| Abstract | Will of John Potter yeoman of Peldon 26 December 1621 transcribed from ERO D/ABW 44/27
Transcription by Elaine Barker March 2022
Abstract
In his will written at the end of 1621, John Potter, yeoman of Peldon makes bequests to the poor of Peldon, White Colne and Langenhoe. He also makes bequests to three preachers, Reverend Samuel Ward, Reverend Harrison of Layer de la Haye and Reverend Richarde Ram of Peldon. Various property and land bequests, situated in White Colne, Fingringhoe, and gifts of money are made to his five sons, John, Jeffery, Robert, Tobias and William Potter, the latter two under 25. To Tobias he leaves a property in Peldon known as Balls with eight acres. He leaves pieces of gold to his married daughter, Jane, wife of Thomas Wood, and his son-in-law, Edward Marke [Note 1] He leaves gifts of money to all his (unnamed) grandchildren and to his loving kinsman William Potter of Brantham, Suffolk, yeoman whom he makes executor with his son Robert. He leaves his executors all his unbequeathed goods which are left to settle his debts and pay the legacies He also leaves money to five servants.
The will is witnessed by John Barrell, George Green and Henry Carpenter.
Transcription
In the name of God Amen the sixe & twentye day of december in the xixth yeare of
the raigne of ou[r] sov[er]aigne Lorde James by the grace of god Kinge of England France and Ireland
deffender of the faith &c[etera] and of Scotland the fyve and Fiftieth Annoq[ue] d[omi]ni 1621
I John Potter of Peldon in the Cownty of Essex yeoman beinge weake in bodie but of sound
and p[er]fecte minde and memorie I praise the allmightie therefore Consideringe the fraieltie of
humane nature and the uncerteine continuance of healthe & state being resolved against all suden
alterac[i]ons that may happen in this earthly condic[i]on to p[re]pare my mynde to asetled course of
quietnes & meditac[i]ons of heavenly ioyes and to determine of the disposic[i]on of those land[es] and
tenement[es] goodes & Chattells wherewith god of his goodnes hath blessed me withall so as peace to my
sowle & quietnes betweene my children and other my frend[es] & kinred may after my death be firmly
kept & maintained doe make & ordayne this my Testamente and last will in man[n]er and forme
following (that is to say) First & principally I Com[m]ende my soule & bodie into the handes of christ Jesus
my sole savio[ur] & redeemer by whose meritt[es] & passion I assuredly expecte to receave the full and free
remyssion of all my sinnes and the fruition of a happie & ioyfull resurection and I requeast my executor[es]
hereunder named to see my body bestowed in xpian [Christian] buriall in decente & comely man[n]er Item I doe
give & bequeath to the poore people of the parish of Peldon aforesaid vjs viijd of lawefull money of
England to be distributed amongst them at the discretion of my executors Item I doe give & bequeath
to the poore people of the p[ar]ishe of white Colne in the Cownty afforesaide xxs of lyke lyke lawefull
money of England to be distributed amongst them at the discretion of my executors Item I doe give
& bequeath unto the poore people of the p[ar]ishe of Langenhoe in the Cownty aforesaid ten shilling[es] of lyke
money of England to be distributed amongst them at the discretion of my executor[es]Item I doe give
& bequeath unto my very frend M[aste]r Samuell Warde preacher of the word of god xxs of lawefull
money of England And to M[aste]r Harrison preacher of the word of god in Laierdelahay xxs And to
M[aste]r Richarde Ram preacher of god in Peldon xxs to be paid unto everie of them within three
monthes next after my decease Item I doe give and bequeathe unto my eldest sonne John
Potter Fyve pound[es] of lawefull money of England to be paid unto him within three monthes next
after my decease Item I doe give and devise unto Jeffery Potter my sonne and to his heires and
assignes for ever all those my two p[ar]cells of land lyeinge in White Colne in the Cownty of Essex
afforesaide the one whereof is knowen by the name of Catleyes & the other by the name of Curd[es]
conteyninge together by estemac[i]on one and Twentie acres more or lesse Item I doe give and
bequeath unto my said sonne Jeffery Potter one peece of gold of ijs Item I doe give and devise
unto Roberte Potter my sonne and to his heires & assignes for ever all those my Coppihold land[es]
Tenements scittuate lyeinge & beinge in Fingringhoe in the Cownty of Essex afforesaid Provided
allwayes notwithstanding upon this Condic[i]on that he my said sonne Roberte Potter doe & shall
pay unto Tobias Potter my sonne the some of Fifty pound[es] of lawefull money of England within three
