Will of Thomas Wessenden

of Ickham, Kent

Item I do give unto the poore of the parishe iijd [3d]
Item I give and bequeth unto An Buttry my daughter viij li [£8]
Also I do give and bequeth unto Elizabeth Kingesland viij li

Item I doe give unto my three daughters Pleasannce Wessenden, Sara Wessenden, Margarett Wessenden eyther of them viij li vjs viijd [£8 6s 8d] a peece, to be payd unto them within one yeare next after my decease by Chrystopher Wessenden my sonn
And if it shall happen any of my said three daughters Pleasance, Sara and Margarett Wessenden to departe out of this mortall worlde before the said yeare shall be expired thathen my will and mynd is that those w[hi]ch shall out live the other shall have her or theire p[ar]te so dyeing equally devided amongst them and so much is my will as touching the portions wch I have bequiethed unto my said three youngest daughters

Also my mind is that my said two eldest daughters shall have theire portions payd within one yeare next after my decease alwaies provided and it is my will that my said sonne Christopher shall lastly keepe in his handes and custody my daughter Elizabeths portion & to husband the same for her best profit and comodytie untill such time as her selfe shall willingly aske and call for the same
And also for that my mynd and will is that my said sonne Christopher shall pay and dischardge all theise my said daughters portions in manner and forme aforesaid

And upon condition that he shall cleerely and generally acquite and dichardge me and my wife and my said daughter of for and concerning all and all manner accomptes Reckoninge debts, duties and demaundes as well concerning his wifes marriadge monny as for all other thinges whatsoever from the begyining of the worlde untill this daye
I doe give therefore & bequeth unto my sayd sonne Christopher Wessenden this my howse wch now I do dwell in w[i]thall the landes, gardens, orchards & barnes, stables and owte howses whatsoever unto the said howse belonging, to sell and to doe wth the same house whatsoever he shall think good and to dyspose thereof farely at his owne will and pleasure

Item I do give unto An Wessenden my wyfe all my moveable goodes, Corne and Cattell whatsoever to dispose there wth at her will and pleasure And also her two howses to do with them as she shall think good

Also I do make and ordayne my said sonn Christopher Wessenden my sole and whole Executor of this my present last will and testament and my mind and will is that he my said Executor shall see my debts Legacyes and funerall exspenses fully and Justly satisfied, contenteded and paid

It is further my will and minde that yf my said sonne Christopher Wessenden shall refuse to take this chardge of Executorshipp uppon him and shall not be willing to be my Executor and to pay and acquit and dischardge all the legacyes and all other thinges in this my said last will and testament before mentioned and sett downe
That then uppon his so refusinge my hole mind and my only will is that An Wessenden my wife shall tak[e] appon her the execution hereof and that she shall be my sole and only Executrix and that shee shall see all theis my legacyes debts and demandes whatsoever herin mentioned and bequethed to be well and justly performed, satisfied, contended and payd according to the teneuore [tenure] and trewe effect of this my said will and that shee shall have my said howse to her use in manner and forme as my said sonne should have had it if he had taken upon him the execution hereof
And that shee shall pay unto my said sonne Christopher that money the wch I do ow[e] him, over and above the some of 20 li [£20] wch I doe give and bequeth unto him as his portion and legacye by and in this my last will and testament

In Witnes whereof I have hereunto put my hand in the presence of
Sammell Hurlestone; John Holnes; Rbert Clark and Henry Jordan

Probatum: 10th February 1594/5

Note: Thomas Wessenden was buried at St. John, Ickham on 12th January 1594/5.

Transcribed by Shelagh Mason 12th June 2021

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