Cook Will 1689

Will of Martha Cooke

of Birchington, Kent

Source: Consistory Court of Canterbury, Canterbury Cathedral Archives PRC 32/55/389
Submitted by Shelagh Mason

In the name of God Amen I Martha Cooke of Birchington in the Isle of Thanet in the County of Kent Widow being weake in body but of sound and p�fect minde and memory praised be therefore given unto Allmighty God doe make my last will in manner following (that is to say)
First I comend my soule into the hands of Allmighty God hopeing through the meritts death and passion of my saviour Jesus Christ to have full and free pardon and forgiveness of all my sinnes and to inherit everlasting life And my body I comitt to the eath to be decently buryed at the discrecon of my Executor ereafter named And as touching the disposition of all such temporall estate as it hath pleased Allmighty God to bestow upon me I give and dispose thereof as followeth

First I will that my debts and funerall charges shall be paid and discharged
Item I will give and devise the house wherein I now live and lands thereunto belonging unto my three daughters Alice wife of John Mackney Martha the wife of Thomas Griggs Mary the wife of Valentine Garrett and unto my two Grandchildren Elizabeth Gray and Henry Gray in foure parts equally to be divided

And the rest and residue of my personall estate goods and chells [chattels] whatsoever I doe give and bequeath unto my sonn in lawe John Mackney [whom I do make] full and sole Executor of this my last will And I do hereby revoke all former wills by me heretofore made

In Witnes whereof I the said Martha Cooke to this my last will have sett my hand and seale this eleaventh day of January in the second yeare of the raigne of our Sovraigne Lord James the second now King of England & in the yeare of our Lord God 1686
Martha Cooke her marke

Signed sealed published pronounced and declared by the said Martha Cooke to be her last will and Testament in the presence of
William Devell - Stephen Mathew - William Garrett his marke Exd.

Probatum fuit: xxviij (28th) die decembris 1689

Notes:
Thomas Cooke was christened 25th Jun 1609, s. of William at Minster in Thanet.
31st Oct 1633 Thomas Cooke m. Martha Covell at Minster in Thanet.
Their children (all christened at All Saints, Birchington):
Those who died:
Alice 12 Oct 1635 (Bu: 8 Aug 1637); Robert 9 Jul 1637 (Bu: 12 Oct 1640); Elizabeth 13 Nov 1642 (Bu: 20 Sep 1663); Martha 25 Mar 1645 (Bu: 16 Apr 1650);
Those children who survived:
Jane 14 Feb 1647 (died before the Will was written); Alice 20 Sep 1649; Martha 2 Mar 1652; Mary 27 Jan 1655.

Jane Cook, Sp., 17, d. of Thomas Cook, Husbandman of Birchington married Henry Gray, 22, Joiner of Birchington at Monkton on 31 Dec 1663. She appears to be dead before 11th Jan 1687.
Alice Cook married John Mackney 4 Aug 1678 at Birchington;
Martha Cook married Thomas Griggs 23 Dec 1677 at Birchington;
Mary Cook, Sp. married Valentine Garrett, Ba., both of Birchington, at St. Andrew, Canterbury by Licence on 30 Apr 1685.

Thomas Cooke was buried at Birchington on 8th May 1670.
Martha Cooke was buried at Birchington on 5th February 1688/9.
Thomas Cooke, Weaver and Husband of Martha, left a Will: PRC 32/54/58 Birchington, Kent. Dated 20 Aug 1669 and Proved 26 Oct 1672.

Transcribed by Shelagh Mason 1st Feb 2019. All rights waived for personal use � BUT please quote source and reference.

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Will of Martha Cooke
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