Will of John Gibbs

of Worth, Kent

Item I will and bequeath unto the Churchwardens to the use of the p[ar]ishe Churche of Woorde six shillings eight pence
And to the poore people of the same pishe tenn shillings to be distributed to them on the day of my buryall by the advice and knowledge of my Overseers or one of them
Item I will and bequeath unto the vicar of the Parishe yf hee preach at my buryall sixe shillinges and eight pence

Item I will and bequeath unto Stephen Stevenson my servannt Fortie shillings to be paid to him at the adge of twentie and one yeres yf he be then alive to Receave the same
Item I will and bequeath unto Thomas Dodd my Servannt one twoe-yearinge Ewe sheepe
Item I will and bequeath unto John Gibbs of Woodnesborough a bushell of wheate
Item I will and bequeath to every my maidservannts two shillings a peece

Item I will and bequeath all that my lease and terme of yeres yet to Come of that my dwellinge howse and lands to the same in manner and form followinge, viz.
The usadge and occupacione of the same unto Elizabeth my wife for and untill the Feaste of St. Michaell Th'archangell next after that my sonne Richard shall and doe Come to be of the adge of twentie and two yeres
And yf it shall soe happen that my said sonne Richard to decease before the said appointed terme or feaste of St. Michaell Then I will that my said wife shall enjoye and hould the usadge and profitt of the said premisses untill my sonne Awsten doe and shall accomplishe the adge of two and twentie yeres and untill the Feaste of St. Michaell Tharchangell then next after the said Awsten shalbe of the said adge of two and twentie yeres

And then after the Accomplishmente of the said yeres I will & bequeathe all that my lease and terme of yeres yet to come and the Intreste and Right thereof to be had to my sonn Richard .... Channce to decease before the Foresaid terme that hee should come to have the same Then I will & bequeath all the said lease and terme of yeres yett to come unto my said sonne Awsten and his Assignes for ever soe that allwaies Provided that my said wife shall and maye have and enjoye to her and her assignes all the foresaid terme to her before Assigned

The Residue of all mye goods Chattells and Cattells my debts beinge paide & my legacies p'formed, I will and bequeath that if it shall after apprisement made be devided and consired into twoe partes
And then the one parte thereof I will and bequeath unto my three Children, vizt. Richard, Awsten and Elizabeth equallye emonge and betweene them portione and portione like to be paid to them as they shall come and be of the adge of twentie and one yeres and the one of them to be the others heire

Item my will and mynde is that yf my daughter Elizabeth do chaunce to be marryed before the adge of One and twentie yeres that then she shall have that porcione wch to her belongethe
Item I will and bequeath that my wife shall keepe breed up and mayntaine my said three Children of Cause them to be kepte bread upp and maynteyned untill they shall accomplishe the tyme that they should have Receyved theire portiones

And Further I will and desire that after my decease for the equall aprisement of my moveable goods That my good Mr. Edward Peake Esquier, William Falkner, John Robens thelder, John Paramore, Mathewe Stoddered and John Robens the younger, or so many of them as at this my Request shall come to be praysers [appraisers] of my said moveable goods to be praysed of the same

Item I will and bequeath that after my decease my foresaid wife before that shall or doe Chandge her Estate to matche and marry Againe That then she shall putt in bonde by Sureties such as shalbe thoughte meete and Fitt unto my Overseers or their assignes for the full parformance of this my last will and testament
Whereof this my laste will and testament I doe make and ordaine Elizabeth my said wife to be my Sole Executrixe prayeinge her to see my debts paide and my legacies p'formed

Allsoe I desire my good Master Edward Peake Esquier and Robert Broue? of Eastry, yeoman to be the Overseers of this my last will and testament And I will unto them & either of them for their labor and goodwill twentie shillings and their severall Chardges and expences to be borne by my Executrixe when and where they or any of them shall travell aboute any busines of this my last will & testament

Item I will bequeath and my mynde is that if mye said wife doe chance to marry before that she have putt in such bonde to my Overseers as is before Refuted, Then I will that she shall loose the whole benyfitt of this my last will and Testament And then my Overseers to enter as my Executors and they to p[er]forme this my laste will and testamente

This is the laste will of mee the said John Gibbs made and declared the daye and yere Firste aforesaid Conserninge the disposeinge of all my lands and tenements viz

First I will and bequeath unto Richard my sonne all that my lands in the pishe of Woodnesborough Called and knownen by the name of of Ashhill now in the Occupacion of my brother Stephen Gibbs or his Assignes wthall the Evidences to the same belonginge to be had to him my said sonne Richard and his heires forever

Item I will and bequeath unto my sonne Awsten all that my said lands and tenements in Woorde [Worth] now in the occupatione of John Underdowne and one ........... Brice? wthall the writings and Evidence to the same to be had to him my said sonne Awsten and his heires forever

And neverthelesse I will and bequeath unto Elizabeth my wife all the governannce usadge & profitt of all that my lands and tenements above willed untill that my said sonnes Richard and Awsten shall severally come and be of the adge of one and Twentie yeres soe that my said wife doe from time to tyme keepe Reparations and paye the lords rents And allsoe if that shee my said wife soe longe shall live

Witnes hereof: Cornelius Barbar; Nicholas Mossorede and Robt. Grove

Probatum fuit: 5th November 1599 - to Elizabeth Gibbs

That the Sentence and allegacione Remayneth wth the Origninall will in the File of Originall will sp. Annis 1597, 1598, 1599 & 1600.

It appears a decision may have been made, as Postsea [afterwards] on Vicesimo sexto die mensis Februarij Anno dini 1599 [26th February 1599/60] it was settled.

Transcribed by Mrs. Shelagh A. Mason, 12th May 2023

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