WILL OF THOMAS FRENCH of Weathersfield, Essex

Dated 23 Jul 1599, Proved 31 Oct 1599

In the name of God Amen The three and twentith daye of Julie in the yeare of our Lord God one Thousand five hundered fower score and ninteene And in the one and fortith yeare of the raigne of our Soueraigne Ladie Elizabethe by the grace of god Queene of England ffrannce and Ireland defendor of the faith etc. I Thomas ffrench thelder [the elder] of weathesfeild in the countie of Essex gent. being whole in minde and of good and perfecte rememberance thankes be therefore unto Almightie god doe make and declare this my present testament conteyninge therein my last will in manner and forme followinge (That is to saye) ffirst and principallie I bequeath my soule vnto Almightie god my maker and Redeemer Creator and to Jesus Christe my Saviour in whome my trust and confidence is to haue remission of all my sinnes by the merritte of Christes passion thorough the sheddinge of his most precious bloude.  And my bodye to be buryed where it shall please god to end this my transitorie life at the discretion of my Executor hereunder named.  Item I giue and bequeath to the poore people of the towne and parishe of Halsted in the said countie of Essex fortye shillinges of lawfull money of England to be distributed to and amongest them where most neede shalbe at the discrecion of my Executor within one halfe Yeare next after my decease  Item I giue and bequeath twentie shillinges of Lawfull money of England to be distibuted [sic] to and amongest the poore people of the parishe of west weaffinge in the countie of Cambridge within one halfe Yeare next after my decease and to the poore people of ye parishe of ?netesham in the countie of Norfk. three poundes of lawfull money of England to be distributed to and amongest them within one halfe yere after my decease And to the poore people of the parishe of muche Berdfeild in the sayed countie of Essex fortie shillinges of lawfull money of England to be distributed to and amongest them as is abouesaide  And to the poore people of the parishe of little Berdfeilde twentie shillinges of like money to be likewise distributed to and amongest them within one halfe yeare next after my decease  And to the poore people of wetherfeilde forty shillings of lawfull money of England.  And alsoe to the poore people of Arfesden in the said countie of Essex twentie shillinges to be likewise distributed to and amongest them w^thin one halfe yeare next after my decease.  Item I doe giue and bequeath vnto mary my daughter now the wife of John Collin twentie poundes of lawfull money of England to be paid unto her within one yeare next after my decease if she shalbe then livinge or ells to be distributed amongest her children.  Item I doe giue and bequeathe vnto John Collin w^m. Collins Mary Collin and Elizabeth Collin the children of my said daughter Marye to either of them twentie poundes of lawfull money of England to be payed vnto them at or in the South porche of the parish church of much Bardfeilde aforesaide within convenient tyme after reasonable requeste to my Executor hereunder named his Executors or assignce or assignce to be made in manner and forme hereafter followinge that is to saye) to the said John Collin the childe of my said daughter Mary Collin or his assignes w^thin twoe yeares next after my Deathe the sayed twentie pounds to the sayed willm Collyn or his assignes within three yeres next after my decease  the said Mary Collins or her assignes within fower [4] yeares next after my death the said twenty poundes.  And to the said Elizabeth Collin or her assignes w^thin fiue yeares next after my decease the said twentie poundes.  Item my will and minde is that if it shall happen my said daughter Marye hereafter to haue anie more children of her bodie lawfullie begotten, that then I giue and bequeathe to either of them twentie poundes of lawfull money of Englande to be payed vnto them at theire seuerall age or ages of one and twentie yeares at or in the place aforesaid and pppon [upon] like request Prouided allwaies neuerthelesse and my will and mind is That is anie of the said childeren of my said daughter Marie shall happen to die before they shall haue receyved theyr said legasie to them or either of them in forme aforesaide giuen and bequeathed, That then my will and mind is that the said legacey of him her or them soe dying before receipt therof shalbe equallie paid and deuided [divided] amongest the residue of the said childeren of my said daughter Mary that shall happen to ouerliue [overlive=outlive] or be then liueinge  Item I doe giue and bequeathe vnto Elizabeth my daughter nowe the wife of John Meade twentye poundes of lawfull money of England to be paid vnto her w^thin one yeare next after my decease if she shall happen to be then livinge or ells to be distributed amongest her childeren.  