Will of Andrew Rolfe

of Tonbridge, Kent

Item I will to the poore of Sowthboroughe in Tonbridge Fifteene shillings, To the poore of Spelherst Twentie shillings and to the poore of Bytboroughe five shillings to bee paid and Distributed amongst them wthin Fourteene Dayes next after my Decease,

Item I will to James Rolf sonne of my brother John Rolf eighte pounds,
And to Joane the sister of the said James Tenn pounds of lawfull English money,
Item I will unto George Rolf sonne of Richard Rolf Deceassed six pounds Thirteene shillings and Fower pence of lawfull English money,
And to Franncs the sister of the said George Fourty shillings,
Item I will to the Children of Hellen Rolf vizt those wch she had by Thomas Evans her first husband fourty shillings a peece,
And to the said Hellen one payre of sheets one whittle and xxs in money,
Item to the Childe of the said Hellen wch she had by her last husband I will xls

Item I will to Dorothe and Joane the Two Daughters of Henry Rolf Fourty shillings a peece,
And to every one of their Children three shillings and Fower pence a peece, Farther to the Children of the said Dorothie I will Fyve pounds equally emongst them to bee paid and Distributed,
Item I will and give to Franncis my Goddaughter (the Daughter of Richard Howe) Fyve poundes to bee paid to her Father to her use and by him to be employed for her profitt untill her age of Tenn yeares, And then shee to have it of her said father, And yf she shall Deceasse before her said age then her other sisters shall have the same,

Item I will to Margarett the wife of John Mercer Eight shillings
And to James the sonne of the said John Mercer one Ewe or Fyve shillings in money,
And to Richard his brother one Ewe and a lambe or Tenn shillings in money
And further to William sonne of the said John Mercer I will iijs iiid,

Item I will that all and every legacie before named (being money) and not appoynted to a certeyne tyme of payment shalbe paid within one whole yeare next after the probation of this my Will by my Executor hereafter named
And Whereas the Children of anie pson before named shall not bee then of age to make an acquittance to myne Executor for his legacie then Due, I will such legacie shalbee then paid to the parents or governor of such Child or Children to the use of such Childe or Children uppon payment whereof such parents and Governors shall make an acquittance to myne Executor for the same, And such acquittance shalbe A sufficient Dischardge to him therefore

Item I will to Henry the sonne of Henry Alchen which he had by Sara his first Wife Forty shillings to bee paid to the said Henry the sonne at his age of Twentie and one yeares if he live to accomplish that age

Item I will that my Executor shall make a Drynckinge in the Day of my buriall for such of my freinds as shall thether resorte to the value of Fower poundes including therein all other my funerall Chardges,
The Reasidue of all other my goods Cattell Chattells and Debts I wholly and fully will and give to David Willard of Tonbridge afforesaid kersy maker whome I make and ordeyne my full whole Executor of this my Testament and last Will to see the same proved and my Debts and legacies paid And my body Decently buried,

And I Desire and appointe my trusty freinde John Mercer to bee the Oversear of this my Testament and Will that the same may take effect (so much as in him shall lye) according to the true meaninge thereof, and that my goods in his house may safely come to my said Executor to wch my Overseer (for a token of Remembrance) I will xxs over and above his expenses by this occasion to be susteyned.

This is also the last Will of me the said Andrewe Rolf made and Declared the Daye and yeare abovesaid touching the orderinge of my lands and Tenements,

I will and Devise to William Rolfe the sonne of my brother John Rolf Deceased the howse garden and orchard in the occupation of Widowe Holmeden and the lands thereto belonginge conteyning three acres or thereabouts lyeing in Spelherst to hold to him and his heires for ever
Uppon Condicon that he the said William or his heires shall pay to Richard Howe aforenamed the some of Five poundes of lawfull English money wthin one yeare nexte after my Deceasse,

And yf the said five poundes shall not bee paid within he said yeare, Then I will and appointe that the said Richard Howe and his Executors or Assignes shall or may enter into and uppon the said Messuage or howse garden orchard lands and the same and every of them shall or may from thence forth holde and occupie untill the said Five poundes bee paid as aforesaid by the said William his heires or Assignes (anie thinge to the Contrary before menconed notwthstandinge)

Item I will and Devise to the said William Rolf for terme of his naturall life All that my Fyve pcells of land wth thappurtenancs lyinge in Spelherst aforesaid conteyninge by estimacon seaven Acres nowe in the occupacon of Andrewe Wellar or his Assignes,
And after the Deceasse of the said William to the heires male of the body of the said William lawfully to be begotten
And for Default of such heires or heire male, the said Fyve pcells of land with thappurtenancs to bee and remayne to James Rolf brother of the said William for terme of his naturall life, And after his Deceasse to the heires or heire male of the bodie of the said James lawfully begotten or to bee begotten,
And for Default of such heires or heire male of the said James, to the next heire male of me the said Andrewe havinge the name of Rolfe, And soe from heire male to heire male so longe as anie of that name shall or can be found, And if no heire male of that name shalbee found then to the next heire female of that name and the heires of that heire female for ever.

Provided allwayes yf the said William and James Rolf or either of them or anie other shall goe about by any practize or attempte to Discontinue the estate tayle of the said lands (last mentioned) or anie of them, Whereby the same shall not or may not remayne and continewe from heire male to heire male accordinge to the purporte of this my Will, Then I will the next heire male to him them or anie of them so attemptinge to Discontinue or alter the said tayle of the said lands or any of them shall or may enter and put out him them or any of them so attemptinge and the same Landes shall or may hold or enjoye accordinge to the purporte of this my will (anie thinge herein before menconed to the Contrary thereof notwthstandinge)

In witnes whereof I have to this my Testament and last Will sett my hand and seale yeven the Day and yeares first above written.
Signed Andrew Rolfe.
Sealed published and Declared in the presence of Walter Double and John Harper No'rie pub'q

Probate in Latin: granted 22 December 1617 to David Willard, Executor

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