1621 - Thomas DOCWRA, of Putteridge, Hertfordshire
Will was written on 3 March 1620
Will was proved on 11 May 1621
In the name of God amen I Thomas Dockwra of Putteridge in the parishe of Offeley in the Countie of Hertford Esquire beyng thanckes be to god in goude and perfect memorye do make this my last will and testament in manner and forme folowing ffirst I will and bequeathe my soul into the handes of Almightie god the ffather sonne and holie ghoste hoping to be saved by the precious bodie and bloud of my onlie Saviour Jesus Christe And my bodie to be buried in decent manner as shall seeme goud to myne Executor in the Churche of Lillye neere where my father lyeth
And as touching the disposition of my Mannors Mesuages Landes and Tenements: Whereas I haue here before caused Conveyannce to be made to Henry Dockwra my youngest sonne and his Heires of my ffarmes Lands and Tenements in North Mymmes I will and devise that the sayed ffarmes Landes and Tenements shall be and remayne to the sayed Henry and his heires according to the true Intention and meaning of the sayed Conveyannce And I do will and devise all other my Mesuages Landes and Tenements in North Mymmes whereof noe estaters made to hym (yf any suche be) to my sayed sonne Henry and his heires foreuer:
Item whereas by Indentures made the Eight day of October in the Eleaventh yere of the Reigne of o[ur] Sovereigne Lord Kyng James that name is of England betwene me of the one parte and John Carter and John Mayre of the other parte I haue demised vnto them my Mansion house called Putteridge amongest oth[e]r Landes and tenements from the ffeaste of Sannct Michaell Tharchanngell last paje before the date of the sayed Indentures for seaventeene yeres vppon suche provised and trusth and to suche Intents and purposes as in the same are expressed: And a ffyne was likewise levyed for the fortifying and strengthening thereof I haue by my Writing vnder my hand and seale and do further by this my last will and testament devise and declare that my Executor in this my last will named shall and maye occupie enioye and dispose of the Messuages Landes and Tenements in and by the same Indenture and ffyne or either of them demised or mentioned to be demised and take perceyue and receyue the Renth Revenewes yssues and profitts of them during the saied demise or demises and to dispose of them for the performance and payment of legaceys in this my last will mentioned and conveyed according to the true Intent and meaning thereof.
And I doe further deuise will and bequeathe all and euery other my Mannors Messuages Landes and Tenements whereof I am seised in ffee simple vnto Johane my wife vntill my sonne Peryato[!] shall attayne vnto his age of one and twentie yeres or yf he shall die before he shall attaine his saied age of one and twentie yeres Then vntill my sonne Henrye shall attayne to his full age of one and twentie yeres to be disposed vsed and ymployed in suche sorte manner and forme as the premises so demised to the sayed John Carter and John Mayre shall or shoulde be by the true meaning of this my last will.
And I do suffer other Landes and Tenements in Lyllie and Offley and in ffulborne in the Countie of Cambridge whereof I am seised in Tayle and whereof I haue made no suche Lease by ffyne to the sayed John Carter and John Mayre as is afore saied to discend to myne heire for the benefitt of his maiestie during his minoritye
And concerning the disposition of my goddes Chattells and debtes I will and bequeathe to my daughter the Ladye Pakenham in remembrannce of the kyndenes of her mother and allso of her granndfather George Horsey Esquire and her owne kynde and dutifull carriage towards me my Bason and Ewer of silver with the Horseys Armes vppon yt which was giuen me by her sayed granndfather at his deathe.
Item whereas I haue taken certaine Bondes for payment of moneys some uithe names of me and of my daughter Elizabeth and other uithe name of me and my daughter Jane, the moneys payable vppon which bondes will amounte vnto one Thowsand poundes or thereabowts. I do will and devise vnto eache of them suche obligations as are made vnto them respectiuelie and the moneys which are or shalbe payable vnto them And I doe furthere will and devise vnto eache of them soe muche more money as may make vp the moneys which shalbe payable by the Conditions of the sayed Bondes respectiuelie one thowsand poundes a peece [in the margin: the sayd moneys herby devised to make vpe the sayd one thousand pounds a peece] to be payed to them seuerallie and respectiuelie at theire seuerall and respectiue ages of one and twentie yeres or dayes of marriage which of them shall first happen And yf they continewe in obedience to theire mother and marrye with her Consent and liking Then I will and devise vnto them fyve hundred poundes a peece more at theire seuerall dayes of marriages (yf my goods and meanes I haue to myne Exem[?] to will soe farre extend)
Item I giue and bequeathe vnto my sonne Henry Dockwra my Lease of the Parsonage of St. Peters in St. Albons which I hould of the Bishopp of Elye. And allso twoe other Leases which I hould or held of one Mr. Thomas Langherne And I will that ffranncis Higgins my servannt shall haue so muche profitt as may be raysed or made out of the Gleibe Land belonging to the sayed Parsonage of St. Peters and of suche of the Tythes belonging to the same Parsonage as were latelie in the tennre or occupation of John Butterfeild for and during the yeres for which I hould the sayed Lease of the Parsonage of St. Peters (yf the saied ffranncis shall so long live), more then thirtie poundes yerelie which thirtie poundes shalbe payed to my sayed sonne Henrye his Executors Administrators and Assignes. And my saied sonne Henry his executors Administrators or Assignes shall repayre the Barne and Tenement parcell of the sayed Gleibe. And my will is that the yerelie profitt and benefitt of the sayed Lease (other then that ____ bequeathed to ffranncis Higgons) shalbe taken and ymployed by my Executor and Superwisor to the vse of my saied sonne Henry vntill suche tyme as my saied sonne shall attayne to his age of twoe and twentie yeres. And yf yt shall happen that my saied sonne Henrye shall die or departe this life before he shall accomplishe his sayed age of twoe and twentie yeres Then my will and meaning ys that my sonne Peryam shall haue the saied Leases and benefit thereof in the same sorte as my sonne Henry should haue had (yf he had liued to enioye the same).
