Transcription by Jenny Ennew March 2023 checked by Sue Howlett

Abstract
Date of will 7 August 1616
Date of probate 20 March 1616/17
Nicholas leaves his customary lands called Bushes to Sara Cooke daughter of Richard Cooke when she reaches 18 years of age but until then Timothie Hearne is to tenant the land the rent to be paid towards her upbringing.
At 18 the land is to be passed to her and her heirs for ever. Should this not happen then it is to go to William Hasted son of John Hasted of Polsted and his heirs.
[Bushes is thought to be where the present Yew Tree House is located, on Coast Road, West Mersea]
Moses Hadebale his nephew is to receive £40 paid to him by Nicholas' executor John Hasted.
Marie Wright his cousins daughter is to receive 3 shillings and four pence.
Susan Gryme his niece receives £3 and Bridget Gryme his niece receives £5. If they dont live for a year after his decease then their children are to have the money.
His sister Roase is to receive 20 shillings a year for the rest of her natural life. The first payment on the Feast of St. Michael the Archangel.
Edmund Wright his kinsman is to receive £5 within a year of his decease which will be shared equally between his children if he dies before then.
Joane String his neice is to receive 40 shillings.
Tabitha Farrer his late wifes kinswoman is to receive £10 at the age of 18. If she dies before then it stays with the executors.
Marie wife of John Coulstone receives 20 shillings
Marie wife of John Fokes is to receive 20 shillings
Ten shillings is to be paid to the priest who preaches at his funeral.
Twenty shillings is to go to the poor of West Mersea to be overseen by the church wardensand overseers of the poor.
Twenty shillings is to go to the poor of Polsted in the county of Suffolk. Overseen by the churchwardens.
Twenty shillings is to go to the poor of the parish of Stoke in suffolk where he was born
The rest of his moveable goods and chattels are to be bequeathed to his executors Timothie Hearne and John Halsted who are to pay his debts and funeral expenses.

