Richard Cowlie

Prerogative Court of Canterbury will made: 16th January 1629/30
Probate Date: 17th April 1630
Proved by Rebecca Cowly, widow of the testator
National Archive Catalogue reference: PROB 11/157

The original document is in the custody of the National Archives

Transcript

In the name of God Amen the Sixteenth daie of January Anno D[o]m[ini] 1629. Anno Regni D[o]m[ini] n[ost]ri Caroli dei gratia Anglie &c quinto. I Richard Cowlie of Laighton Bussard in the Countie of Bed[for]d Shoomaker beinge weake in bodie by reason of the infirmitie wherewith it hath pleased god to visitt me, but whole in mynde and of p[er]fect remembrance I praise god therefore, doe make and ordaine this my present Testament contayning \herein/ my last will in manner and forme followinge That is to saie First I give and bequeath my soule unto Allmightie god my maker and Redemer trustinge to be saved by the merritts of Jesus Christ my blessed Saviour And my bodie to be buried in the Chauncell of Laighton neere Mr. Buries grave there (if it please god it maie be soe) I give unto unto the poore people of Laighton aforesaid fortie shillinges to be distributed amongest them att the time of my buriall, att the discrec[i]on of my Overseers hereafter named. Item I give and bequeath unto Mr. Sclater vicar of Laighton for his paines for my funerall Sermon Thirteene shillinges fower pence. Item I give unto Agnes Trundlie my mother in lawe twentie shillinges. Item I give and bequeath unto Margarett Furr my sister fower poundes. Item I give unto every of the children of the saide Margarett fortie shillinges a peece. Item I give unto William Fosse my servant Twentie shillinges. And to Walter Cowlie my servant Tenne shillinges. Item I give and bequeath unto Anne my daughter and to her heires and assignes for ever, all those my two Closte of pasture ground lyinge and being in Hocklife in the said Countie of Bed[for]d, the one called or knowen by the name of Farme Close, and the other Cowe Close with all and singular their and either of their appurtenances. Item I give and bequeath unto Susan one other of my daughters all that Messuage or Tenement comonly called the white house with all the houses and appurtenances nowe in the tenure of Christopher Alden and Edward Pratt which premisses are coppihould belonginge to the Mannor of Laighton Bussard. To hould to her and her heires for ever accordinge to the Custome of the said Mannor. Item I give more unto the saide Susan one close of pasture comonly called Crabtree Close beinge in Hocklife aforesaide To hould to her, her heires and assignes for ever. Item I give and bequeath unto Elizabeth one other of my daughters All that my Cottage and Close thereunto adioyninge, and five acres of arrable lande with th'appurtenances scituate and beinge in great Lynford in the Countie of Buck[ingham], and all other my landes tenementes in Lynford aforesaide with all and singuler th'appurtenances. To hould to the said Elizabeth her heires and assignes for ever Item I give and bequeath more unto the said Elizabeth twentie acres of arrable land be they more or lesse lying and beinge in the fieldes of Laighton aforesaid withall and singuler the appurtenances which said premisses are Freehould and by me late purchased of George Foster and nowe are in the tenure of John Man. To hould likewise to the said Elizabeth her heires and assignes for ever. Item I give and bequeath unto Rebecca my daughter all my house with th'appurtenances nowe devided into three tenementes beinge Coppihould and sictuate in Gigge lane in Laighton aforesaide, and one Barne to them adioyninge, and alsoe twentie acres of arrable land, be they more or lesse in the occupac[i]on of Robert Trunly. Fowerteene acres and a halfe beinge freehould, and the other five and a halfe being Coppihould. To hould the said premisses to the saide Rebecca her heires and assignes for ever. Item I give and bequeath unto Hanna my daughter the Cottage or Tenement wherein William Gourney nowe dwelleth with th'appurtenances beinge Coppihould and twentie acres of arrable land in the occupac[i]on of John Jenkins, Thirteene acres and a halfe thereof beinge freehould, and sixe acres and a halfe Coppihould. To hould to the said Hanna her heires and assignes for ever. Item I give unto Rebecca my welbeloved wife all that Cottage or Tenement wherein I nowe dwell with th'appurtenances. To hould to her and her assignes during her naturall life. And after to the said Hanna her heires and assignes for ever. Item I give and bequeath unto the foresaid Hanna my daughter Twentie poundes of lawfull money of England to be paid unto her when she shall accomplish her age of Eighteene yeares by my executrix hereafter named or within three moneths next after my saide Execurix shall marry which of them shall first happen. Item my will and meaninge is that my said wife shall have and receive the proffittes of all my foresaide landes Tenementes and hereditamentes, duringe soe longe time as she shall remayne and contynue a widdowe & unmarried yf before that time my said daughters \n/or any of them doe not attaine their severall age of Eighteene yeares for and towardes the educatinge and bringinge upp of my said children. But if she doe marrie, Then my will is that the Overseers in this my present Testament shall have and receive the same to the use and benefitt of my said children untill theire saide age of eighteene yeares, except such husband that she shall marrie shall give good securitie to the good likeance of the said Overseers or the more part of them for discharge thereof. Item my will likewise is, that the said legacie of Twentie poundes to Hanna shalbe paid unto my said Overseers within three moneths next after my said wife shall marrie to be by them ymployed or putt forth to the best benefitt and profitt of my said daughter Hanna. Item my will and true meaninge is, That my said daughters and either of them shall enter upon and take the p[ro]ffittes of the severall landes to them hereby given when they shall accomplish their severall ages of eighteene yeares. The residue of all my goodes, Cattell and chattells whatsoever in this my present Testament not given willed or bequeathed my debtes beinge paid and my funerall expences discharged I give and bequeath unto the said Rebecca my wife whom I make sole Executrix of this my present Testament. And I doe desire my lovinge neighboures Edmond Bolsworth gent[leman] Edward Wilckes, Francis Seayre Jun[ior], Francis Welles Jun[ior], and Richard Trunlie to be Overseers of this my present Testament to see it iustlie and trulie performed as my trust is in them. And I doe give to either of them towardes their paynes herein to be taken five shillinges. In wittnes whereof to this my present Testament I the said Richard Cowlie have hereunto putt my hand and seale the daie and yeare first above written Theis beinge wittnesses. Edm[ond] Bolsworth, No[tarius] pub[licus] Robert Trunlye, Tho[mas] Houson, Richard Cowly. Mem[orandum] that the foresaid daie I have delivered into the handes of Edmund Bolsworth gent[leman] and Robert Trunly to the use of Rebecca my wife duringe her life, and alsoe to the use of Susan, Rebecca, and Hanna my daughters sev[er]all Surrenders of my \fore/ saide Coppihould landes with th'appurtenances. To hould to them and their heires severally as before in this my present Testament is expressed. Richard Cowly. Edm[ond] Bolsworth, Trunlye.