Will of Israel Edwards, lately Rector of East Mersea, who died 23 November 1666
Essex Record Office D/ACW 17/210
Transcription. For Abstract and Translation to Modern English, see MARG_120_012 .
Transcribed by Trevor Hearn 26th January 2020
1 In the Name of God Amen I Israel Edwards
2 Clerk and Rector of Eastmersey in the County of Essex being in bodily
3 health (thanks be given to God) yet haveing many infirmities incident
4 to old age which as good monitors put me night and day in mind
5 of my dissolution which how soone it may be, the Lord
6 onely knoweth I being by gods p[er]mission and goodness of p[er]fect
7 and sound memorie, doe ordaine and make this my last will and
8 testament in manner and forme following that is to say first
9 and principally I com[m]end my Eternall Soule to Allmighty God
10 my Creatour Father Sonne and Holy Ghost three Persons and one
11 God assuredly beleeveing that I shall receive full pardon and free
12 remission of all my Sinnes which I have infin[i]tely comitted against
13 his heavenly majesty and obtaine the eternall salvation of my immortall
14 Soule by and through the most precious and meritorious Death and
15 passion of my most blessed Saviour and Redeemer Jesus Christ my
16 body to the Earth whence it was taken to be decently interred (by
17 my Executor or Executrix hereafter <..> mentioned) in hope of a
18 joyfull resurrection, And for my Lands and Good which God in mercy
19 hath made me steward off I doe dispose and order in mannor and
20 forme alsoe following Inprimis I give to the poore of the parish of
21 Eastmersey three pownds to be distributed amongst them at the discre-
22 tion of good and Loveing frinds William Lockerson and Samuell Kies
23 within six months after my decease. Item I give <..> to the poore
24 of Copford in the County of Essex the summe of Forty shillings to
25 be distributed unto them by the Minister and Rector of Copford for the
26 time being and Thomas Perry of Bodingham Hall within six months
27 after my decease Item I give unto Elizabeth Ram the sister of
28 Israel Ram ten pownds to be paid unto her after her Aunts decease
29 with in six months if her Aunt shall leave sufficient, Item I give Mary
30 Ram ten pownds after her Aunts decease within six months if her Aunt shall
31 leave sufficient Item to Isabell Ram I give ten pownds , to Jane<.> Ram
Israel Edwards - Page 2
1 Jane Ram ten pownds to be paid in like manner as her sisters Elizabeth
2 and Mary Item I give unto Henry Edwards my Cozen German
3 Twenty pownds to be paid within Twelve months after my decease
4 if my wife finde herselfe able otherwise he to staie for it till six
5 months after her decease Item I give unto Thomas Edwards
6 John Edwards Paul Edwards and Mary Edwards their sister
7 five shillings apeeice to be paid with in twelve months after my decease
8 if my wife shall be willing Item I give William Waine and
9 his sister whose Name I remember not wheather Susan or marie the
10 Sonne and Daughter of Susann deceased and William theire father
11 yett living the summe of five pownds betwixt them Equally devided
12 within six months after my wife her decease, Item I give unto
13 my kinswoman Elizabeth Holland who is a wife now but I remember not
14 her husbands name forty shillings to be paid within six months after
15 my wife her decease and to her heires Item I give unto my wife
16 Springs Tyefeild and Carters and Cardiffes with the Appurtenances
17 and to her heires for ever Item I give unto Sarah Peachie my
18 now maid servant five pownds to be paid within six months
19 after my wife her decease Item my lands Called Noakes and Noakes
20 by west conteining in all twelve acres more or less I give unto my
21 Loveing wife Elizabeth and to her heires for ever Item my house
22 and land called Dr/etches containing by estimac[i]on more or less five acres
23 I give alsoe unto Elizabeth my loveing wife, and to her heires for ever
