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Will detail

Will of Nicholas Durrant of Wadhurst

Date signed: 14 May 1591, Probate date: 23 Aug 1591

In the name of God Amen the foureteenth day of May in the three and thirtith yeare of the Raigne of our Soveraigne Lady Elizabeth by the Grace of God Queene of Englande Frannce and Ireland defend’r of the Faith &c I Nicholas Durrant of Wadhurst in the Countie if Sussex yeoman beinge in good and perfect memorie thankes be God do make and ordaine this my present last will and testament in manner and forme following viz. First I bequeath my selfe into the handes of God maker trustinge to have remission of all my sinnes through the only merritts of Jesus Christ. And my body to be buried at the discretion of my wief and executors. Inprimis I give unto Sara my wife fortie shillings to be delyvered unto her presently after my decease to the intente that she shall distribute the same unto the poore people at her discrecon. Item I unto the said Sara one brasse pott one brasse stupnett one iron kettle and iron pott which she claymeth for hers. Item I give unto my six children viz Robert, Thomas, Edward, Agnes, Elizabeth and Sara twelve silver spoones viz unto each of them two of the said spoones to be delyvered unto my said children at theire severall ages of one and twenty yeares or before at the discrecon of my said wife and in the meane tyme she to have the use and custodie thereof. Item I give and bequeath unto my said three sonnes the residue of all my howshoulde stuffe and ymplements of howsholde whatsoever together with all my apparrell armor and furniture for warr and I will that my said wife have thuse and custady of my said howshowlde stuffe and armor untill such tyme as the said Robert my sonne shall accomplishe thage of six and twenty yeares and then he to have his pt and the residewe to be kepte by my said wife untill everie of my said sonnes shall accomplishe thage of one and twenty yeares yf she so longe contynewe my widowe upon condicon that within sixe weeks next ensuinge my decease and duringe her said widow hoode she do enter into bonde of the somme of one hundred poundes unto my executors for the leavinge and delyverie of the said howsholde stuffe and armor unto my said sonnes in manner aforesaid. Otherwise I will that my executors have the keepinge of the said howshould stuffe and armor and they or the survivor of them to delyver the same unto my said sonnes in such manner as my wife was to have donne. Item I do give and bequeath unto Agnes, Elizabeth and Sara my said daughters and unto eache and every of them the somme of twenty poundes of lawfull English money to be paied unto them and everie of them so sone as they shall severally accomplishe thage of one and twenty yeares or shalbe married. And yf anie of my said daughters happen to decease before the said age of one and twenty yeares and before that be not married then I will that her or theire partes so deceasinge shall be paied equally amongest my said daughters which shall survive and my two yonger sonnes. Item I give unto my sonne Thomas the somme of twenty poundes of lawfull English money to be paied unto him at his said age of one and twenty yeares. And yf eyther of my said yonger sonnes Thomas or Edward shall happen to decease before he shall accomplishe the said age of one and twenty yeares then I will that such of the said Thomas or Edwarde as shall happen to survive have his portion of money which shall so decease. Any yf both the said Thomas and Edward shall fortune to decease before such tyme as any of them shall accomplishe theire said ages of twenty and one yeares. Then I will that theire said portions before bequeathed shall remayne unto my said sonne Roberte to be paied unto him at the age of six and twenty yeares or before at the discrecon of my said executors. Item I will that my executors shall within one moneth next after my decease pay and delyv’ unto Sara my wife her executors or assignes the somme of tenne poundes of lawfull English money accordinge as I stand bounde by obligacon unto William Whitfelde her brother. And I do make and ordayne my right trusty and beloved friendes Thomas Barham the sonne of John Barham of Butt in Wadhurst aforesaied and John Baker sonne of Robert Baker late of Withham in Sussex deceased to be the only and sole executors of this my last will and Testamente givinge unto every of them duringe the space of six yeares next ensuinge my decease the somme of twenty shillings yf so longe the shall deale with the execution of this my present Testament. And all manner of charges and expenses which they shall resonably disburse and laye out for anie manner of cause concerninge the dealings of this my Will. And yf eyther of my said executors refuse to take uppon them the execution of this my last will and Testament then I make Richard Maynarde sonne of John Maynerd of Retherfeilde in Sussex to be one of my executors in place of him which so refused unto whome I give in lyke manner twenty shillings a yeare duringe sixe yeares and all his chargs. And for the better performannce of this my last will and Testamente I do make and ordaine my brothers in lawe Thomas Whitfelde and William Whitfeilde and Thomas Ballard sonne of Richard Ballard to be myne overseers thereof. And I doe give unto either of them tenne shillings a peece. The residue of all my goods and chattells my funerall expences debts legacies and other charges before menconed beinge discharged and paied I give and bequeathe unto my said executors for and towardes my said debts and legacies. Item further touchinge my said three daughters my verie will and mynde is that yf they or any of them shall marrie in such manner and with such persons as my wives brothers Thomas Whitfeilde and William Whitfeilde my said executor Thomas Barham and Sara my wife the survivors of them or the more parte of them shall thinke meete that there be paied by my said executors unto such of my said daughters so marriynge the somme of fourscore poundes of lawfull Englishe money in the daie of the said marriage over and above the somme of twenty poundes unto them severally before bequeathed. And finally my will is yt after such tyme as my said daughters shall be married that there be also paied and delyvered by my said executors or the survivor of them theire executors or administrators unto Robert my sonne beinge then of thage of six and twenty yeares or upwards and unto Thomas and Edward my said sonnes when they shall severally accomplishe theire full age the residue and overplus of all my said goodes and chattells remaininge in theire handes.

