In the name of God amen the nyne and twentieth daie of Apryll Anno Domini one thousand five hundreth fourescore and eightene and in the fortith yeare of the raigne of our Soveraigne Ladye Elizabeth by the grace of God of England Fraunce and Ireland Queene Defendr of the Faithe etc I Nicholas Pope of Hendall within the parrishe of Buckstead in the County of Sussex Esqr being of good and pfecte remembrance (thankes be given to Allmightie God therfore) doe make and ordaine my last will and testament in manr and forme following
Firste I doe willinglie and with a free harte render and give againe into the handes of my Lord God my creator my Spirytt nothing doubting but that for his mercies sake (by the pretious bloode of his dearelie beloved sonne Jesus Christe my Savyour and Redeemer) he will receave my soule into his glorye
And concerning my bodye even with a good will and free harte I give over comending it to the earthe from whence it came to be buried in the chauncell sett and being on the southeside of the parrishe churche of Buckstead aforesaid in such sorte as shall seeme good to my executors and supvisors being assured that at the greate and generall daie of resurrectyon when wee shall all appeer before the Judgement Seate of Christe I shall receave the same bodie againe by the mightie power of God, not a corruptible, mortall, weake, and vile bodie (as now it is) but an uncorruptible, immortall, strong and pfect bodye in all points
Item I give and bequeath unto the poore people forty shillings to be given and distrybuted unto them by my Executors, or by some others by their appoyntment on the daye of my funerall
Item I give and beqeuath unto the poore people of the parrishe of Buckestead aforesayd fortye shillings, to be payd by my Executors within one yeare after my decease, but to be bestowed and distrybuted amongst them at the discretyon of my sonnes Raphe and Thomas
Item I give and bequeath unto the poore people of the parrishe of Lyttlehorstead tenne shillinges
Item to the poore people of the parrishe of Wayvellfeyld tenne shillinges to be payd and distrybuted unto them within one yeare after my decease
Item I give and bequeath unto Raphe my sonne and heire apparent the ould goblett of sylver and pcell guylte, all my armor and furnyture for the warres with all the glasse, waynescott, hangings, and paynted clothes in and about my mannor house of Hendall, the bedstead standing and being in the chamber called the White Chamber, the fether bollster and pillowes, the best curtaines, and best vallances, the painted or stayned curtains, the best fustyan blanketts, the best counterpoint, and all other thinges belonging to the same bedd, and allso all other thinges nowe standing in and belonging to the same chamber, one payre of fine sheetes of three leaves, the two chestes barred with yron, and the cupboord standing and beeing in the Greate Chamber, the greate chest standing and being in the entrye of the same chamber, the settle, the cupboard, and the two tables standing and being in the ould parlor, the newe chest, and the greate ould chest in my Lodging Chamber on the courteside thereof
All whiche or the lyke thereof my will and meanyng is and I doo herebye requyre and chardge my sayd sonne Raphe, that they shall and maie be lefte, remayne, and contynue to my said house of Hendall, and to those my heires males which shall fortune hereafter to be heires and owners thereof by discent, or by vertue or force of any gyfte, or entayle heretofore by me made
Item I give and bequeathe unto Thomas my second sonne one hundred and fiftye poundes of lawfull Englishe money to be payd him by my executors in maner and forme following that is to saye one hundred poundes pcell thereof to be payd unto him within sixe monethes after my decease and thother fyftie poundes within one yeare after my decease
Item I give and bequeathe unto him my said sonne Thomas the bedstead, the fetherbedd and the bollster nowe standing and being in the Greate Chamber, with two pillowes, a payre of white woollen blanketts, a counterpoint of tapistrye worcke or in defaulte of that, the best yarne coverlett, the curtaynes and vallances to the same bedd belonging, and the greate chest in the same chamber, which chest he nowe hathe and useth
