The Will of Arthur Bray

In the name of God, Amen. The eight and twentith day of September Anno dni. 1618 and in the yeares of the Reigne of our Soveraigne Lord James by the grace of god of England Scotland France and Ireland Kinge defender of the faith ?? (that is to saie) of England ffrance and Ireland the sixteenth [year] and of Scotland the two and fiftieth I ARTHURE BRAY citizen and cowper [cooper] of London being at this p'nt sick in bodie but of sounde and perfect memorie (thankes bee given unto Almightie god therefore) doe make and declare this my last will and testament in manner and forme following (that is to saie) first and principally I commend my Soule into the hands of Almightie god my Creator, and of Jesus Christ his sonne my blessed redeemer, and of the Holie Spirit the Sanctifier of me, and of all god's elect, Trusting and believing assuredlie, to receive free remission of all my sinnes and to be made partaker of joye(?) eternall throughe the merritts death and passion of my ??eete Savioure Jesus Christ, and as for my bodie being but earth I committ the same to the earthe, againe, to bee decentlie buried at the discretion of my executor hereafter named; And as for that small portion of worldlie goods wherewith yt hath pleased the Lord of his greate mercie to indowe me, I doe dispose the same as followeth. And first whereas by the Laudable custome of the cittie of London, my welbeloved wife is to have one full third part of my estate (my debtes and funerall expenses being thereout first deducted) I not holding that a Legacie good enoughe for soe loving and carefull a wiefe as shee hath beene unto me, I do give and bequeathe unto my said loveing wiefe KATHERINE BRAY the summe of five hundred pounds of Lawfull monie of England And alsoe the Leases of my dwelling house and of my houses and garden in Petticoate Lane, and of one Messuage in Marke Lane now in the tenure of one Mr. SEAMOURE, And of two messuages or tenements in the bourroughs of Southwarke now in the tenure of GILBERTE TOMPSON and WILLIAM SALTINAM(?). And of fouer Tenements in Grey hound Alley in the parishe of St. Gabriell Fenchurch. And of two Shedds adjoining to the east end of Alhallowes Churche in Marke Lane aforesaid. And all my interest terms of yeares and demands whatsoever of in and to all and every the said severall Leases. And whereas by the said Laudable custome of the said Cittie of London my children is to have one other full third parte of my estate I doe give and bequeath unto my loving daughter ELIZABETH TAYLOR wife of EDWARD TAYLOR citizen and girdler of London, in augmentation of her parte and portion the summe of two hundred pounds of Lawfull monie of England. Item I doe give and bequeathe unto my sonne WM. BRAY the like summe of two hundred pounds of Lawfull monie of England. And because I doe desire my said childrens partes may in some measure equall one another I doe alsoe give and bequeath unto my said sonne WILLIAM BRAY the Lease which I holde from the Companie of Cowpers [Coopers] of fouer Tenements by me lately ???ted and new builte situate in Ratcliffe in the countie of Middle and all my estate interest and terms of yeares therein, charging my said sonn uppon my blessing to bee obedient and dutifull unto his mother, And my will and minde is that my welbeloved wife KATHERINE BRAY shall have and retane the issues rents and profitts of the said fouer Tenements at Ratcliff untill my said sonne WILLIAM BRAY shall accomplishe and come unto the full age of twentie and one yeares for and towardes his education and ??plaininge of him with some good ???. Item I doe give and bequeathe unto ELIZABETH DIXON daughter of JOHN DICKSON sil???? the summe of Tenn pounds of Lawfull monie of England Which said summe of Tenn pounds of my will and mind is shall for and during the naturall life of my sister RACHELL DICKSON wife of the said JOHN remaine in the handes and custodie of my executor hereafter named in consideration whereof I doe desire him that hee will every yeare, yearely during the life of my said sister paye unto her the summe of twentie shillings And after her decease the said summe of tenn poundes to bee paied to the said ELIZABETH DICKSON if shee shall then bee of the age of twentie and one yeares or be married. And if shee shall not at the time of the decease of her said mother bee married or of the age of twentie and one yeares Then my will and minde is that the said sume of tenn poundes shall remaine in the handes of my said executor to bee by him imployed for her ??? untill shee shall come unto the full age of twentie and one yeares or bee married which shall first happen. Item I doe give and bequeath unto EDWARD