Old wills are fascinating to read. Here is one from the year 1600. It
was probated in Suffolk, England. Queen Elizabeth is at the bitter end of her reign, her 40th year. Here she
is called Soverign Lady Elizabeth.
Children are usually named in order of their birth, but not always. Often the males
are listed first, followed by female children. In this will
the grandchildren are also given bequeaths as are
a couple of male servants.
Note: The will of John Merrill:
In the name of god Amen the second day of December in the
thrie and
ffourtith yeare of the
Raigne of our
Sovragne Ladie Elizabeth ... I John Merrill the elder of
whersteade in the
Countie of Suff: Yeoman being
sicke in
bodie and yet of
pfect memorie ... for the
satisfaccon of my mind and the quiet of my wife and children & a
remembraunce of some other ... doe hereby make and declare my last will &
testement in manner &
fforme as
hereafter ensueth ... Item I give and bequeath to
Prudence my wife in
pte of
recompence of
hir dower my parlor and
larther [larder?]
howse pcell of my dwelling
howses wth the bedding and furniture in the same and the pasture and
stover somer and winter for a Cowe upon my lands in little Belsted and
whested aforesaid ... to have and to hold to
hir the said Prudence for
terme of her natural life keeping her sole and unmarried.
Itm I give and bequeath to
hir the said Prudence in
further recompence of her dower one
anuitie or
yerlie rent of five pounds of
lawfull englishe mony to be going out of all my lands and
Tennemts in little Belsted
wherested and
Sprowtownne to have and to hold ... for
terme of
hir life at two
termes in the
yeares usuall that is to say at the
ffeast of the innocent of the blessed virgin Saint Marie and Saint
michaell thearchaungell ... and
yf yt shall happen the said
yeerlie Rent to be behind
unpayed in
pte or in all ... then ...
yt shalbe lawful to and for the said prudence into the said lands and
Tennements or any
pcell thereof to enter and
Distraine ... until the said Prudence of the said
yeerlie rent
wth the arrearages thereof
shalbe fullie satisfied and paid.
Itm I will
geve & bequeath to
John my sonne the
moytie of my dwelling
howses & the
moytie of all my
launds Tennemts and
hereditamts as well free and bond
scituate and lying and being in
whersted little
Belsted and
Sprowton aforesaid ...
Itm I will give and bequeath to
Michaell my Sonne thother moytie of my said dwelling
howses and ... lands ...
Itm I will and bequeath to
Nathaniell merrell my Sonne ffourtie pounds of lawful English money to
be paid to him in
fforme ffollowinge vizt wthin one
yeere next after my decease
xiiili vis viiid and
wthin two
yeeres next after my decease other
thirteene pounds six shillings and
eight pence in full
paymt of the said
ffourtie pounds.
Itm I will and bequeath to
Thomas my Sonn thirty pounds ...
Itm I will and bequeath to the said Thomas my lease and
terme of
yeres of land in the messuage called
Ampsons in
wherstede ...
Itm I will and bequeath to
Marie Merrill daughter to the said Nathaniell tenne pounds to
be paid to
hir at
hir age of
eighteene Yeeres.
Itm I will and bequeath to
Martha merrell one other of the daughters of the said Nathaniell other tenne pounds to
be paid ... at
hir age of
eighteene Yeeres.
Itm I will and bequeath to
John Merrell Sonne to the said Nathaniell tenne pounds to
be paid to him at his age of one and
twentie yeeres And
yff any of the said children of the said Nathaniell shall Dept this life before such time as he or she is to receive the said
porcon ... then I will that the ...
porcon of him or
hir so Deceasing
shalbe Distributed to and among the survivors of them.
Itm I will and bequeath to
Thoms merrell Sonne of Thoms my Sonne tenne pounds to
be paid to him at his age of one and
twentie yeeres.
Itm I will and bequeath to
Anne Merrell daughter to the said Thoms my Sonne other tenne pounds ... at ... age of
eightene yeeres, And
yff eyther of those two children shall
depte this life before he or
shee shall receive the said
porcons ... then I will that the ...
porcon of him or
hir so deceasing shall remain to the
svivour of them.
Itm I will and bequeath to
Willm Smyth my svaunt twentie shillings & to Thomas Smyth his brother tenne shillings.
Itm I will and bequeath to Edward Kettle of
ffreston Clerke
xxs;
Itm I will and bequeath to
eytch of my said
sonnes Nathaniall and Thoms all such goods of mine as they have in their
sevall custodies And I
remytte and forgive
eyther of them all such Debts as they or
eyther of them doth owe unto me All the Residue of my debts goods and
Cattals whatsov my Debts paid my legacies
pformed and my
funrall expences discharged I will and bequeath to my said
Sonnes John and Michaell,
whome I
ordaine name and
costitute my Executors of this my last will & Testament, And I appoint my loving friend Christopher Wright
supravisor of the same Testament ...
Itm I will & bequeath to the said Thomas my
Sonne my
brasse pott sometime
sharpes and a hundredth of
bourd ... I ... have hereunto put my hand and Seale in the
psence of
Raulffe Scrivner and Christopher Wright
michaell Raynold and John Raynold. By me John
merrell. Proved 11 Dec 1600.
1 comment:
You make is so much easier to read these old English wills!
thank you so very much for your efforts on behalf of our ancestors!
A descendant of one of the many John Merrills > Hannah Merrill + John Swett and on and on and on.
Pat
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