Cook Will 1617

Will of Thomas Cooke

of Bearsted, Kent


Source: Archdeaconry Court of Canterbury, Canterbury Cathedral Archives PRC 17/57440
Submitted by Shelagh Mason
In the name of God Amen the nineteenth day of September Anno Dini 1615
I Thomas Cooke of Bersted (sic) in the Countye of Kente, Yeoman, being sicke in body but of a sound and perfect remembrance I prayse God therefore doe make this my laste will and testament in maner and forme following, vizt.
Firste I Commend my Soule to Allmyghtie God my maker trusteing through the merits deathe and passion of his sonne Jesus Christe my onely Savior and redeemer to enioye [enjoy] the good thinges aapoynted for his elect Children And I will my body to be buried in the churcheyarde of Bersted aforesaide

Item I doe Give and bequeathe unto my well beloved Wife Joane Cooke all the householde stuffe, goods, and chattells whatsoever wch [which] were hers that she brought unto mee and twoe other of my best kyne to be chosen and taken by her my saide wife, and all my Swines, and one Featherbedd and a Coverlett wch shee made since we were married and the use and possession dureing her life of my greate Caldron wch is nowe in the house I dwell at Bersted, my Sivler Bowle my best breasse potte, my biggest kettle, saveing one

Item I doe give unto her my saide Wife all my wheate and maulte that I have [at] Bersted and allsoe one quarter of my best wheate at Wormeshll, and one quarter of of my best maulte or barley there to be delivered to her at Bersted by my executrixe, and all my Corne, strawe, haye & woodd and tymber wch is felled and lyeth and remayneth uppon any of my lands in Bersted wch is nowe on my owne landes and occupacon
Item I doe give and bequeath more unto my sayde Wife tenn powndes of lawefull englishe money to be payde unto her wthin [within] three monthes next after my decease by my executrixe heerafter named

Item I do give and bequeath unto my daughter Alice the wife of John Thatcher five pownds of lawefull englishe money to be payde unto her wthin fower monthes next after my decease

Item I doe forgive and release unto my sonne in lawe John Hatche his lande of my daughter Jane the fowerscore pownds wch he standeth bounde unto me for his writeing obligatorie together wth the same writeing obligatorie and I doe forgive more unto hime nine pownds and tenne shillings wch lately I disbursed for him
And I doe give and bequeathe unto my sayde daughter Jane tenne shillings of lawfull enlishe money

Item I doe give and bequeathe to the poore inhitants [inhabitants] of the pishe of Wormeshill tenne shillings of lawefull englishe money to be payde and distributed amongst them by the discretion of my executrixe hereafter named wthin fower monthes next after my decease

And I doe give and bequeath unto the poore inhitanints [inhabitants] of the foresaide pishe of Bersted twentie shillings of like money to be payde and distributed amongste them wthin fower monthes next after my decease

Item I doe give and bequeath unto my Kinsman Marye Owen twentie shillings of lawefull englishe money to be payde unto her my my sayde executrixe wthin fower monthes next after my decease
Item I doe give and bequeath unto my Wife�s Brother in lawe George Foster for a remembrannce twentie shillings of like money to buy him a Ringe

The residue of all my goods and chattells whatsoever unbequeathed I doe give and bequeathe unto my daughter Elizabeth the wife of Robert Allen whome of this my p�sent Will I doe make and appoynte my sole executor and onely executrixe to thend that my sayed daughter Elizabeth and her sayed husbande Robarte Allen shall well & truely content and pay all and every my severall expences, debts and legacyes accordeing to my will and meaning heerin expressed

And as concerning my lands, tenements and hereditaments this is my last will, vizt.

Whereas I have heretofore by lawefull conveyance assured unto my sayd wife Joane Cooke dureing her naturall life all that my messauge of tenement in Bersted aforesaide where one Thomas Walter nowe dwelleth and the messuage or tenement in the same pishe wherein Evan Spicer ? nowe dwelleth together wth the said edifices, Gardens, orchards and lands belonging unto them and every or any of them as by the writeings thereof made it doethe appeere

Nowe my mynde and will is and I doe give and bequeath after the decease of my said Wife Joane Cooke ye sayde twoe messuages or tenements wth all and Singuler the edfices, Closes, gardens or yards and lands to them and everie or any of them belonging with the appurtenannces, to my foresaide daughter Alice the wife of the aforesaide John Thatcher and to her heyres for ever

Item I doe give and bequeathe all that my messuage or tenement in Berted aforesaide wth all and Singuler the edifices, Closes, gardens, orchards and lands to the same belongeing with the pptenannces [appurtenances] nowe in the occupacon of one William Craye? to my aforesaide daughter Elizabeth the wife of Robert Allen and to her heyres for ever

Item I doe give and bequeathe one peece or p�cell of medowe lande also lyeing in Bersted aforesaide wch I late purchased of the right honorable the Lorde Wootton to my saide well beloved wife Joane Cooke dureing her naturall life and after her decease I doe give and bequeath unto the sayde peece or p�cell of lande wth th�appurtenannces to my sayde daughter Elizabeth the wife of Robert Allen and to her heyres for ever

Item I doe give will and bequeathe all that my messuage or tenement in Huckinge in the foresaide Countye of Kent wth all and Singuler the edifices, Closes, gardens, orchards and landes to the sayde messuage or tenement belongeing nowe in the tenure or occupacon of [blank] Penyall wth all and Singuler thappurteanannces unto my daughter Jane wife of John Hatche and to her heyres for ever

And I doe make and appoynte my welbeloved friend Henry Coulter of Bersted Overseer of this my will

In Witness whereof I have hereunto put my hande and seale the daye and yeare first before written
The marke of Thomas Cooke

Sealed, subscribed and published in the p�sence of
Thomas Graye Thomas Turner his marke Henry Cowlter

Probatum fuit: 20th Novembris Anno Dini 1617.

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


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Will of Thomas Cooke
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