Will of Gawine Champernowne or Champnowne of Dartington

Proved 3 April 1592

© Crown Copyright

PROB 11/79/235, Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury

Transcribed by Kathleen Noye

Be it knowen vnto all Christianns to whome theas p[rese]ntes shall come or be seene, that I Gawine Champernowne of Dartington in the Countie of Devon Esquier at this p[rese]nte [time?] (thankes be givenn to god) of perfecte memorie, beinge throughe his mercifull goodnes, especiallie at this time moued, and stirred to consider the frailtie and vncertentie of this mortall lief, and howe suche landes goodes and thinges, as it hathe pleased the allmightie to make me Stewarde of, and to committ my chardge & government in this lief, are not onlie lente me for my selfe, but to be ymploied for the benifite of suche, as it hathe pleased god of his mercie to make me to leave them vnto; And because I am p[er]suaded by godd[es] moste hollie worde, w[hi]ch never failes in anie pointe, that I oughte not to be careles and vnmindefull of my childrenn, familie, kynn and frendes, as are by godd[es] appointement lefte vnto me to haue some care and consideracon of for their lief; And forasmuche also as libertie is givenn me by the lawe of god and the lawe of this Realme to make my laste will and testamente, and by the same to giue, deuise, and bestowe, my landes, goodes and chattells for the advauncement and comforte of my childrenn, familie kinn and frendes, as I shall thearevnto by goddes grace be moued; I doe thearefore by this presente, Revoke, renounce and adnihilate, all and euerie other former will, and willes at anie time before the date of theas p[rese]ntes, made writtenn, or published, And doe likewise by theas p[rese]ntes by the p[er]mission and sufferance of Jesus Christe, my onlie saviour and Redeemer, and in his hollie name make and ordaine this my laste will and testamente, concerninge the disposicon of my landes, and of all my goodes and chattells in manner and forme ensuinge . ffirste committinge my self to allmightie god the onlie sauiour, moste humblie beseechinge him of his infinite and euerlastinge goodnes and mercie to accepte me, amongste his electe, and chosen, to haue the fruicon [fruition] of his deitie, throughe the dethe and meritts of our onlie saviour, and advocate Jesus Christe his onlie sonn, And my bodie to be buried wheare yt shall please god to appointe my exequutors to bestowe yt./ I doe giue and deuise vnto my brother Edwarde Champernowne one annuitie or yeerelie rente of Twentie nobles of good and Lawefull monie of Englande, duringe his naturall lief paiable at fower times of the yeere That is to saie, at or in the feaste of the natiuitie of St John the baptiste [24 June], St Michaell th'archangell [29 Sep], The birthe of our lorde god [25 Dec] And the annunciacon of our Ladie the virgin [25 March] yeerelie to be paide by evenn porcons, issuinge, goinge out and to be proved, levied, and taken, of in and vppon all my leases, rectories [?] Landes, tenementes and heriditamentes (Excepte my landes tenementes and heriditamentes in the parishes Plinton marie [Plympton Mary], and Plimpton moris [Plympton Maurice], And that if the same or anie parte theareof be vnpaid by the space of twentie daies after anie of the times and feastes aforesaide, in w[hi]ch the same oughte to be paide, beinge lawefullie demaunded ; That then it shalbe lawefull for to the saide Edwarde and his assignes to distraine for the same, in and vppon the before menconed premisses (Excepte before excepted) And the distresse soe takenn to leade, carrie, drive awaie, and impounde, and in pounde to keepe and detaine vntill he be of the same, and of euerie parte theareof fullie satisfied and paide; Item my will and intente is, and I doe by theas p[rese]ntes giue, and deuise vnto Elizabethe Champ[er]nowne Marie Champ[er]nowne, Katherine Champ[er]nowne, Vrsula Champernowne, ffrauncis Champernowne, Joane Champernowne and Susan Champernowne my daughters, and to euerie or anie of them The somm of three hundrethe marckes of lawefull moneie of England Item my will and intente is, and I doe give and diuise vnto my saide six daughters, all my marriage moneie dewe vnto me, and w[hi]ch I oughte to have from the Countee and Countesse of Mongomerie, The same money equallie to be diuided amongste them, . Item I doe haue, a speciall care and desier, that my debtes and legacies, shalbe paide, and that my funeralls, should be honestely p[er]formed, give and deuise vnto Sr Edwarde Denny knighte, Edward Seymor and Richarde Champ[er]nowne esquiers and vnto Mr John Harte, the rentes of my leases of the sheaf of Stawton [Staverton?], and Dartington, Reservinge one yeere of the lease of Staverton to come, To haue and to holde, to the saide Sr Edwarde Dennie knighte Edwarde Seymor, and Richarde Champernowne esquiers, and to the said John Harte theire exequutors and assignes, from the daie of my deathe, for and duringe the time, that my sonn Arthur Champernowne, shall or should come to be of the age of Twentie one yeeres and noe longer to the vse of my saide daughters . The residewe of all my goodes and chattells not given in my lief time nor heeretofore in this presente will nor heereafter in a schedule to theas p[rese]ntes annexed I give and bequeathe to Arthur Champonowne my sonn, Whome I make and ordaine my sole Exequutor of this my laste will and testamente And doe by waie of requeste appointe the saide Sr Edwarde Denny knighte Edwarde Seymor, and Richarde Champ[er]nowne esquiers, and the saide John Harte to be ouerseers and to take the chardge vppon them to see the p[er]formance of this my laste will and testamente . In wittnes wheareof I haue heervnto put my hande and seale, the Twentithe daie of Maie Anno Domini Millesimo Quingesimo Octagesimo Octauo in the thirtithe yeere of the raigne of our soueraigne Ladie Queene Elizabethe &c
                Schedula de gua [qua] fit mentio in testamento suprascipto
                [This schedule is mentioned in the above-written will]

