Will of Robert Buckingham, Clothier of Crediton, Devon, 31 Mar 1610

© Crown Copyright

PROB 11/115, Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Wingfield Quire Numbers: 1 - 56

Transcribed by Gail Everett, and provided by Elsie Person

In the name of almighty god and our Lord Jesus Christe Amen
I Robert Buckingham of Crediton in the Countie of Devon Clothier being something Diseased in body but of perfect memory (praised be to Almighty God) for speciall causes me moving, Doe make and write this my last will and Testament in manner and forme following
First I commytt my Soule to Allmightie God which my Lord Jesus hath bought and redeemed with his most pretious Death and bloudshedd, hoping by it only to be saved and my body unto the Christian buriall untill the resurrection of the mst Cr
Imprimis I give to the Widow Dockrell in St Catherines Hospitall by Tower Hill in London Thirty Two Shillings of Lawfull money To be payd by eight shillings a quarter as beforeI have accustomed for one whole yeare ensuing yf she live so longe after my Death
Item I give to the poore of the West Towne of Crediton my yearely rent being now Fowertene Shillings growing out of the Moytie of that Close which Peter Palmer holdeth now of me, which I lately bought or Mr Tristram Crosse To be given by my Sonne and Heire with the Consent of one Church-warden and one of the overseers uopn the Twentieth Day of October for ever from the year next following after my Death ensuing
Item I give to my daughter Marie Buckingham To be payd unto her when she shalbe full Twentie yeares old or before at her day of marriage marrieng with the consent of her Mother my loving wief Two hundred and [a space was left here] poundes. And yf it so come to passe (which God forbid) that this my Daughter shall end her natural lief and Dayes before she shalbe Twentie yeares old or married with her mothers consent that then this legacie in manner given as above shalbe equally devided and payd by equall sommes to my Daughters Martha Buckingham and Elizabeth Buckingham being then lyving and of the age of Twentie yeares before written, or the whole somme to my daughter which shalbe then onely living Or yf all my Daughters shalbe Deade before that tyme then this legacie and all the legacies to be hereafter given my two yonger daughters shalbe due to my twoe Sonnes Samuell and Philip Buckingham by equall portions, or the whole portions to him of my two Sonnes which shalbe then only living
Item I give and bequeath to my daughter Martha Buckingham To be payd unto her when she shalbe full Twentie yeares old or before at her marriage marryeng with the consent of my wief her mother Two hundred and [a space was left here] poundes Provided always that the said exceptions touching the legacie given my daughter Mary shall likewise be of force in this legacie, and the other to be given my daughter Elizabeth, all thinges hereunder written to the contrary notwithstanding
Item I give to my youngest daughter Elizabeth Buckingham To be payd unto her when she shalbe full Twentie yeares of age or before at her marriage marryeng with the consent of my wief her mother or otherwise to revert and appertayne to they she or he which shall be then living according to the exceptions before in force and not otherwise
Item whereas my Father in law Philip Smith gentleman hath by his Deede indented granted conveyed consigned and made over all the three Tenements with their appurtenances and premisses which he not long before bought of the right worshipful Sir William Lillagrey as by three severall Indentures in his hand yet remayning Doth and may appeare viz One Barne and Barton to the same adjoyning with a garden lyeing behinde the sayd Barne And the Tenement lyeing next the sayd Barton where John Bond now dwelleth with the litle Garden and orchard thereunto belonging and the house called the gatehouse And the nine closures and parcells of land called the Prowise (?Promise) Parkes, with the Close called the But Parke now converted into seaven Closures with the rest of the premisses specified in the sayd lease And also the Messuage and Tenement called the Chappell with the garden thereunto belonging, whereof some part was lately converted into a close and parcell of lande arable And a litle close and parcell of lande called the Sixehay being of the Mannor of St Lawrence in this parish of Credyton And also one close and parcell of lande called Dickersham And the two Marshes and parcells of land lyeing on the South parte of the greate Parke of Credyton aforesaid and all and singular their appurtenances are now in the tenure of my Father in lawe Philip Smith and held of him by me from yeare to yeare but yet as aforesayd granted consigned and made over to me and my wief joyntly by his Dede indented bearing Date the Ninetenth Day of June in the three and fortieth yeare of our late Sovereign Lady Quene Elizabeth raigne of famous memorie that they was as in the same Dede appeareth now in my handes for the full terme of Fower Score yeares ys I Robert Buckingham Margaret Buckingham my wief and Samuell Buckingham my Sonne or any one of us shall so long live The said Terme anityme beginning from and ymmediately after the Death of Philip Smith aforesaid first here give and bequeath to my Sonne Samuell All the three Tenements with all their appurtenances and premisses with Deeds and evidences for Threescore yeares begynning ymmediately from the Death of my wief Margaret, with the remaynder of Fowerscore yeares at the death of my wief, with all the estate remayning, which was by the right worshipfull Sir William Lillagrey to my Father in lawe by his three severall Deedes first granted
