Lake Will 1552

Will of Thomas Lake

of Smarden, Kent


Source: Archdeaconry Court of Canterbury, Canterbury Cathedral Archives PRC 16/14 L/1 or: PRC 17/29/102c
Submitted by Frances Lake
In the name of God Amen the iiijth [4th] day of Auguste in the yeare of our Lorde God [1552] and in the yere of the Raigne of our moste Souvraigne Lord Edward the sixte by the grace of God of England france & ynglande
I Thomas Lake of the p[ar]ishe of Smarden in the cownty of Kente beynge of good mynde & memorye (lawde and prayse unto allmightye God) ordaigne and make this my Laste will and Testamente in maner and forme followynge that is to saye
Fyrste and pryncypallye I comend my soull unto allmightye God my maker and Redemr [Redeemer] and my bodye to be buryed in the churche yard of Smarden aforesaid

Item I wyll a xxs [20 shillings] to be dystrybuted to moste needye & pore people at my buryenge by the discrecon of my executors after named
Item I will a seame of whe[a]te to be baked into? brede and distrybuted to the poor at my buryall and ay other [another] Seame to the same use at my monthistage [month after burial] and also ay other Seame of wheate to the same use at my monthesdng yeres day

Item I wyll to Joane my Wyffe viij keyn [cows] and a bulls man, viij ewes, a Ram, all my pullen [chickens], hoggs and geese and all my housholde Stuffe and provycon [provisions] for housholde stuffe that shalbe myne at the tyme of my decease together w[i]thall suche corne, grayn and hay as shalbe growynge or Lyenge uppon or wthin the grownde of the messuage I nowe dwell uppon at the tyme of my decease

Item I give to Osmond Lake and Stephen Lake to e[i]ther of them a ewe and a haiffer
Item I give to Thom[a]s Lake ij ewes
Item I give to the mendyng of the way behynd the p[ar]sonage a vjs [6 shillings]

The Resydewe of all my goods my debts and Legac[ie]s paid I give and bequeath to James Lake my Son whom I ordaigne and make my full and holl executor by this my Laste wyll

Thys ys the Laste Wyll, of me the forenamed Thomas Lake conrnynge [concerning] my Lands made the day and yere above wryten

Fyrste I will that Johane my wiff shall have all my messuage I nowe dwell in, garden and Lands to the same belongynge durynge the terme of her naturall Lyffe in as ample man[ne]r as I nowe hold the same
I wyll that the said Johane my Wyffe shalhave all my Land at Twysnode durynge her naturall Lyffe

And also I wyll that the wo[o]d growynge uppon the Land of Twysnode be equalye devyded betwene my said wyffe and James my Son when yt shall be felled and yt to be felled wthin iiij or v yeres after my decease And I wyll my Wyffe to see the sprynge saved

Item I give to Thoms Lake the Son of James Lake and to the hayers [heirs] males of the said Thomas Lake La[w]fully The house and Lands wthall and synguler thapprtenncs [the appurtenances] nowe in the tener [tenure] of Nicholas Skotte when he shall accomplishe th'age of xxiiijth [24] yeres in fee Symples
And yf it fortune the said Thomas Lake to dep[ar]te this world bef[o]re he com[e] to th'age of xxiiijth yeres as aforesaid and wthowt hayers males of his bodye Lafully begotten Then I will Osmond Lake shalhave the said messuage or beinge and Land? to him and to his hayres males Lafullye begotten in fee Symple athe age of xxiiijth yeres
And so in lyke condycon to the hayres males of the said James Lake my Sone yf yt fortune the said Osmond to depte wythowt hayers males

All the Resydewe of my house and Lands and ten[emen]ts excepte before bequeathed I give to the said James Lake my Son and to his hayeres in fee symple, Provyded allwaies and it is my very will mynde and my Intente that James my Son shalhave my worke house and all things therunto belongyinge as tente hardles ? water and grownde to Ley his wo[o]d withe free egresse and ingresse for him self and his assignes at all tymes savyinge my Wiffe allwaies harmeles therebye

And also I Wyll that and if my Wyffe do at any tyme hereafter Lette farme the said messuage or any p[ar]cell of Lands therunto belongynge then I will she shall lett the farme to James Lake my Son rather then to any man

Wytnes herunto Rychard Arundell and Roger Mathewe

Probatum fuit: 16th June 1552.

Transcribed by Shelagh Mason 7th May 2021


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Will of Thomas Lake
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