| Will of Robert Foxe of Bocking Hall West Mersea 17 January 1557 transcribed from Essex Record Office document D/ABW 14/106
Transcriber Sue Howlett October 2020
Abstract
(no date of death or probate)
Robert Foxe of Bocking Hall, West Mersea, husbandman.
Burial in churchyard of West Mersea.
Bequeaths residue of all goods to wife Rose, his executrix.
Gives to his son Robert Foxe 5 marks [£3 6s. 8d], to be held by John Web[b]e? the elder of East Mersea until son Robert reaches age of 21.
Gives to daughters Agnes and Margaret Foxe 40s. each on day of their marriage (held until then by his wife).
If any of his children die before they inherit, sum to be divided among survivers. If his pregnant wife has a living child, they to have 40s on coming of age.
Wife Rose to pay debts and funeral expenses.
Overseer of will to be John Web[b]e?
Transcription
Copia per Regio (copy for the [Probate] Register)
solut' xvj d pro scriptira de novo (paid 16d. for a new copy)
1. In the name of god Ame[n] the xviith daye of
2. januarij in the yere of o[ur] Lord god 1557. I Rob[er]t Foxe of
3. Bocken hall w[ith]in the parish of West m[er]cye (Mersea) in the Counttye
4. of Essex husband[man] beyng p[er]fytt in mynd and memorij
5. but sek of boddy make th[is] my last will & testame[n]t
6. in man[er] and form following /Fyrst & befor[e] all thyng[es]
7. I com[m]end my soull unto thand[es] (the hands) of God my Alone savyo[ur]
8. & Redemer throught the dethe & blood shed of hys onely
9. ssonne cryst Jesu /And my boddy to the ground in westm[er]sye
10. churche yard Aforesayd / And all the resydewe of my
11. good[es] moveables & unmoveables I gyve them to Rose my
12. wyfe whome I mak & ordayn my soole Executryxe
13. Also I gyve to Rob[er]t Foxe my sonne v. mark[es] sterlyng
14. the which v. mark[es] I wyll th[a]t John wode the old[er] of
15. Estm[er]sye have the custody and kepyng tyll the sayd Rob[er]t my
16. sonme comes to the Aige of xxjti yers
17. Also I gyve to Angnes Foxe and to Marg[are]t
18. Foxe my daughters to yche one of them xls st[er]lynge to be
19. payd at the days of theyr maryaige by thand[es] of Rose
20. my wyff And yf any of my sayd chyldern dep[ar]t this
21. world befor any of the tyme afor [a]poynted that then the
22. part and porcyon of them so beyng dep[ar]ted To Remayn to
23. the longer lyvers All the Rest of my good[es] and Castell (chattel) I
24. gyve to Ross my wyff and she to pay my
25. deptt[es] and Funerall /And I ordayn and mak of this my last
26. wyll & testame[n]t the foresayd John Webe to be over Sear
27. In wytnes whereof that this is my last wyll & Testame[n]t
28. theys wytnes Willyam Foxe hys father and John Webe w[ith] other
(signature?)
29. Also I give to the chyld that my wyf ys
30. withall xl s[40s] if it do lyve to be payd as ys
31. Aforesayd / And if any of my sayd Chyldern as Robert Angnes
32. Marg[ar]at or the chyld that my wyf ys withall dep[ar]t this world before the tyme
33. Apoynted that then the p[ar]te and porcyo[n] of ther so beynge dep[ar]ted equally to be
34. devyded emonge the long[er] lyvers as ys aforsayd.
Translation to Modern English by Jenny Ennew October 2020
1. In the name of God Amen the 17th day of
2. January in the year of our Lord God 1557 I Robert Foxe of
3. Bocken (Bocking) hall within the parish of West mercye (Mersea) in the county
4. of Essex husband[man] (farmer) being perfect in mind and memory
5. but sick of body make this my last will and testament
6. in manner and form following /First and before all things
7. I commend my soul unto the hands of God my alone (only) saviour
8. and redeemer through the death and blood shed of his only
9. son Christ Jesu / And my body to the ground in westmersye (West Mersea)
10. church yard aforesaid. And all the residue of my
11. goods movable and unmovable I give them to Rose my
12. wife whom I make and ordain my sole executrix.
13. Also I give to Robert Foxe my son five marks sterling
(= 5 times 13s. 4d.)
14. the which 5 marks I will that John Webb the older of
15. East Mersea have the custody and keeping till the said Robert my son
16. comes to the age of twenty one years
17. Also I give to Angnes (Agnes) Foxe and to Margaret
18. Foxe my daughters to each one of them 40 shillings to be
19. paid at the day of their marriage by the hand of Rose
20. my wife And if any of my said children depart this
21. world before any of the time afore appointed that then
22. part and portion of them so being departed to remain to
23. the longer livers. All the rest of my goods and castell (chattels) I
24. give to Rose my wife and she to pay my
25. debts and funeral /And I ordain and make of this my last
26. will and testament the foresaid John Webe to be overseer.
27. In witness whereof that this is my last will and testament
28. these witness: William Foxe his father and John Webe with other (signature ?)
29. Also I give to the child that my wife is
30. withall xl s. (40 shillings) if it do live to be paid as is
31. aforesaid / And if any of my said children as Robert, Agnes, 32.Margaret or the child that my wife is withall (is carrying) depart this world before the time
33. appointed that then the part and portion of their so being departed equally to be
34 divided among the longer livers as is aforesaid.
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