Will of William Cooke

of Smarden, Kent

In the name of God Amen the third daie of September in the 36th yeare of the raigne of our Soveraigne Lady Elizabeth by the grace of God Queene of Ingland France and Irland defender of the fayth etc.
I William Cooke of the parishe of Smarden in the County of Kent yoman being of good and p�fect remembrance doe mak this my last will and testament in maner and forme following
First I bequeath my soule unto almightie god trustng to be saved by the death meritts and passion of our Lord an savior Jesus Christ, and my body to be buryed in the Church yarde of Smarden aforesaid where yt shall please god to call me

First I will and bequeath to John Cooke my son the two tables which stand in the halle and kytchen in the howse which I now dwell in with the formes tressels and benches thereunto belonging Also I will and bequeath to the said John Cooke my sonne the cheese wringe? with standes in the kytchen
Item I will to the said John two bedstedees standing in the hole?
Item I will to the said John my other bedsteade standing in the chamber together with the calbard? which standeth in the p�rlour

I will and bequeath unto Steeven Cooke my sonn an cowe which he nowe hath in his owne keeping with all movable goods and cattells whatsoever which he hath of hym in his owne custodye Also I will to the said Steeven Cooke my oats which grow in the p�ishe of Leathersden [Bethersden]
Item I give to the siad Steeven my bedd with the bolster and coverlytt which I nowe lye uppon also I will and bequeath to him my mare and my carte with the wheeles thereunto belonging

Item I will to Lawrence Cooke my sonn fower bushells of wheate to be delivered unto him by myne executors within six weeks next after my decease
Item I will unto the said Lawrence Cooke an heyfer whch he nowe hath in his own custody and an bedd and a cauldron with a tryvett

Item my will is yt John Cooke my sonn shall suffer the said Lawrence Cooke to have his dwelling freely in ye howse which I now dwell in and the keeping of a hey for wyntre and sommer an whole yeare after the daie thereof And I will and bequeath unto him half the corne which now groweth in a peece of ground called Calis

Item I will and bequeath unto Wylmin my daughter and to Marie and William Iatte [or Jatte] to every of them an kowe? to be delevered to within an monthes after my decease

Item I will to my daughter Alice six bushells of wheate to be delevered to her within six weeks after Michaelmas next coming Also I will to my said daughter Alice an cowe which I nowe have in myne owne keeping and an heyfer in the keeping of my sonn John Cooke uppon condicon yt her now husband and hee and their assignes bring upp in honest sorte Elizabeth Phelpott the daughter of Edward Phelpott untill she com to her age of sixteen yeares

Item I will unto Elizabeth Suesmith? my goddaughter one Ewe to be deliverd her within on month after my decease
Item I will my daughter Amy forty pence of money to be paid to her within an month after my decease

Item I will and bequeath unto my daughter Margarett six bushells of wheate to be delevered to her within an month next after my decease
Item I will to the said Margarett thother halfe of the corne nowe groweing on thaforesaid peece of land called Calis

Item my will and mynde is yt John Cooke my sonn shall p�mitt and suffer my sonn in Lawe Wilm borin and his now wife to dwell in the howse which I nowe dwell in and to have keeping for a syster Wynter and sonn freely without paying anything therfore untill Michaelmas next come twelve months

the residue of all my movable goods and chattells, my deabts payd and leagacys p�formed and payd I will unto John Cooke and Steeven Cooke my sonns whome I make and ordeyne my executors of this my last will and testament, revoking all other wills and testaments before this tyme made of my movable goods

p�nouncing and declaring this to be my last will and testament, and the said John and Steeven Cooke myne executors these being Witnesses
William Harrenden +
Richard Nashe +
William Walters

This is the last will and testament of me the forsaid William Cooke made the xxi daie of August in the six and thirteth yeare of the raigne of our Soveraigne Lady Queene Elizabeth of all my Lands and tenements within the parish of Smarden and Bethersden or elsewheare within the county of Kent

First I will to John Cooke my eldest sonn my principall Mansion House which I now dwell in with all the Lands thereunto belonging with their a�ppurtenances lying upp[on] the denn of Lheitherst contayning by estimacon ten acres of Land and be yt more or less, to have and to holde the same to him and to his heyres for ever

Item I will to Steeven Cooke my sonn all my lands and woodland lying within the parish of Leathersden [Bethersden] upp[on] the den of Terenden, to have and to holde the same to him and to his heyres and assignes for ever Also I will unto Steeven Cooke my sonn an fielde called calis lying in the p�ishe of Samrden upp[on] the denn of Tappenden to be had to him and to his heyres for ever uppon condicon yt the said Steeven Cooke or his heyres or assignes shall pay to Lawrence Cooke my sonn Ten pounds of lawfull money of Ingland within an yeare next after my decease

Item I will to Lawrence Cooke my sonn an Messuage or tenement which Richard Nashe now dwelleth in with theire app�tencys lying in the p�ishe of Smarden uppon the den of Westbuleringe ? to be had to him and his heyres and assignes for ever

In Witness whereof to his my p�sent last will and testament I have put to my Marke and Seale the day and yeare first above written

Probatum fuit 27o October 1594

Notes: Some children found in Smarden (where c = christening):
Lawrence Coke c. 29 Sep 1566
Margaret Coke c. 13 Feb 1568
Steaven Coke c. 29 Jan 1572
Lawrence Coke (Cooke) had children in Smarden:
8th May 1606 William
25th Oct 1608 Thomas

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