Item one paire of fine flaxen sheetes of the best sorte, two paire of courser sheetes of nexte sorte, one paire of fine canvas sheetes, and one payre of pillowbeers, one dyaper long tableclothe, one diaper coubboorde clothes, one diaper ewer towell, two long playne borde clothes of the better sorte, one playne ewer towell, halfe a dozen of the fynest sorte of napkynes, and halfe a dozen of couerser sorte of napkynes, the little silver flate bowle with the a (sic) head graven in it, and a silver sponne with a myter graven on the ende thereof with blacke ammell, all which I will shalbe delivered unto him by my executors within one moneth after my decease
Item I give and bequeathe unto John my third sonne one hundered markes to be payed unto him within one yeare and a half after my decease
Item I give and bequeath unto Richard my youngest sonne threescore poundes to be payed unto him within one yeare after my decease
And I doo further by this my last will remitt and for give unto him all such debtes as he did owe unto me the five and twentith daye of Julie one thousand fyve hundereth fourescore and seventene, which is fourtye poundes or there aboute willinge hereby that my executors shall not take or demannd any suche debts of him
Item I give and bequeath unto him my said sonne Richard the feather bedd with the boulster lying and beinge in the Garrett Lofte over the White Chamber stayers
Item twoe pyllowes with a payer of blancketts and a coverlett with white & reedd yearne, one payer of flaxen sheetes, one paire of homemade sheetes of the better sorte, twoe playne borde clothes, halfe a dozen of fyne napkynes, and halfe a dozen of course napkynes, a sylver sponne marked with a mytter on the end, and all my wearinge apparell (except such as I have or shall herein give awaye)
Item I give and bequeath unto Anne my daughter one hundreth poundes to be payd unto her at the daye of her marriage
Item my will and meaninge is that my executors shall either keepe and retayne the same hundereth poundes in their handes untill such tyme as my sayd daughter shall happen to marrie allowinge unto her therfore yearlie tenne poundes towardes her being and lying, or els shall putt out the same within one halfe yeare after my decease for the best and most profytt they can for her
Provided alwayes that yf my said daughter Anne shall happen to dye and leave this life before shee marrie, then I will and my meaning is that the same hundreth poundes so to her given and bequeathed as aforesaid shalbe equallie be (sic) divided by my executors betweene my three younger sonnes, Thomas, John, and Richard or betweene so manie of them my said sonnes as shalbe then livinge at the tyme of the death of my sayd daughter so dying unmarried as aforesayd
Item I give and bequeath unto her more the featherbedd and boulster in the chamber wherein shee now lieth with pyllowes, and all other things thereunto belonginge, one payer of fyne flaxen sheetes, twoe payre of course flaxen sheetes whereof there are one and twentie payer in an inventorie, two playne borde clothes of better sorte, one hand towell, halfe a dozen of fyne napkynes, and halfe a dozen of course napkynes, and one silver spowne with a mytter graven on thend as aforesayd
Item I will that my cozen James Gyldrege shall have take reteyne and keepe in his handes out of the money which shalbe made and arise of this my stocke and woods hereafter herein lymitted, and to my executors for the performance of this my last will and testament one hundreth poundes, he entering into bonndes upon the receit thereof to my other executors hereunder named for the performance of such articles indented as are made betweene Thomas Pope my sonne on thone partie and the sayd James Gyldrege on thother partie bearinge date the day of this present will, for touchinge and concerninge the disposinge thereof, but if he shall refuse so to doo, and to enter in to bonnde as aforesaid, then my will and meaninge is that my brother Thomas Pope shall retayne and keepe the same hundereth poundes he first enterying into bonnde to my other Executors for the bestowinge thereof as before I have appoynted my cozen Gyldrege to doo
Item I will that my Executors shall within one yeare after my decease paye and deliver unto my sonne Thomas Pope (about half a line left blank here) he first enteryng into bonndes unto my Executors for the performance of such articles and conditions as I shall leave in writinge under my hande in the handes of one of my Executors for touchinge and concernynge, the bestowinge and disposinge thereof