Item I will and bequeathe to my sonne Periam Dockwra my Lease of the Warren and Milles of Hartingford Berrye holden of the dutchie of Lancaster vppon this especiall Truste and Confidence that with the Rents and profitts thereof he doe maynteyne and keepe my daughter Mary Dockwra a poore in firme Childe which is nowe neursed at one John Heathes of Lillye.
Item I will and bequeathe vnto my loving wife all my plate houshouldstuff Tarne Cattell and other goodes whatsoeuer beyng at Highdowne and Perton (excepting one siluer Cupp guilte which was giuen vnto me by my Aunte Basche which Cupp I giue vnto my sonne Periam Dockwra).
Item I giue vnto my sayd wife all suche goods and Lynnen at Putteridge which are fitt for her necessarie vse and shalbe chosen by her withing sixe weekes after my decease And allso I giue vnto her my Coache and Coachehorses and furniture. And I will and devise that my sonne Periam shall haue all other my goodes and Cattell lying and beyng at Putteridge. And allso all my bookes ffurniture and ymplements within the house or belonging therunto (except before excepted).
And I make and ordayne my loving wife my full and sole executrix of this my last will and Testament. And yf she shall happen to die or refuse to Administer or take vppon her the Executorship of this my will Then I make and ordayne my sonne Periam Dockwra my full and sole Executor thereof And I doe make and appoynte my loving Cosin ffrancis Tarverner Esquire Overseer of this my last will and Testament defyring myne Executor to vse his adwise and councell in Administration thereof And I do giue vnto hym a peece of plate to the valewe of twentie nobles. Thomas Dockwra.
Whereas I boughte a Lease of the demeasnes of the Mannor of Pyrton of my brother Edward Dockwra deceased for fiftie yeres and aboue which Lease was made by my ffather Thomas Dockwra Esquire I did before marriage with Jane my nowe wife grannt the sayed Lease vnto her and her assignes whoe likewise before her sayed marriage did grannte the same Lease vnto Sr. William Periam Knighte the Lorde cheife Baron her father which was done onlie vppon Confidence and truste for the preservation of her Joynture from any other inconveniencies which mighte haue happened. I doe therfore will and my meaning is that after my wives decease (yf any parte of the Tearme of the sayed Lease doe continewe and remayne) that yt may Continewe in the same sorte vppon truste and confidence for the onlie benefitt and behoofe of my sonne and heire and to noe other vse or Intent. Thomas Dockwra.
Witnesses to this my last will and Testament: The marke of Richard Taber. Richard Everett. Richard Spencer. ffrancis Taverner. T. Reade.
A: Schedule or Codicill annexed vnto the will aforewritten the Third daye of Marche one thowsand sixe hundred & twentie
Item I doe further will vnto the poore of Purton fyve markes. And to the poore of Offley fyve markes. And to the poore of Lillie fyve markes.
Item I giue to euery one of my servannts which are to receyue yerelie wages of me, One yeres wage ouer and besides that which is due to them by Covennt[ion].
Item I further giue vnto my Servannt ffrannces Higgons the baye stoud horse whereon I did vsuallie ryde And to my servannt Richard Taylor a baye Nagg or gelang whereon he vsuallie rideth abowte my buisynesses. And to my servannte Richard Hill a litle graye Nagg nowe at grasse.
Item I giue to my kynnesman ffranncis Dockwra of Curricote tenne quarters of pease to be taken out of my barnes at Highdowne. And yf there be not so muche there then the nomber to be made vpp with Oates.
Item I giue to my godsonne and kynnesman George Horsey tenne poundes to be payed vnto hym when he shall Commence Bachelor of Artes
Item I giue to the poore of Hitchyn fyve markes.
Item I giue to my daughter Walcott as a remembrannce of my fatherlie affection to her one peece of quilt plate with my Armes vppon yt of the valewe of sixe poundes.
Witnesses Litleton. Fra. Taverner.
Item the Testator did further will that there should be giuen to euery one of the Children of Jonas Carter his Cooke towards the placing of them Apprentises or in service forty shillinges a peece to be payed at suche tyme as eache of them shalbe so placed. And to be rasyed out of the Rent of the Tenement in Purton, which Adyson dothe hould.
Probatum fuit testamentum surpa scriptum apud London vna cum Codicillis eadem Annexis coram venerabili viro Domino Johanne Benet milite Legum doctore Cur Prerogative Cantuarensis Magistro Custode siue Commissario Legitimi constituto vndecimo die mensis May Anno Domini millesimo sexcentesimo vicesimo primo Juramento Jane Dockwra Relicte dicti defuncti et Executricis in eodem Testamento nominat[orum] Cui Commissa fuit Administrato bonorum Jurium et Creditorum dicti defuncti de bene et fideliter administrand et ad sancta dei Evangelia vigore Commis dni exparte als Emanat Jurat. Ex.
PRO, catalogue reference: PCC Prob/11/137, will of Thomas Dockwra of Offley, Hertfordshire, (proved) 11 May 1621 (dated 3 March 1620)
Transcription by Odd Ottesen, Kristiansand, Norway, 1 September 2003. (The Latin part of the text is on some points uncertain.)
