1677 - Thomas DOCWRA of Soham, Cambs.

Will was written on 28 March 1676
Will was proved on 14 April 1677

In the Name of God Amen, This twentie Eighth Day of March in the yeare of Our Lord (according to the Computation of the Church of England) One thousand six hundred & seaventie six I Thomas Docwra of Soham in the Countie of Cambridge aged fiftie seaven yeares or thereabouts somewhat infirme in Bodie but Thankes be to Almightie God of good and perfect Vunderstaning mynd and memorie, doe make and ordaine this my last Will and Testament with my owne Handwriting in manner and forme following:

First I resigne my Soule into the hands of Almighty God my gracious Creatour trusting trough the All-sufficient Merits and powerfull Mediation of Jesus Christ my Saviour to obtaine forgiueness of all my Synns and admission of Soule and Bodie in Gods good tyme into that promised Inheritance not made with hands eternall in the Heavens:

And for those worldly Goods with which it hath pleased God to blesse mee I doe hereby dispose of them in manner and forme follewing (that is to say)

All my Lands Tenements and hereditaments, as well freehould as Customary wheresoever the same lye I give bequeath and devise to Mary my nowe wife her Heires and assignes foreuer To have and to hould to her the said Mary her Heires and Assignes to the onely vse and behoofe of her the said Mary my nowe Wife her Heires and Assignes, and to noe other vse intent or purpose whatsoever

Item as a greatefull Recognition of the honourable regard and respect which I beare to the Royall Societie of Trinitie Colledge in Cambridge (whereof I was some while a Member) And for the better Encouragement of Learning I giue and bequeath vnto the said Trinitie Colledge the Summe of One hundred pounds of good and lawfull money of England, to be payd to the Master and senior Purser of the said Colledge (whose Acquitance for the same Summe shall be a sufficient discharge for the same vnto my Executrix hereafter named) within twelue Moneths after my decease, Provided allwayes and vpon this Condition notwithstanding and it is my will and meaning, that vpon the Receipt of the said One hundred Pounds the Master Fellowes and Scholars of the said Colledge shall and will by some publick and common Act Instrument or Deed sufficient and effectuall in the Lawe vnder the common Seale of the said Colledge, Establish settle and confirme fiue Pounds per Annum to be Quarterly payd by equall and even Portions vnto such Scholar or Student as shall be at that time actually sworne Member of the said Societie in the Scholarshipp commonly called the Ladie Bromleys Scholarshipp in the said Colledge, And soe from time to tyme to euery Scholar succeeding in the said Scholarshipp fiue pounds by the yeare forever as an Augmentation Pension or Exhibition to make that Scholarshipp somewhat equall and proportionable in the yearely Value to and with the other Scholarshipps of the Royall Foundation in the said Colledge Preseeching Almightie God to send his Blessing along with this my small Guift that by the said Augmentation the Enjoyers thereof my be encouraged and exhorted to improue their tyme and Studies with the greate faithfullness to serue God in their generation. Provided alsoe and it is my Will and meaning that if before my decease I shall by any wayes or means settle and confirme fiue Pounds per Annu[m] vpon the said Colledge for the vse aforesaid, Then this Guift of one Hundred pounds to be void, my Will, intent and meaning being onely for one fiue pounds per Annu[m] to be hereby given to the said Colledge and noe more, Provided alsoe that if the Master and Fellows and Scholars of the said Collegde shall not nor will not think fit to settle and confirme fiue pounds by the yeare vpon the said Scholarshipp in Consideration if the said One Hundred Pounds as aforesaid, Then my will and meaning is that the said Guift of One Hundred pounds to the said Colledge shall be vtterly void to all intents and purposes whatsoever.

Item I giue and bequeath vnto my Kinsman Ralph Docwra of Hinton the Summe of five pounds, to be payd to him the said Ralph Docwra within six moneths after my decease.

Item I giue and bequeath vnto Mildred Abbis Sister to the said Ralph Docwra and nowe the wife of Thomas Abbis Clerke the Summe of five pounds, to be payd to her w[i]thin six moneths after my decease.

Item I giue and bequeath vnto Elizabeth Worseley my kinswoman the Summe of five Pounds, to be payd to her the said Elizabeth Worseley within three moneths after my decease.

Item I giue and bequeath vnto my Cousin Michaell Weeden the summe of fortie Shillings, to be payd to him the said Michaell Weeden within three moneths after my decease.

Item I giue vnto Ann Clerke whome I have intertained into my familie the Summe of three Pounds, to be payd to her Mother, or otherwise to be put out to her best Advantage (as my Executrix Hereafter named shall think fittest), within one moneth after my decease.

All the rest of my Goods and Chattells as well reall as personall I giue and bequeath vnto Mary my deare and loving wife,

And I doe hereby constitute and appoint the said Mary my deare wife sole Executrix of this my last Will and Testament.

In witnesse whereof I haue to this my last Will and Testam[en]t set my hand and Seale the Day and yeare first abouewritten. Thomas Docwra. Signed sealed and by the Testator declared to be his last Will and Testament in the Presence of: Tho. Cokayn. Thurgood Vpwood.

I doe farther add this as a Labell to this my last will and Testament, and it is part of my last will and Testament,

That I giue and bequeath vnto Thomas Metcalfe my Godsonn the Sonn of Andrew Metcalfe All those my six Acres of Fenn-Lands lying in Horsecroft nowe in the Occupation of Richard Cockerton, and is part of the Land I bought of Thomas Nethecrovt, To haue and to hold to the said Thomas Metcalfe and his Heires foreuer: Feb. 5 one thousand six hundred seventy six [i.e. 1677]. Thom. Docwra.

Probatum fuit Testamentum supra scriptum apud London coram venerabilj et egregio Viro domino Leeline Jenkins milite legum Doctore Curi? pr?rogatiu? Cantuarensis magistro Custode siue Commissario legitime constituto decimo quarto die Mensis Aprilis Anno Dominj millesimo sexcentesimo septuagesimo septimo juramento Mari? Docwra relicte et Executricis in hujusmodi Testamento nominate cuj commissa fuit Administrando omnium et singulorum Bonorum jurium et creditorum dicti Defuncti de ben? et fideliter administrando eadem ad sancta Dej Evangelia vigore Commissionis jurat?. Ex.

PRO, catalogue reference: PCC Prob/11/353, will of Thomas Docwra of Soham, Cambs., (proved) 14 April 1677 (dated 28 March 1676).

Transcription by Odd Ottesen, Kristiansand, Norway, 9 October 2003.

Note: Thomas Docwra was admitted pension at Trinity college at the University of Cambrigdge in 1636, the year he was matriculated. He became a scholar 1640 and B.A. 1641-2. (Cambrigde University Alumni).