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In the name of God Amen: The fifth day of December in the
fourteenth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord Charles by the grace
God King of England, Scotland, France & Ireland defender of the faith
Anno Dm [In the year of Our Lord] 1636 I Richard
WARREN of Fordington in the County of Dorset Husbandman being in health and of good and perfect
memory thanks being to God considering my weak and frail state of being
and grown into age and Desirous to settle and dispose of that estate which
it hath pleased Almighty God for to give me in peace for the avoiding
of Controversies between my children after my death Do make and ordain
&Testament in manner & form following and First of all I commend my soul into the hands of Almighty God having in and through the merit and mediation of Jesus Christ his only Sonne and most blessed Lord Saviour to attain unto that eternal salvation of soul and body which he hath prepared for his event in Christ.
Item I give and bequeath towards the reparations of the Church of Fordington Six Shillings and eight pence.
Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Marie [Mary] BARTLETT wife of John BARTLETT the sum of six shillings & eight pence and no more in respect I have bought my copyhold tenement in Fordington for her life and she hath married without my consent. Item I give and bequeath unto John COX son of John COX of Bockhampton and of Elizabeth his wife one other of my daughters the sum of twenty pounds Item I give and bequeath unto William COX one other of the sons of the said John COX and Elizabeth his wife the sum of twenty pounds Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Johan wife of Edward SPRAGUE six shillings and eight pence and unto the children of the said Edward SPRAGUE and of Johan his wife which shall be living at the time of my decease the same of twenty shillings a piece Item I give and bequeath unto my godchildren William Swann, Richard COSENS and Christopher SAMPSON and unto Margaret WILLS daughter of Richard WILLS of Fordington the sum of twelve pence a piece. Item Upon condition that the said John BARTLETT and Marie [Mary] his wife my daughter do permit and suffer mine executors herein nominated and the survivor of them quietly and peaceably to hold and enjoy the copyhold tenement with the appurtenances in Fordington aforesaid wherein I now dwell and to take ye whole in profit thereof for the space of six months next after my decease. I give and bequeath unto my said daughter Marie [Mary] the sum of Ten Pounds to be paid unto her within 1 year next after my decease All the residue of my goods and chattels debts and credit whatsoever not being given & bequeathed I give and bequeath unto Eve my now wife and to the said Elizabeth COXE my daughter whom I make and ordain to be Executor of this my Last Will & Testament
PROBATUM: [The Probate entry is written in Latin and needs proper translation but Administration appears to have been granted in London by a Henry Martin to Elizabeth COX daughter of the deceased. The date of probate is given as 3rd May 1638 ] Genealogical Notes:- (1). Richard WARREN appears to have married Eve (surname unknown) in Fordington on 12 Oct 1591 (See very badly damaged marriage Register). Eve appears to be still alive in 1636 and probably died after 1639 when all the parish registers are missing.. (2). Marie Mary] BARTLETT was baptised as Marye WARREN in Fordington 16th Aug 1592 and married John BARTLETT in Fordington on 25th January 1634/5 - clearly without her fathers consent. (3). Elizabeth COX (nee WARREN) mentioned above would have been born circa 1594-1599 when baptism records have mainly not survived and already had children by this date. (4). Johan is short for the Latin Johanna or modern Joan and was also probably born circa 1594-1599. There is no trace a marriage between a Johane [Joan or Johanna] Warren and an Edward Sprague but certainly an Edward Sprague had at least three children in Fordington but at this date the mothers name is not given in the baptism registers: -
Johane Warren however did marry in Fordington on 15 Aug 1623 into the Sprague family, but this was to Ralph not Edward Sprague and she is known to have emigrated to Massachusetts - Ralph went on the Abigail in 1628 and his wife Johane nee Warren is likely to have followed on the Lyons Whelp in 1629. There is comment about this will in "The New England historical and Genealogical Register 1897 Volume 51 page 105 where it states:- "A curious mistake has been made here. Mr Warren's daughter Johan was the wife of Ralphe Sprague, not Edward as given above. But Ralph was a son of Edward Sprague, as we see from the latter's will given in my gleanings for April 1895 (Reg vol 49 page 264). The names of father and son seem to have been confounded. From Lechford's Note Book (pp 36-38 as printed) we learn that Ralfe Sprague, sometime of Fordington , Dorset, fuller, afterwards of Charlestown N.E., planter and his wife Joane daughter of Richard Warren sent power of attorney (8-9-1638) to Mr William Derby of Dorchester (England) gentleman to demand and receive such portions as might come to them from Warrens estate and remit the same through Sprague's sister Alice Eames at Pomberry Hill near Dorchester. A letter was sent the same day by Ralfe Sprague to his sister Alice about the matter. In August 1640 (Lechford p 301) Ralfe Sprague and his wife Joane made John Holland of Tinckleton, Dorset fuller an attorney to receive of John Cox of Bowlington and Elizabeth his wife executors of Richard Warren deceased, seven pounds given by his will to the said Joane and her children John, Jonathan, Richard, Samuel, Mary and Phineas, or any other sum due unto them. ---For the reference to the foregoing will I am indebted to Mr. F,J. Pope, who kindly assisted me about the Cole wills in the October number of the Register for 1895 H.F.W. --- See in the Register for July 1850 page 289 a letter to Ralfe Sprague from John Corbin dated March 25, 1651. Corbin calls himself a 'father in law' to Sprague" (5). There is evidence of other children being born to Richard & Eve WARREN:- Editha was baptised 2 July 1605 and buried 29 Oct 1625. Christian was buried 8 July 1626 (6). William JOLIFFE was a wealthy draper living in Dorchester, he was appointed treasurer of the restoration fund after the Fire which occurred in Dorchester on 30th Jan 1623 . (7). John Holland of Tincleton married Alice Eames nee Sprague 20 Dec 1638 (8). William Derby was Town Clerk of Dorchester 1629-1648 and one of the investors in the Dorchester Company |