Kemp Will 1542

Will of Thomas Kempe

of Stourmouth, Kent


Source: Archdeaconry Court of Canterbury, Canterbury Cathedral Archives PRC 17/23/21
Submitted by Shelagh Mason
In dei nomine Amen the xxiiijth daye of Maye in the yeare of our Lord God [1541] and in the xxxiijth yeare of the Raigne of our Sovraigne Lord Kinge Henry the viijth
I Thomas Kempe of Stouremouth in the Countie of Kent Yeoman beinge in good mynde and p�fecte [perfect] remembrance thanked be god ordeyne and make this my p�sent [present] last will in manr [manner] and forme folowing
First I bequeth my Soule unto Almightie god my creator and saviour beseching hym to take me to his mercye and also defying [deifying?] our blessed lady and all the holy compeny of heaven to pray for me that god may geve me grace that I may order myself to be uptaker of his opportunity? and one of his slect [select] children Also I will my bodie to be buried in the Churcheyard of Stouremouth aforesaid

Item I bequethe to the highe aulter there for my tithes forgotten or by me negligently witholden xxd
Also I will [the] same at the daye of my burying dirige and half a trenfall of masses At my monethes mynd dirige and tenne masses and at my yere mynde dirige and fyve masses
Also I will that myne executores distribute to poore people on my burying daye vs viijd in money at my monethes mynde so muche breade as can be made of two busshells of wheate And at my yeres mynd in like case

Item I will and bequethe to Elizabeth my wif my new house called Cheapesyde and the gardeyn p�teyning [pertaining] to the same which I bought of James Kenton and also vj Acres of arable Land which I bought of the said James which late were cutt and lying in Stouremouth forsaide for [the] terme of her lif
And after her decease I will the said House and before named Lands remyane to John Kempe my sonne [and] to his heires and assignes forever

Also I will that the said Elizabeth shall have for [the] terme of her lif ix acres of apasture called Hammes which I have by Lease of Mr. Hussye lyinge at Kebons? Gate she paying yearely for the same xviijs
And in case that she do not enioye the same then I will that she shall have fyve Acres of apasture which I have by Lease of the Cannons of Wingham during her lif
And I will that John Kempe my Executor do discharge his mother and pay for the terme of the same so longe as she dwelleth in Stouremouth

Item I bequethe to Elizabeth my said wif iiij keen and two cowbullocke of my best at hir choice and the gray gelding which she useth to ryde apon
Also I will that the said Elizabeth my wif shall have half my houshold stuffe [for the] terme of her lif
And after her decease I will that the same houshold stuff remayne to Pleasance my daughter and to her assignes for ever

Item I will that John Kempe my Executor delyver to Elizabeth his mother to save her land withall one quarter of seade wheate one quarter of seade Barley and syxe busshells of tares And the quarter of wheate and thre quarters of mate to fynde her while she may get her croppe
Item I bequethe to the said Elizabeth a sowe and two bacon hogges

Item I bequethe to the said Elizabeth and to Pleasannce my Daughter the one half of all my geese and pultrey [poultry] to be devyded betwen them
Item I geve to the said Elizabeth my wif the one half of all my new clothe so that she geve unto Pleasannce my daughter a petycote clothe

Item I bequethe to Clement Kempe my eldest sonne all the right interest & title which I have to any goods or cattals being at the present tyme at Barton where he dwelleth paying unto Richard Best sonne of Robert Best when he cometh unto Lawfull age as apperith [appeareth] in his Fatherw will a vjl xiijs iiijd [6 pounds 13 shillings and 4 pence]

Item I bequethe to the said Clement iiij keene two twelve monthing Feerce bullocks two young yearing horse two twelvemonthing calfes xx wethers xxx ewes a younge bay mayre and a balde maare stagge? of a yeare of age

Also I bequethe to Plesannce my Daughter two keene a fivemonthing horse colte and vil xiijs iiijd in money and a petycote clothe wth xxs in money to bye her a gowne

Item I bequethe to Besse Huffkins xls and a younge cowe to be paid at the tyme of her marriage
Item I bequethe to John Forman my boye a xij a youthing cowe bullocke
Item to Stephen Cobday and Nicholas my S�vannte eche of them an ewe sheepe
And to John Bygnell a busshell of barley
Item I will to John Hokes my s�vannt two ewes
And to Jueomyne and Johan Stryng eche of them a busshell of barley

Item to Thomas Huffkins? and unto Thomas Stonard and to Mary Stone my godcholdren eche of them a bussell [bushel] of barley
Item I geve to Robert Kempe my sonne Clement Kemps childe half a seame of barley and iiij ewes
And to Margarette Kemp his daughter ij busshells of barley and two ewes

The Residue of all my goods and cattals leases or my other thinges nott bequethed my Debtes and Legacces p�formed and paid I geve and bequeth to John Kempe my sonne which John I ordeyne and make my sole Executor of this my p�sent testmaent and last will
and Thomas Redfod to be myne Overseere and he to have for his labors and paynes in that behalf a xiijs iiijd

This is the Last Wyll of me the said Thomas Kempe declared and made the daye and yeare abovesaid
First of all my landes and tenements that I have in the p�isshes of Stourmouth Preston (next Wingham) or els where in the Countie of Kent

First I will that Clement Kempe my sonne shall have my tenement and gardeyn at Preston streate whiche Pleasannce Best nowe dwelleth in to him and his heyres and Assignes for ever

And I will that John Kempe my sonne shall have all the residue of my lands and tenet�s whiche I have in the forsaid peisshs [parishes] or ells where in the forsaid Countie of Kent to him his heires and assignes for ever

Witness hereof Willyin Stasted ps�t [priest] Thoms Husshing Joh Fisher and others

Notes:
Thomas Kempe was buried 29th August 1542 at All Saints, Stourmouth.
Pleasance Kempe married John Austen 21st Oct 1545 at Stourmouth.
John Kempe married Alce B...? 7th Feb 1568 at Stourmouth.
Clement Kempe was buried on 29th Nov 1558 at Ickham.

Transcribed by Shelagh Mason 31st Dec. 2018. All rights waived for personal use � BUT please quote source and reference.


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Will of Thomas Kempe
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