Will of Elizabeth Drake, Widow of Buckland Monachorum

Proved 20 June 1632

© Crown Copyright

PROB 11/162/102, Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury

Transcribed by Kathleen Noye

In the name of God Amen I : Elizabeth : Drake widdowe late wife of Thomas Drake of Buckland Monachor[um] in the Countie of Devon Esquire deceased beinge (though weake of bodye yet p[er]fect of minde and memorie thankes be vnto Almightie God, And considering howe necessarye it is for eu[er]y Christian to be in a Continuall redines [readiness] for death when soeuer it shall please our God to call vs, I doe here by his p[er]mission make and ordaine this my p[re]sent Testam[en]t therein conteyninge my last and most effectuall will in manner and forme followinge Revokeinge all other my former wills Testam[en]ts and Codicills herebefore made whatsoever ffirst I giue and commend my soule into the handes of Almightie god my Savior and redeemer Jhesus Christe assured & trusting thorough the meritts of his p[re]tious [precious] death and blood shedding to obtaine the blessed life to Come And my body to Christian buriall But touching my funerall I committ and reserue that to the discretion of my Executor and Overseers hereafter named and appointed And as concerning the distribucon of my goodes landes and Chattells my will and intent is as followeth Item I giue and bequeath to the poore people of the p[ar]ishe of Shettester [Sheepstor] ffiftie poundes of lawfull money of England to remaine allwaies in stocke and store, And the vse proffitt and imploym[en]t thereof nearly to be giuen and bestowed on and amongst the poore of the same pishe by mine executor togeather wth the Consent and advise of the Ou[er]seers of the poore there and of the Sydemen of the said pishe for the time beinge Item. I giue and bequeath to the poore people of the towne of Plimoth Tenn pounds, To the poore people of the towne of Buckland Monachorum fforty shillings in forme followinge vizt Tenn shillings to be distributed every good fryday duringe the terme of ffower yeares next after my decease by my Executor wth the helpe and advise of the Overseers for the poore then there beinge And to the poore people of the pishe of Meavie, Walkhampton and Sampford spyney to eu[er]ie of the said three pishes Twentie shillinges a peece to be distributed to the poore in each of the said pishes by the advise of my Executor p[re]sentlie after my decease Itm I guie vnto the poore people of Plympton St Moris ffortie shillinges to bee payd the next Good fryday after my decease and likewise distributed there by the advise of my Executor Item I giue and bequeath to my sonne Sr ffrancis Drake knight and Barronett my greatest gould ringe wth the greatest greene Stone And whereas my said sonne Sr ffrancis Drake standeth bound vnto me for the paym[en]t of Seaven hundred pounds of lawfull money of England w[hi]ch he oweth me, my Will and meaninge is That he shall pay noe vse or Intereste for the forbearance thereof duringe my life Soe as he pay in the said monies vnto my Executor Wthin some reasonable tyme after my death whereby my said Executor may therewth all the better paye and satisfie my legacies in due tyme accordinge to my bequeathes Item I giue and bequeathe vnto the Lady Joane Drake now wife of the said Sr ffrancis Drake my best Damaske Coate my best goold borders and my Chayne of gould, And I giue and bequeath to their sonne ffrancis Drake my second best goold ringe wth a greene stone And to their daughter Marie Drake my goddaughter one goold ringe wth fiue [?] diamond in the same Item I giue to the ffower other Children of my said sonne Sr ffrancis Drake to each of them a peece of plate worth ffortie shillings to be bought and deliu[er]ed by my Executor Item I giue and bequeath to everie of the Children of my daughter Elizabeth Bampfeild late decessed wch shalbe livinge at my dyinge day apeece of plate worth ffortie shillinges to be likewise bought and deliu[er]ed by my Executor Item I giue and bequeath vnto my sonne Willm Elford One hundred pownds of lawfull money of England And to my sonne Walter Elford ffortie pownds of lawfull money of England Item I giue and bequeath vnto John Elford th'eldest sonne of my foresaid sonne Walter Elford) the vse of all my plate for terme of his life, and after his decease I giue and bequeath the said plate to the heires of the said John Elford for ever, And I giue and bequeath vnto Elizabeth his wife my gould Bracelett Item I giue and deuise vnto Walter Elford sonne alsoe of my said sonne Walter Elford th'elder and to his heires and assignes for ever All the Messuages Landes Tenem[en]ts and hereditam[en]ts ??ie wth th'apprtenannce whatsoever lyinge in Plymouth wch I lately bought and puchased to me and myne heyres for euer of one James Bickford Marchane together