Transcription by Elaine Barker January 2023

Abstract
The will of Roose Webbe, a widow of East Mersea was written on 23rd December 1562 and proved on 8th March 1562/1563. She is the widow of John Webbe and has four children, Thomas, Margaret, Maria and Rose, all under the age of 20. Another daughter is referred to separately, Parnell, who it is clear, is seriously ill and may not recover.

She commends her soul to God and wishes to be buried in the churchyard of East Mersea. She refers to her husband's will and those trustees who manage the property bequeathed to John and Roose's son, Thomas.

She makes numerous bequests to family and friends including sheep, cattle, and horses, several beds, bedding and household goods of brass and pewter, furniture, cheese, wheat, barley, clothing, and linen.

One property is named, Arnold's. This property appears in the 1510 will of John Webbe of East Mersea [Essex Record Office D/ACR 1/167/2] (transcribed - see MARG_266 ) and it is likely Roose is the widow of this John Webbe's son, also John, to whom the property was bequeathed after his mother's death.

Presumably Roose is literate because she leaves a bible, her 'great service book' and a 'testament'.

She leaves money to the men's poor box and a mark (13s 4d) and cheese to ten of the poorest households in East Mersea and 10s to the French Church in London (which might indicate the family's origins). She appoints William Jolly, John George and Nicholas Bennett to be her supervisors to whom her executors are to give an annual account of the rents and profits from her properties. It is witnessed by William Brown, John George, William Jolly, and East Mersea's Rector, Marcell[inus] Outred, (who may have written the original will) and others.

Transcription
In the name of god Amen The xxiijth daie of december in the yeare of our lorde god
A Thousande fyve hundrethe Threescore and twoe [1562] I Roos[e] webbe of Estmershe widowe beinge sicke of
bodie but hoolle in mynde of parfecte memorie thankes be to almightie god do make and ordeine this
my laste will and testamente in manner and fourme followinge. Firste I committ my soulle into
the handes of almightie god my maker stedfastlie trustinge and beleavinge that through the
deathe and blodsheddinge of Christe o[ur] lorde our savioure I shall have full delivereraunce and forgevenes of
all my sinnes and my bodie to be buried in the churche yarde of Estmarshe Item I will and committe
into the handes of williame Jolie and Thomas wade beinge Tennauntes and John Prentice to be an
holper unto them the house withe all the landes and tenementes sett lyinge and beinge within the
parrishe of Estmarshe w[i]th all thapputenaunces therto belonginge to the performaunce of the
laste will of Johne Webbe my husbande whiche dothe appertaine and belonge unto Thomas
Webbe my sonne accordinge to the will of his father they to lett it to the moste advauntage
and they to see it kepte in goode reparac[i]ons as it nowe is and they to have for their paines
either of them vjs viijd to be paied unto theime yearlie at the gevinge up of theire accompte
and also their charges at all tymes to be allowed withe reasone willinge that theire shalbe but one
sufficiente fyer of suche woode as they shall have or take of the same grounde and that to be burnte
in the same house also I will that ther shalbe xv beastes let to be kepte with the same grounde and
three \score/ sheepe cauled ewes unto the use and proffetts of Thomas Roose and Marie Webbe equallie to
be devided betwene them parte and parte like and whoe so ever shall have the saide grounde and
cattall in occupyinge that they to deliver the yeares beinge ended all suche cattall in so good
caas of suche adges [ages] as they shall receave them willinge that my said children shall enioye
theire partes and porc[i]ons of the saide stocke, with the profetts therof at the daie of theire mariag[es]
or else at thadge of xx yeares Also I will that if anie of my saide children do die before they do come
to the tyme or adge before written that then the other lyvinge to enioye the dedes parte to be
equallie devided betwene them. Item that I will and geve unto Johne Hixe iij bullockes of the
adge of ij yeares and also three calves of a yeare oulde to be delivered unto hyme ymmediatlie
after my deceasse and also tenne ewe sheepe Also I will that the saide John Hixe shall
have his dwellinge in the same chamber wheare he nowe dothe keape and his cattell to be kepte
in Arnoldes untill Michaelmas nexte comminge after my decease Also I will and geve
unto the said Johne Hixe somuche barley as shall sowe the same grounde whiche is
broken up and also the wheate that is nowe there growinge. More I will and geve unto
the said John Hixe A waie [Note 1] of cheese of lande waighte towardes the kepinge of his house
to be delivered unto hime ymmediatlie after my decease. Also I geve more unto the saide
John Hixe A seame [Note 2] of wheate and foure busshells of barley to be delivered as before
More I geve unto hime the cupbourde in the haulle. Item I will and geve unto Parnell
my daughter vj li[bre] xiijs iiijd [£6 13s 4d] and if the saide Parnell do decease that then I do geve the
same vj li[bre] xiijs iiijd unto Febie [Phoebe] Bennett to be paied unto her at the daie of her mariage
or els at thadge of xx yeares And if she die before that tyme then I will that the
same monie shall remaine unto my children then lyvinge equallie to be devided amounges .