yeares next after my deceasse And yf my said sonne Rob[er]te Potter doe refuse and doe not pay unto
Tobias Potter my sonne the said some of Fifty pound[es] of lawefull money of England within
three yeares next after my deceasse as afforsaid Then I doe give & devise all & singuler my saide
Coppihold land[es] & tenement[es] being in Fingringhoe afforesaid unto Tobias Potter my sonne his
heires & assignes for ever Item I doe give & bequeath unto William Potter my sonne the some of
Three hundred pound[es] of lawefull money of England to be paid unto him by my executor[es] whom
and assoone as he shall have accomplished his age of Fyve and Twenty yeares and yf it shall so
happen that my said sonne William doe dye before he shall have accomplished his said age of
Signes sealed & published
in the p[re]sence of
John Barrell george grene
& Henry Carpenter John potter
the mark of
John Barrell
wittnes
Page 2
of Fyve & Twentye yeares Then my mynde and will is that One Hundred pound[es] of the
afforesaid legacie of Three hundred pound[es] given & bequeathed unto my said sonne William
Potter shalbe given & paid unto Tobias Potter my sonne by my executor[es] when & assoone
as my said sonne William yf he had so long lived had accomplished his said age of Fyve and
twentie yeares Item I doe give and devise unto Tobias Potter my soone and to his heires &
assignes for ever all & singuler my land[es] & tenement[es] scittuate & beinge in Peldon in the
Cownty of Essex afforesaid called or knowne by the name of Ball[es] conteyneing by estemac[i]on
eighte accres more or lesse Item I doe give & bequeathe unto my said sonne Tobias Potter
Fiftye pound[es] of lawfull money of England to be payd unto him by my executor[es] when and
assoone as he shall have accomplished his age of Fyve & twentie yeares and yf it shall soe
happen that my said sonne Tobias doe dye before he shall have accomplished his said age
of Fyve & twentye yeares Then my will & mynd if that the said legacie of Fiftye pound[es]
given and bequeathed unto Tobias Potter my sonne shalbe given and payd unto William
Potter my sonne by my executor[es] when and assoone as my said sonne Tobias Potter yf
he had so longe lived had accomplished his said age of Fyve & twenty yeares Item I do give & bequeath
unto my daughter Jane Wood the wife of Thomas Wood one peece of gold of ijs to be
paid unto her within three monthes next after my deceasse Item I doe give & bequeathe unto
my sonne in lawe Edwarde markes one peece of gold of ijs to be payd unto him within
sixe monthes next affter my deceasse Item I doe give & bequeathe unto all my graunde
children ten shilling[es] apeece to be paide unto ther fathers within one yeare next after my
deceasse Item I doe give & bequeathe unto my loveing Kinseman William Potter of
Brantham in the Cownty of Suffolke yeoman Ten pound[es] of lawfull money of England Item
I doe give & bequeathe unto Judith Ran my servant xxs to be paid unto her within three
monthes next after my deceasse Item I doe give and bequeath unto John T....?
William Crosse Richard Plomer & William Adames my servantes sixe shilling[es] eighte
pence apeece to be paid unto every of them within three monthes next after my deceasse
Alle the rest of my good[es] chattells leases money plate corne cattell howshold stuff impliment[es]
of howshold implement[es] of husbandry and all other my goodes & Chattells whatsoever
unbequeathed I doe give & bequeath unto my said loveinge Kinseman William Potter
and unto my said sonne Roberte Potter for & towardes the paymente of my debtes and
the legacies herein by me bequeathed And I do name appoynt & make the said William
Potter my kinseman & Roberte Potter my soone executor[es] of this my Testament &
last will desireing them to se the same faythfully executed & p[er]formed And I do herby
will and declare my mynde and meaneing to be that my debtes legacies & funerall
charges being paid all the rest of myne estate then remayneinge shalbe to the only use
and behoof of my said sonne Roberte Potter and I doe hereby give & bequeath the same
unto him And I doe herby renownce all former wills by me heertofore made and doe
publishe & declare this to be my Testament & last will in wittnes whereof I have to
either sheete of paper hereof conteyneing in all two sheet[es] of paper set my hand &
seale the day & year in the First sheete of paper first above written
Signed sealled & published
in the p[re]sence of george grene
John Barell &
Henry Carpenter John potter
the marke of
John Barrell
wittnes
Note 1: Edward Marke was married to John Potter's daughter, Ann, who is buried in St. Stephen's Church, Great Wigborough and died the same year as her father.
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