Transcription by Elaine Barker May 2022

Abstract
In this Pre-Reformation will of 1509 Robert Webbe makes the usual commendations to God, St. Mary and all the company of heaven and requests he be buried in Peldon Churchyard. He leaves money to St. Paul's in London and Peldon's high altar. He leaves monetary gifts to John, William and Thomas Fokys to whom he leaves 5 sheep each as well as 10 ewes to John Tie, 20 to Henry Cooke and the rest of his moveable goods to his wife Agnes.

With regards property, he leaves his house, Heywardes, to his wife Agnes for life then to Roberd son of William Fokys for his life providing he pay for a priest to sing masses in Peldon church for his and all Christian souls for one year. Then the property is to be sold by the will's executors and 10 marks given to Peldon's churchwardens for repairs to the church and the rest given to charity for the benefit of Robert's soul. He also leaves crofts called Millers and Old Field to his wife for life, and following her death to Roberd Fokys provided they continue to pay for masses to be sung on the anniversary of his death [obit]. Thomas Levyng, John Marchaunt the younger, John Gale the younger & their heirs will inherit after Roberd Fokes' death and pay for the annual obit for ever. [Note 1] He leaves Agnes his Croft called Perlottes [Parlettes] for life, then to Roberd Fokys. Should the latter have no issue it is to be left to Thomas Cook the Younger and his wife Margaret and their heirs.

His executors are Gregory Senewe and Roberd Fokys and will witnessed by the parish priest, John Matsyn, Martin Dawre, priest, John Apulton and others.

Transcription
Test[amentu]m Rob[er]ti Webbe de peldon
In the name of god Amen the last day of Ap[ri]le the yer[e] of our[e]
lorde god m^l CCCCC & ix^th [1509] y Roberd Webbe of the parish of pel
don in the Countie of Essex w[i]t[h]in the dioc[es] of london yoma[n]
beyng of good & hole mynd thankys be god make & or
den my testament & last will in man[er] & forme herafter
folowyng First y gyve & bequeth my sowle unto almyghti
god unto our[e] blissed lady saynt mary & to all the compa-
ny of hevyn & my body to be buried in the churchyard of
the church of our[e] lady in peldon a forsaid Also y gyve and
bequeth unto our[e] mother church of saynt paule in
london iiijd Also y gyve & bequeth unto the hie Awter
of the churche of peldon beforsaid for my tithes necly
gently [negligently] forgoten & not paide iijs iiijd Also y gyve and
bequeth unto John Fokys xxs & that to be paide unto
hym whan & at the tyme of his mariage Also y gyve

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and bequeth unto Willia[m] Fokys & Thomas Fokys eche
of them xxs and that to be paide unto eche of them at
the tyme of ther mariage Also y gyve & bequeth unto
John Tie x Ewes to be delyv[er]d unto hym by myn Execu
to[ur]s within a quart[er] after my decese Also y gyve and
bequeth unto the forsaide John Fokys Willia[m] Fokys and
Thomas Fokys unto eche of them v shepe & that myn Exe
cuto[ur]s the delyv[er] the saide shepe unto them w[i]t[h]in a quart[er]
after my decese Also I gyve & bequeth unto henry Cooke
xxti Ewes Also y gyve & bequeth unto Agnes my wif
all the Residue of my meveable god[es] after my dett[es] &
legacijs paide to do her best therew[i]t[h]/ Also this is the last
will of me the saide Roberd Webbe conc[er]nyng my land[es]
and ten[emen]t[es] Rent[es] & s[er]vicijs w[i]t[h] other in herytament[es]
the which y have seased of or eny other p[er]son unto
my use the \illegible/ of makyng of this p[re]sent will First y gyve
& bequeth unto the saide Agnes my wif my mesuage
or ten[emen]t called Heyward[es] w[i]t[h] all the p[ar]cell[es] of land
ther to lying or p[er]teynyng to have and to holde unto her
for terme of her lif the Remaynder therof after her decese
unto Roberd Fokys the yonger the son of willia[m] Fokys
to have & to holde unto hym terme of his lif uppon
Condic[i]on that he pay or cause to be paide unto an
honest prest x marke of good lawfull mony of yng
land to this entent that he syng in the church of peldon
aforsaide for the sowle of me the saide Roberd Webbe
& all cristen sowlys by the spase of an hole yer[e] The
remaynder therof after his decese unto myn executo[ur]s
or to ther executo[ur]s to have & to holde unto them & their
heir[es] for ev[er]mor[e]/ to this entent that thei shall sell the
forsaid Mes[uage?] & lande & the mony therof comyng to be
dissposyd in man[er] & forme heraft[er] folowyng that is to
say x marke therof to be gyvyn to the churchwardens
of the church of peldon a forsaide for the tyme beyng
to the use & behest of the warkys of the said churche
And all the Residue of the mony of the saide sale to
be dissposyd in ded[es] of charyte for the wele of my soule
& all cristen sowlys after the this decrecion of myn
executo[ur]s or ther executo[ur]s Also y gyve & bequeth
unto the saide Agnes my wif all tho my Croft[es] of
lande called Millers & olde fylde to have & to hold
unto her for terme of her lif uppon condic[i]on that she
Kype myn obet w[i]t[h] the p[ro]fithes of the said croft[es] yerly
duryng her lif And after the decese of the said Ag
nes I will that the saide Croft[es] of lande Remayne

