ID: MARG_105 / Jooles Hoyle

TitleWill of William Beckett of West Mersea 1633
AbstractWill of William Beckett, tailor, of West Mersea 1633 transcribed from Essex Record Office document D/ABW 52/145
[NB The right hand edge of this document has been torn off, leaving lines incomplete]

Transcriber Jools Hoyle 23 June 2019.
There is a translation to modern English further down this page.

1. In the Name of God Amen This eleaventh day of Aprill Anno Do[mi]nj 1633 [in the?]
2. Ninth yeare of the Raigne of our Soveraigne Charles by the grace of God of En[gland Scot]
3. land France & Ireland King, Defendo[ur] of the Faith &c I William Beckett of th[...............] [ Note 1 ]
4. Westmersea in the County of Essex Taylor: Weying the uncertainty of my life & [ ...............]
5. memory thankes be given to God, Doe ordaine & make this my last Will & Testam[ent ........]
6. & Forme as followeth: First I Com[m]itt my soule into the mercifull hands of Allmight[y ............]
7. maker & to Jesus Christ my Redeemer trusting by his Death & passion to be [.................]
8. to raigne with him, and to god the Holyghost my Sanctifier thre p[er]sons & but one on [.......]
9. whom be praise forever: and I Comitt my body to the earth in sure & certaine hope [.............]
10. at the last day through Jesus Christ my Saviour: Ittem I give unto William [Beckett]
11. my godchild the sonne of John Beckett, one weaned Calfe of a yeare old & one [.....................] [ Note 2 ]
12. her Lambe to be given to him att May day next after my decease Ittem I give [..................]
13. godchildren and goddaughters twelve pence a peece to be payd within halfe a yeare after [my decease]
14. It[em] I give unto Bridgett Jefferson my Aprentice ten shillings to be payd to her [missing words - maybe at the end of her?]
15. apprenticeship. Itt[em] I bequeath unto Mary my wife the best bedstead in the pa[............]
16. Cove[r]let, one Blanckett, one featherbed, one bowlster, two pillowes, one payer of sheetes, [...........]
17. im[m]ediatly after my decease: Itt[em] I give unto Mary my Wife, & to John Beckett my [...............]
18. to Willia[m] Beckett my youngest sonn all my goodes, Cattell, corne & moveables whatso[ever]
19. equally divided between them at Michaelmas next after my decease they all of them [......]
20. equally all Charges of ploweing soweing & reaping & dressing the said Corne tha[t [......]
21. hapen between the time of my decease & the said Feast of Michaelmas next ensue[ing]
22. Itt[em] I ordaine Mary my wife my Sole executrix of this my Will & Testam[en]t Itt[em] [I make?]
23. Henry Bullocke my Landlord supraviso[ur] of this my will & testament: In Wittnes
24. I the said William Beckett unto these p[re]sents have sett to my hand and seale the d[?] [ Note 3 ]
25. above written
26. Sealed subscribed & delivered
27. In the p[re]sense of
28. John Locke
29. George Hall           William Beckett
30. his marke           his marke

31. p[ro]bat[ur] apud Colc[hester] 30 May 1634 coram doctore Aylett
32. Comissario &c iuramento executricis &c cui &c [salvo?] &c
33. fiat
34. fit

Note 1. I think there must be more words missing at the end of these lines, probably En[gland, Scot] in line 2
Note 2. this could possibly be Ewe with
Note 3. probably day and year

Translated into modern English by Jools Hoyle 8 July 2019

1. In the name of God, Amen, this eleventh day of April in the year of our Lord 1633 [in the]
2. ninth year of the reign of our sovereign Charles by the grace of God King of En[gland, Scot]
3. land France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith etc., I, William Beckett of th[e parish of]
4. Westmersea in the county of Essex, tailor, considering the uncertainty of my life and [being of good]
5. memory, thanks be given to God, ordain and make this, my last will and testam[ent in manner and form]
6. as follows: First I commit my soul into the merciful hands of almight[y God my]
7. maker and to Jesus Christ my redeemer, trusting by His death and passion to be [raised?]
8. to reign with Him, and to God the Holy Ghost, my Sanctifier, three persons and but one on[ly God to]
9. whom be praise forever: and I commit my body to the earth in sure and certain hope [of resurrection?]
10. at the last day through Jesus Christ my Saviour. Item: I give to William [Beckett]
11. my godchild, the son of John Beckett, one weaned calf of a year old and one [Ewe with]
12. her lamb to be given to him on the May day following my death. Item: I give [to my]
13. godchildren and goddaughters twelve pence each to be paid within six months after [my death]
14. Item: I give to Bridgett Jefferson, my apprentice, ten shillings to be paid to her [at the end of her]
15. apprenticeship. Item: I bequeath to Mary, my wife, the best bedstead in the pa[rlour [ Note 1 ], one]
16. coverlet, one blanket, one featherbed, one bolster, two pillows, one pair of sheets, [to be given to her]
17. immediately after my death: Item: I give to Mary my wife, and to John Beckett my [eldest son? and]
18. to William Beckett my youngest son all my goods and chattels, corn and moveable items whatso[ever to be]
19. equally divided between them at the Michaelmas following my death, they all of them [to share?]
20. equally all charges for ploughing, sowing, reaping and dressing the corn [grown]
21. between the time of my death and the first Michaelmas thereafter.
22. Item: I make Mary my wife my sole executrix of this my will and testament. Item: [I make]
23. Henry Bullocke my landlord, supervisor of this my will and testament. In witness [of which]
24. I, the said William Beckett, have set my signature and seal to this document the d[ay and year]
25. written above
26. Sealed, signed and delivered
27. In the presence of
28. John Locke
29. George Hall           William Beckett
30. his mark           his mark

31. Proved at Colchester in the presence of Doctor Aylett
32. Commissioner etc on the oath of the executrix etc.
33. Let it be done
34. It is done

Note 1 In the 16th century, parlour could also indicate a bedroom (Oxford English Dictionary)

AuthorJooles Hoyle
SourceMersea Museum
IDMARG_105