| Will of William Nicoll of West Mersea 1504 transcribed from ERO D/ACR/1/81/3
Transcription and Abstract by Elaine Barker February 2022
Abstract
In this pre-Reformation will, William Nicoll of West Mersea requests he be buried in the Churchyard of St. Peter and Paul, West Mersea. He makes financial provision for donations to the church and prayers for the good of his soul and those of wife, family and friends. His wife is not mentioned otherwise.
He has three children, Thomas, John and Joan, and he bequeaths his own house, Churchmans, to Thomas when he reaches the age of 24. A friend or relative, Stephen Bennet, is to have the use of other properties Marons and Cross Croft while undertaking to maintain and educate John, the younger son, until he also comes of age. Nicoll also bequeaths various farming implements, livestock and household goods to his children.
His Executors are Walter Gylott and John Tye. The will is witnessed by a clergyman, John Woodward, William Comyn and others unnamed.
Transcription
Testamentu[m] Will[elm]i Nicoll de Westm[er]sey
In the name of god Amen the xxvj th day of the monyth of
Maij the yer[e] of our[e] lorde god m l vC iiij er [1504] y Willia[m] Nicoll of
Westm[er]sey in the Countie of Essex husbondman make my testa
ment in this wise First y bequeth my soule to god almyghti to
his bly[ssed] mother and lady saynt Marie & all the saynt[es] in hevyn
my body to be buryed in the Chirch yarde of the apostell[es] petyr
& paule of westm[er]sey aforsayd Also y bequethe to my mother
chirche in london iiijd Also to the hie Awt[er] of the chirch of m[er]sey
a forsaid for tithes forgotyn xijd Also y will that Thomas
my son have my teneme[n]t that y dwelin callyd Chirmans [Churchmans]
when he comyth to age of xxiiijth yer[e] to hym hys heir[es] and
his assignes for ev[er] mor[e]/and in the mean tyme y will that
myn Executo[ur]s let the forsaid tene[men]t to ferme and dispose the
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mony for my soule Also y will that Stephyn Benet have my tene[men]t
called Marons w[i]t[h] a Crofte callyd Crose croft for the terme of viij yer[e]
next folowyng after the Feste of saynt Michaell next folowyng
after this date so ther he make neither strepe nor wast but only for
hogg[es] to the same grounde duryng the said terme and this condic[i]on
that he fynde to John my son[n] honestly & suffyciently mete & cloth
& other necessarys w[i]t[h] doctrine [teaching] in the best man[er] that he can[n] duryng
the terme a forsaid and at the ende of the viijth yer[es] a forsaid y
will that the said John have the forsaid tene[men]t w[i]t[h] the Crofte
& p[ur]ten[au]nc[es] to hym his heir[es] and assignes for ev[er]mor[e] and other of
my childrer decese or thei be infeoffyd in thes land[es] aforsaid by
the terme of the yer[es] a fore wrytyn then y will that the her[e] [heir] be
his heir[e] And if both my sonnys dye afore the terme a forsaide then
y will Jone my doughter have the said ten[emen]t[es] w[i]t[h] land[es] and
app[ur]ten[au]nc[es] to her her heir[es] & assygnes for ev[er] mor[e] Also if all
my childrene y gyve to ylke [each] on[e] of my childre that is to wit
Thomas John & Jone ij kyne w[i]t[h] v Shepe Also to Thomas my
sone my plow w[i]t[h] ij chenys a Culter & a Shar[e] & all my best
ches my Carte & a chest Also y gyve to Jone my dought[er] a
harnest gyrdyll [w[i]th the p[ri]c[e]?] of a payr of bedys my bede that
y lyin Also y will that all my moveables w[i]t[h]in my howse
be devided in iij equall po\r/t[i]ons & devided a mong my childre
by the sight of myn[e] executo[ur]s And if all my childre die a
fore the terme or space a forsaid thenn y will that thefor
said land[es] w[i]t[h] tene[men]t[es] and app[ur]ten[au]nc[es] be sold by myn Executors
& disposyd for my soule my wiff[es] soule & my childerne soulys
my dett[es] paide my body honestly buried my bequethes dewly
p[er]formyd the Residew of my god[es] not yevyn nor bequethed y
yeve & bequeth to walt[er] Gylott & John Tye whome y make
myn[e] Executo[ur]s to dispose this my laste will for the well of my
soule as thei then se best This witnesses s[ir] [Note 1] John Wodwarde Willia[m]
Comyn & other yevyn the day & yer[e] a bove said.
Note 1 sir is a courtesy title for priests
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