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unto the saide Roberd Fokys for terme of his lif uppon
condic[i]on that he kype my saide obet in the church
of peldon a forsaid w[i]t[h] the yssuez & pro]fitys therof dury[n]g
his lif And the Remaynder therof after his decese unto
Thomas levyng John Marchaunt the yong[er] John
Gale the yonger & unto ther heir[es] & assignes for
ev[er] mor[e] uppon condic[i]on that thei shall delyv[er] the
Issues & p[ro]fites therof comyng unto the church war
dens of peldon a forsaid and unto ther successers
to this entent that the saide churchwardens
shall fynde & kype an obet therw[i]t[h] yerly for ev[er] mor[e]
for the sowle of me the forsaide Roberd Webbe and
all cristen sowlys Also y will /gyve & bequeth unto
the saide Agnes my wif all that my Croft of land
liyng in peldon a for said called perlott[es] to have
& to holde unto her for terme of her lif/the Re
maynder thereof after his \her/ decese unto the saide
Roberd Fokys to have & to holde unto hym & to
his heires of his body lawfully begoten And
for the faute of suche issu of his body lawfully be
goten to remayn unto Thomas Cook the yong[er]
and Margaret Cook his suster to have & to holde
unto them & to ther heir[es] for ev[er] mor[e] And if it
fortune that eny of the said Thomas Cook and
Margaret Cook to die or the remaynder of the
saide lande come unto them that then the parte
of the saide land of hym so decesed shall remayn
unto hym that so ar[e] levyng & to his heir[es] for ev[er]
more And I make & order myn Executo[ur]s of this
my present testame[n]t & last will Gregory Se
newe and the said Roberd Fokys thes beyng
witnes & beyng p[re]sent John Matsyn p[ar]ish prest
of peldon befor said Martyn dawre prest John
Apulton w[i]t[h] many other yevyn the day & yer[e]
above wrytyn:/:

Note 1: In the Manorial Court Rolls for Pete Hall there is evidence that the request for this obit was honoured by the Fokys family

At this court of 1547 [September 28th] Gregory Foox surrendered certain property, which he had held, to his brother, William Foox, with a condition that William and his heirs should maintain an annual obit in Peldon Church in perpetuity for the soul of Robert Webbe, deceased, spending 13s 4d a year on this obit. This was in fact a charge on the property. Essex Review 1942 article by Sir Gurney Benham: Manorial Rolls of Fingringhoe, West Mersea and Pete Hall 1547 - 48 Part III P. 90

Benham reports a later obit had been set up by Thomas Webbe. Following the abolition of obits as part of the Reformation changes in 1547, Gregory Foox was obliged to make two payments per annum to the King and both obits came to an end.

From the later will of Annys[Agnes] Essex Records Office D/ABW ½19/1 it would seem that she had been married before and had four sons Robert William John & Thomas Fox [spelt many ways including Foox, Fokys etc] and Robert and Agnes Webbe had no children together.

MARG - Mersea Archive Research Group
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