| Will of Robert Mann, husbandman of West Mersea 1504 transcribed from ERO D/ACR 1/82/1
Transcription by Elaine Barker February 2022
Abstract
In this pre-Reformation will Robert Mann (or Man) recommends his soul to God, Mary and all the saints and also gives a sheep to the church of St Peter and
St Paul, West Mersea where he wishes to be buried. He leaves his house to his wife, Agnes, during her life and, following her death, to his son-in-law Thomas who is to pay an annual payment to the executors. If Thomas is unwilling to enter this agreement the property is to be sold and sums of money are to be paid to Thomas, and Robert's daughter and son, Joan and William. He wills money to be paid to a priest to pray for him within two years of his wife's death, and should his children die, their share is to be used to pray for him, his wife and friends.
His executors are his wife Agnes Mann and John Tye
The witnesses are John Woodward and Peter Lyart and others unnamed.
Transcription
Testamentu[m] Roberti man[n] de westm[er]sey
In the name of god Amen the xv Kalends [Note 1] of the monyth of June
the yer[e] of our[e] lorde god ml vC iiij [ 1504] I Roberd Man of westm[er]sey
in the Countie of Essex husbondman make my testame[n]t in this
Wise First y bequeth my soule to god almighti to his blissyd
mother our[e] lady saynt mary & to all the saynt[es] in hevyn my body
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to be buried in the Chirch yarde of the apostulls petyr & paule of west
m[er]sey a foresaid Also y gyve to the hie Awt[er] of the chirch a forsaid
for tithes forgotyn my best shepe Also y will that Agnes
my wif have my tene[men]t that y dwelin w[i]t[h] land[es] & p[er]ten[au]nc[es] for t[er]me
of her lif After hes [her]deth y will that Thomas my son[e] in lawe have
my forsaid tene[men]t w[i]t[h] the ap[er]ten[au]nc[es] to him his heir & his assignes
for ev[er]more paiying therfor[e] yerly to myn[e] Executo[ur]s or ther exe
cuto[ur]s xxs duryng the t[er]me of x yer[e] next folowyng after
the decese of my wif And if so be that the said Thomas will
not bye the said tene[men]t then y will that my tene[men]t be sold be
myn[e] executo[ur]s & ther of xls yevyn to Thomas my son[e] a forsaid
to my daught[er] Jone xls next & to Willia[m] my son[e] in lawe vjs
viijd last paid And if any or all of my childre decese a fore
ther mother then y will that his parte or ther partes be
disposyd for the well of my soule & my good frynd[es] soulys
Also y will that an honest prest have xxxiijs iiijd to celi
brate divine s[er]vice in the chirch of westm[er]sey a forsaid w[i]t[h]in
ij yer[es] next folowyng after the decese of my wif my dett[es]
paide my bequethes duly p[er]formyd & my body honestly
buried the Residewe of my god[es] not gyvyn nor bequethed
y gyve & bequeth to Agnes my wif & to John Tye whome
y make myn[e] Executo[ur]s to dispose this my last will after ther
consyc[i]ons Thes witnes John wodward & petyr lyart & other
yevyn the day yer[e] & place a bove wrytyn
Note 1: xv Kalends of the month of June i.e. the fifteenth day before the Kalends of June = 18th May
(see www.medievalgenealogy.org.uk)
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