Ephraim Best

Prerogative Court of Canterbury will made: 17th May 1585
Probate Date: 25th May 1585
Proved by John Howe
National Archive Catalogue reference: PROB 11/68

The original document is in the custody of the National Archives

Transcript

In the name of god amen. I Ephraim Best in Laighton Bussartt in the Countie of Bedford sicke in bodye but of good and p[er]fect remembrannce (thankes be to allmighty God) doe make this my last will and testament in manner and forme following. First I give and bequeath my soule to allmightie god my maker and redeemer, and my body to be buried in the churche or Churchyard of Laighton aforesayd. Item I delyver unto the right worshipfull and my well beloved M[aste]r (Mr. Christopher Haddesdonne) all my money accounting to the some of twentie \one/ poundes and six shillinges, Out of the w[hi]ch some I will that he satisfie hym selfe fully for all charges of my sickenes and buriall with all other expences whatsoever, my buriall I desier to have done decentlie at his discression. Item I give and bequeathe to the fower preachers usual for this Towne of Laighton aforesayde namely Mr. Doctor Sparkes Mr. Gybson, Mr. Coxe and Mr. Harrys Twentie shillinges equally to be divided betwixt them by my M[aste]r aforesaid soe faire fourthe as one of them doe supplye the place of preachinge at my buriall. Item I give and bequeathe to the poore w[i]thin the p[ar]ishe of Laighton fortie shillinges to be disposed by the discression of my M[aste]r aforesaide and Mr. Sclator minister. Item I give and bequeath \un/to fower my M[aste]rs servantes (namely Beniamon Poole Will[ia]m Tarry, Richard Pratt and Anne Wayneman every of them Tenne shillinges. Item I gyve and bequeath to M[ist]ris? Sclater Twentie shillinges. Item I give and bequeath to Mistris Holland in consideracion of her paines and charges Twentie shillinges. Item I give and bequeath to goodwife Tomes in consideracion of dyvers courtesies Tenne shillinges. Item I give and bequeath Mistris Girdler? Item I give and bequeathe to \goodwiff/ Olyver my keep[er] tenne shillinges. Item I give and bequeathe to Marget Homes fyve shillinges. All w[hi]ch charges and legacies willed given and bequeathed I desier to have first satisfied, with the Some of money abovewritte[n] delyvered to my M[aste]r : Provided allwaies that th[i]s the \afor/saide Some of one and twentie poundes six shillinges will not extende so farre that then my executor shall lavye & paye the same with suche of my goodes as I shall leave unbequeathed And if there shall remayne any of the saide Some of twentie one poundes six shillinges (all the charges aforesaide being fully satisfied and paied) to \be/ delyvered unto my executor hereafter named by accompt. Item I give and bequeathe to my deere and welbeloved mother Marye Filkes all the house w[hi]ch she nowe dwelleth in during the terme of lies scituate and being in Margett w[i]thin Thile of Thanett in the Countie of Kent w[i]th all the comodities therunto belonging nowe in the tennure and occupac[i]on of my foresayde Mother whatsoever yelding and payinge therefore yearly fyve poundes. Item I gyve and bequeath to my yongest sister Susann the saide yerely Rent of Fyve poundes to be employed from tyme to tyme as it shall growe due by my saide Mother for her moste advantage. Item I give and bequeath to my sister Susann aforesaide after the decease of my Mother all the foresaide howse with all thinges thereunto belonging nowe in the tennure and occupacion of my forsaide Mother and after her deceasse to the heires of her body lawfully begotten. Item I give and bequeath to my eldest syster Marye all my Brewhouse scituate and being in Margett aforesaide with furnaces coppers, leades, Tubbes and all other vesselles whatsoev[er] with all and singuler theappurtennces thereunto belonging, And after her decease to the heires of her body lawfully begotten. Item I give and bequeath unto my two sisters equally to be divided betwixt them all my three Tenementes nowe in the tenure and occupacion of my foresaide