Transcription
1.   In the name of God:Amen: in the Seventh day of August in the yeare
2.   of our lorde god accordinge to the Computation of the Church of England One thousand six hundred and
3.   sixteene I Nicholas wright of west Mersea in the Countie of Essex yeoman sicke in bodie but of good and
4.   perfect remembrance thankes be to god doe make and ordaine this my last Testament In manner and forme
5.   followinge First I com[m]end my spirritt into the handes of the blessed Trinitie and god in unitie to dwell with
6.   him in Joyes ever which I hope to doe onlie by the meanes and merritts of Jesus my only Saviour which
7.   dyed for me my bodie to the earth to be buried untill the generall Judgement when god shall raise it incorrup
8.   tible and glorious Concerninge my worldlie goods and Chattles I dispose them in manner and forme followinge
9.   Inprimis I give and bequeath unto Timothie Hearne Minister of west Mersea All that my peece of
10.   Customarie lande called Bushes lyinge in the said west mersea untill such tyme as Sara the daughter
11.   of Richard Cooke of the same west mersea shall come to her age of Eighten yeares and I will that the saide
12.   Timothie Hearne shall take up the land with the appurten\a/nces as Tenante for that tyme to keepe and
13.   bringe up the said Sara Cooke unto her said age of Eighteene yeares without takinge any wood or bushes but
14.   onlie for fenceinge the same premisses And I will that at the age of Eighteene yeares the saide lande[s]
15.   called Bushes with all the appurtenanc[e]s shall wholly remaine unto the said Sara to the heires of her
16.   bodie lawfullie begotten for ever And if the said Sara shall departe from this naturall life before she
17.   accomplish her age of eighteene yeares or dye without heires of her bodie lawfully begotten then I will
18.   the said peece of lande with the appurten[a]nces shall remayne unto William Hasted the sonne of John
19.   Hasted of polsted and to his heires for ever Item I give and bequeath unto Moses Hadebale sonne of my
20.   sister Rose Fortie poundes of good and lawfull money of England to be payde \to/ him within one yeare next
21.   after my decease by John Hasted one of my executors at or within the parsonage of Polsted Item I
22.   gyve and bequeath to Marie wright the daughter of Henry wright my Cosen three shillings fower pence
23.   of lawfull English money to be payd to her within one moneth next after my decease by my executors Item
24.   I give and bequeath to Susan Gryme daughter of my sister Roase the som[m]e of three poundes of good and
25.   lawfull money of England to be payd to her within one yeare next after my decease by my executor Item
26.   I give and bequeath to Bridget Gryme daughter my said sister Roase Five poundes of good and lawfull
27.   moneyof England to be payd to her within one yeare next after my decease by my executors Item I
28.   will that if the said two sisters or either of them shall departe from this life before the receipt of their
29.   said severall legacies that then the said legacie and legacies of the same deceased to be equallie devided
30.   betweene the Children of her or them soe deceased Item I give and bequeath unto my sister Roase Twentie
31.   shilling[e]s a yeare to be payd to her yearlie and everie yeare duringe her naturall life The first payment
32.   to begin at the feast of St.Michael Thearchangell next after my decease and soe to be be continued at
33.   everie severall Feast of St. Michaell Twentie shillings all of lawfull English money to be payed to
34.   her duringe her naturall life by my executors their executors and assignes Item I give and bequeath
35.   to my kinsman Edmund wright laborer the so[m]me of Five poundes of good and lawfull money of England
36.   to be payd to him within one yeare next after my decease by my executors And if he departe from this
37.   life Before he have received the same then I will it shall be devided equallie betweene his children that
38.   shalbe then livinge Item I give and bequeath unto Joane Stringe the daughter of my late sister Brigett
39.   Fortie shillings of lawfull English money to be payd to her within half a yeare next after my decease by my
40.   executors Item I give and bequeath unto Tabitha Farrer my last wives kinswoman Tenne poundes of good
41.   and lawfull money of England to be payd to her at her age of eighteene yeares and if she departe from this
42.   life before I will the same tenne poundes shall remayne to my executors Item I give and bequeath to Marie
43.   the wife of John Coulstone thelder of west mersea Twentie shilling[e]s of good and lawfull money of England to be
44.   payd to her within two moneths next after my decease by my executors Item I give and bequeath to Marie the
45.   wife of John Fokes of west Mersea twentie shilling[e]s of good and lawfull money of England to be payd to her within
46.   twoe monethes next after my decease by my executors Item I give and bequeath to him that shall preach my funerall
47.   sermon tenne shillings of lawfull English money Item I give and bequeath unto the poore of the parishe of
48.   west Mersea aforesaid twentie shilling[e]s of lawfull English money to be distributed amongest them by my executors within
49.   one yeare next after my decease where most neede is by the advise of the Churchwardens and overseers of the same
50.   parish Item I give and bequeath unto the poore people of Polsted above said in the Countie of Suffolk twentie shillings
51.   of lawfull English money to be delivered into the handes of the minister there within one yeare next after my decease and
52.   by him with the advise of the Churchwardens to be distributed amongst the poore of the said parish Item I give and bequeath
53.   unto the poore of the parish of Stoke in Suffolk where I was borne twentie shillings of lawfull English money to be
54.   delivered within one yeare next after my decease into the handes of the minister there and by him with the advise of
55.   the Churchwardens to be distributed amongst the poore of the said parish All the rest of my moveables goods and Chattles
56.   unbequeathed I give and bequeath them to my Executors Renouncinge all former wills I ordayne and appointe Mr. (ie M[aste]r)
57.   Timothie Hearne minister of the said mersea and John Hasted of Polsted abovesaid to be my Executors to this my last
58.   will to paye all my debtes and legacies and fullfill my will in all pointes accordinge to the true purporte intente
59.   and meaninge to discharge my funerall and bringe my bodie decentlie to the ground In witness whereof I the said
60.   Nicholas wrighte have to this my last will sett my hand and seale the verie daye and yeare first above written
61.   Nicholas wrighte his marke Red (ie read) sealed subscribed and as my last will delivered in the presence of Israel Edwards Henry Shore

62.   Probatum fuit testamentum suprascriptum Apud London coram mag[ist]ro Edmundo Pope
The above written testament was proved at London in the presence of Master Edmund Pope
63.   Legu[m] doctore Surrogato venerabilis viri domini Johannis Bennet militis legum etiam doctoris Curie
Doctor of Laws, Surrogate of the honourable man, Sir John Bennet, knight, also Doctor of Laws,
64.   Prerogativo Cant[uar]' Mag[ist]ri Custodis sive Comissarij l[egi]time constituti vicesimo die mensis Martij Anno domini iuxta
Master, Custodian or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury legitimately constituted, on the twentieth day of the month of March in the year of our lord, according to
65.   cursu[m] et Computat[i]o[n]em eccl[es]ie Anglican [1616] Juramento Timothei Hearne
the direction and computation of the English Church, one thousand six hundred [and] sixteen, on the oath of Timothie Hearne

MARG - Mersea Archive Research Group
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