| Abstract | Will of John Robyn, husbandman, of West Mersea dated 28th March 1504 transcribed from Essex Record Office D/ACR 1/77/2
Transcription, abstract etc by Trevor Hearn January 2022
Abstract
John Robyn, Husbandman, of West Mersea
Date of will: 28th March 1504
Date of death: unknown
Date of Probate: unknown
Bequests made under the will:
Soul of the testator to Almighty God and body to be buried in the churchyard of St Peter & St Paul in West Mersea.
2 of the best sheep to the High Altar for tithes forgotten and unpaid.
Dwelling house of testator with lands and appurtenances to Alice, wife of the testator for the rest of her life; after her decease the property is devised to the eldest son John upon condition that, 2 years after his inheritance of the property, he pays the sum of 26s 8d annually to each of his brother (John) and sisters (Jane, Agnes and Anne) for 8 years, and a further 26s 8d to his brother John for a further 2 years. If any child should die then their share to be equally divided among the survivors. If the eldest son John should die before his mother or before the age of majority, then the younger son John to inherit the property subject to the above condition. If that John should die before his mother or before the age of majority the property goes to the eldest living daughter subject to the above condition. If all the children should die before their mother or before the age of majority then the property is to be sold and the proceeds applied towards the health of the souls of the testator, his wife and his children at the discretion of the executors or their executors.
The property known as Toomeys is to be sold and the proceeds applied for as long as it lasts on the anniversary of the death of the testator at the discretion of the executors and 2 honest neighbours.
The property known as Martells is bequeathed to Alice, the wife of the testator, and the balance outstanding of the funeral expenses, debts and legacies to be paid by her.
The residue of the personal estate is bequeathed to Alice, the wife of the testator.
Alice, wife, is appointed executrix and john Makyn is jointly appointed executor. John Makyn is to be paid 6s 8d as his fee.
Will is witnessed by John Woodward, John Tey, William Comyn, Robert Senner, Robert Webb and others.
Transcription
Page 1
1 Test[a]m[entum] Joh[ann]is Robyn de Westm[er]sey
2 In the name of god Amen the xxviijth day of the monyth of
3 march in the yer[e] of our[e] lorde god ml vc iiijth I John Robyn
4 of Westm[er]sey in the Counte of Essex husbandman of good
5 & hole mynde make my testament in this wise First
6 y bequeth my soule to almyghti god to his blissyd moder
7 and lady saynt mary & to all the saynt[es] in hevyn my
8 body to be buried in the Churchyarde of petyr & powle
9 of westm[er]sey aforsaid Also y bequeth to the hie Awt[er]
10 of the Church aforsaid for tithes forgotyn & not paid
11 ij of my best shepe Also y will that my Wif have
12 my ten[emen]t that y dwel in w[i]t[h] land[es] & p[er]tinenc[es] for terme
13 of her lif After her decease y will that John myn[e] eldest
14 son[e] have the forsaide teneme[n]t to hym to his heir[es] & his
15 assignes for ev[er]more on this condic[i]on that is to will
16 that he pay yerly after ij yer[es] nex after his infofment [Note 1]
17 to his brother & sisters that is to wyt to John Jane Agnes
18 & Anne duryng the terme of viijth yer[es] then nex\t/ foloyng
19 ev[er]y yer[e] xxvjti20 to his brother John xxvj s viij d ev[er]y yer[e] of good & lawfull
Page 2
1 mony of ynglande And if it happyn of my Child[re]n to dye then I Will
2 that his parte or ther parte be devided among the livers so that
3 bger [Note 2] have his parte ther of And if John myn[e] eldest son[e] die a
4 fore his mother or a fore he come to lawfull age then y will that
5 John my younger son[e] have my forsaide Teneme[n]t w[i]t[h] land[es] & p[er]
6 -tinenc[es] therto longyng after the condic[i]on a forsaid and if the
7 forsaide John die a fore his mother or he come to lawfull age
8 then y Will that the eldest of my daughters livyng have
