Jarvis Will 1558

Will of John Gervice

of Tenterden, Kent


Source: Archdeaconry Court of Canterbury, Canterbury Cathedral Archives PRC 17/33/12
Submitted by Kevin Robards
In the name of God Amen the xith Daye of Maye in the Yere of oure lorde Jhu Chryste one thowsande fyve hundreth fyftie and eighte, And in the fourthe and fyfte yeares of the reignes of oure Sovereigne lorde and ladye Phillipp and Marye by the grace of God Kinge and Queene of Englande Spagne Frannce bothe the Sicills, Jrlm [Jerusalem] and Ireland, Defendors of the faythe, Archdukes of Austria &c.
I John Gervyce of Tenterden in the countie of Kente husbandman being sicke in Body and in good and parfytt [perfect] memorye, lawded be God, doo ordayne and make this my presente laste wyll and testamente in manner and forme folowinge wherein
Firste I comende my soule to allmightie God my creator and redemer and my Bodye to be buryed in the churcheyerde of the parryshe churche of Tenterden afforesaied

Item I geve and bequethe unto the saied churche iiijd to be payde unto the churche wardens to th'use of the same churche wythin one monethe nexte after my decease
Item I wyll there shalbe spente and bestowed at my oute buryenge in dedes of charytie and otherwise for devyne service tenne shillings And also at my monethes daye sixe shillinges and eighte pence

Item I gyve and bequethe unto Margaret Gervyce my daughter one fetherbedde wythe the bolster, ij pillowes, ij blankettes, ij payer of shetes, one coverlett, ij platters and iij pewter dishes to be Delyvered unto her at her age of twentie twoo yeres or at her daye of marriage yf she marrye before that her sayde age
And allso I gyve and bequethe unto the sayde Margarett my daughter sixe pounde thirtene shillinges and foure pence of good and lawfull money of Englande to be payed unto the sayde Margarett my Daughter at her age of twentye twoo yeres or at the daye of her marriage if she mary before that her saied age
Item also I geve and bequethe unto the sayed Margarett my doughter one Stephenett of Brasse to be delyvered as afforesayde

Item I geve and bequethe unto Alice Gervyce my Doughter three poundes sixe shillinges and eighte pence of good and lawfull money of Englande to be payed unto her at her daye of marriage and yf she marry not I wyll that she shall have oute of all my landes after the decease of Jone my wyfe twentie shillinges yerelye durynge the terme of her naturall lief to be payde quarterly towardes her keapinge and fyndinge
And for defaulte of paymente thereof by the space of three dayes that then she to destrayne in all my sayed landes for the same and the distresses there soo taken lafullye to leade Dryve and carrye away and towardes her to wythhoulde untill of the sayed yerelie rente wythe the arrerage (yf anny) be to her fullie satysfyed contented and payd
And also I geve and bequethe unto the sayde Alice my doughter one flockebed wythe A bolster, A blankett, a coverlett and ij shetes to be delvred unto her Imedyatelie after the decease of the sayed Jone my wife

Item I geve and bequethe unto Richard Gervyce my sonne Fyve pound of good and lawfull money of Englande to be Delyvered unto hym at his age of xxvtie [25] yeres in money or in money worthe as the sayde Jone my wife and he shall agree

And yf yt fotune annye of my sayed childrine Margarett, Alice and Richarde to decease and die before their sayed ages and tymes before appoynted That then I will that her or his parte that so dyethe shall remayne to my doughters chiildren that be then on lyve equallie betwene them to be devided

Item I will and bequethe to Marye Bennett the doughter of John Bennett of Warehorne the some of Foure m[a]rks of good and lawfull money of Englande to be payde unto her wythin twoo yeres nexte after the decease of the sayde Jone my wife
And also I wyll and bequethe unto Jaymes Whyte the sonne of Edwarde Whyte and to Thomasyne Whyte his brother (sister?) to everye of them twentie shillinges to be delyvered as folowythe, thatt ys to saye
Unto Jaymes his xxs wythin one yeare nexte after the decease of the sayde Jone my wyfe and the xxs to Thomasyne wythin iij years nexte after the decease of the sayde Jone my wyfe All whiche sayde three somes to ryse out of my lands and to be payde by my sayde sonne Rychard Gervys

Item I wyll and bequethe to Agnes Whyte mye doughter one lawfull cowe to be delyvered unto her wythin one quarter of a yere nexte after my decease

And all the resydue of all my other moveable gooddes and chattells not before wylled not bequethed my debtes firste parformed and payed I geve and bequethe unto the sayed Jone my wyfe whome I ordayne and male my soole executrixe of this my p[rese]nte laste wyll and testament
And I ordayne to be myne overseers George Maplysden, Willm Beselde and Wyllm Ledes

This is the laste will of me the sayed John Garvyce of all my landes and ten[emen]ts made and declayred the daye and yeres afforesayd as herenafter folowythe

Item I wyll geve and bequeth unto Rycharde Geryce my sonne all that my messuages landes and tennements wythe all and singuler thappurtenncs [the appurtenances] whatsoever they be sett lienge and beinge in the parryshe of tenterden wells wherein the countye of Kente To have and to holde all and singuler the sayed messuages landes and tennementes wythe all and singuler thappurtenncs to the sayed Rychard and to the heires of his bopdye lawfullye begotten

And for defaulte of suche heires then I wyll yt shall remayne to Thoms Wyte his brother and to the heires of his bodye lawfully begotten
And for defaulte of suche heires yt to remayne to the nexte heires of me the said John Gervyce

And also I wyll that the sayed Richarde my sonne shall take the proffytts of all my saied landes and tennements at his age of twentyy fyve yeres and in no wyse before and untyll his sayed age of twentye fyve yeres, the sayed Jone my wyfe to take and receyve the proffyttes of all my sayde lands and tennementes for the parformance of this my laste wyll and testamente and towardes the keapinge of my sayed childerne

And after that my saied sonne comethe unto his age of xxv yeres I will that the sayed Jone my wyfe shall have durynge the terme of her naturall liefe Fortie shillinges of good and usuall money of Englade oute of all my landes and tentes quarterlye to be payed by even porcyons
And for defaulte of paymente at annye tyme by the space of vj dayes that then she and her assignes to enter & dystreigne [distrain] in everye parte and parcell thereof and the distresses there soo taken Lyefullye to leade dryve and carrye awaye and towardes her to wthholde untyll she be payed of the sayed yerelie rentes wythe the arrerages

And alsoe I wyll and bequethe unto the saied Jone my wyfe Durynge the terme of her naturall lyfe the lyttell parlor in the howse that I nowe dwell in at her comanndemente wythe free egresse and regresse wythe fyre and flett in the hall or kytchen and to laye on woodde when she lyste to make her a Fyre wythe free egresse and regresse into the garden and to the pytt for water wyth other comodytties for her neccessarye busynes

Beynge wytnes at theis p[rese]ntes
George Maplysden; Wyllm Besselde and William Ledes and others

Probatum fuit: 21st July 1558

Notes:
John Gervis was buried at St. Mildred, Tenterden, Kent on 15 May 1558:
Margaret Gervasse, d. of John, was buried at Tenterden 5 Feb 1564/65:
Son Richard Jarvis married 1 Dec 1573 to Margaret Burre at Tenterden.

Transcribed by Mrs. Shelagh A. Mason, 1st August 2023


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Will of John Gervice
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