Will of Thomas Docton of Hartland

Written 13^thNov 1618, Proved 6 March 1619

© Crown Copyright

PROB 11/133/292, Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Parker Quire Numbers: 1 - 73

Transcribed by David Carter 2020

[Most punctuation, all line-spaces and implied letters in brackets have been added by the transcriber to aid understanding. Spelling remains verbatim]

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In the name of God Amen, the thirtith [should be 13th] day of November in the yere of oure Lord god one thousand sixe hundred and eighteene.

I Thomas Docton of Docton in the parish of Hartland in the Countie of Devon esquire beyng of perfect mynde and [‘memory’ crossed through] remembrance thankes be unto Almightie god, Doe make my last will and testament in manner and forme following, that is to say:

First I commend my soule to the hands of Almightie god my maker and Redeemer and my bodie to the earthe.

Also I give towards the reparation of the parish church of Hartland tenne poundes.
Also I give towards the reliefe of the poore of the same parish ten poundes.
Also I give towards the reliefe of the poor of the parish of Welcombe three poundes.
Also I give towards the reparation of the parish church of Welcombe three poundes.
Item: I give towards the reparation of the parish church of Wolfardisworthye three poundes.
Also I give towards the reliefe of the poore of the same parish three poundes.
Also I give towards the reparation of the parish church of Northam fyve poundes.
Also I give towards the reliefe of the poore of the same parish fyve pounds.
Also I give towards the reparation of the Channtrills Guilde Braunton fyve pounds.

Also I give and devise unto Alice my wife, all those my messuages lands tenements rents reversions services and hereditaments with th'appurtenances situate lying and beyng within the burough and feildes of Horton in the saied parish of Hartland: To have the same unto the said Alice my wife for and during the tearme of her naturall life.
And my will is that after the death of the sayed Alice my wife the saied messuages landes tenements rents reversions services and hereditam[en]ts with th'appurtenances shall wholly remayne and be, and I give and devise the same unto my kynnesman John Baggelhole and his heires for ever.

Also I give and devise to the sayed Alice my wife, all those my messuages landes tenements rents reversions services and hereditaments with th'appurtenances situate lying and beyng within the severall villages feildes and groundes of Stadden Bursdin [i.e. Bursdon] and Dipford in the sayed parish of Hartland. To have the same unto the sayed Alice my wife for and during the tyme of her naturall life.
And my will is that after the death of the saied Alice my wife, the said messuages lands tenements rents reversions services and hereditaments with th'appurtenances situate lying and beyng within the said severall villages feilds and grounds of Stodden [i.e. Staddon] Bursdon and Dipford, shall whollie remayne and be unto my Cosin Francis Rowe and his heires for ever.

Also I give and demise unto the sayed Alice my wife, all that my tenement with th'appurtenances in Galsham in the sayed parish of Hartland, nowe in the possession of Philipp Pytton widowe, togeather with the rents revertions and services of the same, and also all those lands tenements and hereditaments with th'appurtenances called Bellands lying and being within the feildes and grounds of Tosbery in the sayed parish of Hartland, and also the use and occupation of my lease and tearme of yeres of and in certaine landes and tenements in Tosbery aforesaid which I hould of the demise and grannte of John Tybb, to have the same unto the sayed Alice my wife for and during the tearme of her naturall life.
And after the death of the sayed Alice my wife, my will is that the sayed tenement with th'appurtenances in Galsh[a]m and the sayed landes tenements and hereditaments called Bellands shall wholly remayne and be unto my Coosen John Cooke of Ford and his heires for ever.
And my sayed lease and tearme of yeres in the saied landes and tenements in Tosberye aforesayed, which I hould of the demise and grannte of the sayed John Tibb I wholly give and devise unto the sayed John Cooke and his assignes for ever.

Also I give and devise unto the sayed Alice my wife, all my messuages landes tenements and hereditaments with th'appurtenances situate lying and beyng within the severall villages feilds and grounds of Filham [i.e. Philham] and Trelicke [i.e. Trelake] in the sayed parishe of Hartland, nowe in the possession of Henry Keine and John Bonerd or of either of them, togeather with the rents reversions and services of the same. To have the same unto the sayed Alice my wife for and during the tearme of her naturall life.
And after her death my will is that the sayed messuages landes tenements and hereditaments in Filham and Treelicke aforesayed with the rents reversions and services of the same shall whollir remayne and be, and I give and demise the same unto the saied Henry Keine and his heires for ever.

Also I give and devise unto my cosin William Docton, all those my messuages landes tenements and hereditaments with th'appurtenances called or knowne by the name of Crineham in the said parishe of Hartland, now in the possession of Honor Knapman widow her assignee or assignes, togeather with the rent revertion and services of the same. To have the same unto to sayed William Docton his heires and assignes for ever.

Also I give and devise unto the said Alice my wife, all those my messuages landes tenements rents reversions services and hereditaments with th'appurtenances situate lying and beyng within the parish of Braunton in the saied Countie of Devon. To have the same unto the sayed Alice my wife for and during the terme of her naturall life.
And after the death of the sayed Alice my wife, my will is that the said messuages landes tenements rents reversions services and hereditaments with th'appurtenances situate lying and beyng in Braunton aforesayd, shall whollie remayne and be, and I give and devise the same unto my kynnesman John Docton the elder and to his heires for ever.

