Underdown Will 1484

Will of Nicholas Underdown

of Thanet St. Peter, Kent


Source: Consistory Court of Canterbury PRC 32/3/17
Submitted by Shelagh Mason
Warning: Part of this will uses words or abbreviations that are not recognised but have been left “as is” for clarity.
The first part of this Will is (typically of a Will dated 1484) in Latin and therefore not transcribed.

This is the last Will of me the said Nicholas Underdown made the the xxiijth day [23rd] of Septembyr the Reynge of Kyng Richard the thirde after the conquest of Ingland the second yere of all my landes tenements and well wt [with] alle thapprtenncs [the appurtenances] in which John Sakett Symon Cokelyn Nicholas Caston Junr. and Sr. Symon Norwode by me be infeoffed [enfeoffed]

First I will that my said feoffes shall suffer Dionise my Wiff to occupye and to have all my lands tenementes and asalle [as all] wt thapptenncs till and to the tyme that Nicholas my sonn comyth to the age of xxj [21] yere and Richard my sonn comyth to the age of xvj [16] yere under this condicon

that Dionise my wiff a none [nun] after my decease support iij or iij honest men and all his landes and tenements lyghyng [lying] and beyng in the pish [parish] of Seynt lawrence in the forseid Ile [Ilse of Thanet] to the vayle and pfil [value and profit] of the said Nicholas & Richard her Children and may after the decease of the said Denyse my Wiff Neverthelesse I will that the said Denyse my Wiff shall devide the said landes & tenements to Nicholas and Richard eyers [Heirs] Children after heyr awyn pper [her own proper] Will thei to have all the seid landes and tenements to them to the eyers [heirs] and ther assignes for evermore

And eny hem towe [And if any of them to] dye wtin [within] ther age and wtout [without] eny eyers [any heirs] of ther bodys lawfully begotyn Whan the seid Denyse my Wiffe to do wt hir seid [her said] landes and tenements as it plese hir [please her] best And if the seid Denyse my Wiff will not so doo than I will that she shall have nomore than the pfytt of halfe my landes and tenements and ayells as longe as she? us my Wedois [as long as she remain my Widow]

Also I will that Denyse my Wiff nor no may use hir name shall not Strepe nor Wast nor Sell no trees at any thy at Dane Court nor may no landes that longith thereto butt it be to the reparacon of the seid tey [tenement] except Fuell to be take in hoveabill tyme

Item I will that Denyse my Wiff shall leve to store to my forseid tey [tenement] Callyd [called] Dane Coourt wt x [10] quarters of Whete and xx [20] quaters of Barlie When she remeveth therffore

Also I will my Forseid Feoffes shall suffere Nicholas my Son when he comyth to the age of xxj [21] yere in my forseid tey. [tenement] called Dane Coourt wt [with] all the landes which my Fader bowght [father bought] there (wt excepte the ayells iij [3] Reddye [Reeds?] of lane lyghyng [lying] fast by the myell [mill] to him to his eyers [heirs] and to his assignes Forevermore

Also I will that my forseid Feofees shall suffere Richard my son When he comyth to the age of xvj [16] yere in my seid Wynde melle [Windmill] and in iij [3] Rodds [roods?] lyghyin [lying] fast by the seid mylle and in xxvj [26] Acres of lande be it more be it lesses lyghyin [lying] and beyng at Soleshyll to him to his eyers [heirs] and to his Assignes forevermore

And if so fortune that Nicholas or Richard my sonnes dye wtin the forseid ages and wthote [without] eny eyers [heirs] of ther bodes [their bodies] lawfull begotyn [lawfully begotten] eche [each] of them to be other(s) heyer And Richard my son dye wtin [within] age aforeseid Nicholas my son shall rewyse his pte [part] of all his landye and mylle [mill] to hym and to be his eyers [heirs] and to his assignes forevermore Whanne [When] he is come to the age of xxj [21] yere
and Nicholas my son dye wtin [within] the age of xxj [21] yere and wtout [without] any eyers [heirs] of his bodye laufully begotyn than the seid Richard my sonn to rewyse [receive?] his pte [part] of all his landye and they wtall [with all] thapptenncs [the appurtenances] when he is comyng to the age of xvj [16] yere

And so Dyanyse my Wiff havyind [having] all the foreseid landes tey. [tenements] and mylle [mill] wtall [with all] thapptenncs [the appurtenances] what eche of hem comyth to ther ages accordyng wt [with] the Cmyse? of Honefeild

Also I wille that Nicholas my soon shall pay or do pay to Richard his brother xxhl marc [20 marks] of Sterlynge in meweable [moveables] tyme as ther too can accorde And it so fortune that Nicholas and Richard my sonnes dye wtin [within] the foreseid ages and wtowt [without] any eyers [heirs] of ther bodyes laufully be gotyn Than I Wille that my foreseid Feoffees shall sell all my forseid landyes tenementes and mylle [mill] wtall [with all] thapptenncs [the appurtenances] to hym that will yene most therefore And it shall be disposed in this forme followyng (that is to sei [say])

That I Will have a prest syngyiny [priest singing] for my Sowle and all my Freinds Sowles and Christen Sowles in the foreseid Church of Seynt Petas [Saint Peters] by the space of ij [2] yere wherfor I will that he shall have xx [20] marc [marks] And to the Churche Workye [Works?] of Seynt Petar aforeseid xlli [£40] and to the Church Warkye of Seynt Lawrence vj s viijd [6 shillings and 8 pence]

And to Denyse my Wiff xli [£10]
and to John my Brother or to his Children xx li [£20]
And to Edmunde Underdown or to his Children x marcs
And to Thomas Underdown the sonn of John Underdown Senr. xls [40 shillings]

And all the Residen [residue] of all my goodys as shalbe disposed by my Present Feoffees & Oversear as then seem best to be doon [done]
Also I will if Richard my son be willyng [willing] to selle the foreseid melle [mill] or any of his landes I will that Nicholas my son shall be eyer [heir] ther of as the said Nicholas Will and he soe to have it better Cheppe [cheap] than every other may
Also I bequeth to eche of my feoffes for ther labors [labours] xxd yevy [every] day and yere above wretyn [written]

Probatum fuit: [Latin] penultimat die mensis Novembris [29th November 1484].

Transcribed by Shelagh Mason 15th June 2020


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Will of Nicholas Underdown
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