Will of William Neame

of Woodnesborough, Kent

Item I doe gyve to the poore mens Boxe of Woodnesborough aforesaide Three shillings and fower pence to be payde wthin twoe monethes next after my decease
Item I doe gyve unto Agnes my Wyfe my best beddsteedle, fether bed, bolster, Coverlet, one blancket and one payre of sheetes, my best Cowe and fower of my best Ewes to be delivered wthin sixe weekes next after my decease

Item I doe gyve unto Mary Godfrey my daughter my second best Cowe and also Fower pounds of Lawfull English money to be delyvered and payde wthin one yere next after my decease
Item I doe gyve unto Elizabeth Baxe my Daughter Syxe pounds of like money to be payde wthin one yere next after my decease
Item I doe gyve unto Jane Neame my Daughter the Some of Twenty pounds of like money and one good Cowe to be payde and delivered unto her when shee shall accomplishe her full age of Eightene yeres,

And yf it happen my said daughter Jane to dye before shee accomplishe the said age, Then I will the said Twentie pounds and one Cowe shall remayne unto my three Sonnes, Thomas, Joseph and Henry Neame, equally betwene them to be shifted,
yf any one or twoe of my said sonnes shall likwise happen to dye before the saide Lymited tyme at or in wch my said daughter Jane should have accomplish(ed) her said age of Eightene yeares, Then I will the same Twentie pounds ad one Cowe (my said daughter Jane soe dyinge before thaccomplishmt of her said age of xviij yeres as is aforesaid) shall remayne equally to be shifted amongest the Survyvors or to remayne to the Survivor of my said sonnes

Item I doe gyve unto Henry my sonne Twentie pounds of like money & one good Cowe and one twelve monethinge Cowe bullock and Fower food sheepe and that Brasse pott wch I bought last and my Chest now standinge at my beds foote and one good kettle to be payde and delivred unto him wthin one yere next after my decease
Item I doe gyve unto Joseph my sonne Fyve pounds of like money and one good Cowe
Item I doe gyve unto Thomas my sonne one good Cowe

The reasydue of all and singuler my goods and Chattells after my debts payde my legacies dischardged and my funrall expences pformed I doe gyve unto Agnes my Wyfe aforesaid, and to my said sonnes Thomas and Joseph equally to be shifted and devyded amongest them

And I doe Constitute and ordeyne my said twoe sonnes Thomas and Josephe Executors of this my last Will or Testament
And my desyre is that my brothers Laurence Neame and Richard Neame be my ovrseer thereof and I doe bequeth unto either of them for theire paynes to be therein taken one french Crowne And I doe appoynt and bequeth that what Chardge or expences my said ovrseers or either of them shall laye out about thexecution of this my last will or Testam[en]t shalbe allowed and payde agayne by my said Executr

Item I doe gyve and bequeth unto Stephen Baxe and Augustine Godfrey my daughters children to either of them one good Ewe to be delivred wthin one yere next after my Decease & one Ewe a peece unto either of the fathers of them to thonly & best use and p[ro]fitt of either of the said Children

This is the last will or testament of me the said Willm Neame made and declared the daye and yere aforesaid for and concerning all my Lands Messuage or Ten[emen]te hereditaments Revrcons [Revertions] and Remaynders whatsoevr Scituate Lyinge or being in Northborne in the Countie of Kent and Woodnesborough aforesaid or ells where in the said countie

Inprimis I will that Agnes my said wyfe shall have for (the) terme of her naturall lyf all that my messuage or Tente wth one Acre and a half acre of Land more or lesse thereto p[er]teyninge wth the Appurtenncs [Appurtenances] scituate or beinge in Woodnesborough aforesaide wch, I lately purchased of one Richard Fasham
And I will and my mynde and intente is that ymediatly after my said wyfes decease the said messuage or Tente one ace and a half acre of Land and all other the said premisses wth thappurtenncs shall remayne and be unto my said sonne Henry his heires and assignes forevr

