Transcriber Trevor Hearn 4th September 2019

There is a translation to Modern English further down the page

1. In the name of god Amen. I Robert Wilvet p[ar]rochynar of West
2. marsey w[ith]in the counte of estsax syke in body yitt hole in soule
3. make my lettyr Will and testame[n]t in this forme under W[ri]tyn
4. In the fyrst I leave and byquethe my souale to gode almyghty
5. to rest amonge the faithfull and electe of Jesu christ and my
6. body to be berryed in saynt peters churche yard of West mar-
7. sey and my uxequuto[r] I name my sone christofer Wilvet and my
8. good nyghtbour[es] Robert pullene and Johne Wilsone my gossope [ Note 1 ] p[ar]-
9. chy[n]ars of the said p[ar]rysche, sup[er]visoures and gydis to my sone
10. in my said Will to see at he Doo no Wronge nor take
11. no Wronge
12. The Inve[n]tarye of the gooddis. Item ane Able aulde bote the
13. pryce vj^s viij^d, one ore vj^d, a sayle ij^s. Ite[m] lynis longyng
14. to the said bote vj^d. ij Dregys xx^d, a scope ij^d a
15. schole ij^d Item a traulyng nett iij^s iiij^d Item als ma-
16. ny hoysters as be Worth xxx^s Item Impyrme[n]t[es] of houshould
17. Worth iii^s iiij^d

18.       the Dett[es] that hie Doo owe
19. Item imp[ri]mis in the fyrst by the deadis confessionne to
20. Westlym of hym[m]ynghame xix^li Item to hocfyrthe
21. of frettyng ten pundis Johne scherman baillie in maldy[n]
22. Dothe claim xl^s Item William smythe of West marsey
23. Dothe claim xl^s Item the said robert pullene of
24. West marsey _____ viij^s Item to the said Johne Wilsone
25. xiiij^s and vj^d Item Johne Weyoulde of West marsey vj^s viij^d
26. Item to Johne geffry the [e]lder for a yonge chyldis bordyn [ Note 2 ]
27. vj^s

28. hoc presens testame[n]tum qua[n]tum legatiam et exequutores
29. attinet co[n]Ditum et no[m]i[n]atum fuit per as Decedentis die viij
30. me[n]sis Januaij an[n]o d[omi]ni uc[er] xlij et regni regis uri henrici
31. octam xxxiiij presentibus henrico lyarde Willielmo tybbe
32. et Johan[n]e ham[m]ont testibus
33.             Ita est curatus De West marsay
34.             mea manu

Note 1. familiar acquaintance or God-parent
Note 2. "boarding" (i.e. as in "board and lodging")

Translation to Modern English by Trevor Hearn

In the name of God, amen. I, Robert Wilvet, parishioner of West
Mersea within the county of Essex, sick in body but whole in mind,
make my last will and testament in this form underwritten.
Firstly, I leave and bequeath my soul to God Almighty
to rest among the faithfull and chosen of Jesus Christ, and my
body to be buried in the churchyard of St. Peter's church of West Mersea.
I name my son, Christopher Wilvet, as executor, and my
good neighbours, Robert Pullen and John Wilson, my sponsoring parishioners
of the said parish, as supervisors and guides to my son
to ensure that he behaves and suffers no ills.
Inventory of the property Item: a seaworthy boat priced at 6s.8d,
one oar - 6d, a sail - 2s. Item: lines belonging
to the said boat - 6d, 2 dredging nets - 20d, a scoop - 2d, a
shovel - 2d. Item: a trawling net - 3s.4d. Item: as many
oysters as are worth 30s. Item: household implements
worth 3s.4d.

            Debts owing
Item: firstly, by acknowledged deed to
Westlym of Hymmingham - £19. Item: to Hocfirth
of Frating - ten pounds. John Sherman, bailiff, in Maldon
claims 40s. Item: William Smith of West Mersea
claims 40s. Item: to Robert Pullen of
West Mersea - 8s. Item: to John Wilson -
14s.6d. Item: to John Weyoulde of West Mersea - 6s.8d.
Item: to John Jeffrey senior for the boarding of a young child -
6s.

This will has been legally presented and executed by the deceased on
28th January 1542 in the presence of Henry Lyarde, William Tybbe and
John Hammond, witnesses.

                  Signed by the curate of West Mersea

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