This is the last will and testam’t of me the said Nicholas Durrante made and declared the daie and yeare first above written touchinge the disposicon of all my landes tenements and hereditaments scituate lyinge or beinge within the parishe of Wadhurst aforesaid. Inprimis I will that Sara my said wief shall have thuse occupacon and profitts of all my said landes tenements and hereditaments untill such tyme as Robert my sonne shall accomplishe thage of six and twenty yeares. And the residewe of all my landes and tenementes untill such tyme as both my younger sonnes viz Thomas and Edward shall accomplishe theire severall ages of one and twenty yeares yf the said Sara my wief shall so longe lyve contynewe my widowe. And then everie of the said Thomas and Edward shall enter into theire severall partes accordinge as is hereafter sett downe and expressed to the intent that with the proffitts thereof she shall bringe upp my sonne Robert to learninge at some of the Universities untill his said age of six and twenty yeares yf so longe he will bee ruled by her. And my said two other younger sonnes in learninge and good nurture untill the two said younger sonnes shall severally accomplish thage of foorteene yeares and then to be sett to such occupacons or trades as my said wife and my said executors or the survivor of them shall thinke meete. Also my will is that my said executors do yerely paye and allowe unto my said wife so longe as she shall fynde and bringe upp my said children all such rents or profitts as any person or persons ys to paie unto me for thuse of anie money either by bonde or promise. And uppon condicon likwise that my said wife shall in her widowhoode and within sixe weeks next after my decease enter into bonde by obligacon with one sufficient surety with her in the somme of one hundreth poundes that she shall not at any tyme or tymes duringe her occupacon of the said landes and tenements comytt anie wilfull wast to the valewe of twenty shillings or above uppon anie parte of the said lands neither shall in any one yeare duringe her lyfe take or cause to be taken uppon the whole mannor or tenemente of Buckhurst in Wadhurst aforesaid or uppon anie parte thereof above the nomber of twenty loades of wood to be cut upp by the said Sara or her assignes and to be measured by my said sonne Roberte or his assignes yf any of them shall come before the carryinge thereof. And that she shall duringe her terme or interest in the premisses paie and discharge all rents and services yearly due unto the cheef Lord and Lordes of the fees of all my said landes. And also from tyme to tyme well and sufficiently mayntayne with all manner of reparacons needefull all the howses and buildings scituate uppon any of my said landes and in thendinge of her said terme shall leave all the same tenement like. And yf my said wief shall refuse or do neglecte to enter into the said bond then I will that my executors before named or the survivor of them shall have the lettinge and settinge of all my said landes and tenements and to receyve and take the proffitts thereof to be by them bestowed towards the bringinge upp of my said children in such manner and forme as my said wife is before lymyted to doe untill the youngest of my said sonnes shall accomplish theire said full age of one and twenty yeares. And of the overplus of such receipts yf anie be to make and yeelde accompts and paymente unto my said sonnes Roberte, Thomas and Edward. Item I give and bequeath unto Thomas my sonne after the decease of his mother certeyne parcells of lande lyinge in Wadhurst aforesaid contayninge by estymacon thirtie acres called Lowe Buckhurste nowe in the occupacon of me the said Nicholas Durrante together with three acres of land at thend of Hawle land next George Luckes land to be had unto my said sonne Thomas and theires of his body lawfully to be begotten. All the residue of my said manner of Buchurst with all landes tenements rents services commodities liberties and appurtences to the same belonginge I give and bequeath unto my sonne Robert when he shall accomplishe thage of sixe and twenty yeares to be had unto him and to the heires males of his body lawfully to be begotten. And for defalte of such yssue the said last recited premysses to remayne unto my said sonnes Thomas and Edward and to the heires of theire bodies severally to be begotten. Item I give and bequeath unto Edward my sonne when hee shall accomplishe thage of one and twenty yeares and unto the heires of his body lawfully to be begotten all other my landes and tenements with all and singular theire appurtenances not before devised which I have either in possession reversion or remaynder the daie of the date hereof or shall have at the daie of my decease either in possession or revercon (not beinge parcell of my said mannor of Buchurst to be had unto my said sonne Edward and to the heires of his body lawfully to be begotten. Witnesses hereof Robert Parris, Viccar, George Lucke and Richard Lucke.

(Latin) This Will was proved 23 August 1591 by Sara Durrante the relict of Nicholas Durrant late of Wadherst in the County of Sussex deceased to whom admon was granted. In the presence John Borrowgh, Notary Public and Thomas Barham, John Baker and Richard Maynarde executor named in the said Will. In the presence of John Burroughe.

Transcribed by:

Dave Woolven.

Notes about this will:

The 33rd year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth was 17 Nov 1590 to 16 Nov 1591. DW

Source:

Unknown.

This will also mentions these parishes:

Withyham, Rotherfield.

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