| Will of Richard Essex of East Mersea 1640/41 transcribed from National Archives PROB 11/214/499
Transcription by Meg Ross checked by Sue Howlett March 2023
Transcription
1 In the name of God Amen:
2 The three and twentith day of January Anno d[omi]ni One thousand six
3 hundred and forty And in the sixteenth yeare of the raigne of our most
4 gracious Soveraigne Lord King Charles. I Richard Essex of East Mersey
5 in the County of Essex yeoman being in health of body and perfect memory
6 thankes be given to Almighty god therefore doe make and ordaine this p[re]sent
7 writing to be and conteyne my true last will and testament in manner and
8 forme following: First and principally I comend my soule into the hands
9 of god my Creator hopeing assuredly to be saved in the day of the generall
10 resurrection and iudgment by the only merritte and passion of my lord and
11 Saviour Jesus Christ And my body I com[m]end to the earth and my earnest
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12 desire is that it may be decently buried in the Churchyard of East Mersey aforsaid
13 as near as conveniently cann be unto that place where Frances my deare and
14 loveing wife was buried And as concerning the temporall estate that god of his
15 mercy hath bestowed on me I give and bequeath the same in manner and forme
16 following. Imprimis I give and bequeath unto Mary Mann my oldest daughter
17 now the wife of Joseph Mann gent All that my Coppie hold Messuage or
18 tenement situate and being in East Mersey aforsaid neere unto the high
19 way leadeing to the Blockhowse late in the tenure and occupation of [first name deleted] Clover
20 deceased and the Barne shopp and severall peeces of lands and grounds
21 thereunto belonging or to belong hertofore (ie previously) called or known by the names of
22 Ardlies and Mellers or by what other names soever with their and
23 every of their wayes easement[es] liberties Cov[er]age[?] privileges com[m]odities and
24 appurtenances whatsoever To have and hold the said messuage or tenement or
25 howses Lands and grounds before menc[i]oned with their appurtenances
26 ymediatly after my decease unto the said Mary my daughter and her heires for
27 ever. Item I give and bequeath unto the said Mary Mann my daughter my
28 Messuage or tenement situate and being in West Mersey holden freely of
29 Colne Priory with with the howses buildings land[es] grounds wayes easement[es] liberties
30 proffits and Com[m]odities whatsoever thereto belonging And also my Tow (ie two)
32 tenement[es] with the yards and orchard thereto belonging situate and being
31 in Peldon neere unto the parsonage there To have and to hold the said messuage
32 or tenement in West Mearsey and the said two tenements in Peldon with their
33 and every of their appurtenances unto her the said Mary my daughter and
34 her heires for ever inmediatly after my decease. Item I give and bequeath
35 unto Ann Essex my daughter the moitie or one halfe part of my Messuage comonly
36 called Stone acre with the Barnes Outhowses Lands meadow pasture and
37 Marsh grounds thereunto belonging called or knowne by the names of Girdlers
38 Stone acre Warwardes and Cockmans which I sometimes purchased of Mr
39 Thomas Dannett situate lying and being in East Mearsey aforesaid To have
40 and to hold the said Moite or halfe part of this messuage howses building[es]
41 Lands meadow pasture and marsh ground with their apppurtenances
42 ym[m]ediatly after my decease unto her the said Ann my daughter her heires and
43 assignes for ever And the other moitie or halfe part of the said messuage
44 called Stoneacre with the howses buildings Freehold Lands meadow pasture
45 and marsh grounde thereto belonging with their appurtenances I give and
44 bequeath the same unto Frances Essex my daughter her heires and assignes
45 for ever to be enioyed (ie enjoyed) presently after my decease And if it shall happen either
46 of my said two daughters Ann or Frances to depart this life without issue
47 of her body Then my will is that the part of her soe dyeing of and in the said
48 messuage howses Lands and premisses befre menc[i]oned with their appurtenances
49 shall goe and remaine unto the Survivo[ur] of them the same Ann and Frances
50 and her heires for for ever And further if either of my said daughters Ann or
51 Frances when they come to the age of one and twenty yeares shal be desirous to
52 make sale of her part of the said messuage howses and Lands by this my will
53 given betweene them. Then my will is, that such of my two daughters as
54 shalbe desirous to sell her part she shall sell or offer to sell the same to her
55 said sister tenn pounds cheaper then any other indifferent person woulde
56 give for the same and also allow some reasonablel convenient time vizt (ie namely) six
57 monthes at the least for to pay for the same Item I give unto the said Ann my
58 daughter two hundred pounds of lawfull mony of England to be taken and
59 received by her at her age of eighteene yeares. Item I give unto the said
60 Frances my daughter the like sume of two hundred pounds of lawfull mony
61 of England to be paid unto her at her like age of eigtheene yeares Item I give
62 unto Mr Edwards Minister of East Mearsey thirteen shillings and foure
63 pence desiring him for to preach at my funerall Item I give unto Thomas
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64 Convers my Godchild sonne of my brother in law John Convers twenty
65 shillings to be paid within one yeare next after my decease. Item I give unto the
66 the poore of East Mearsey forty shillings to be distributed within three months
67 next after my decease at the discretion of myne executors Item I give unto Thomas
68 Hubbard my workeman twenty shillings to be paid with in one yeare next after
69 my decease. Item I give unto Selena WIlkinson my servant five pounds of lawfull
70 English mony to be paid unto her with in six months next after my decease.
71 All other my estate debts due or to be due unto me ready mony stocke
72 other goods and chattells whatsoever that shall be mine or due unto me at
73 the time of my death my Legacies being paid and probate of this my will
75 and funerall expences discharged I give and beqeath the same unto the
76 said Mary Ann & Frances my daughters to be equally devided amongst them
77 part and part alike. And of this my will I doe nominate and appointe the
78 said Joseph Mann my sonne in law and the said Ann my daughter to be
79 executors not doubting but that they will carefull and conscionable in the
80 due performance of this my will according to my true intent and meaneing
81 herein before declared In wittnes whereof to both leafes of this my will
81 I have sett my hand And to the last leafe as also to the topp or head
82 thereof I have sett my seal the day and yeare first above written Richard
83 Essex Sealed subscrbed and published in the presence of Daniell
84 Handwall John Woodstocke
Probate was granted 1650 in London under Sir Nathaniel Brent, Kt.
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