24 All which lands lye in Copford aforesaid Item I give unto Elizabeth
25 my loveing wife all my Coppy hold lands lying in East mersey and
26 holding of the mannor of Reveshall called by the name of Rynotts [ Note 1 ]
27 or what name soever and to her heires for ever Item whereas I
28 had many yeares since an Indenture of Bargaine and sale of
29 Jacob Dehame of Colchester of the house where in he dwelt with
30 the appurtenances as alsoe one bond for more monies which are not
31 paid according to the Condic[i]ons mentioned in the Indenture and
32 bond I doe give therefore the Indenture of sale and bond unto my
33 wife for and towards the payment of my debts and legacies, intreating
34 her to deale favorably with the widdow Dehame and to give her at least
35 six months to provide the monies Item I give unto Elizabeth my loving
36 wife all my goods chattells moveables bonds bills monies owing to me
Israel Edwards - Page 3
1 Me for rates at East mersey, or due unto me from any man else
2 wheresoever, for and toward the intent and purpose above said
3 And I doe make and ordaine my loveing wife Elizabeth and my
4 loveing Brother in Law John Argor of Braintree in the County
5 of Essex clerke Executors of this my last will and Testament
6 to pay my debtts and legacies in manner and forme aforesaid
7 All other wills and testaments I utterly renounce and make void
8 and will that this shall be and remaine in full force and virtue
9 made and Dated and my hand sett to the bottome of the two
10 first leaves and my hand and seale sett to the last in full con-
11 firmac[i]on of the same this twenty fourth day of October Anno
12 D[omi]ni 1664 in the sixteenth yeare of the Raigne of our Sov[er]aign
13 Lord King Charles the second Defendo[ur] of the faith &[cetera]
14 Israel Edwardes
15 Hezekiah Jocelin
16 Elizabeth chancy
17 her marke
Israel Edwards - Page 4
1 probatu[m] fuit Test[a]m[entum] origina[li]s m[agist]ri Israelis
2 Edward[es] Cl[er]ici nup[er] R[e]c[t]oris de Eastmersey
3 def[unct]i 23 Die Novembris Anno D[omi]ni
4 1666 nomine/ Elizabethe Edward[es]
5 unius Ex[ecuto]rum in eod[em] Test[ament]o nominat[um]
6 primitus de bene &c salvo &c vigore
7 Comissionis in ea p[ar]te eman[ent]at Coram m[agist]ro
8 Joh[n]e Negus Cl[eric]o iurat &c res[erva]ta pot[est]at[em]
9 Joh[n]i Argor alteri Ex[ecuto]ri cu[m] ven[er]it ea[m] petitur[us]
10 26 No[vembr]is This p[re]sent writing contained in three sheet[es]
11 1666 of paper is a true Copie of the last will
12 and Testament of Israell Edward[es] Clarke
13 late Rector of Eastmersey in Essex deceased
14 examined with the originall will of the said
15 Israell Edward[es] and agreeing therewith verbatim
16 per Nos Tho. Gaell No[tariam] pub[licum]
17 John Wheelley
18 This will belonging properly to the B[isho]pps
19 office all done heere thought to be
20 invalid & so the Ex[ecu]tors had restituc[i]on of
21 the fees & p[ro]ved it in that Court
Israel Edwards - Page 5
1 26 Novembris 1666
2 Reced then by me Elizabeth
3 Edwards the Relict [ Note 2 ] and one of
4 the Executo[ur]s named in the last
5 will and Testament of Israell
6 Edward[es] Clarke late Rector of
7 East mersey in the Countie of Essex
8 deceased the originall last will
9 and Testament of the said Israell
10 Edward[es] deceased by me formerly
11 exhibited into the Registry of the
12 Archdeacon of Colchester in w[hi]ch
13 Court it was proved in Com[m]on
14 forme And of the said Originall
15 will I doe hereby acquitt & discharge
16 Thomas Gaell of Kelvedon gent the
17 Register & Deputies and all the officers
18 of the said Court Wittnesse my
19 hand & seale this day & yeare above
20 menc[i]oned
21 Wittnesses hereunto Elizabeth Edwards
22 Mary Roberts
23 Jo[hn] Negus
Note 1 could possibly be intended to say 'Kynotts'
Note 2 relict = the widow of a man (Source: Oxford English Dictionary)
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