Also I give and devise unto the saied Alice my wife, all that my mannor of Stoke with th'appurtenances, one tenement in Filham before in and by this my last will and testament given and devised unto the saied Alice my wife and the saied Henry Keine, being parcell of the saied mannor, and one other tenement called Cryneham before in and by this my last will and testament given and devised unto the saied William Docton (only excepted). To have the same unto the saied Alice my wife (except before excepted) for and during the tearme of her naturall life.
And after the death of the saied Alice my wife, my will is that the saied mannor of Stoke with the appurtenances (except before excepted) shall whollie remayne and be and I doe give and devise the same unto my kynnesman Thomas Docton of Wellisford and to his heires for ever.

Also I give and devise unto the sayed Alice my wife two closes of lande in Filham nowe in my possession. To have the same unto the saied Alice for and during the tearme of her naturall life. And after the death of the saied Alice my wife the saied two closes of land shall whollie remayne and be, and I give and devise the same unto the saied Henry Keine and to his heires for ever.

Also I give and devise unto the saied Alice my wife, all that my capitall messuage barton and demeasnes called Docton in the saied parishe of Hartland, all that tenement with the appurtenances called Dodworthie in the saied parish of Hartland, and also all those messuages lands tenements rents reversions services and hereditaments with th'appurtenances situate lying and beyng within the severall villages feildes and groundes of Milford, Trelicke, Heckworthie, Galsham, Filham, Tosbery, Wellyford, Southole, Whittlyes, Whitlye Moore and elsewhere within the saied parishe of Hartland not before in and by this my last will and testament given and devised. To have the same unto the sayed Alice my wife for and during the tearme of her natural life.
And after the death of the saied Alice my wife, my will is that the saied Capitall messuage, Barton and Demeasnes called Docton, the saied tenements with th'appurtenances called Thorry and Dodworthye, and also all the saied messuages landes tenements rents reversions farmes and hereditaments with th'appurtenances situate lying and beyng within the severall villages feildes and groundes of Milford, Trelicke, Heckworthie, Galsham, Filham, Tosbery, Wellisford, Southole, Whittleys and Whitlye Moore and elsewhere within the saied parishe of Hartland, not before in and by this my last will and testament given and devised, shall whollie remayne and be, and I give and devise the same unto my sayed kynnesman Thomas Docton and to his heires for ever.

Also I give and devise unto the sayed Alice my wife, all those my messuages landes tenements rents revertions services and hereditaments w[i]th the appurtenances situate lying and beyng within the severall parishes of Northam, Bediford and Abbotsham Parkeham, Wolfordsworthie, Welcombe, Inwardley, Ashwater and Palwell [Halwell?] in the sayed countie of Devon. To have the same unto the sayed Alice my wife, for and during the tearme of her naturall life.
And after the death of the saied Alice my wife, my will is that the said messuages landes tenements rents reversions services and hereditaments with th'appurtenances in the saied severall parishes of Northam, Bediford, Abbotsham, Parkham, Wolfardisworthie, Welcombe, Inwardlye, Ashwater and Halwall in the saied countie of Devon, shall whollie remayne and be, and I give and devise the same unto the saied Thomas Docton my kynnesman and to his heires for ever.

Also I give and bequeathe unto my servaunt George Hatherley tenne poundes.
Also I give to my servant Franncis Heard tenne pounds.
Also I give to my servant Christofer Tooker fortie shillings.
Also I give to my servant William Bantan fortie shillings.
Also I give to my servant David Reade fortie shillings.
Also I give to my servant Richard Pine fortie shillings.
Also I give to my servant Richard Jary twentie shillings.
Also I give to my servant Alice Rowe fortie shillings.
Also I give to my servant Margaret Barrett fortie shillings
Also I give to my servant Alice Cawche forie shillings.
Also I give to my servant Alice Hill fortie shillings.

The rest of all my goodes and chattells whatsoever, moveable and immoveable, I whollie give and bequeathe unto the said Alice my wife.

And I do make and ordayne the sayed Alice my wife, my whole and sole executor of this my last will and testament, and have published the same the daye and yere above written. And have hereunto put my hand and seale.

Dated the very day and yere above written.
In the presence of those whose names are underwritten.
Signed Thomas Docton predict[um].

This will conteyning three sheetes of paper was signed sealed and published in the presence of those witnesses underwritten the daye and yere above written.
John Vellye, Thomas Chelwill, Teste me, Nichao(las) Velley, Henry Brayley, Thomas Emery(?).

Probate granted at London, 6th March 1618/19.
Granted to Alice Docton, widow.

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N.B. There was a Sentence (a legal dispute over the will) registered on 1st June 1619, and various subsequent legal cases disputing the manner in which this Will was obtained. See:

PCC / PROB 11/133/604 – Sentence of Thomas Docton of Hartland, Devon
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D907936

STAC 8/119/11 – Docton v. Docton
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C5570684

C 2/JasI/S31/26 – Stapledon v. Atkins
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C5734241

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