Item I give him my Sonne Samuell all my Landes which I have purchased viz my two closes in St Sidwells wherof the one is held by the worshipfull Mr William Martin Recorder at six shillinges eight pence by the yeare And one by Mr Jasp. Bridgeman at the rent as appeareth by the counterpartes of their severall leases in my handes, with my landes in Exminster (?Axminster) and Lensford yf he live and have Childe or Children otherwise it shalbe my Sonne Philip Buckinghams in as ample a manner as it should have become Sonne Samuells And yf both Samuell and Philip Die without yssue and childe Then it shall appertayne to my Daughters then living or two or one which then shall lyve.
Item I give to my wief and my Sonne Samuell Buckingham this house wherein I now dwell with the Orchard Arbour and Close of land therunto appertayning for the terme of fortie yeares beginning from the Death of my Father in lawe in manner and forme following hoping that they shall also remayne with him in good sort while he is living because I payde half the fyne to Thomas Hill, the conveyance made in trust in his name. Fyrst my will and bequeath is that my wief shall have and enjoy it as absolutely so longe as she shall remayne widdow and unmarried, but ymmediately upon her Death or marriage, I give it the whole Tenement to my Sonne Samuell with fee simple and inheritance bought of Mr Tristram Crosse and every part thereof yf he be then lyving or to his Childe yf he be Deade and leave any such behynde him: otherwise he dyeing without yssue I give the same to my Sonne Philip Buckingham not only the remaynder of the fortie yeares about given but the inheritance and fee simple first given my Sonne Samuell under such conditions above expressed: But yf it is come to passe that (which God forbid) that both shall dye without yssue and Childe, I give the whole to my Daughter Elizabeth yf she be then living Or if she dye without children, I then give the same to Mary Buckingham and Martha my daughters
Item I give to my Sonne Samuell fortie poundes which mony I would have Disburst towards his preferment in service with some Clothier or man of good trade and wealth and to be payd at the end of his yeares unto him or to my Sonne Philip if he shall dye before the end of his Covenant In like manner I give to my Sonne Philip Buckingham Fiftie Poundes which money I will to be Delivered to that man of trade which shall receive him into his service and give securitie for repayment of the money at the end of his tyme To my Sonne Philip Buckingham if he be living Or yf he shall Dye before that tyme then to be payd to Samuell if he be living Or yf both shalbe Deade, then both somes shalbe devided equally betwixt my Daughters then lyving or the Survivor of them
Item my will and bequeath is that my Twentie six Acres of land be it more or lesse which was part of the greate parke of Crediton And which I bought of the worshipfull Sir William Lillagrey of late as may appeare by his Deede indented Dated the two and Twentieth of Aprill in the two and fortieth yeare of the reigne of our Sovereigne Lady Quene Elizabeth Deceased as also my Nine acres of lande bought of Mr William Bodley called Wett and Dry Farswills shalbe lett and sett from yeare to yeare for twelve yeares ensuing towards the payment of my Children's portions by my Executrix and Overseers hereafter named.
Item I give to my Sonne Samuell from the end of the Twelve yeares before Devised my Twentie Six Acres of the Parke grounde bought of Sir William as before mentioned for fowerscore yeares ensuing if he live so long Or yf he shall die unmarried or without any Childe living after him then I give the sayd Tenement to my Sonne Philip Buckingham All the remainder of the fowerscore yeares with the Lease and Deede therof Or yf both shall Dye without any childe of theires left behind them then I give it to my Daughter Mary Buckingham then living
Item I give to my Sonne Philip Buckingham my wett and Dry Farswille being Nine Acres of land more or less bought of Mr William Bodley of late as may appeare by his Deede in my handes for fower score yeares yf he shall so longe live Or yf he dye childlesse Then I give it my Sonne Samuell Ot yf he shall also dye having no childe to succede him I give it to Mary and Martha Daughters the whole terme and tyme ensuing
Item I give to my cozens Christian Margaret and Catherine and Philip Buckingham children of my brother William Deceased Fiftie shillings apeece To be payd at their marriage Day unto them for their better preferment or within three yeares after my death living so long unmarried Item I give to all my household servants besides their due wages Tenn Shillinges apeece.
Finally, all my Debts being first payd which I Doe now and by specialties and otherwise as in my bookes of Accompts appeares, I give all my goods and chattells not before given or bequeathed to my loving wief Margaret whom make my whole and sole Executrix, unto whom I commytt the Christian bringing up of myne and her Children.
Lastly I ordayne my loving Father in lawe Philip Smith and my cosen Philip Elston(?) amd my brother Philip Buckingham my Rulers and Overseers of this my last will and Testament Given to every of them in respect of their paynes to be taken Twentie Shillings in helping my wief in this great business praying my Father in lawe Mr Philip Smith to make accompt of my fatherless children as part from his owne bowells proceeding, and to better their portions with a Grandfathers love and kynde affection as my trust is in him. In witnes whereof I have written this my last will and Testament and sett my had and seale the day and yeare above first written in the leafe adjoyned hereunto.

Per me Robertum Buckingham

Sealed and subcribed by the within named Robert Buckingham the first day of February A Thousand Six hundred and nine in the presence of those persons whose names followe

Philip Smith  Signum Gilberti London. Testo, me Nicho Sleo By me Thomas Smith  Henry Harris

Probate (in Latin throughout) granted March 1610