Mother by Lease thone lieng at Northdowne nere unto Margett aforesaid thother two scituate and being in Margett foresayde with all the Landes and commodities whatsoev[er] with thappurtenannces thereunto belonging pri[va]tly? after the expiracion of the Lease aforesaide. Provided allwaies that if either of my two sisters dye w[i]t[h]out lawfull yssue that all suche Landes , Tenementes and Legacies, which by this my last will and testament I have givenand bequeathed unto them shall remayne to the survivour of them, and yf yt happen that they bothe dye w[i]thout lawfull yssue that then all such Landes, Tenementes and legacies shall remayne unto the heires of my uncle John Howe of London. Item I give and bequeath unto my uncle Nicholas Rockenn the rent of the three Tenementes \nowe/ in the tennure and occupacion of my Mother by Lease whiche is twentie shillinges by yeres to be payde unto my foresaide uncle Rockenn by my Mother during the terme of his lyfe, and yf yt happenn that the saide Leasse be expired before the deceasse of my foresaide, uncle, that then my twoe sisters aforesaide unto whome I have given and bequeathed the saide three Tenementes shall in respect thereof paye unto my foresaide uncle Rockenn Twentie shillinges by yeare during the terme of his lyfe. Item I give and bequeathe unto Margett Rockenn and Anne Rockenn daughters to the saide Nicholas Rockenn to be paide them at their marriage daye either of them twentie shillinges by my two sisters aforesayde or by the Landes & Tenementes which by this my last will and testament I have given unto them. Item I give and bequeathe unto my father in lawe John Filkes a Lease of nyne acres of Lande or there aboutes lieng in Margett which Lease I houlde of one Richard Barton so farre forthe as he dothe discharge all dutties growinge by the same. Item I give and bequeath unto my Father in lawe John Filkes aforesaide Fyve poundes w[hi]ch he oweth me uppon a bill under his hande and seale already due, so farre forthe as he dothe paye my uncle John Howe of London Tenne poundes which he oweth mee uppon another bill under his hande & seale already due. Item I give and bequeath to my uncle John Wollett of Sandwiche to be paide by my sister Marye or by the Landes and Tenementes which by this my last will and testament I have given & bequethed unto her Twentie shillinges. Item I give and bequeathe unto Elizabeth Holly daughter to Thomas Holly to be paide by my Mother at the daie of her mariaage twentie shillinges. Item I give and bequeath unto Edward Castell sonne to William Castell my godsonne Fourtie shillinges, to be paide by my two sisters or by the Landes and Tenementes which by this my last will and testament I have given and bequeathed unto them. Item I give and bequeath unto the poore of the parishe of S[ain]t Jones within Thile of Thannett aforesayde Fourtie shillinges to be equally payde by my twoe sisters or by the Landes and Tenementes w[hi]ch by this my last will and testament I have given and bequeathed unto them. Item I give and bequeathe to my aunte Howe and unto twoe of her sonnes (namely) Roger and Tymothie and to her twoe daughters Elizabeth and Ellyn for a remembrannce every o them twentie shillinges to be paide by my executor. Item I gyve and bequeathe to my Cossin Edward Howe sonne to John Howe Fourty shillinges to be paide by my Executor, All my charges aforesaide with all my legacies and debts \due/ willed given and bequeathed w[hi]ch I make my Executor hereafter named Lyable unto, being fullye satisfied and paide. The residue of my Landes, Tenem[en]tes goodes and debtes unbequeathed whatsoever, I give and bequeath to my uncle John Howe of London, whome I make my sole Executor hopinge that this my last will and testament shalbe faithfully fullfilled as my trust is in him Written in the [pre]sence of these underwritten the seavententh of Maye one thowsand fyve hundred eightie Fyve. Anthony Sclater, Renold Holland, Beniamin Poole, Thomas Clapom, Signum Thome Dudley, Richard Pratt and William Tarry / By mee Ephraim Best.