Item I give and bequeath unto Margerett Tingleden my goddaughter twenty poundes to be payed unto her at the daye of her marriage
Item my will and meaninge is that my Executors shall within one yeare after my decease put out the same twentie poundes for the best and moste profitt they can for the use and behoufe of my said goddaughter
Item I doe give and bequeath unto her more that fyftene poundes which is owinge unto me by her father for his and his wiefes board
Item I give and bequeath unto Sackvill Pope my sonne, Raphe his eldest sonne five poundes, and to everie one of the residue of his children twentie shillings to be bestowed upon plate for them by my Executors and delivered unto them within twoe yeares after my decease
Item I give and bequeath unto Nicholas Pope my godsonne my sonne John his eldest sonne five poundes which I will shalbe bestowed by my Executors upon a peece of plate for him and delivered to his father to his use within three yeares after my decease
Item I give and bequeath unto Richard Hobbes my daughter Hobbes her eldest sonne fyve poundes to be bestowed upon a peece of plate by my Executors for him within three yeares after my decease
Item I give and bequeath unto John Daye my daughter Daye her eldest sonne tenne poundes to be payed unto him at his age of one and twentye yeares
Item my will and meaninge is that my Executors shall within twoe yeares after my decease put out the same tenne poundes to and for his best use and comoditye untill he cometh unto the age of one and twentie yeares, and then he to have the same tenne poundes together with the increase thereof
Item I give and bequeath unto Marie Hamond daughter of Willyam Hamonde my late sonne in lawe fyve pounds to be payed unto her at the daye of her marriage, and to be put out by my Executors, for her best use within twoe yeares after my decease
Item I give and bequeath unto my brother in lawe Thomas Wells fortye shillings and unto Elizabeth the daughter of my sister Jone twentie shillings
Item I give and bequeath unto Elizabeth Sennocke widdowe fortie shillings to be payd unto her within one yeare after my decease
Item I give and bequeath unto Nicholas Sennocke, her sonne and my godsonne, twentie shillings to be payed unto him at his age of one and twentie yeares, and to be put out by my executors within one yeare after my decease to and for his best use and advantage
Item I give and bequeath unto James Legge and unto his three children James, Marie and Elizabeth foure poundes equallie to be divided amongest them by my Executors within two yeares after my decease
Item I give and bequeath unto Thomas Chatfeylde of Little Horstead twentie shillings and my black frise coate to be payed and delivered unto him within one halfe yeare after my decease
Item I give and bequeath unto Willyam Draye my servant twentie shillings, and a payre of hose, unto Edward my man tenne shillings
Item unto Gyles Jenckes Draye, and Marie Carman to everie of them sixe shillings and eight pence, to Ould Tye fyve shillings and one of my dubletts, to Marrions widdowe of Marchefeild tenne shillings, and to Thomas Norman my godsonne tenne shillings, and to everie one of my godchildren that will come and demaund the same within twoe yeares after my decease twelve pence apeece
Item I give and bequeath to everie one of my kinsfolke and frends hereunder named a ringe of gold in token and remembrance of my good will, first to my sister Sterne, my sister Richars, and Mris Morley widdowes to everye of them a ringe of twentie shillings price, to Mr John Richars Doctor Amye and my cozen Alexander Hamond to either of them a ringe of twentie shillings and to their wifes rings of tenne shillings price
Item to my cozen Willyam Bawtrey and his wife, my cozen Downtons wife and old Mr Gildrege of Borne to everie of them a ringe of tenne shillings price
Item I give and bequeath unto Marie my wife a blacke gowne unto my sonne Raph and his wife, my sonne Thomas, my sonne John and his wife, my sonne Richard and his wife, my sonne in lawe Hobbes and his wife, my daughter Anne, my cozen Gyldrege and his wife, my brother Pope, my cozen Ersfeyld, and Margarett Tingleden, to everie man a blacke clocke, and to everie woman a blacke gowne to be bought at the discretion of my executors
