Will of Vincent Denne

of Wingham, Kent

Imprimis I give and bequeath to the poor people inhabiting within the Parish of Wingham aforesaid five pounds of good English money to be given and distributed amongst them within one month next after my decease at the discretion of my Executor and of the overseers for the poor there for the time being.
Item I give to Samuel ? Clerk to preach at my funeral the sum of five pounds of like good English money.
Item I give to Rowland Smeede who was sometime my old servant the sum of ten pounds of like money.
Item I give to every of my servants that shall be dwelling with me at the time of my death forty shillings apiece.
Item I give to my well beloved niece Thomasin Denne the sum of one hundred pounds of like good English money.
Item I give to Katherine, Briget and Marie Denne my other nieces and sisters to the said Thomasin to each of them the said Katherine, Briget and Marie fifty pounds apiece of like money to be paid unto them by my Executor within twelve months next after my decease.
Item I give to my nephew John Denne the sum of five pounds to buy him a ring in remembrance of me to be paid to him within one year after my decease by my Executor.
Item I give to my nephew John Osborne the son of Edward Osborne of Hartlip in the said County of Kent the sum of one hundred pounds of like money to be paid within one year next after my decease.
Item I give to Frances Osborne the daughter of Edward Osborne aforesaid the sum of fifty of like money to be paid by my Executor within one year after my decease.
Item I give unto Elizabeth Osborne, Elinor Osborne and Susan Osborne daughters of the said Edward Osborne to each of them fifty pounds apiece to be paid to them by my Executor at their several ages of eighteen years.
Item I give to my sister Marie Osborne wife of the said Edward Osborne one hundred pounds of like money to be paid by my Executor within one year next after my decease which hundred pounds my will and meaning is that she shall have to use and employ and bestow at her own pleasure.
Item I give to my niece Marie Chapman wife of Henry Chapman of the Parish of Molash in the County of Kent the sum of fifty pounds of like money to be paid by my Executor within one year and a half next after my decease unto her.
Item I give unto Sarah Osborne daughter of Richard Osborne of Ashford in the said County of Kent fifteen pounds of like money to be paid to her by my Executor when she shall come to the age of eighteen years.
Item I give unto James Osborne the son of Richard Osborne aforesaid the sum of ten pounds of like money to be paid to him by my Executor at his age of eighteen years.
Item I give to my cousin James Benchkin(?) forty shillings to buy him a ring to wear in remembrance of me to be paid to him within one year after my decease by my Executor.
Item I give to my loving sister Katherine Benchkin the sum of twenty pounds of like money to be paid unto her within one whole year after my decease by my Executor.
Item I give unto my nephew Thomas Coppin the sum of one hundred pounds to be paid to him by my Executor within one whole year next after my decease.
Item I give to my cousin Katherine Poridge(?) twenty shillings to make her a ring to wear in remembrance of me to be paid to her by my Executor within one year after my decease.
Item I give to my cousin Vincent Benchkin the sum of fifty pounds of like good English money to be paid to him by my Executor within one whole year next after my decease.

And my will and meaning is if any of my Legatees before named shall die before they shall or may by virtue of this my last Will and Testament have or receive his her or their legacy or legacies that the legacy or legacies of him her or them so dying shall remain and be to my Executor towards the payment of my debts and legacies. And concerning the disposition of all such my lands tenements hereditaments and leases which I intend to dispose of by these presents I give and devise them in manner and form following.

Item I give to my brother Thomas Denne the elder, Esquire all my lands tenements and hereditaments whatsoever situate lying and being in the Parish of Kingston in the said County of Kent to have and to hold them and every of them with their and every of their appertuances to him the said Thomas Denne my brother and to his heirs and assigns forever.
Item I give to my nephew Thomas Denne one farm and farm house with the barns stables, outhouses, edifices, buildings, courtyards, orchards, gardens and thirty four acres more or less of land arable pasture, meadow and moor with their and every of their appertuances in the village(?) of Deerson in the Parish of Preston in the said County of Kent now in the occupation of Thomas Andrew or of his assigns to have and to hold to him the said Thomas Denne his heirs executors administrators and assigns for ever.
Item I give and devise to Henry Oxenden aforenamed one stable by him built upon my land in Barham in the said County of Kent to have and to hold to him the said Henry his executors administrators and assigns from the day of my decease to the full end and term of thirty years from there ensuing fully to be ? yielding and paying to my said nephew Thomas Denne and his heirs the yearly rent of twelve pence at the Feast of St Michael the Archangel during the said term yearly to be paid the ? of which said shall be with the appertuances.