Page 2
them Also I geve more unto my doughter Parnell if she leve owte this sicknes a posted bedde with a hanginge
of saie [Note 3] withe the fetherbedde and boulster that dothe nowe lie in it with a paire of Lensie wolsie blankett[es] [Note 4] and
the newe coverlet and if that she do die of this sicknes then I will that the same bedd with those thinges
therto belongionge shall remaine unto the reste of my children. Item I geve unto Nicholas Bennet my
donne [dun] mare to be delivered unto hime ymmediatlie after my decease. Item I geve unto Thomas my sonne
the posted bedde standinge nexte the cupbourde with all thinges therto belonginge and the cupbourde withe
the rounde table and carpett and the shipe cheste withe the painted clothes hanginge in the same parlor
withe the wainscott cheste Also I geve more unto Thomas my sonne my blacke mare coulte [colt]. Item I geve
unto Rose my daughter the longe table in the parlore withe yellowe huche [Note 5] and the trundell bedde [Note 6] with
all thinges therto belonginge Item I geve unto Marie my daughter the greate bedde in the soller [Note 7] w[i]the
all thinges therto belonginge and the greate shippe cheste in the soller. Item I geve to Marie & Rose
eache of theime a paire of hollen sheetes and eache of them a pair of pillowberes [pillowcases] of holland [Note 8] that
is Roose the beste and Marie the nexte. Item I geve to Thomas a paire of lockerame [Note 9] sheetes
and twoe holland pillowberes. Item I geve to Thomas Marie and Roose eache of theim two silver
spones and unto Margaret one. Item I geve unto Thomas the best diaper [Note 10] table clothe and the
greate spitte . Item I geve unto Marie my bests doble raille and unto Margarett and Roose eache of
theime one of my beste kerchers Item I geve unto Marie my beste redde petticoate. Item I geve unto my
syster Coll my beste cassocke. Item I geve unto Stephanne Coll my godsonne vjs viijd to be payede
ymmediatlie after my decease. Item I geve unto Carringtons wief my newe freisse [Note 11] cassocke. Item I
geve to my brother Thomas Webbes wief my beste russet [Note 12] Petticoate: Item I geve unto my brother Thomas
Webbe vjs viij d to be paied ymmediatlie after my deceas Item I geve to my uncle Johne webbe vjs
viijd to be paied ymmediatlie after my decease. Item I geve to Johne mans wief my white russett
petticoate. Item I geve unto Besse myller my oulde freese cassocke. Item I geve to Gylpynne
my russett cassocke and xxs of monie. Item I geve unto George Brownes wief my oulde
blacke peticoate and my blacke russett wastcoate. Item I geve unto Johanne Tyler my white
petticoate that she weore whille she was withe me and a canvas smocke A lockerame kercher
and a lockerame raylle.[Note 13] Item I geve to x of the pooreste housholdes in Eastmarshe xiijs iiijd and
halfe a waie of cheese. Item I geve to the poore mens boxe xiij s iiijd. Item I geve unto Margaret
my daughter my mare and my saddell. Item I geve unto Thomas my greate brasse potte and
the twoe cobirons [Note 14] that be in the haulle and the painted clothes hanginge in the haulle. Item I geve
unto my cossen Hoge one of my hattes whiche she will. Item I will that the reste of my
Lynnen unbequeathed shalbe equallie devided betwene Margaret Marie and Roose. Item I will
that all the reste of my brasse latten [Note 15] and pewter unbequeathed maie be equallie devided betwene
my foure children that is to saie Thomas Margaret Marie and Roose. Item I geve unto Whiter
the fetherbedde that poplet was wonte to lye one with the boulster a paire of blankett[es] and a
coverlet. Item I geve unto Bowon the trundell bedde that is in the longe house with the flocke [Note 16]
bedde that he doth lye one and all thinges therto belonginge and xxs of monie and vjs viijd to paie
littell Thomas affore all the reste of my houshold ungeven I will shalbe equallie devided betwene
my foure children that is to saie Thomas Margaret Marie and Roose. Item I do geve unto Roose my
daughter vj libre xiij s iiijd to be paid at her adge before written. Item I geve to Thomas my bible and
greate service booke to remayne in the handes of Margaret untill he come to his adge. Item I geve
Item I geve unto Marie my testamente. Item I geve unto Rose and Marie eache of them twentie markes
to be delivered in to the goodman Georges handes whome I do make gardener unto Thomas and Marie
and Rosse within a yeare after my decease he to be bounde unto my executors for the paymente
therof unto my saide children at theire adges before written and if anie of them die the other
to have the parte. And as for all the reste of my cattall goodes and monie unbequeathed I
will shalbe soulde and my debt[es] beinge paied and legacies performed the reste remayninge I will
shalbe equallie devided betwene my foure children that is to saie Thomas Margaret Marie and
Roose. Item I geve unto the frenche churche at london xs to be paied ymmediatlie after my
decease. Item I geve to the repayringe of the highe waies within Este Marshe vjs viijd. Item
I do ordeine williame Jollye and John Prentice to be myne executors gyvinge unto either of
theime for theire paines xxs and John George and Nicholas Bennett to be my sup[er]visores
wyllinge that myne executors shalbe bounde unto my supervisors yearlie to geve a true
accompte Theis beinge witnesses williame Browne Johne George williame Jollie
Mastlyan Otred [Note 17] withe other mooe
Octavo die mensis Martij Anno do[min]i mill[es]imo quingentesimo Sexagesimo Secund'
The eighth day of the month of March in the year 1562