TAYLOR and ELIZABETH TAYLOR children of my said daughter ELIZABETH, fiftie poundes apeece of Lawfull monie of England which said severall sumes of fiftie poundes so by mee given unto my said two grandchildren, my will and minde is shall remaine in the handes and custodie of theire father, EDWARD TAYLOR, untill they shall accomplishe and come unto the age of twentie and one yeares or that the said ELIZABETH shalbee married, to bee by him imployed to and for their best benefitt and behoufe. Item I doe give and bequeath unto the companie of the Cowpers [Coopers] of London whereof I am a member one ??anding Cuppe of pewer guilte(?) of the valewe of twentie nobles. Item I doe give and bequeath unto the ???? of the said companie in respect of theire paines in accompanning my bodie to the church the sume of fortie shillings to be expended in a drinking or repast for them uppon the daie of my funerall; Item I doe give and bequeathe unto my loving friend Mr. EVANS, preacher of the word of god the sume of fortie shillings as to a token of my Love, intreating him to take the paines to preach at my funerall. Item I doe give and bequeathe unto my kind and ancient friend Mr. JOHN DOMELOWE(?) fortie shillings to bee bestowed in a ring, the which I hope he will vouch safe to weare for my sake; Item I give unto ELIZABETH WALKER spinster twentie pounds of Lawfull monie of England. Item I give and bequeath unto my brother-in-Law PIERCE PRICE, and to his wife, to either [each] of them a ringe of the value of twentie six shillings and eight pence apeece. Item I give and bequeathe unto my two brothers-in-Law, JOHN PRICE and ERASMUS PRICE to either [each] of them a ringe of the value of twentie six shillings eight pence; Item I give and bequeath unto my cozen WILLIAM BRAY and his now wife to either [each] of them a ringe of the value of twentie six shillings and eight pence; Item I give and bequeath unto ARTHURE BRAY sonne of my said cozen WILLIAM BRAY five poundes of Lawfull monie of England which said sume of five poundes my will and minde is shalbee paied and delivered within one yeare after my decease unto his said father WILLIAM BRAY to bee by him imployed to and for the best benefitt and behoufe of his said sonne; Item I doe give and bequeath unto WILLIAM BRAY my late servant the sume of five pounds of Lawfull monie of England to be paied unto him within one year next after my decease and alsoe my silver Tasker. Item I doe give and bequeath unto FFRANCIS PRYCE daughter of my said brother-in-Law PIERCE PRYCE fortie shillings of Lawfull monie of England. Item I doe give and bequeath unto ARTHURE BRAY sonne of my cozen ANDREWE BRAY the sume of fortie shillings of Lawfull monie of England. Item I doe give unto my Loveing friendes WILLIAM HOWLAND and GEORGE PLUCKWELL to either [each] of them a ringe of the vallewe of twentie shillings apeece. Item I doe give and bequeathe unto my Loveing friend MATHEWE BARNET my ?????tipt with silver. Item I doe give and bequeathe unto DOROTHIE MASON wife of THOMAS MASON of London carpenter the sume of five pounds of Lawfull monie of England to bee paied unto her within one yeare next after my decease. Item I doe give and bequeath unto my cozen GOODRICK widdowe three pounds of Lawfull monie of England to bee paied unto her alsoe within one yeare next after my decease. Item I doe give and bequeath unto the poore of the parish of All Saints Stayninge wherein I now inhabite the sume of five poundes of Lawfull monie of England to bee attributed at the discretion of my executor by and with the advice of the church wardens of the said parish. Item I doe make and ordayne my said sonne-in-Law EDWARD TAYLOR sole executor of this my Last will and testament, not doubting but hee will see this my will truelie performed in every pointe according to the trust I have reposed in him. And I doe hereby revoke and make voyde all former wills and doe declare this to bee my onlie and last will and testament. In witness whereof I the said ARTHURE BRAY have to this my ???? Last will and testament, conteyninge one whole sheete of paper and three quarters of another sheete, have subscribed my name and sett my seale the daie and yeare first above written, per me ARTHURE BRAY

Signed sealed and declared to bee the Last will and testament of the said ARTHUR BRAY in the presence of us.
By me WILL: HOLANDE
By me GEORGE PLUCKWELL

Probate (in Latin)....the date translates to 24 November 1625.
 

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Here is the link to my database page (showing family connections) for Arthur Bray who wrote the following will is:

http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=kbkeeley&id=I60062