Will of Robert Kempe

of Swalecliffe, Kent

Item I will to be bestowede at my buriall and at too other tymes in the yere at the [discretion] of my executors and overseers a iiijl xs [4 pounds 10 shillings] / that is to say /a xxxs [30 shillings] at every tyme

Item I bequethe to Thomas Roke my Sarvannte tene ewes and one kowe or xls in money at his choice to be delyvered wtin [within] one yere next after my decease

Item I will that Constences will and testamente be truly performed in all poynts And that the children of the said Constence viz Savander? and Thomasyne be ordered and well kepte By William my sonne untill they come to their sefull [several!] ages, he increasinge thereof the p�fite [profit] of the landes untill the same tyme

Item I bequethe to Helens my daughter twentye poundes to be paid within one yeare after my decease
Item I Bequithe to Joan and Alice my daughters to eche of them fourtye pownds to be payde unto them at the daye of theyr mariages or ells at their ages of xviij yeres
Provided that if any of my said daughters Joan and Alyce doo dye before theur said mariages or ages of xviij yeres that then the said legacyes one lyvynge to have the parte of her dyenge
And if both of them dye that then the said legacies of iiijl to remayne to my daughters then lyvyng equally to be devyded
And if all my daughters dye before the sayd tymes or ages That then I will the sayd iiijl to remeyne to my sones Thomas the younger and Wm. [William] my sonnes equally to be devyded emonge [amongst] them

Item I bequethe to the said Thomas my sone the younger and Wm. Kempe all such store cattell corne and stuffe as remeynethe wth John Sqwyere [Squire] as it apperithe by writtnge Indentd made betwixt the said Sqwire & me And they to recyve the same Store ymmediatly as it shall come from the said Swire By Exspiration of his lease or otherwise

Item I bequethe to Cecylye my wife all the interest and right that I have in the hearses [heirs] of Sr Nicholas and the mannor of Downebarton* with all things thereunto belonginge as the Leasses thereof make mention made from my Lorde of Cannterburie [Canterbury]
* Downbarton manor was in the parish of St. Nicholas at Wade.

And I give to her (his wife Cecylye) all the arrerages of the farme and rente behinde and unpayde remeynyng in the four mens handes or otherwise And that my Executors shall discharge the said Cecylye of the farme Delve to my Lord of Cannterbury

Item I bequethe to the said Cecylye three hundred Sheape and Lambes, iiij mares, iij geldinges there is wth Abraham, the second is the geldinge that she refisthe [refuseth?] to ryde on & the thirde is a Bane and also a carte and all thapparrell to the same for five horsses halfe my hoggis [pigs] of all sortes that I shal have at the tyme of me decesse to be delyverd to the said Cecylye or her assignes ymediatly after my decesse Provyed that the said Cecylye shall have pasturinge for the said sheape and Cattell freelye upon the grownde of Swalcif cowte [court?] for one yere By which tyme she shall also have income their natyalluy [naturally]

Item I bequethe to the said cecly (Cecylye) twentie quarters of wheate xxtie quarters of Barlye and x quarters of malte to be dd [delivered] unto her by my executors in conveyent tyme

Item I bequethe to the said Cecile (Cecylye) all such Bedestedelles beddinge chestes stuffe and cubbordes that was hers before the tyme of our mariage And also the iiij bedstedelles remeynyng at Owre [Oare?] And also the thirde parte of all my household stuffe Excepte only suche chestes bedestedelles and cubbords and the bedestedelle boughte of Mr. Perrye and also thother too partes of my housholde stuffe I give to Thomas the younger and William Kempe my sones equally betwixt them to be devyded

Item I give to the said Cecylye one girdill of Silver ennameled and also the Silver Salte and Spones that were hers at the tyme of our mariage
And all the residewe of my plate I give to Thomas the Younger and William my sones equally to be devyded betwixt them
Item I give to every of my godchildren a iijs iiijd a peece

Item I bequethe to Cecylie my wif twentie powndes in moneye which shall be delyvered unto her by my Executors ymmediatlye to buye twentye kyen of the whiche twentie I will tenn of them to be devyded emonge [amongst] her own childred when they come to yeres of discretion And I give to her the Boughte of Bridge

Item I give to Wm. Salter three quarters of whete and iij quarters of Barlye And I give him iij old ryalles which be alwodye [allowed?] delyvded

