1610 - Edward DOCKWRAYE of Hitchen, Herts.

Will was written on 1 March 1609/10
Will was proved on 28 June 1610

In nomine dei Amen, this ffirst daye of march the yeare of our Lord One Thowsand Six Hundreth and nyne [i.e. 1610], I Edward Dockwraye of Hitchen in the Countye of Hertff[ord] gent[leman] being of p[er]fect memorye (God be thancked) absolutely revoking all former wills by me heretofore made, doe make and ordaine this my last will and testament in maner and forme following

first I comyth my self into the hands of Allmightie God my Creator, hoping of my saluatyon by the deathe and passion of my onely Sauyour Jesus Christe

And As concerninge my goods Chattells and moveable Goods what kynde or quallity they be of I will bequeath and dispose of them as followeth

ffirst I will and bequeathe vnto George Nodds my sonne in Lawe the some of ffyve Hundred marcks of lawfull Englishe money vppon this Condic[i]on that he the sayde George Nodds before the receipte of the sayde ffyve Hundred Marcks shall together w[i]th one Sufficient fowrty? such as my Executrixe heareafter named shall lyke of become ioyntly and seuerally Bownde vnto my sayde Executrixe in one Obligac[i]on of the some of one Thousande marckes w[i]th Condic[i]on theare vnto endorsed to this effect followinge that is to saye that he the sayde George Nodds shall at some tyme duringe his naturall lyefe by good and sufficient Conveyannce in Lawe, Convey or assure or Cause to be Conveyed or assured vnto Hellen his wyeffe my daughter for and duringe her naturall lyeffe to be enioyed over and besides the dower of his Landes one Yearly Rent Chardge of the some of Thirtie Powndes by the yeare of Corrant Englishe money to increase and begine ymmediatly from and after the death and deceasse of him the sayde George the same to be payable at fower ffeasts in the yeare by equall porc[i]ons in the Sowthe Porche of the p[ar]ishe Charie of Hitchin in the Countye of Hertf[ord] w[i]th a nomme p?ne of Twenty Shillings to be forfeyted to her for every weeke that the sayde some shall be vnpayde to her or to her assignees for her and that ymmediatly vppon the Conveyannce or assurannce of the sayde Rent Chardge the deede or other instrument of the same Conveyannce or assurannce shalle Deliuered into the handes of some indifferent p[er]son to be kept to the vse of the sayde Hellen my Daughter or else if no such Rent be assured in forme aforesayde, that then the executors or admynistrators of the sayde George shall will and truly paye or cause to be payd to the sayd Hellen (if shee shall out lyue the sayd George[)] the some of ffyve Hundred marcks of current English money w[i]thin the space of nyne monethes, next after the death of the sayd George, over and besides such money as he the saide George standeth allreadye bound to me to paye vnto her the said Helen by a bond made before his maryage w[i]th the said Hellen my daughter. And my will and meaneng is, that the sayde legacie of ffyue Hundred marcks shall be payde vnto the sayd George Nodds my sonne in Lawe w[i]thin twelue monethes after he together w[i]th such securitye as aforesayd, shall haue entred into such bond as is aforesayd, and not before.

Item I will and bequeathe vnto ffrancis East my second daughter the some of ffyue Hundred marcks of lawfull English money to be paid her w[i]thin Twelue monethes next after my decease So that my sonne Thomas East her Husband doe make her a sufficient assurance in Lawe, that so long as she shall contynue a widdow (if yt please God so to happen) to haue her dwelling w[i]th the whole vse thereof in his cheif house in Suacey [Staverley] w[i]thall the gardens, orchards, yards, buyldings, whatsoever thervnto belonging, with Tenne acres of such pasture enclosed as shee shal best like of, and ffyue acres of the best meadowe shee shall make choise of w[i]th his wyndemyll and the appurten[a]nces therevnto belonging, and the vse of all the houshold stuff whatever during her widdow-head onely.

