1706 - Thomas DOCWRA, of Putteridge, Herts.

Will was written on 4 June 1700
Will was proved on 26 October 1706

In the Name of God Amen: I Thomas Docwra of Puttridg in the parish of Offley in the County of Hertford Esq. being in perfect memory Doe make this my last Will and Testament as followeth ffirst I recommend my Soul into the hands of Allmighty God my Maker trusting and assuredly beleiving by the Sole meritts of Jesus Christ my blessed Saviour and Redeamer to have remission of all my Sinns and to be partaker of everlasting Life and Blessedness

As for my wordly Estate which God hath blessed me withall I dispose thereof as followeth Inprimio (being sensible of the want of others) I give to the poor of Offley Lilley and Pyrton in the County of Hertford and to the poor of Luton in the County of Bedford ffive pounds to each Towne

It[em] I doe give to my dearly beloved Wife All my plate except the Estridg Cup which I give to my Grandson Sr. George Warburton

It[em] I give to my dear and loveing daughter Dame Martha Warburton Twenty pounds to buy her a peece of plate

It[em] I give to my loveing brother Sr.[!] John one of my saddle Horses which he shall make choice of and alsoe ten pounds to buy him Mourning

It[em] I give to Martha Warburton Ann Warburton and Isabella Warburton the Daughters of Sr. Peter Warburton and Dame Martha his Wife twenty pound apeece to buy them Mourning

It[em] I give to my loveing brother John Stone Ten pounds to buy him Mourning

It[em] I doe give to Mr. Peter Delamas Ten pounds to buy him Mourning

It[em] I doe devise and bequeath vnto my loveing Sister Katherine Stone for her Life one Annuity or Rentcharge of Twenty pounds a year to be issueing or goeing out of all my Tithes of corne and Grain ariseing renewing or comeing or that shall hereafter renew or come out of all my arrable Lands belonging to Puttridge aforesaid and are within the parishes of Offley and Lilley now in my occupation and alsoe in the occupation of William ffeild or other my vnder Tenants to be paid at two ffeasts of the yeare (viz.) The ffeast of Annunciation of the blessed Virgin Mary and St. Michael the Archangel by even and equall portions The first payment thereof to begin at that ffeast of the ffeasts aforesaid which shall first happen after my decease and the place of these severall payments to be in the porch of the parish church of Lilley in the said County of Hertford And I doe hereby for me my Heires Executors and Administrators grant and agree that if the said yearly Rent shall be behind or unpaid in parte or in the whole by the space of fforty daies after any of the said ffeasts in which the same is appointed to be paid as aforesaid That then and in every such case it shall be lawfull to and for the said Katherine Stone and her Assignes into the Tithes and Premisses aforesaid with the appurtenances to reenter and the same to retaine use and enjoy vntill she or they be of the said Rent and the arrearages thereof (if any shall be) fully paid and satisfyed together with damages for the same

It[em] I doe direct and appointe That my Executors Hereafter named shall at their owne charges keep vp and maintaine my House for the space of Two Monethes next after my Decease And I doe alsoe direct and appointe that my Body be buryed in that place called the Vestry adjoyning to the church of the parish church of Lilley aforesaid as near to the body of my son as may be and the Grave to be Arched with Brick as my sonns was

All the rest of my Goods and Chattells vnbequeathed I give to my dearly beloved Wife and my loveing Brother Lancelot Docwra whom I doe appoint jointe Executors of this my last Will and Testament In Witness whereof I the said Thomas Docwra have to this my Will contained in two sheets of paper set my hand and seale the ffourth Day of June Anno Domini one Thousand seven Hundred T. Docwra Signed sealed and published as the last Will and Testament of the said Thomas Docwra in the presence of Richard Bulbley Thomas Wright Rich. Lowell.

Probatum fuit hujusmodi Testamentum apud London Vicesimo sexto die Mensis Octobris Anno Domini millesimo Septinge[ntes]imo Sexto Coram ven[erabi]li et egregio viro Domino Richardo Raines Milites Legum Doctore Curi? Pr?rogativ? Cantuarien[sis] Magistro Custode sive commissario l[egi]time constituto Juramento Lanceloti Docwra unius Executorum in dicto Testamento nominat Cui commissa fuit Adm[ini]stra[ti]o omnium et singulorum bonorum jurium et creditorum dicti defuncti De bene et fideliter Administrando eadem ad Sancta Dei Evangelia vigore com[m]issionis Jurat Reservata potestate Similem Commissionem faciendi Dorothe? Docwra Relict? dicti defuncti et alteri Executorum in dicto Testamento nominatcium venerit eaudum petitur Exam.

PRO, catalogue reference: PCC Prob/11/490, will of Thomas Docwra of Offley, Hertfordshire, (proved) 26 October 1706 (dated 4 June 1700).

Transcription by Odd Ottesen, Kristiansand, Norway, 18 June 2003.

Transcriber's Note: The brother of Thomas Docwra, named as "Sr. John", is St. John Docwra.