforesaide And wheare my will and minde is not to charge my sonnn Thomas Finche but with fortie five poundes yeerelie to his three yongeste bretherne Duringe the life of Bridgett my saide wief Soe my minde and will is further after the Deathe of my saide wief to giue and bequeathe to euerie one of my saide sonns Richarde, Michaell, and Ralphe Five poundes of lawefull englishe moneie more towardes theire maintenannce and prefermente duringe theire naturall lives out of my landes and Tenementes aforesaide At the saide feastes of Thannun~cacon of our Ladie and St Michaell tharkanngell or within twelue Daies nexte after either of the saide feastes by evenn portions And for defaulte of paimente thereof in manner and forme aforesaide It shalbe lawfull to and for the saide Richarde Michaell and Ralphe, and theire assignes and euerie of them to distraine in and vppon aine of the Landes tenementes and heriditamentes aforesaide duringe the time of theire and euerie of theire naturall lives aforesaide And further my will and minde is, That if anie of my saide three yongeste sonns at anie time hereafter will sell his or theire ann~uities of fifteene poundes by the yeere for euer and five poundes by the yeere duringe lief That then he shall sell yt to his brother Thomas and none other, my saide sonn Thomas givinge and paienge for his or theire partes that soe will sell the same three hundrethe poundes a peece to be paide by him or them soe sellinge an hundrethe poundes by ye yeere vntill the saide somm of three hundreth poundes be fullie paide th him or them, that shall soe sell the same, towardes wch ann~ities soe by my saide sonn Thomas accordinge to this my laste will in manner and forme aforesaid to be paide I Doe giue and bequeath to my saide sonn Thomas my mannor of Kingesdowne and all other my landes Tenementes & heriditaments whatsoeuer in the Countie of Kente to him and his heires for euer. Stephen Worley/ Josias Cheineie/ Laurence Collinson/ John Plummer
| Probatum ac per Sentenciam diffinitivam approbatum et insinuatum fuit Testamentum suprascriptum coram magro~ Willim~o Lewin legum doctore ad exercendum officium magistri Custodis sive Commissarij Curie Prerogatiue Cant ltune~ Deputatum Decimo septimo die mensis Junii anno Domini millesimo quingem~no nonagesimo primo Juramento mag~ri Edwardi Orwell notarij publici procuratoris Thome Finche Exequutoris in Dicto testamento nominati Cui commissa fuit admo~ &c de bene et fidelr administrando &c Jurati | The abovewritten testament was proved and by definite sentence endorsed and reported before master William Lewin doctor of law exercising the office of Master Custodian or Deputy Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury 17th day of June AD 1591 on the oath of Edward Orwell notary public deputy of Thomas Finche Executor named in the said Testament to whom administration was entrusted &c sworn to well and faithfully administer &c |
A "Snia~ pro valore Testi~ Radulphi Finche defuncti" (Sentence for the validity of the testament) follows, a verbose Latin confirmation.
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Transcribed by Peter Alefounder April-May 2023 |
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