Original 1591 Will and transcript of Johne Powdiche of Wiveton

In the name of god amen the one

and twentithe daye of the monthe of Maye in the xxxiiith yere of the raigne of oure Soveraigne

Ladie Elizabethe by the grace of god of England ffrance and Ireland Quene Defender of the

faithe [etc] I Johne Powdiche of Wyveton in the countie of Norfk Marriner beinge whole in

minde and perfect of remembrannce god therfore be praysed Do make ordaine Declare

and pronounce this my laste will and testamente in manner and forme folowinge

utterlie revokinge and disa[nn]llinge all other willes and testaments heretofore by me

ordeyned Declared pronounced or made: that is to saye ffirst and before all thinges I

give and bequeathe my soule unto the handes of Almightie god assuridlie trustinge

thorough[e] the merritt[e/s] of Christe Jesus myne onlie Savioure and Redemer to be receyved

unto the companye of all true faithfull penitent and obedient synners and my Bodie to be

buried in the Churchyard of wiveton aforesaied or elswhere yt shall please god Keeps I

give to the poore people of wiveton aforesaied to be paied by myne executors Ffortie shillinge

of good and lawfull money of Englande in manner and forme folowinge that is to saye

at the ffeaste of the nativitie of oure Lord god which shalbe within one whole yere next

after my Decease tenne shillinges And so yerelie at the ffeaste of the nativitie of oure

Lorde god tenne shillinges untill the aforesaied fortie shillinges be fully paied And the sa[y/ie]d

payments allwayes to be made into the handes of the churchwardens of the same town

for the tyme [then] beynge and so by them to be distributed where most need shalbe amongest

the poore people there as ye aforesaied And I give and bequeathe to Margaret Powdic

my wife all the houses tenements Landes Closes and pastures late Thomas Dobbe

Andrew Linderbye Henrye Linderbye and John Th[i/r]ert[i/e]ll sit lyinge and benige in

Wyveton aforesaied for and duringe the whole terme and tyme of her naturall life

conteyninge togeather besides the Buildinge[s] eleven Acres or thereabouts And after

the Decease of Margaret my wife my Will and mynde is that all and singular the saied

houses tenements and premises shall come remayne and be to the onlie use and behoofe

of John Powdiche my sonne his heires and assignes for ever And allso my Will and

minde is that the saied Margaret my wife and her assignes shall use and occupie my

houses and tenements late Robert Norrys in Wyveton and eighte acres and a halfe

therunto appertayninge late the aforesaied Robert Norrys and John Springold in ye

Towne and ffeildes of Wiveton aforesaied for and untill James Powdiche my sonne shal

atteyne and come to the age of one and twentie yeres And then my Will and minde

ys and I give and bequeathe my saied houses and tenements late Robert Norrys and

the aforesaide eighte Acres and a halfe late the saied Robert Norrys and John Springo[.]

unto the aforesaied James Powdiche my sonne his heires and Assignes for ever And

my Will and minde ys that the aforesaide Margaret my wife and her assignes shal[.]

quietlie use and occupie all the mesuage[s] houses and Buildinges that I nowe dwe[ll]

in with one Inclose therunto apperteyninge conteyninge by estimac[i]on twoe Acre[s]

sit lyinge and beinge in Wiveton aforesaide for and duringe the whole terme and

tyme of twoe whole yeres next after my Decease And then my Will and mynde ys

that the saied mesuages houses and buildinges that I nowe dwell in and the afore

saied Inclose therunto appertayninge shall remayne and be and I absolutelie give

and bequeathe to John Powdiche my sonne his heires and assignes for ever All

I give and bequeathe unto the saied Margaret my wife all my Leases and lease-

Landes that I have of Mr Brigg[e]s she the saied Margaret my wife paying ye

usuall yerelie Rente or ffearme for the same And my will and mynde is that the

Margaret my wife shall quietlie use and occupie all my househould stuffe [and personall]

goodes shippinge onlie excepted) she not inveglinge any of them away for and duringe ye

