Baker Will 1605

Will of Mihell Baker

of Staple, Kent


Source: Consistory Court of Canterbury, Canterbury Cathedral Archives, original will PRC 31/50 B/1
Submitted by Shelagh Mason
In the name of God Amen The sixteenth [sixteenth] days of August One thousand sixe hundred and Five
I Mihell Baker of the pish [parish] of staple in the Countie of Kent Yeoman beinge sicke in bodye but of good and p�fect [perfect] Remembrance (I thanke God) doe make and ordaine this my last will and testament in manner followinge
Firste I give and bequeath into the handes of Allmightie God my Soule And my Bodye to be buryed in the church yard of Staple aforesaid there to rest in a peaceable sleepe tyll the daye of the Resurrection of all thinges when I surelye beleeve that this corruotible body shalbe united againe unto my Soule and for ever be thanked with incorruption and glory, and perpetually enioye [enjoy] the function of Gods presence, etc.

Item I give unto the poore people of Staple xs [10 shillings]
Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Alice Steady tenn pounds to be payd her within the space of one yeere after my decease
Item I give my sonne Willia [William] Baker the sume of twenty shillings

Item I give unto his iiij children videt Mary, Alice, Joane & Elizabeth (and their heyres) towards their maintenannce, eight ackers [acres] of ground, whereof five ackers & a halfe lyeth in Staple field called Bockland, and the other two ackers & a halfe lyeth in Windsborow* parish, bownding upon Hamons Courte by easte, Richard Neame & Richard Marshe bownd upon the South And John Dale upon the North
* The only �Windsborough� I have found, is in the Tunbridge area of Kent � many, many miles away.

Item my will & mynd is that my sone William Baker shall have nothing to do with the afforesayd land
But my will ys that Joh Turvy shall have the occupacon of the sayd lands to the behoofe & p�fitt [behoof and profit] of the forenamed children & towards their maintenance, and the same p�fitts to be putt in my parne? & equally devided disposed & shared amongst them

And if it happen that any of the forenamed Sisters to dye before they be of the age of eighteene yeares (or marryed having no issue behinde them) That then the longest Survyvor [Survivor] to enioye the others parte, to be equally shared amongst them

Also my will ys, that when any of them come to the age of eighteene yeeres they shall have the occupacon of their ij acers [acres] of ground severally them selves, but not tyll eache of them come to that age, shall they be possesssed thereof

Item I give unto Elizabeth Boyce my daughters daughter the somme of five pounds to be payd her at the age of eighteene yeeres Also I give unto her a litle square table, in my bedchamber

Item I give and bequeath unto my wife Adery Baker [Adrian � see notes at end] yerely during her lyfe two seames of wheat & two seames of Barly sweete good and the some [sum] of iijl [�3] of lawfull english mony to be payde her quarterly by even p�portions [proportions]
Item I give her also all my housholde stuffe whatsoever Also I give her one Cowe

Item I give and bequeath unto my sonne John Baker my mare & coulte Also I give him this house with all the rest of my houses & barne Also I give him his heirs & assignes all my lands not before bequeathed to the value of sixteeme ackers [acres] more or lesse

Those my bequethes accomplished all the rest of my goods wherewith the Lord hath given me I doe give unto my sonne James Baker whom I ordaine my Sole Executor of this my laste will & testament

Also I apoint my sonne-in-lawe Thomas Steady my Overseer of this my testament & I give him for his labors ijs
Sealed, subscribed & delivered to the use of my executr [executor] In the psence [presence] of
Bar : Pownott & others Simon Baxe

Probatum fuit: Quinto dei Septembris 1605.

Notes:
Mihell (Mchill) Baker was buried at St. James the Great, Staple on 15th May 1605.
Michael Baker married Adrian Keyes 20th November 1561 at St. Giles, Kingston (next Barham).
Daughter Alice Baker was christened at Kingston on 21st March 1562.
Alice Baker married Thomas Stoneday (actually Steady) on 19th October 1585 at Staple.
Son William Baker married Mary Wells on 9th October 1599 at St. James, Staple.

Transcribed by Shelagh Mason 18th October 2019. All rights waived for personal use � BUT please quote source and reference.


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Will of Mihell Baker
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