I give and devise to my said nephew Thomas Denne to have and to hold to him the said Thomas Denne my nephew and to his heirs and assigns forever yet further my will is that in the expiration of his years it shall and may be lawful for the said Henry Oxenden to remove and take away the same.
Item I give and devise to my said nephew Thomas Denne all that my dwelling house with one orchard and one acre of land more or less with their and every of their appertuances in Barham aforesaid partly in the occupation of Sir Basil Dixwell(?) Knight and of the said Henry Oxenden their assignee or assignees some or one of them and lately in the occupation of ? Phillis or of his assigns to have and to hold the said dwelling house and premises(?) here late before mentioned with the appertuances to him the said Thomas Denne my nephew and to his heirs and assigns forever.
Item I give and bequeath to my said nephew Thomas Denne all my rights, titles, interest, possession time and term of years claim and demand whatsoever which I have yet to come and unexpired which I may have or can have out of in and to thirty six acres and half an acre more or less of pasture or marshland lying in the Parish of Stourmouth in the said County of Kent now or late in the occupation of Thomas Hogben or of his assigns heretofore granted aliened bargained and sold to me by Solomon Huffam, Gentleman.

Item I will and devise that for the more certain payment of my debts and to the end(?) my said legacies hereinbefore bequeathed may be the better raised than my Executor hereafter mention sell to such person or persons as he shall think fit and to his and their heirs fee simple all my lands tenements and hereditaments whatsoever situate lying and being in Shirley Moor in the Parish of Woodchurch in the said County of Kent and also all those my lands tenements and hereditaments in the Parish of Fairfield and ? marsh and Romney Marsh in the said County of Kent provided always ? my said nephew Thomas Den shall suffer the profits(?) of his lands to be laid(?) and bestowed upon paying those my debts and legacies herein bequeathed with my moveable goods will not discharge them my will and meaning is that those lands tenements and hereditaments of mine in the Parishes of Fairfield and ? and Romney Marsh in the said County of Kent shall not be sold.

Item I will and bequeath to my nephew Thomas Den all my brewing vessels and beer vessels with all my linen woollen bedding brass pewter bedsteads plate and all other my household stuff whatsoever belonging to my mansion house Wenderton in the Parish of Wingham. Also my will and meaning is that if any of the household stuff aforesaid shall be thought benefit by my nephew Thomas Den and my niece Miss Thomasin Den his sister to be kept by reason of the danger of spoiling(?) they shall dispose of the same and sell it towards the payment of my debts and legacies.

Item I give unto my kinsman Edward Den at the sign of the White Hart Canterbury, Vintner forty shillings of good English money to be paid unto him by my Executor within twelve months after my decease to provide him a ring to wear in remembrance of me.
Item I appoint and ordain Henry Oxenden of Barham in the County of Kent, Gentleman my trusty and faithful friend the sole and only Executor of this my last Will and Testament and for the pains and care that I am confident he will take herein I give unto him fifty pounds.

Item if there be any part or portion of my lands not formerly given or bequeathed in this my last Will and Testament I do hereby give the same to my nephew Thomas Den and to his heirs for ever.
Item my will and mind is that my Executor shall render and give ? my nephew Thomas Den at his age of one and twenty years a true and just account of all such goods monies and household stuff as my said Executor shall at any time take ? trouble or ? in law concerning this my last Will and Testament my will and meaning is that he shall save himself harmless by making himself satisfied out of such monies and goods of mine as he shall gather into his hands also if my Executor shall hire out or sell this my mansion house of Wenderton to other person or persons my will and meaning is that he shall not be ? or ? ? upon any part or parcel of my land belonging to Wenderton aforesaid but it shall and may be lawful to and for the farmers of my tenants thereto to kill and destroy those conies.

This is the last Will and Testament of me Vincent Denne Gentleman. In witness whereof to this my last Will and Testament written in six sheets of paper to the first five thereof I have subscribed my name and to the sixth and last sheet whereof I have subscribed my name and also set my seal the eight and twentieth day of April Ano Domini 1642 and in the year of our Sovereign Lord Charles by the Grace of God of England Scotland France and Ireland, King Defender of the Faith etc the eighteenth being the day and year in the first sheet of this my last Will and Testament first before written. Sealed and delivered and declared to be the last Will and Testament of the said Vincent Denne, Gentleman in presence of
Henry Chapman, Petley Reyborne, Eliza Reynolds, William Mott.

A codicil written to the last Will and Testament of Vincent Denne of Wenderton in the Parish of Wingham in the County of Kent, Gentleman as followeth. Item ? ? I have given to my loving niece Miss Thomasin Denne one hundred pounds of good English money as by this my last will may appear now my will and mind is to give unto my said niece fifty pounds more of like good English money to be paid unto her within one year next after my decease by my Executor and I do ordain and make Overseers of this my last Will and Testament William Merriweather of Shepherdswell in the aforesaid county, Gentleman and Vincent Benchkin of Woodnesborough in the said County of Kent Gentleman. In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal. Vincent Denne Sealed delivered and declared to be a part of the last Will and Testament of the said Vincent Denne, Gentleman in the presence of
Petley Rayborne, Eliza Reynolds, William Mott.

Probatum in Latin 1642

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