whole terme and tyme of twoe whole yeres next after my Decease And I give and

bequeathe unto the foresaide Margaret my wife three of my best Bedsteads three of my

best ffeatherbedds and all my best furniture unto them apperteyninge: all my ly[c/r/o]nd

all my brasse all my pewter and latten: all my spittes (except the twoe biggest)

one Cupbourd in the greate parloure all my chayres and stooles: the best table in the

litle parloure and the best settle: twoe tables in the under chammber all my cushions

all my carpetts and all my plate twoe paire of Dogge yrons all my latchpannes

one paire of Cobirons and twoe paier of tonges all my Beere Cas[k/t]e Also I give

and bequeathe unto the aforsaied James Powdiche my sonne one posted Bedstead and one

ffeatherbed the best as yt nowe standeth in the newe house over the Seller and all

the ffurniture therunto Twoe mansard of herring netts readie newed unto the

Sea with all thinges unto them belonginge And I give to Elizabeth Powdiche my

daughter to be paied unto her at her age of one and twentie yeres or at the daye

of her marriage whiche or whether of them shalbe first by myne Executor thirtie

poundes of good and lawfull money of Englande at one entire paymente And I

give unto the saied Elizabeth one posted Bedsteade and one featherbed as yt standethe

in the aforesaide newe house over the seller and all the furniture therunto Allso I

give unto Margaret Kinge my daughter one mansart of nettes readie newed to ye

Sea: And I give and bequeathe unto John Graye my godson his heires and assig[nes]

three Roodes of ffree lande lyinge in Wyveton ffeild in the mill furlonge late Thomas

Ridley to the only use and behoofe of the saied John Graye his heires and assignes

for ever Provided neverthelesse and my Will and mynde ys that Margaret Powdich

myne aforesaied wife shall have the use and occupynge of the same for and duringe

Twoe whole yeres next after my Decease: And allso I give to every of John Graye

my sonne in Lawe his children at theire age of one and twentie yeres or at the daye

of theire marriage fyve shillinges which or whether of them shall happen to be

firste: And I give to either of William Kinge my sonne in Lawe his children at

theire daye of marriage or theire age of one and twentie yeres ffyve shillinges which or

whether of them shalbe first Allso I give to every of my maide servants three shillings

foure pence: Allso I give and bequeathe unto the aforesaied Margaret my wife twoe

horses one Carte and one plowghe with the harneys and all my ffarm [tares] of

husbandrye: twoe neate and one mansar[e] of heringe nettes readie newed to the

Sea: Item I give to the foresaied John Powdiche my sonne his heires and assignes

my house called Leatherpooles with all my thinges and goodes in the same sit lying

and beinge in wiveton aforesaied: All the residue of my goodes and chattells what

soever not before willed nor bequeathed in this my last will and testamente I give

and bequeathe them whollye unto the aforesaide John Powdiche my sonne whome I

ordeyne and make my sole and alone executor to receive my debts and paie my debts

and to prove and fullfill this my last will and testamente And yf he shall

refuse or do not prove this my last will and testamente within one quarter of

a yere next after my Decease Then my Will and minde ys that the saied John

my sonne and his heires shalbe Debarred and soe voyde for the havinge or [receivinge]

of any Righte title clayme or interest by the way of Inheritnnce or by any othe[r]

waye or meanes whatsoever of or into some all every or any parte or parcell of

my houses Landes and tenements whatsoever theise beinge [wrtlie] by me

especially required: John Braddock John Graye Thomas Chapma[n] and [W]illiam

Greene By me John Powdiche

(Please note that the only words/letters I was able to transcribe of the last sheet of the Will

(due to the blotchiness of the photocopy) are as follows);-

PROBATUM TESTAMENTUM

.... Su[m/p]e.[f/s]..[v/p]..n and ?London

Declori Prerogative cant

De Quingan ..sund [n/u]ana

[y/g]e Johannes

Powdiche Stearo

Imium ut ...mmstiand adsanrta

Du t[r]ange.ir[e] Ju[r/a]at