Item I will and I doo hereby lymitt and appoynt that my executors shall have and take to for and towards the performance of this my last wyll and testamt all such redie money and coyne as I shalbe possessed of at the tyme of my decease and all such debtes which are or shalbe owinge unto me at the tyme of my death, and also shall have, take, fell, sell, and convert to the best and moste proffit that may be, all those my woodes whatsoever which stand, growe, lye and be, and, which at the tyme of my decease shalbe standinge, growinge, lyeing and being in and uppon all those parcells of grownd called Barnsgate landes or els where uppon the lands of Thomas Ersfeyld Esquier in Bucksteade which sayed woodes I latelie bought of him and all other my woodes whatsoever which are nowe redie cut, or shalbe redie cut, at the tyme of my decease
And also all my stocke of cooles, and iron of what nature or kynd soever it be which I have or shalbe possessed of, or which anie others hath or shalbe possessed of to my use at the tyme of my death, and likewise all my stocke of beastes and cattell of what nature and kinde soever they be, whiche I have or shalbe possessed of or whiche any other hathe or shalbe possessed of to my use at the tyme of my decease
All which wooddes, coles, iron and cattell I will shalbe sould or otherwise converted by my Executors to the most best advantage and profytt that maye be, and the mony thereof coming and arising shalbe employed and bestowed by them to and for the paymt of my chilldren their porcions, my detts and legacies, my funerall expenses, and the pformance of this my last will and testament
Provided allwaies, that if this my readye money, woods, and stocke so lymited to be sould and bestowed as aforesaid by my Executors for the performance of this my last will and testament, shall not, nor will not stretche to and suffice for the performance thereof, then I will, and my will and meaning is that my Executors shall have, take, fell, cutt, hewe, sawe, corde, cole, sell, and carye awaye so muche of the woodds whiche are or shalbe standing growing and being at the tyme of my decease in and uppon theis pcelles of ground belonging and being pcell of my mannor of Hendall called the ?Moosewood, and the Wellwoods, and Wellwoods Coppice as shall suffice for the performance of this my laste will and testament together with my money, stocke, and wooddes before lymitted and apointed to that use and purpose
But if the said readye money, detts, stocke, and woodds before lymytted and appoyncted to be sould and bestowed by my executors for the pformance of this my last will and testament (except those woodds before mentyoned standing & growing uppon Hendals ground) shall amount unto more than here is given and bequeathed or otherwise disposed of, lymitted, and appointed before in this my laste will and testament, and the dischardging of my funerall expenses, then I will that the residue thereof and overplus shalbe equally divided and bestowed by my Executors betwene Marye my wife and my three sonnes Thomas, John, and Richard within twoe yeares after my decease or so many of them as shalbe then living
Item I will and my meaning is that my Executors and their assignes shall have use and occupie my fordge or hammer withall waters and watercourses and wanes for caryadge and passage, coles, and all other thinges thereunto belonging and heretofore used, and occupied to, for, and wth the same hammer or forge for one yeare next after my decease, to and for the working out and spending of all suche woods readie cutt, coles, and iron as I shall leave behinde me at the time of my decease
And in consideracon that my sonne Raphe shalle suffer them so to doe, and have, and in consideracon that he shall keepe finde and mainetaine his Aunt Eve during her naturall life with sufficyent meate, drinke, apparrell and lodging, I doe give & bequeath unto him my sayd sonne Raphe all maner of ymplements and tooles belonging unto husbandry, as waines, cartes, ploughes, harrowes, tightes, chaines, yokes, and all other small tooles whatsoever
The residue of my goods and chattelles houshould stuff and plate herein not given, bequeathed, nor otherwise disposed of and all my corne and haie as well that in the barne as growing in the feyldes I will and bequeath unto Marye my wife and Raphe my sonne to be equally divided betwene them by my executors
