| Will of William Fokes of Peldon 1551/52 trancribed from ERO D/ABW 14/65
Transcription by Elaine Barker August 2023
Abstract
This will of William Fokes was written on 19th January 1551/52. He appoints his wife, Elizabeth, as his executrix and John Pages to be his will's supervisor for which he is to receive a small remuneration. The will is witnessed by Thomas Essex, Harry Wykes, John Galle, Steve [?] Galle & the writer of the will, John Aylward, [a clergyman of West Mersea].
He leaves property in Peldon to his wife called Jeffere Herdes and after his father's death she is also to have Denottes for the term of her natural life after which it is to go to his son Abraham. To his son Moses he leaves Tayllors & Byllbys & Harys Land. All his copyhold land is to be managed by his wife until the boys reach the age of 15. Out of the profits from Tayllors and Byllbys his father is to have an annuity.
If Elizabeth is pregnant he details what the child will be provided with dependant on whether a boy or a girl. A boy will receive Longfields and Westfields. If a girl, his son Moses is to have Longfields and Westfields out of which he is to pay his sister £6 13s 4d when she reaches the age of 18.
His daughter Mary is to receive £6 13s 4d out of the profits of Denottes.
He makes monetary bequests to John and Joan Pilgrim, Mary his daughter, and his unborn child should it be a girl. Smaller monetary bequests are to be made to three widows, Widow Pilgrim being the only legible name.
His wife is to receive all the residue of his estate.
A note is made at the end that he surrendered his copyhold lands to John Galle Baylle, and Harye Wykes & Steve Galle, tenants.
Transcription
Copia p[ro] Registro [Copy for the register]
In The name of god Amen In The yere of o[ur] lord god A[nno] M[illesimo] CCCCC lj [1551] & wretten the xix [19th]
daye of January In the iiijth yere of the Rayne of kynge Edward the vjth of Eyngland
Franc[e] & yerlande kynge deffender of the Faythe & off the churche off Eynglande & yerlande
suprem[e] hede I Wyllyam Fokes beynge hole In mynde & syke In bodye do make & ordyne thys
my last Wyll In man[n]er & forme here affter Folwynge Furst I bequethe my soule unto Almyghty god
my maker & my Redemer & to All the holy com[m]pany \of/ heavene & my bodye to be berede In the churche yard[e] off
pelld[o]n Inp[rimis] I be quethe to Elsabyth my wyffe my howsse & my land named Jeffere herdes Affter the
dethe off my Father terme off hur lyffe Inp[rimis] I gyve to Elsabythe my wyffe Aserten land named den[n]ottes
Terme of hur lyffe & Affter hur dethe I wyll that the sayd howsse & all that land shall Remay[n]e to
Abra[ha]m my sone Allso I gyve to moysses my sone Aserten landes named tayllors & byllbys & harys lond \so I gyve to my wyffe All my copy land tyll the chyllldrene com[e] to the age of xv yere/
At the Age of xv yere & there ys A parscell of that named longeffelldes that moyses shall not have
Allso I wylle that my Father shall have vjs viijd [6s 8d] payd Aut of tayllors & byllbys yerely terme off
hys lyffe & yff my wyffe Fortu[n]e For to be w[i]t[h] chyld w[i]t[h] A grome [Note 1] chylld than I wylle that same chylld
shall have Aserten londes named longe Felldes & westffelldes & ther..ades [?] At the Age of xv yere & yff
yt Fortue to be Amayde chyllde than I wylle that moysses shall have the sayd londes at the age of xv yere
& he for to paye unto the sayd chylld At the Age of xviij yere vj li xiijs & iiijd [£6 13s 4d] & yf the chylld fortue
to dye be ffore the Age of xviij yere than moysses for to paye none Allso I wyll that marye my dauter
shall have vj li xiijs & iiijd payd Aut of denottes w[i]t[h]yne iiij yere Affter hys entranc[e] of the sayd
lond & yff marye be not payde w[i]t[h]yne iiij yere of hys entranc[e] of the sayd lond than I wyll that
marye shall have the sayd denottes Allso I gyve to John pyllgr[i]m v li & to Jone pyllgr[i]m v li payd
At the Age of xviij yere Allso I gyve to marye my douter v marke payd at the Age of xviij yere & yff
my wyffe be w[i]t[h] Amayde chyllde than I wyll that shall have v marke payd at the Age of xviij yere
& yff Any off them fortue For to dye be ffore the Age of xviij yere than I wylle that there parte
Remayne A monge the Ressydue part & parte leke \of them iiij/ & my wyffe ffor to paye the sayd mony Aut
of my copye land unto the iiij chylldren Allso I wylle to the weddowe .yne [?] xxd & to the weddowe many..ge [?] xxd
& to the weddowe pyllgr[i]m xxd & to John damyon xij d All the Ressydue of my goodes that
ys on be wylle [unbequeathed] bothe movabullus & on movabullus I gyve to Elsabythe my wyffe For to paye
my dettes & to Fullffyll thys my wylle Allso I ordyne & make my lauffull exssaytor Elsabythe
my wyffe For to se my bodye honestly bered & my dettes payd & thys my wyll Fullffelled &
John pages my sup[er]vysor for to se my dettes payd & thys my wyll p[er]fformed & he \to have/ for hys
labor x s Thys wetness Thomas Essex Harry Wykes John galle steve galle & John
Aylward Wryter here of w[i]t[h] other moo
Also I dyd delever Asurre[n]dur to John galle baylle & harye wykes & steve galle
tenantes of All my copy landes unto the usse of my Wyll
Note 1: grome chylld presumably means a manchild
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