Item I will my Executors shall bestowe yerly upon my youngest daughter Alyce competente monney for her bringing up untill she come to thage of xviih yeres dymynishing [diminishing] in pte of her legacye before [given]

Item I bequethe to olde John Alee one quarter of wheate and one quarter of malte And I forgive him al rekenyngs [reckonings] and debtes And I will he shall have his wages from Michelmas hereto / That is to say / ijd a day

Item I gyve to eche of my maydens vis viijd a peace besides their wagies
Item I bequethe to W Cason a xs of the xxxs whiche he owethe for a mare which xxs I will he shall pay in too yeres next that is xs a yere

All the residue of my goodes catalles and debtes my legacyes Bequethes and this my last will and testament p�formed fulfilled and payd I will and bequethe them to Thomas the Younger and Wm Kempe my sonnes equally betwixt them to be devided Savinge that I give and bequethe to Thomas my eldest sone a blacke gowne furred with faynes? and a vit xiijs iiijd [�6 13 shillings and 4 pence] in monney to be payd and delyvered by myne Executors

And I make ordeyne and constitute to be myne Executors Myghell Cole of Hearne Thomas Cardey and Robert Ewell of Bromfild unto whom I give for their labors every fo them a xijd a say when theye travayle aboute thexecution of this my will and testamente

Also I ordeyne and make Thomas Perry and Thomas Perman to be myne Overseers unto whome I give a xls [40 shillings] a yeare lykewise willing them to sete and to call upon my Executors to p�forme and fulfill this my said will and testament And to take bondes of them for the execution thereof As it shall appere reasonable for the behoffe of my children unto whome I give charge that they follow the good advyses [advice] and counselle of my said Executors and overseers & of other their frends Besides

I will that William my sonne shall owe thoccupyenge [the occupying] of ye farme of Swalclif courte And also all the stocke and cattell bequethed to hyme and to Thomas the Younger his brother untill that the said Thomas come to thage of xxj yeres fyndyng repations & discharging the Lordes farme and Rentes And when the same Thomas comythe to thage of xxj yeres Then I will that thoccupeyenge of the saide farme duringe all the yeres rent in the lease and unexpired be had and holden equally to the said Thomas and William

And that the said William shall then delyver to Thomas his brother all the Store and Cattell geven unto him before by me for his portion in as good sorte and condytion as he the saide William received the same at his such Entrie Provided if the saide William dye before that the saide Thomas come to the said age of xxj yeres That then I will thole [the whole] occupyenge of the farme shall remeyne to the saide Thomas the Younger withe the saide portion of the goodes appoynted to the saide Thomas for his saide portion

Item I bequethe to Helman [daughter Helene?]a xxs in money to be dd [delivered] by myne Executors

This ys the laste will of me the said Robert Kempe made and declared the daye and yere above written As touching the disposying of all my landes and tentts [tenements] Rentes and Sarvices set lyeng and being as well wthin the pisshes of herne as als(o) wher [and elsewhere] wthin the countie of Kente

First I will grannte and give to Thomas Kempe my eldest sonne all my Landes and Tenements set lyeng and beynge at Studhill in the pishe of Herne aforesaide in the boroughe of Thorden which I late purchased of Hamonde Assee and Vyncente Assee [Essex?] And also one other tentte [tenement] that was late James Elicks set lyeing ad beinge in the pishe of herne aforesaide And in the saide boroughe of Thornden And also iij Acres whiche I late purchased of John Achurche my godsone in the same pish and boroughe And also all the Landes that I have boughte and purchased to the said tentts [tenements] To have and to hold to the said Thomas thelder hs heires and assignes for ever

Also I will give and grannte to William my sone and Thomas my younger sone all my Landes and tenttes [tenements] Rents and Sarvices set lyenge and beynge in the pishe of Sainte Nicholas atwade in thile [the Isle] of Thanet and in the Borough of Alhalloys [All Hallows?] And all my Landes and tenttes. lyenge & beynge in the pishe of Bucchingley in the Ile aforesaid And also all my Landes and tenttes. lyeng and beynge in the pishe of Chistlet also a pece of Land alled Ewell? in the pishe of Herne in thoccupyeng [the occupation] of oneyles Alse a nothr pece of Lande called Mays in the saide pishe of herne besides Bedles garden And also a nothr pece of Lande lyenge in the saide pise of herne in the boroughe of Beltenge late purchased of Pamplet lyeng by the landes of William Consaintte besides the hie waye Aso fyve acres in the saide parishe of herne and seven acres in the pishe of Reculver which I late purchased of William Consitante? To have and to holde all the saide Landes catells chatells and Sarvices with all and singular their apptnces [appurtenances] to William my sone and to Thomas the Younger sone their heires and assignes for ever equally betwyne them to be devyded