Provided allwayes that if my sonne Raphe shall not nor will not keepe and maynetaine his Aunte Eve (as before I have appointed him) or shall not or doe not pmytt and suffer my Executors and their assignes to have and use my hammer or forge with all waters, watercourses, waies for cariag and passage, tooles, and all other thinges thereunto belonging, and heretofore used and occupied to, for, and with my said hammer or fordge for one yeare nexte after my decease for the worcking and spending out of my stocke as aforesaid or do at any tyme hereafter by himself or by anie others by his meanes, consent, or procurement wyttinglie or willinglie molest, trouble, lett, or hinder my Executors or their assignes, their servants, or worckemen in the having, using, occupieng, and enioying of my hammer or fordge with all things thereunto belonging (as aforesaid) or in the execution and pformance of this my last will and testament, or in the felling, selling, or taking of any woodds or other thinges which I have lymitted and appointed unto them then my will and meanyng is that he shall not have or take any profitt, parte or comodity by this my last will but that those legacies herein before given and bequeathed shalbe equally divided by my Executors betwene the residue of my sonnes Thomas John and Richard and they to keepe and maintaine their Aunte Eve at their equall and indifferent coste and chardges, and he whiche refuseth so to doe to have no parte or benefytt of this my last guyfte and legacies
Item I will that my houskeeping shalbe contynued and maintayned out of my stocke for and during the space of one moneth after my decease in suche maner and sorte as nowe it is kepte and that my wife and chilldren shall have meate, drincke, lodging, and other necessaries, as nowe they have for themselves, their servants, and horsemeat for their horses during the same tyme provided alwaies and my will and meaning is that my sonne Raphe shall will and do within one moneth after my decease enter into sufficient bond of two thousand marckes unto my Executors hereunder named, with two sufficyent suerties such as my overseers herein named shall like and allowe of under their handes in writing for the payement of my detts and legacies and the true pformance of this my laste will and testament in all points as it is herein sett downe, that then he to have, take, retaine, and keepe all suche goods, chattelles, stocke, readye money and woods whatsoever as are herein before lymitted and appointed to my Executors for the pformance of this my lsste will and testament
Item I doe make, ordaine, and appoincte my welbeloved brother Thomas Pope and my wellbeloved cozens and frendes Thomas Earsfeyld of Harlinges, and James Gilldredge of Battell gent executors of this my last will and testament, desiring and as my trust is in them to see the same pformed and fullfylled in all poynts
Item I give and bequeath unto every of them my said Executors forty shillinges in consideracon of his or their paines herein taken provided that if any of them my said Executors shall refuse the executorshippe and to take uppon them the execution of this my last will then my will is that the legacie so to him given whiche shall refuse shalbe voyd
Item I doe make ordaine and appointe supvisors and overseers of this my last will and testament my trustie and welbeloved freindes John Amye Doctor of the lawe and Alexander Hamonde of the Middle Temple Esquire desiring them to be ayding and assisting unto my Executors in the executyon of this my last will and further requiring and by this my last will aucthorising them to call my Executors or any two of them at thend of one yeare after my decease to an accompte to the end that it maie be knowne whether it be needefull that my Executors shoold have and take any of my woods standing and growing in and uppon Hendall grownd as before I have appoincted them for and towerds the pformance of this my laste will and they to certefie unto my sonne Raphe under their handes what will and shalbe needefull to be made and taken by my Executors out of my said woods towerds the pformance of this my laste will
And I doo hereby revoke and adnull all former wills whatsoever heretofore by me made
In wytnes whereof I have to this my present last will and testament subscribed my name and sette my seale the daie and yeare firste above wrytten in the presence of
(The testator’s and witnesses’ signatures are not recorded here)
Probate granted at London 9 Feb 1598/9 to Thomas Pope, Thomas Earsfeyld and James Gilldredge executors
This will was generously transcribed for Jacqui Hart who has contributed it to the OPC scheme. Prob 11/93.
Unknown.