9 my forsaide tene[m]ent land[es] & app[er]tenanc[es] after the condic[i]on
10 a forsaid And if all my childr[en] die a fore ther mother or a for[e]
11 thei come to lawfull age then y Will that the forsaid tene[men]t
12 be sold & disposyd for the well of my soule my Wif[es] soule and
13 my childes soules at the discrec[i]on of myn[e] Executors or ther
14 Executors Also y will that my tene[men]t callyd Thoomys be sold
15 & the mony disposyd at myne Anniversary while it will laste
16 or after the discrecion of myn[e] Executors & ij honest neyburs Also
17 y will that my Wif have my tene[men]t Martel[l]e to her her heir[es]
18 & her assygnes for ev[er]mor[e] paiying the Residewe that y owe
19 therfor My body buried my dett[es] paide & my bequethes duly
20 p[er]formyd the Residewe of my good[es] not yevyn nor bequethed
21 y gyve & bequeth[e] to Alice my Wif whome y make myn[e]
22 Executrix w[i]t[h] John Maykyn to whome y gyve vjs viijd for
23 his labor that thei dispose this my laste will as thei thynke
24 best after ther discrec[i]ons yevyn the day & yer[e] abovesaid
25 Witness John Wodword John Teye Willia[m] Comen Rob[er]t
26 S[e]nner Roberd Webe w[i]t[h] other
Modern English translation
Testament of John Robyn of West Mersea
In the name of God, Amen. 28th March 1504. I John Robyn
of West Mersea in the county of Essex, husbandman, of sound
mind make my testament as follows. First
I bequeath my soul to Almighty God, to his blessed mother
and lady Saint Mary, and to all the Saints in Heaven. My
body is to be buried in the churchyard of St Peter & St Paul
of West Mersea aforesaid. Also I bequeath to the high altar
of the aforesaid church for tithes forgotten and unpaid
two of my best sheep. Also I devise that my wife have
the house in which I live with the lands and appurtenances for the rest
of her life. After her decease I devise that my eldest son John
have the aforesaid house for himself, his heirs and his
assigns for ever on the following condition: that he
pays from 2 years after his inheritance of the property
to his brother and sisters, i.e. John, Jane, Agnes
and Anne, the sum of 26s. 8d each annually for each of the
following 8 years; and also 26s. 8d to his brother John
for the 2 years then following.
Should any of my children die the I devise
that the share of the deceased be divided among the survivors
making their share bigger. If my eldest son John dies
before his mother or before he comes to lawful age then I devise that
my younger son John shall have my aforesaid house with the lands and
appurtenances belonging thereto subject to the aforementioned condition. If
that John should die before his mother or before his age of majority
then I devise that the eldest of my daughters then living shall have
the aforesaid house with the lands and appurtenances subject also
to the aforementioned condition. Should all my children die before their mother
or before they attain the age of majority then I devise that the aforesaid house
be sold and the proceeds disposed for the health of my soul, my wife's soul
and my children's souls at the discretion of my Executors or
their Executors. Also I devise that my house called Toomeys be sold
and the proceeds disposed for as long as it lasts at the anniversary of my death
or after the discretion of my Executors and 2 honest neighbours. Also
I devise that my wife has my house called Martells for her use, her heirs
and her assigns for ever and to pay the residue that I owe
for my burial, my debts and my legacies. The residue of my estate
not given or bequeathed I give to my wife Alice whom I appoint
as my Executrix together with John Makin as Executor to whom I give 6s.8d for
his fee. I desire them to perform this will as they think
best according to their dicretion. Given the day and year above written.
Witnessed by John Woodward, John Tey, William Comyn, Robert
Senner, Robert Webb and others.
Note 1 enfeoffment: from the verb to enfeoff; to put a person in possession of the fee-simple or fee-tail of lands, tenements etc
(Source: OED)
Note 2 I think the meaning here is "bigger"
|