Item I doe gyve and bequethe unto my said Wiffe for (the) terme of her naturall lyfe one yerely rent Chardge of Tenne shillings of lawfull money of England to yssue and goe out of all and singuler those my Landes conteyninge by estimacon seaven acres more or lesse Lyinge in Woodnesborough aforesaide wch I lately purchased of Danyell Neame To have leavy, preyve and take the saide yerely rent Chardge of Tenn shillings for and duringe the terme of her naturall life of my said Wyfe at the feasts of St. Michaell Tharchangell and the Annunciacon of our Lady by even porcons The first paym[en]t thereof to begyn at the feast of the foresaid twoe feasts wch shall first happen

(if) the said yerely rent Chardge of Tenn shillings to be behinde and unpayde in p[ar]te or all by the space of fower dayes next after any of the dayes of the said twoe feasts in wch as aforesaid the same ought to be payde That then and so often It shall and may be lawfull to and for the said Agnes my Wyfe or her assignes into the saide seaven acres of Land and evry or any pte thereof to Enter and distreine and the distresse or distresses there so had taken or founde From thence to beare leade dryve Carry awaye Impounde and kepe untill the said Rent Chardge of Tenn shillings with the Arrerages thereof (yf any be) be unto her or them fully satisfyed and payde

Item I doe gyve and bequethe unto Thomas my sonne all and singuler th'aforesaide seaven Acres of Land more or lesse so as aforesaid purchased of the said Daniell Neame To have and to holde the said seaven acres of Land wth thappurtennances Chardged before as the same standeth chardged duringe my saide Wyfes life unto my said sonne Thomas his heires and assignes forevr

Item I doe gyve and bequeth unto Joseph my sonne all that my pte or purpart revrcon Remaynder right Tythe Interest comodytie or pfitt whatsoevr wch now or hereafter doth shall or ought to belonge unto me of and in all that messuage or Tente and Edyfices scituate or beinge at Hauwold in Woodnesboroughe aforesaide and all and singuler the Lands pastures & heredit[amen]ts conteyninge in the whole by estimacon Twelve acres more or lesse to the saide messuage or Ten'te p'teyning Lyinge in Woodnesboroughe aforesaid and Northborne aforesaid The wch premisses Alice Neame my mother holdeth for (the) terme of her lyfe To have and to holde all my said pte or purparte revercon remaynder right Tytle enterest comodytie & pfitt of and in the sayd messuage or Tente edyfices lands pastures & hereditts and all other the premisses wth thappurtenncs unto the said Josephe my sonne his heires and assignes forevr

Provided alwayes and (my) will and entente is That yf Agnes my said Wife doe at any tyme or tymes after my decease Challendge by suite in Lawe or otherwise any Joyntures or dower or enterest of and in any of (my) Lands Tentes or heredit'ts other than suche as is gyven bequeathed Lymitted to her by this my Last will or Testament That then my saide Wyffe shall have take and enjoye no Legacie or benefitt by this my Last will or Testament any thinge beforesaid to the contrary thereof in any wise notwthstandinge

In wittnes whereof I the said Willm Neame have caused this my last will or Testamt to be written and openly read and to the same have sett my hand or m[a]rk and seale, And thereby do revoke all former Wills and Testaments heretofore made whatsoevr in the presence of the Wittnesses hereunder Written
Willm Neame his mrk
Laurence Neame his mrk; Rychard Neame his mrk; Henry Neame senior by his mark; Mr. Henry Harflet

Probatum fuit: 30th June 1596

Notes:
William Neame was buried on 29 May 1596 at St. Mary the Virgin, Woodnesborough, Kent.
William Neame married Agnes Croft 17 Jul 1564 at St. Mary the Virgin, Eastry, Kent.
See Wife Agnes Neame’s Will: PRC 17/55/171; 1610-14.

Transcribed by Mrs. Shelagh A. Mason, 20th February 2024

Return to Kent Genealogy