Note 1: A waie of cheese = 3cwt of Essex cheese
Note 2: seame of wheat = an obsolete unit of volume or mass equivalent, in the case of grain to 8 imperial bushels or 290 litres
Note 3: saie = woollen cloth
Note 4: Linsey-woolsey = a coarse twill or plain-woven fabric woven with a linen warp and a woollen weft.
Note 5 huche = a cabinet or storage chest
Note 6 trundell bed = a low bed on castors which can be stored under a standing bed.
Note 7: Soller = private room located on the floor above the great hall in a late medieval English manor house. The solar served as a kind of parlour to which the family of the owner of the manor house or castle could retire from the bustling communal living of the hall below.
Note 8: holland = plainwoven unbleached or dull-finish linen used as furniture covering or a cotton fabric 
Note 9: lockerame = a coarse plain-woven linen formerly used in England.
Note 10: diaper = originally the term for a small pattern of repeated geometric shapes. Later, it was used to describe white cotton or linen cloth with this pattern.
Note 11: freisse = very thick, heavy, plain weave, well-fulled cloth, with raised hairy surface on one or both sides. 
Note 12: russet a coarse narrow wool, undyed and unfinished
[Frieze and russet appear to be two of the main fabrics for the outer clothing of the generality of lower classes in the sixteenth century.]
Note 13: raylle = possibly a 'head-rail' meaning a veil.
Note 14: cobiron = an iron for supporting a spit
Note 15: latten = metal in thin sheets generally made of the copper alloys such as brass or bronze that appeared in the Middle Ages
Note 16: flocke bedde = A bed filled with flocks, or locks of wool, or pieces of cloth cut up fine; a bed stuffed with flock, or the refuse of wool.
Note 17: Mastlyan Otred = a strange spelling of East Mersea Rector Marcell[inus] Outred who probably wrote out the original will

MARG - Mersea Archive Research Group
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