Will of Phillip Chechester

Written 28th August 1547

Died 1st Sept 1547

Proved 27 February 1632

National Archives Ref: PROB 11/161/277

Transcribed by Pat Garnett-Frizelle

Will of philip chichester of braunton.

Blessed and glorious trinity god the father the sonne and the holy ghoste amen to all christian people to whome those present shall come i philip chichester esquire of the parish of braunton and diocese of exeter send greetings in o lord god everlasting know that i the said philip chichester the xxth daie of januarie in the year of our lord god mclxxix being whole and sound of all my mynde and of bodie and of perfect remembrance thanks be to god do make and ordane this my testament containing herein my last will in manner and fourme following first i bequeathe my soule into the hands of lord and saviour jesus christ my maker and redeemer and my bodie to be buried and interred in the parish church of braunton on the left side or at the foot of my mothers grave also bequeathe towards the reparation of the bodie of the church of braunton twentie shillings in money also i bequeathe to everie of my servants john yollerton excepted half a years wages besides their wages owed to them and also to everie of them a wreathe or a [????] [????] also i bequeathe to everie of my godchildren twentie pence also i bequeathe to joan burgien my wifes second daughter a cup of silver lately made up in barnstaple also i bequeathe unto my daughters elizabeth and gertrude equallie to be divided amongst them the residue of all my plates of sylver sylver guilte and sphelt guilte all other plate remaining in my custodie by virtue of my father in laws will (william boukenam) shall wholly remain according to the aspect of the saide will provided always and my will is that elizabeth my wife shall have the occupation thereof during her widowhood so that she by the discretion and advice of my overseers hereafter to be named make sufficient and reasonable assurance for the delivery thereof or the life of the value thereof to my saide daughters according to my will before expressed  also i give and bequeathe unto elizabeth salisburie my daughter in law two lyves also i give unto philip salisburie sonne of richard salisburie a seal to be made unto him for termes of his life of my bargain in braunton which is now in the tenure or occupation of one henrie wroughton which he now holdeth in the right of his wife for termes of her lief and her son bartholomew gorrel and the said philip salisburie to have the same for termes of his life in reversion after the decease of the two lives before named also i give and bequeathe unto gertrude my daughter one hundred robers in monie one half to be paide on the daie of her marriage and the other half in one year next after the saide marriage also i give and bequeathe unto gertrude my daughter all my estate and issue which i have to come in the capital messuages called by the name called by the name PARKE in the parish of braunton which i hold by a deed made unto me the saide philip chichester robert burgoin and gertrude chichester by peter osborne and henrie cloak for termes of lxxxxyears if i the said philip robert and gertrude so long happen to me the same estate unto the saide gertrude my daughter to commence and begin after the decease of me the saide philip chichester and robert burgoyne to remain unto the saide gertrude chichester and her assigns during the said terme also i give and bequeathe unto my two daughters elizabeth and gertrude unto everie of them a featherbed affourmed also i give and bequeathe unto marie chichester, elizabeth salisburie,margaret milford and joan burgoine my wifes daughters unto everie of them a featherbed affourmed provided alwaise my wife to have the use of them during her life also i will and bequeathe unto william dillon my sonne at reasonable time to be had and taken the share felling and cutting down of ten acres of oak wood of mine the said philip chichester called BLARHELYN wood lying and being in branton aforesaid in the west side of the said wood there is to be left out by[????] and[?????] by the discretion of my overseers hereafter named with a[???????] way for the remaining a way of the same to have and to houlde the same tenne acres of wood and[????] way from the death of me the said philip chechester during the terme of twentie years if one william shepster of branton aforesaid so long shall happen to him also i give and bequeathe unto john yolleton my servant six pounds thirteen shillings and fower pence of lawful money of england to be paid unto the said john in manner and fourme following that is to saye [mx byî byî] within one whole year next after my decease and the other [mx yî byî] within one whole year next after the first payment also i will devise and bequeathe unto elizabeth my wife all my manors landes rents parks [????] and premises with their apportionments in tawstock branton and marwoode in the county of devon to have and to houlde the same to the said elizabeth for termes of her life and after the decease of the said elizabeth my wife i will and devise that all my said manors landes reversions and [?????] with their apportionments in tawstock aforesaid and the moiety or half parte of all my lands tennaments apportionments and[?????] with their apportionments in branton and marwood aforesaid wholly remain to the said elizabeth my daughter and to the heirs of her bodie lawfullie to begotten and bourne and for default of such issue that the said manors landes tennaments [??????] [????] and [????] with their apportionments in tawstock aforesaid and the said moietes or half partes of all the said landes tennaments [?????] and[?????] with their apportionments in branton and marwoode aforesaid wholly remain to the said gertrude my daughter and the heirs of her bodie lawfullie begotten and bourne and for the default of such issues the remainder thereof to my right heirs and assigns forever and also after the decease of the said elizabeth my wife i will and devise that the other moietes or half parte of my said landes rents reversions[????] and [?????] with their apportionments in branton and marwoode aforesaid wholly remain to the said elizabeth my daughter and the heirs of her bodie lawfullie begotten and bourne and for the default of such issue the remainder thereof to my right heirs their heirs and assigns forevermore also i give and bequeathe unto my daughter gertrude all my land rents reversions[????} and [????] with their apportionments in exeter wholly to remain unto the said gertrude and to the heirs male lawfullie begotten of her bodie and bourne and for the default of such issue the said landes rents reversions [??????} and [?????] with their apportions aforesaid wholly to remain unto william burgoine his heirs and assigns forevermore item i give unto the poor of branton twentie shilling the residue of all my goods and chattels before not given nor bequeathed i give and bequeathe unto elizabeth my wife whom i constitute ordayne and make my whole and sole executor of this my last will and testament to order and dispose of the same and to her shall seem best for the health of my sante and perfarmenten of my children  also i ordaine and make and appoint my wellbeloved in christ john chichester of youlston, henrie chichester,hugh wyatt and william burgien as well overseers of this my last will and testament as also to[???] as much in them lyeth to raise the same to be performed fulfilled and kept according to my mind and will above specified and for their paines i give unto everie of them a ring of gould these underwritten to testifie the [????] and last i give twentie shillings to the reparation of the way between branton and santon by me the said philip chichester sealed and delivered by the within named philip chichester as his last will and testament the eight day of april the year within written in the presence of henrie chichester, william burgoyn, richard salisburie and richard mylford and others. Proved ? daie of february [unreadable date] to gertrude chichester and wife elizabeth chichester.

Philip chichester was buried braunton 30 april 1583 elizabeth chichester was buried braunton 21 may 1586.  Probate date must have been before philips wife elizabeth died.