1602 - Thomas DOCWRA of Putteridge, Cambs.

Will was written on 11 August 1601
Will was proved on 15 July 1602

In the name of God Amen the twelveffe daie of August in the three and fforteth yeare of the raigne of our Soveraigne Ladie Elizabeth by the grace of god of England ffrannce and Irelande Queene defender of the faith __ and in the yeare of our lord god one thousand six hundred and one I Thomas Dockwra of Puttriche in the parrishe of Offley in the countie of Hertf[ord] Esquire sicke in bodie but in whole mynde god be thancked doe make this my last will and testament in manner and forme followeinge

ffirst I committ my sowle vnto Almightie god and my bodie to be buryed in the church of Lillye in such seemelie sorte as shalbe thought best by my executors and least the interest and estate of my howses in London in the parrishe of Sannct Peter the poore be not sufficienthe conveyed vnto my two sonnes Raffe Dockwra and Edward Dockwra I doe therefore devise will and bequeathe the saide howses withall gardens backsides easements and commodities there vnto belonginge vnto to my saide sonnes Raffe and Edwarde and vnto the heires of the saide Raffe foreuer

And as concerninge my howshouldstuffe (excepting my plate) I will the same withall such cartehorsses as I shall haue at the tyme of my deathe and all my ploughes and cartes with all my ploughe harnes and carteharnes my maultemill with all ymplements and things what soeuer to the same belonginge and all my brueing vessells and all ymplements and thinges belonging to my will And all the haie that I shall haue at the tyme of my deathe and all the compast and dounge[?] in the yarde and twentie quarters of oates vnto Thomas Dockwra my sonne and heire vppon condic[i]on that neither hee the saide Thomas nor anie other personne or personns by his meanes consent or procurement shall in anie sorte interrupt molest or disturbe my executors of this my last will and testament or anie of them or their or anie of their forvanntes or assignes in or aboute the takeinge disposeinge removeinge or carryinge awaie of anie such goods chattells and other thinges as to them shall belonge or appertenie by virtue of this my will And if the saide Thomas Dockwra shall infringe or breake the saide condic[i]on then my will is that the saide Thomas Dockwra shall loose all benefitt and commoditie that otherwise hee should haue hadd by virtue of this my will.

Item I will and bequeathe vnto ffrannc[es] Taverner and Johnne Tauerner two of the sonnes of Peter Taverner my late sonne in lawe deceased eache of them the somme of twentie poundes and vnto Margaret Wingate daughter of the saide Peter Taverner the somme of twentie poundes the saide three seuerall sommes amountinge vnto threescore poundes in the wholle to be paide in manner and forme followeinge that is to saie the saide seuerall sommes of twentie poundes apeece so deuized vnto the saide ffrannces Taverner and John Taverner to be paide vnto them at their seuerall ages of one and twentie yeares and the saide twentie poundes so deuised vnto the saide Margaret Wingate to be paide vnto her within one yeare after my decease.

Item I will and bequeathe vnto Jasper Horsey sonne of Jasp[er] Horsey my sonne in lawe twenty poundes and vnto Jane Horsey and Hellen Horsey daughters of the saide Jasper my sonne in lawe eache of them the somme of twentie poundes the saide three seuerall sommes amountinge vnto threescore poundes in the wholle to be paide within two yeares after my deathe And my will is that the same be deliuered by my executors into the handes of Jasper Horsey my sonne in lawe to the vse and behoofe of his three children aboue named be either of them twentie poundes as is aforesaide.

Item my entent will and meaning is that yf the foresaide John Taverner sonne of the saide Peter Taverner my late sonne in lawe deceassed shall imploye his booke and continue at his studdies then hee shall haue the vse of anie such bookes as I nowe haue dureinge such tyme as hee shall ymploye his studdies And if the same John Taverner doe die or leave his studdie then all the saide bookes hee shall then haue shalbe returned and deliuered home againe to Putteriche there to remayne for a heirelome

Item I giue and bequeathe vnto Thomas Dockwra sonne of Humfrey Dockwra my brother all my apparrell.

Item I doe giue vnto ffrannces Taverner my daughter one guilt siluer bowle and vnto my daughter Hellen Horsey one other guilt siluer bowle.

Item I giue vnto William Puginer my servante three poundes six shillinges and eight pence and to euerie other of my men servants and maideservantes twentie shillinges to be paide within one yeare after my decease. The rest of all my goods and chattells my debts being paide and my other legacies and funeralls discharged I giue vnto Raffe Dockwra and Edward Dockwra my two sonnes whome I doe make constitute and ordaine to be executors of this my last will and testament In witnes whereof to this p'tes I the saide Thomas Dockwra haue satte my hande and sealle the marke of the saide Thomas Dockwra. Sealled subscribed and published in the presence of Luke Nortonne John Potkyn John ffeild John Skynner.

Probatum fuit testamentum suprascriptum apud London coram reuerabili viro curo' Johanne Hone liqum doctore Surrogate venerabilis viri magistri Johannis Gibsonne legum etiam doctoris Curia prerogatiue Custodis siue Commissarij l[egi]time constituti Decimo quinto die menis Julij Anno Domini Mill[esi]mo Sexcentesimo Secundo Juramento Will[ia]m Milburie notarij publici procuratoris Radulphi Dockwra et Edwardi Dockwra executor[um] Et Quibus commissa fuit administra[ti]o omni[um] et sing[u]lor[um] bononrum I[u]r[iu]m et creditoru[m] dictum defunctum et enis testamentum qualrennq[?] concerium De bene et fideli[ter] administrando eadem et Ad sancta Dei evangelia iurat. Exr.

PRO, catalogue reference: PCC Prob/11/100, will of Thomas Dockwra of Offley, Hertfordshire, (proved) 15 July 1602 (dated 11 August 1601)

Transcription by Odd Ottesen, Kristiansand, Norway, 18 August 2003. (The Latin part of the text is one some points uncertain.)