Item I giue and bequeath vnto Edward Meade Elizabeth Meade John Meade and Agnes meade the childeren of my said daughter Elizabeth to either of them twentie poundes of lawfull money of Englande to be paid vnto them at or in the south porche of the parishe church of South Much Bardfyld aforesaide within convenient tyme after reasonable request to my Executor hereafter followinge.  That is to saie To the saide Edwarde meade or his assignes within two yeares next after my death the said twentie poundes.  To the said Elizabeth Meade or her assignes within three yeares next after my death the said twentie poundes.  To the said John Meade the child of my said daughter Elizabeth or his assignes within fower yeares next after my deathe the said twentie poundes  And to the said Agnes or her assignes within fiue yeares next after my death, the said twentie poundes  Item if yt shall happen that my said daughter Elizabeth hereafter to haue anie more childeren of her bodie lawfullie to be begotten . Then my will and mind is and I giue and bequeath to either of them twentie poundes of lawfull money of Englande to be paid vnto him her or them at theire seuerall age or ages of one and twentie yeares at or by the the place aforesaid and uppon like request Prouided allwayes ne??thelesse and my will and minde is that that [sic] if anie of the said childeren of my said daughter Elizabeth shall happen to die before they or anie of them shall have receyved his her or theire said legacey or legaceys to them or anie of them in forme aforesaid giuen and bequeathed  That then the legacie of him her or them soe dyinge before recepte thereof shalbe equallie payed and deuyded [divided] amongest the residue of the said childeren of my said daughter Elizabeth that shall happen to ouerliue or be then livinge  Item I doe giue and bequeath vnto euery of my y^e childeren of my sonne Thomas ffrench nowe borne and hereafter to be borne tenn poundes of lawfull money of England which seuerall sommes [sums] of Tenn poundes to be seuerallie payed vnto them at theire seuerall ages of one and twentie yeares  And if it shall happen that anie of the said childeren of my said sonn to die and depart this life present life before they shall accompishe [sic] and come to theire seuerall ages of one and twentye yeares as aforesaid then alsoe my will and meaninge is that the part and porcion of him her or them soe deceasinge shalbe equallie payed and deuided amongest the survivors of them at theire seueralls ages aforesaid.  Item I giue and bequeathe vnto Thomas Girton one of the servannts of my said sonne Tenn shillinges of lawfull money of England, to be payed vnto him within one moneth next after my deathe.  Item I giue and bequeath vnto the said John Meade one of the sonnes of my said daughter Elizabeth one of my silver bowles, And to willim Collinn one of the sonnes of my said daughter Marye the other siluer  bowle which said silver bowles my will and meaninge is that theire said mothers shall use and occupie during their naturall lives.  Item I doe giue and bequeath vnto John ffrenche sonne of my said sonne Thomas ffrench one other silver Bowle perrell [pearl?] gilt and my said sonne Thomas to haue the use and occupyinge thereof duringe his naturall life.  Item lastlie I giue and bequeath vnto Bridgett my wife fiue poundes of lawfull money of Englande to be payed vnto her or her assignes within one whole yeare next after my decease And alsoe all her waringe apparrell and such goodes as I had w^th her and possessed at the tyme of our marriage  The residue of all my goodes and cattells as well moueable as unmoueable my debtes being payed my legaceys performed and my funerall charges dischardged.  I whollie giue and bequeath vnto my said sonne Thomas ffrench whom I ordaine make and appoint my sole executor of this my present testam^t and last will.  In wittnes whereof I the said Thomas ffrench thelder haue herevnto put my hande and seale the daye and yeare first abouewritten In the presence of Thomas Feynsttoes willm Younge willm Punche                                  Thomas ffrenche.

Probatum fuit Testamentum    suprascriptum apud London coram penerabili viro magro Daniele Dumi legum doctore Surrogato venerabilit piri magni Johannis Gibson legum etiam doctoris curie Prerogative Cant magri custodis sui? comissarij ffinne constituti vltimo die mens? Octobris Anno Die millesimo quingentesimo nonagesimo nouo:  Juxtimento magri Calfridi Oberte notarij publici procuratoris Thome ffrench filij et executoris in humsi testamento nominat.  Que commissa fuit administrario bonorum Jurimm et creditorum viefi defnnoto de bene et fideliter administratmoa ?aden. Pro sancta dei Eulengelia Jur ??