Transcription, abstract etc by Trevor Hearn February 2022

Abstract
Anne Fakys, maiden, of West Mersea

Date of will: 16th February 1501
Date of death: unknown
Date of Probate: 12th March 1501

Anne, daughter of Roger Fakys, bequeaths her soul to God, Saint Mary and the Holy Company of Heaven. Her body is to be buried in the churchyard of St Peter & St Paul Church, West Mersea.

Bequests as follows:

12d to the High Altar of St Peter & St Paul Church, West Mersea
12d to Father John Wodward [Woodward]
10s to the Austin Friars of Colchester for 30 masses for the souls of herself, her parents and her friends.
6s.8d to each of her brothers and sisters to assist in taking possession of the the bequest of 23s.4d from Isabel Duke.
6s.8d to the Church of West Mersea to purchase a banner cloth.
A red kirtle to her sister Margaret.
A brass pot to Alice Munwed.

The residue of the personal goods to her executors to be disposed of for the health of the soul of Anne.

Appointed executors: William Coutyn, John Walgrave [Waldegrave?], and John Fakys (brother of Anne).

Witnessed by: Father John Wodward [Woodward], John Robyns [Robins] and others.

Transcription

Test[a]m[entum] Anne Fakys de Westm[er]sey puelle [Note 1]

In dei no[m]i[n]e amen the xvj day of February the yer[e] of our[e] lorde
god m^l v^c & oon[e] y Anne Fakys the doughter of Roger Fakys hole
of mynde & in my good memory beyng thankyd be god make and
orden[e] this my p[re]sent Testament in man[ner] & forme folowyng Firste
I bequeth[e] my sowle to almyghti god my maker our[e] lady saynt
marie and to all the holy company of hevyn[e] my body to be
beryed in the Church[e] yard of petyr & paule in Westm[er]sey Item
y gyve & bequeth[e] to the high Awter of the saide church for my
tithes & offryng[es] forgoton or nechgently W[i]t[h]holden xij d It[e]m y
bequeth[e] to f[ather] John Wodward my gostly [Note 2] father xij d It[e]m y be-
queth[e] in the name of my mortuaij [Note 3] the which of Right or of
Custom is dewe It[e]m y bequeth[e] to the Fryers Astens [Note 4] of Colchest[er]
for a Trentall [Note 5] xs for my sowle my Father soule my mother soule
and all my frynd[es] soulys It[e]m y bequeth[e] to eche of my bro-
thern[e] & sistern[e] now beyng a live vjs viijd so that thei helpe
to Recov[er] iijs iiijd of the bequeth[e] of Isbell duke It[e]m y
bequeth[e] to the Church[e] of Westm[er]sey a forsaid vjs viijd to bey
w[i]t[h] a ban[er] cloth[e] [Note 6] It[e]m y bequeth[e] to Marget my sister my
Rede Curtell [Note 7] It[e]m y bequeth[e] to Alice munwed a brase pott
The Residew of all my good[es] above not not bequethen y
gyve & bequeth[e] to my execut[or]s for to dispose for the helth[e]
of my soule whome y orden[e] & make Willia[m] coutyn John wal-
grave & John Fakys my brother Thes beryng witness f[ather] John
wodward John Robyns & oth[er] moo date the day & yer[e] abovesaid
Probatu[m] fuit p[re]dict[us] test[ament]u[m] Cora[m] p[re]dict[es] offic[er] xijth die martij Anno
d[omi]ni p[re]d[i]ct[us] ac app[ro]bat[um] &[t]c com[m]issa est fuit ad[m]inistac[i]o bonarum
execut[er] in testa[mentum] no[m]inat[is] in forma Iur[es] Iurate e[t]c

Modern English translation

The testament of Anne Fakys of West Mersea, maiden

In the name of God, Amen. 16th February in the year of our Lord
God 1501. I, Anne Fakys, the daughter of Roger Fakys, being whole
of mind and in good memory, thanks be to God, make and
ordain this to be my present testament as follows. First
I bequeath my soul to Almighty God my maker, our lady Saint
Mary, and to all the Holy Company of Heaven. My body is to be
buried in the churchyard of St Peter & St Paul in West Mersea. Item:
I give and bequeath 12d to the High Altar of the said Church for my
tithes and offerings either forgotten or negligently witheld. Item: I
bequeath 12d to Father John Woodward, my spiritual father. Item: I
bequeath a gift as my mortuary as is due by the right or
custom. Item: I bequeath 10s to the Austin Friars of Colchester
for thirty masses to be sung for my soul, my father's soul, my mother's soul,
and all my the souls of my friends. Item: I bequeath 6s.8d to each of my
brothers and sisters currently alive to assist in taking
possession of the bequest of 23s.4d from Isabel Duke. Item: I
bequeath 6s.8d to the Church of West Mersea aforesaid to purchase
a banner cloth. Item: I bequeath my red kirtle to my sister Margaret.
Item: I bequeath a brass pot to Alice Munwed.
I give and bequeath the residue of my my goods not previously bequeathed
to my executors to be disposed for the health of my soul.
I make and ordain William Coutyn, John Walgrave
and my brother John Fakys to be executors. Witnessed by John
Woodward, John Robins and others. Dated the day and year above written.

Probate of the aforesaid testament was made before the aforesaid officer the 12th of March
in the aforesaid year and approved etc. Administration of the goods was committed to the
executors named in the testament having sworn by oath etc.

Note
1 This should technically be "puellae" meaning "girl" or "maiden"; the testator is probably a young lady, perhaps even under the age of majority
2 ghostly: in this instance it relates to or is concerned with the human spirit or soul especially considered from a religious or moral standpoint; a modern equivalent would be "spiritual father" (Source: OED)
3 mortuary: a customary gift formerly claimed by the incumbent of a parish from the estate of a deceased parishioner; also this type of gift (Source: OED)
4 Refers to the Houses of Austin canons (the canons regular of St Austin), in this instance meaning the Augustinian Friars at the Priory of St Botolph in Colchester (Source: British History Online)
5 trentall: a set of thirty requiem masses, said on the same day or on different days (Source: OED)
6 banner-cloth: possibly the banner hung on the processional cross at Easter and other festivals (usually known as a "cross cloth") Source: British History Online)
7 Kirtle: a loose over garment, man's coat, woman's skirt or open gown (Source: What does it Mean? Words in Wills, Inventories, Deeds and Documents by Eve McLaughlin)

MARG - Mersea Archive Research Group
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