wth the Rents seruices and Reu[er]cons [reversions] of the same And I giue vnto Willm Elford one other sonne of the said Walter Elford th'elder One hundred powndes of lawfull money of England Item I giue and bequeath vnto ffrances Elford th'eldest daughter of the said Walter Elford the elder and now the wife of Richard Langworthie gent my blacke gowne layd wth lace and my redd cloth petticoate wch I last newly made And to their daughter Elizabeth Langworthie my goddaughter Tenn powndes Item I giue and bequeath vnto the other fower daughters of the said Walter Elford th'elder that is to wete [to wit] Anne Elford, Joan Elford, Elizabeth Elford, and Marie Elford One hundred powndes a peece to be payd vnto them seu[er]allie [severally] and respectively when as they and either of them shall accomplish their seu[er]all ages of one and twentie yeares or at their marriage dayes respectively wch shall first happen And my Will and meaninge is that if any of them fower daughters happen to dye before the age of xxitie yeares and not married That then the bequeath and legacie made and giuen to such of them soe dyinge shall come and remaine equallie to such of them overliving and to the survivors and survivor of them equally to be deuided Item I giue and bequeath vnto my daughter in lawe Barbara Elford All the residue of myne apparrell not before giuen whatsoever, and more I giue vnto her the said Barbara one one payre of gould buttons borders and my Pomander garnished wth gould Item I giue and bequeath vnto my man servant and mayd servant wch shalbe abidinge in howse wth me at the tyme of my death Twentye shillings a peece Item I giue to my Cosen Philippe the wife of Christopher Crocker gent a gold ringe worth Twentye shillings, To fflorence the wife of Paschowe Lappe gent a gold ringe worth twenty shillinges, and to my Cosen Thomas Gregorye a gold ringe worth twenty shillings Item I giue and bequeath twelve pence to all and eu[er]ye of the servants wch shalbe dwellinge as houshould servants wth my sonne Walter Elford at the tyme of my death, And to Tenn of my poorest godchildren twelve pence a peece, All the residue of my goods and Chattells not before given nor bequeathed I giue and bequeathe vnto th'above named John Elford (sonne of the foresaid Walter Elford th'elder) whom I doe make and appoint my full and whole Executor and to pay my legacies and to see this my Will and intent in all thinges to be dulie and trulie accomplished And I doe alsoe entreat and apppoint my lovinge sonnes th'afore named Walter Elford, and Willm Elford to be the Overseers of this my said last will Comendinge vnto them my speciall Care and trust to see the same Justly p[er]formed In witnes where of I the said Elizabeth Drake haue caused this my will to be made in writinge and have herevnto sett my hand and seale yeoven the Third day of May in the yeare of our Lord God One thousand Sixe hundred Thirtie and one Anno RRs Carolimim Anglio er Septimo. / Test Hugone Elford, John Elliott. T.ms Rogers : Hawke. / Memorand[um] I doe further entreat that I may be buried so soone after my death as it may be Conveniently done, And I will that my Executor doe bestowe these blackes here menconed [mentioned] shortlye after my buriall vizt to my sonne Willm Elford a blacke Cloake, to my man servant wch shall were [wear] my lyvery at my dyinge day a blacke Cloake, And to ffrances Langworthie the wife of Richard Langworthie gent a black gowne. Teste Hugone Elford, John Elliott Tm: Roger Hawke./

Probatum: fuit testamentum suprascriptum apud London Cora venerabili viro Domino Henrico Marten milite legum doctore Curie Prerogative Cantuar[iensis] magistro Custode sive Commissario legitime Constituto Vicesimo die mensis Junij Anno D[omi]ni Millesimo Sexcentesimo Tricesimo Secundo Juramento Johannis Elford Executoris vinci [?] in huismodi testamento nominati Cui Commissa fuit administratio omnium et singulorum bonorum Jurium et Creditorum dicte defuncte De bene et fideliter administrando eadem Ad sancta Dei Evangelia Coram Henrico Wallis, Andrea Horseman, et Johanne Symes Chirt vigore Commissionis in ea parte al[ia]s emanate Jurat. / exd /

Translation: The above-written will was proved in London before the venerable Sir Henry Marten knight, Doctor of Law, Master, Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, lawfully constituted, on the twentieth day of the month of June in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred thirty-two, by oath of John Elford executor named in the same will, to whom was granted administration of all and singular the good, rights and credits of the said deceased, sworn on the Holy Gospels well and faithfully to administer the same, by force of a commission in that respect issued previously before Henry Wallis, Andrew Horseman and John Symes. Examined.