Item I will bequeathe and geve to myldred my third daughter the some of Three Hundred markes of lawfull English money to be payd her at the daye of her maryage, or at her age of Eightene yeares, which of them shall first happen. And my will and meaneng is, that the said money and legacie shalbe employed in the meane while by my Executrix, and the proffytt & encrease thereof to be bestowed by my Executrix for and towards the maineten[a]nce of the said Mildred my daughter as well in her dyett as w[i]th apparrell, and other things necessary for her education. And my will and meaneng is, That if Elizabeth my wife shall marrye before the former parc[i]on fomerly bequeathed be due vnto the said mylldred that then she the sayde Elizabeth my wieffe shall before such marriage geve such security for the payment of such porc[i]on at the tyme aforesayde as my Coozen ffranncis Tave[r]no[r] and Mr. John Skynner shall thincke meete for the trewe paym[en]t theareof w[i]th the profytt theareof growinge,

Item I will bequeath and geve vnto the said Myldred my daughter after the decease of Elizabeth my wieffe my howse whearin I nowe dwell situate and beinge in Hitchen aforesayde w[hi]ch I Bowgthe or hadd of Henry Bowyer and Steven Bowyer gentlemen or either of them, nowe or some tymes Called by the name of the Brotherhed Howse w[i]th all the howses, Barnes, stables, Douehouse yards, gardens and orchards, and all other the appurten[a]nces therevunto belonging, To haue and to hold the same to her the sayd Mildred and to her Heires for ever.

Allso I devise and bequeath vnto the sayd mylldred my daughter all the wainscott[?], glasses, houshold stuff, and vtinsells, ymplements of houshould in or aboute my said house or else where, and all my brewyng vessells, and all my plate whatsoever, nevertheles my will is, that the said Myldred my daughter daughter[!] shall not intermedle w[i]th the same so long as the said Elizabeth my wife shall contynue vnmaryed, but that during that tyme shee the said Elizabeth my wife shall haue the whole vse and occupac[i]on thereof.

Item I constitute make & ordaine the sayd Elizabeth my wife my sole Executrix of this my Last will, and in token of my loue to her (my debts being payd, and my ffuneralls discharged) all the residue of my goods and chattells whatsoever not p[ar]ticulerly bequeathed by this my will, I geve vnto her, hoping shee will contynue a widdowe and vnmaryed,

But if shee shall happen to marrye, then I deuise and bequeath One Hundred poundes of English money vnto the children of the sayd George Nodds my sonne in Lawe to be equallie deuided amongst them, and the some of One Hundred pounds more of current English money vnto my said daughter ffrancis East, besides the legacie form[er]ly bequeathed vnto her.

Allso my will and meaneng is, and I earnestly desire that my youngest daughter myldred shall and maye lyue w[i]th her mother my wife so long as the said myldred shalbe vnmaryed, But my intent and meaneng is, that the same shalbe at her owne charge w[i]thout any charge to my sayd wife, but at her pleasure.

In wytnes whereof, to theis p[rese]nte I haue set to my hand and seale the daye and yeare aboue written.

Scripted, subscripted et sigillat p[er] me ipsam Docwra. Wytnesses John webster, John ffeyld, Eduard Garter.

Probatum fuit supra scriptum Test[amentu]m apud London coram venerabile viro D[omi]no Johanne Benet milite Legum q_ d[o]c[t]ore Curie Prerogatiue Cantuariensis magistro Custode siue Com[m]issario l[egi]time constituto, Vicesimo Octauo die mensis Junij Anno D[omi]ni millesiom Sexcentesimo Decimo, Juramento Elizabethee Relicte dicti defuncti et Executricis in Huiusmodi testamento no[m]i[n]at[e] Cui com[m]issa fuit administratio bonorum Juri[um] et creditor[um] ecasdem defuncti de bene et fideliter administrando et al[ia]s vigore Com[m]issionis in ea parte l[egi]time emaciat[e] ad sancte Dei Evagelia Jurat[e]. Ex.

Note: The will is dated 1 March 1609, which according to modern calendar is 1 March 1610.

PRO, catalogue reference: PCC Prob/11/116, will of Edward Dockwray, gentleman of Hitchen, Herts., (proved) 28 June 1610 (dated 1 March 1609/10)

Transcription by Odd Ottesen, Kristiansand, Norway, 23 October 2003. (The Latin part of the text is somewhat uncertain.)