And if it fortyne the saide Willim and Thomas my youngest sone to decease havinge no yssue of their Bodies lawfully begotten Then I will all the saide Landes and tenetts. [tenements] Rentes and Sarvices with all their apptences [appurtenacnes] to remeyne to Thomas my eldest sone and to his heires males of his boye lawfully begotten for ever

And for lack of heires males of his bodye lawfully begotten Then I will my saide Landes tenetts. [tenements] Renttes and Sarvices with all their apptences [appurtenances] above granted and willed to William and Thomas Kempe the Younger shall hooly remeyne to my daughters and to the heyres of their bodyes lawfully begotten for ever That is to saye Helyne Margerye Johane and Alice my daughters equally betwixt them to be devided

Also I will that Wm. and Thomas my youngest sone shall not medle in any wise wth my lands or any pte thereof nether [neither] receive any farme of my saide Landes or the profitts thereof But shall permitte and suffer myne Executors quyetly [quietly] to receave and take upe the same towards the fulfillinge of the legaceis and paying of my debts untill suche tyme as the saide debtes and legaceis be fully satisfyed contented and paide accordinge to the forme and intente of my will (and) testamente
And I do give authorytie to my saide executors to make unto the farmers of my said Lands duringe the saide terme which acquittance by them made I will to be good and suffycente mye Law to all purposes

And if the said Wm. or Thomas the Younger do moleste veste or twble [trouble] my saide executors comi(nge) to the farme and tenor of this my saide will Then I will that all theabovesaid Lands and tentts. [tenements] Renttes and Sarvices with all the apptences [appurtenances] willed to the said William and Thomas my youngest sone shall remeyne to Thomas Kempe my eldest sone and to his heires males of his bodye lawfully begottyne And for lack of such yssue male I will them to remeyne to my foresaid daughters and their heires equally to be divided

Also I will that Thomas my youngest sone shall and yerely owte of my saide Lands and tenetts. [tenements] a vjl xiijs iiijd [�6 13s 4d] to be paide by myne executors untill suche tyme as my saide debtes Legaceis be fully satisfyed contented and paide And that myne executors doo soon? in the yere yelde accounntes of all theyre doyngs to my foresaide sonnes and Overseares

Also I give and grannte to Cecylye my wif her heires and assignes all such righte interest and possession as I have or by any meanes ought to have in ye grannte of one Annytie [Annuity] of xls [40 shillings] by the yere yssuinge oute of all the Lands and tenttes [tenements] of William Constainte set lyenge and beyng in the pishe of Reculver which said Annytie is grannted to me by one deade [deed] Indented dated the vth of November in the xxxviij yere of the Reigne of King Henry viijth [1536] as by the same deade [deed] it may appeare whiche saide annytie and Indenture Rents with the Interest of the xxl [�20] mentyoned in the said Indenture as is abovesaid I give to the said Cecylye and to her assignes

Also I will if the saide Ceyly doe vexe or troble any of my sonnes for the interest of the Landes before geven unto them Then I will that the before named leasses of Sr Nicholas and Dame Barton and also all the bequethes to her before grannted and willed shall remeyne to the aforenamyd Thomas Kempe the younger and William my sonnes equally to be divided amongst them

Fynally I doo by theis prttes [presents] revoke all former willes and testamentes by me before this tyme made or declared and do thereby admicholate? and make frustrate thm to all pmsyes [premises] and intentsOnly provydng this to be my laste will and testamente and allowinge every thinge conteyned in the same for my saide will and testament

In Wytnes whereof I have hereunto put my Seale the daye and yere above written In the p�sence [presence] of
Thomas Pertye - Aaron Brighte p�son [Parson] of Swalclif - William Mathas - John Asee - Willm. Achurche and Emersby

Probatum fuit: xj die Decembris Anno Dini [1549]

Notes: This Will predates parish registers for Swalecliffe by about 20 years.

Transcribed by Shelagh Mason 11th March 2019. All rights waived for personal use � BUT please quote source and reference.

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