Item I guie vnto theas seuerall gentlmen heerevnder written thease p[ar]cells as followethe .
Inprimis to Sr Edwarde Denny one bason and ewer of the value of Twentie pounde . Item to my brother Mr Edwarde Seymor one bason and ewer of the value of Twentie pounde . Item to my cosen Mr Richarde Champernowne one bason and ewer of the value of Twentie pounde . Item to Mr Harte one bason and ewer of the value of Twentie pounde . Item to my Cosen Richarde Carewe of Anthonie esquier one ringe of golde of the value of fiftie shillinges . Item to my Cosen George Carewe one ringe of gold to the value of fiftie shillinges . Item to my Cosen Mr Arthure Champernowne one ringe of golde of the value of fiftie shillinges . The poesie w[hi]ch I woold have engrav engraven in everie theire ring[es] is . The remembrance of a frende . Item I giue vnto Sr ffrauncis Drake knighte and vnto Mr John Heale esquier and to either of them one ringe of gold of the value of fiftie shillinges with the like posies [poesies] w[hi]ch shalbe in the reste of those ringes to whome I have appointed to be givenn . Item I giue vnto the poore of this parishe, as many Townes, as I am yeeres old . And havinge regarde vnto my servaunt[es] , I doe giue and bequeath vnto of thease p[er]sonns vnder written as followethe . Item to Christopher Gribbell . To John Chettell . To Thomas Collins . To Laurence Cruste [?] . To John Mudge .                Ga: Champernowne . /       Postscriptum .

A codicill or a Schedule to be annexed to the testament and laste will of the saide Gawin Champernowne esquier, made and declared on thursdaie the sixteenth daie of march aboute Midnighte in the same Daie, In the yeere of our lorde god accordinge to the Computacon of the churche of Englande, one thousande fiue hundred ninetie one and in the Thirtie fourthe Yeere of the raigne of our soueraigne Ladie Elizabethe by the Grace of god of Englande ffraunce, and Irelande Queene Defender of the faithe &c /

The said Mr Gawine Champernowne beinge sicke in his death bed but beinge of verie p[er]fecte memorie, did acknowledge that he had made his testamente containinge his laste will w[hi]ch was put in writinge and had lefte it sealed in a box in the keepinge of Mr John Harte, one of his ouerseers and had subscribed his name in everie leaf of paper of his saide testamente and laste will, and willed that the same should stande of force, And did further will and give to the childe wheare with his wife nowe goethe, a like legacie, and soe good a porcon of his good[es], as he had givenn to eache of his daughters in and by his saide testament and Laste will, Beinge p[rese]nte and wittnesses to the premisses Mr Percivall a phisicon [physician], John ffell a chirurgion, and the saide Mr John Harte with others . /

Tercio dic mensis Aprilis anno domini millesimo quingesimo nonagesimo secundo Emananit Commissis Domine Robarde Mongomerie al[ia]s Robarde Champernowne relicte d[i]c[t]i defuncti, ad administrandum bona iura et credita omnia et singul[or]a idqr [?] bene et fidel[ite]r nixta iuris in ea parte exigentiam et tenerem dicti testamenti, durante miniori etate Arthuri Champernowne filij naturalis et l[egi[timi d[i]c[t]i defuncti, nominati Exequutoris in sus h[uius]mo[d]i testamento nominati in p[er]sona Alexandri Searle notarij publici procuratorio d[i]c[t]e d[omi]ne Robarde, ad sancta dei evangelia in delicta iurio forma iurati./

Translation: On the third day of the month of April in the year of our Lord one thousand five hundred ninety-two administration was granted to Mrs Roberte Mon[t]gomerie, otherwise Roberte Champernowne, relict of the said deceased, of all and singular the goods, rights and credits….well and faithfully to administer….the said will during the minority of Arthur Champernowne, the natural and legitimate son of the said deceased, named Executor in the same will, sworn before Alexander Searle, notary public….sworn on the Holy Gospel of God…./

Vltimo die mens[is] Augusti 1601 probatum fuit test[ament]um dict[i] Gawini Champernowne defunct[i] hentio &c Juramento m[agiste]ri Alex: Serle notij pu[bli]ci procuris Arthuri Champ[er]nowne fi[i]ij et executoris dict[i] def[uncti]: Cui commissa fuit adm[ini]straco &c De bene &c iurat. Liis adms h[uius]mo[d]i, eacone plene etalh dicti[i] ex[ecuto]ris expirat. /

Translation: On the last day of August 1601 the will of the said Gawen Champernowne, deceased, was proved….sworn before Mr Alexander Serle, notary public, by Arthur Champernowne, son and executor of the said deceased, to whom was granted administration etc. [of all and singular the goods, rights and credits of the said deceased] Well and etc. [faithfully to administer the same]…..