Will of Alice Docton, widow of Hartland

Proved 21 Nov 1619

© Crown Copyright

PROB 11/134, Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Parker Quire Numbers: 74 - 118

Transcribed by David Carter

In the name of God Amen.

The two and twent[i]eth daye of July in the yeare of our Lord God one thousand sixe hundred and nynteene.

I Alce Docton of Hartland in the Countie of Devon widdowe, late wife of Thomas Docton esquire deceased, being of perfecte mynd and remembrance thanks be unto allmightie god doe make and ordayne this my last will and testament in manner and forme following, That is to say:

First I com[m]end my soule into the handes of allmightie god my maker and Redeemer, and my body to the earth.

Item: I give towards the reparation of the Church of Hartland the some of fower powndes, and the some of twentie pownd for a stocke to be continually ymployed by the Churchwardens and Overseers of the poore w[i]thin the same p[ar]ish from tyme to tyme towards the releefe of the poore of the same p[ar]ish, in such sort as that the sayde some of twenty pownds doe allwayes remayne intire for the use aforesayd, and the benefit thereof to be imployed as before, for w[hi]ch my will and desire is that the sayd Churchwardens and Overseers shall yearely an accompt w[i]th theire other accompts for the poore w[i]thin the sayde p[ar]ish.

Item: I give towards the reparation of the p[ar]ish Church of Welcombe fower pownds, and to the poore of the sayde p[ar]ish, forty shillings, to be distributed amongst them by the discretion of the Overseers of this my Will.

Item: I give towards to reparation of the p[ar]ish Church of Morewenstowe twenty shillings, and tenn shillings to the poore there, to be distributed as before.

Item: I give to the poore people of Bradworthy twenty shillings, and to the poore of Kilkhampton, twenty shillings.

Item: I give to the releefe of the poore of Wolfardisworth forty shillings, and towards the reparation of the Church there, fower pownds.

Item: I give towards the reparation of the Church of Northam five pounds, and to the poore of the same p[ar]ish, fowre pownds.

Item: I give towards the reparation of the church of Bra[u]nton, fower powndes

Item: I give to the poore of Greate Torrington, forty shillings.

Item: I give to the poore of Clovelly, thirteen shillings and fowre pence.

Item: I give towards the reparation of the Church of Inwardly, twenty shillings; towards the reparation of the Church of Ashwater, twentie shillings; towards the reparation of the Church of Hallwell, tenn shillings; and towards the releefe of the poore of Parkham, ten shillings; and towards the releefe of the poore of Beddifare [Bideford], twentie shillings; towards the releefe of the poore of Litle Torrington, twentie shillings.

Item: I give to each of John Baglehole's children forty shillinges, moreover to Edward Baglehole his sonne, my little silv[er] bole.

Item: I give to each of John Cooke's children forty shillings, and to each of Francis Rowe's children forty shillings, and to each of Thomas Heare's [sic] children of Berry forty shillings, and to Alce Heard tenn powndes. To William Heard five pownds, and to Robert Heard fowre pownds.

Item: I give to Margaret Comer tenn pounds, and to Susan Bradden tenn pounds, and to each of her children twentie shillinges, and to Elizabeth Pope sixe pownds thirteen shillings fower pence, and to Agnes Pope sixe pownds thirteen shillings and fower pence.

Item: I give to Christian the daughter of my brother Peeter Atkin tenn pownds, and to Anne her sister five pownds.

Item: I give to Degorie Seccombe the elder twentie pownds, and to Degorie Seccombe the younger tenn pownds.

Item: I give to Arthur Seccombe twenty pownds.

Item: I give unto Jane Randall sixe pownds thirteen shillinges and fower pence.

Item: I give to each of Nicholas Velley's children sixe pounds thirteen shillinges and fower pence, and to Richard Velley sixe pownds thirteene shillinges fowre pence, and to Thomas Velley six pounds thirteen shillinges fowre pence, and to Honor Stapledon sixe pownds thirteene shillinges and fowre pence.

Item: I give to Grace Atkin tenn pownds, to Mary Atkin tenn pownds, to Franncis Atkin tenn pownds, to John Atkin tenn pownds, to Anthony Atkin tenn pownds, and to Robert Atkin tenn pownds.

Item: I give and bequeath to Thomas Docton of Wellesford the use and occupation onely of eight feather bedds p[er]siraned(?), whereof fower are over the hall, three in the men chamber, and one in the mayde’s chamber, to be furnished as they are now used, two bedsteads over the Hall, one Trundle bedsteade there, one bedstead over the brewehouse, three bedsteads in the men chamber, one garnish of pewter dishes, a bason and ewer, three brewing pans tha[t] do usually stand upon the shelfe in the kitchin, a chittle in the brewehouse, three small panns, all the coffers in the storehouse, and one cupbord there, all my stoning troughs, twoe greate barrels in the Buttrie, eight small drincke barrels, six cushions of the worser sort, two great kives(?) in the brewhouse, and two keeves in the Malthouse, three spitts, one of every sort, three brason crocks, two of the biger and one of the least, twoe payre of pothangings, and the iron bar in the kitchen chimney, the greate andirons in the kitchen, and one payre of andirons in the little chamber, the table bordes formes and stooles in the Hall and parlor, three high chayres, fower table clothes, two dozen of table napkins, of w[hi]ch one table cloth and one dozen of napkins to be of diap[er] and th'other table cloth and dozen of napkins to be of canvas, moreover my little silver salt guilded, two silver gobletts, the one guilded and th'other white w[hi]ch I have already appoynted out, one dozenn and a halfe of silver spoones, the wynde instrument, the spruce chest over the hall, and the forme cheist in the chamber over the dairy, two payre of iron bound wheeles, the worst saving one twoe longe waynes, two butts and yokes and chaynes to yoke eight oxen, of w[hi]ch my Will is that the sayde Thomas Docton shall have but onely the use and ymployment as aforesaid. 
And the property of all the same to remayne after him to such of the name of the Doctons as shallbe heyre to the howse of Docton.

Item: I give to the sayd Thomas Docton eight oxen, eight kine, twenty weathers and twenty ewes, and all my pyggs troughs.

And my Will and desire is that Elizabeth Docton shall have her beinge and dwelling in the howse at Docton soe longe as she pleaseth.

And I give unto the said Elizabeth Docton the bed whereon she useth to lye, w[i]th the bedsteade and furniture to the same. And my Will is that after her death, the same shall remayne to the sayd Alice Heard.

Moreover I give and devise unto the said Elizabeth Docton one yearely rent of twenti powndes yssuinge out of certayne lands in Matrixland w[it]hin the p[ar]ish of Morewinstowe, w[hi]ch I there now hold under the grannt of one John Bere, to hold the sayde yearely rent of twentie powndes to the sayd Elizabeth im[m]ediately from and after my death for and duringe all the tyme and tearme yet to come in the sayd lands, if the said Elizabeth live so longe. To be payde quarterly by even portions at the feast dayes of the Birth of our Lord god, th[e] anunciation of the Virgin Mary, the nativitie of St John Baptist, and of St Michaell th[e] archangell.
And my Will is that yf the sayd yearely rent be not well and truely payd accordingly w[it]hin twentie dayes next after every of the sayd dayes of payment, that then it shallbe lawfull for the sayde Elizabeth and her Assignes unto the sayde lands or any p[ar]te thereof to enter and distrayne, and the distresse there fownd to loade, drive, carry awaye, and impownd and the same impound to keepe untill the sayde rent be being behind be fully satisfyed.
And my will is that yf the sayde Elizabeth doe over live my tearme in the sayde lands, that then my executor shall fynd and p[ro]vide to and for the sayde Elizabeth, meate drinke apparrell lodging and all other necessaries meete and convenient for her estate and degree during her life.

Item: I give to Thomas Cholwill of Luttisford twentie pownds, and to his sonne five pownds.

Item: I give to John Docton of Tesbury twoe kine, and to each of his daughters fortye shillinges.

Item: I give to each of my servants w[hi]ch I shall have in howse at the tyme of my death fortie shillinges, Henry Brayley onely excepted whom I have allready otherwise advanced.

Item: I give to Elizabeth Rysdon the daughter of Phillipp Risdon esquire sixe shillinges and eight pence.

Item: I give to Margaret Cary the daughter of William Cary esquire tenn pownds, to ev[er]y of the rest of my godchildren twoe shillings.

Item: I give to Alce Bremridge tenn pownds, to every of her children forty shillinges.

Item: I give to Elizabeth Vine sixe pownds thirteene shillinges and fowre pence, and to every of her children forty shillinges.

Item: I give to Agnes Baglehole forty shillinges, and to her daughter Jane twenty shillinges.

Item: I give to Peeter Atkyn twentie powndes, and to every of his children forty shillings.

The residue of all my goods and chattels not before given and bequeathed, I give and bequeath to my nephewe William Atkin whom I make and ordayne my whole executor of this my last Will and testament.
And I do appoynte and request my welbeloved friendes John Velly, Richard Roch, Thomas Cholwill, Robert Cleverdon and Charles Yeo, to be overseers of this my last will and testament.
And I give unto every of them for theire paynes to be taken thereabout forty shillinges.

And my will is further that the severall legacies before given to my brother William Atkin’s younger children shallbe payde unto them respectively as they shall accomplish the age of one and twenty yeares, or at the tyme of marriage of such of them as shall marry before.

In witness whereof I have to this my p[re]sent last will and testament, put my signe and seale and have published the same in the presence of those whose names are underwryten.

Memorandum: That these wordes in the first leafe viz't of the poore and these wordes viz't Henrie Brayley onely excepted whom I have already otherwyse advanced in the second leafe were interlyned before the sealing and publishing hereof.

Signed: Alicie Docton 
Teste: Johanne Allyn, Richard Roch, Thomas Chollwill.

This will conteyninge three sheetes of paper was signed sealed and published by the sayd Alce Docton in the p[re]sence of us whose names are under written: John Allyn, Richard Roch, Thomas Cholwill, Henrie Brayley.

Proved at London 21st November 1619.