(first part from rough transcript) Wm Harlakenden gent saith by the example of that good king hezekiath we are to dispose of the things whereof god hath made us stewards and to the intent I may be less troubled with those matters when the lord doth visit me with sickness made on 10.2.1603 first commend my soul into the hands of almighty god my creator jesus christ his son my redeemer and the holy ghost my sanctifier three persons and one god in faith unfeignedly beseech him for his great love and mercy in christ without whom there is no salvation to accept me for one of the members of christ his body and church only through and for the death resurrection obedience and mediation of jesus christ and as for my body I commit it to the earth till the general resurrection assuring myself in the mercy of my god and the mercy of my saviour jesus christ that at that time both soul and body shall be enjoined together and be made perfect partakers of eternal blessedness enjoining my executors to see it christianly and religiously buried in that parish where it shall please god to take me to himself or in some other convenient place according to their directions and although I am persuaded I thank my god that nothing may be done after my death to profit me because I know in wh at place the tree falleth there it must abide yet nevertheless I do give and bequeath to forty of the poor inhabitants of Earls Colne during the space of two years next after my decease 13s4d every of the same two years to be distributed among them by the appointment of my two nephews Rich Harlakenden and Thos Harlakenden and the collectors for the poor for the time being item I do give and bequeath to forty of the honest poor inhabitants of Little Churt in Kent Pluckly Warehouse and Renardington that is to say to ten of every of the said four parishes 20d apiece by the space of two years next after my decease to be paid by my executors and distributed at the discretion of the ministers and collectors for the poor of every of the said parishes for the time then being and further my mind and desire is that they have a special care to give it to such of their poor especially as do fear god and hate popery item I do give to mrs Darrell that is of Colehull one gold ring of 20s with death's head and one old royal of 15s item I do give to my godson Jn Bowle one gold ring of 40s with death's head and to my niece Bowle eight silver spoons apiece 10s apiece with letters on them for my name for that she do put security to my executors to leave them to her daughters then living after her death item I do give unto my cousin Elizeus Couchman one ring of the value of 13s4d item I do give and bequeath to my godson Jn Bettinham to my goddaughter Margt Bettinham and to either of them a gold ring worth 6s8d apiece engraven with death's head and letters for my name on them and on all the other rings before given item I do give to Kath the wife of Randell Greene to Jn Traceloe to Wm Norman to either of them 5s and to my man Jn Thusson alias Russhen 20s and if he be dwelling with me at the time of my death I do give unto him more for the time he hath served me 10li of the which 10li I paid him about our lady day 50s besides the 20s a year which I have given him in this my will during his natural life issuing out of my lands at Brensett which I do charge my nephew Geo Harlakenden and Wm his son and their heirs to see performed and truly paid every year during his natural life as is set down in another place of this my will item I do give unto the french congregation at Rye to my french and dutch congregation at Canterbury and Sandewiche to every of those three congregations 5s8d to be distributed among their godly poor and to those godly and persecuted congregations in London french dutch and others whatsoever 40s of lawful money of England to be paid unto them and the other aforementioned within one year next after my decease all which 40s I will shall be distributed by their several ministers and elders of their several congregations and to mr Wilcocks and mr Barbar preachers of the word of god if they be at that time in London item I do give and bequeath to the same mr Thos Wilcocks 40s to mr Barbar one french crown item to mr Staughton preacher of god's word in Coggeshall 20s to mr Horne 10s to mr Jefferye 10s item I do give to mr Nichols 5s to mr Haden 5s8d and to mr Pickard preacher of god's word 5s item to the wife of mr Pickard and to his daughter Mary my goddaughter to either of them 5s item to Dan Pickard his son 3s4d item to mr Howse minister and preacher at Egerton 20s item to mrs Lindley and to her daughter Marie my goddaughter to either of them 5s to mr Bishoppe minister at Godmersham 5s8d to mr Field preacher at Chilendon 13s4d to mr West sometime of Charing 5s item I do give to monsieur Ile like sometime preacher to the french congregation at Rye and to his wife if they be in England or may safely be sent unto one french crown item I do give to the prisoners in the castle of Canterbury in the gaol of Maidstone and in the castle of Colchester to either of them three prisons 5s8d to be distributed among them at the feast of the nativity of christ and all that by my executors item I do give unto my nephew Geo Harlakenden one featherbed one bolster one pillow two blankets one coverlet and two pairs of sheets pair whereof I have now in Yeldam with him also to him more one great chest standing at my nephew Bowles which was my mother's also to him more my signet or seal ring of gold item I do give my nephew Rich Harlakenden the bed furnished that I lie on at Colne Priory which I had by the gift of my dear brother about =.=.1593 item I do give to my nieces Jane Elianor Eliz and Anne Harlakenden all such movables or household stuff as I have lying at Alkinden and with my brother in law mr Stufferd and with my cousin Couchman and at my niece Bowles saving the great chest before given to my nephew Geo equally to be divided among them item I do give and bequeath to my cousin mr Jn Swan my newest riding cloak also to him more to give to mr Darrell and mr Moore preachers of god's word to either of them 5s8d item I do give unto my nephews Rich and Thos Harlakenden also to my good niece Mabell their sister to either of them 5li13s4d also to either of them five silver spoons price 10s a spoon with letters for my name on them also to them more as also to my nephew mr Clem Stonard to either of them one gold ring with death's head on them or the arms of my father and mother of the value of 20s apiece also to the wives of my three nephews Rich Thos and Geo Harlakenden to either of them a gold ring with a death's head of the value of 13s4d item I do give to my niece Emme Stevens children to every of them 40s to be paid to them within three years next after my decease item I do give to my cousin Andrew Swan one gold ring with a death's head on it price 30s item I do give to every one of my nephews and nieces children to whom I have not already so given a bible of the least volume handsomely bound with letters on them for my name as also the date of our lord or year that I died and also 10s besides to either of them item I do give to Wm Harlakenden my godson(inserted) item I do give and bequeath to my nieces Kath Couchman children my meaning is but 10li among her five children to the rest 10li apiece Jane Elianor Eliz to every of them 10li to be paid unto them within two years next after my decease which I have charged my lands withal at Brensett item I do give unto the daughter of Mildred Hutt my goddaughter here that 5li which Roger Bringtorne doth owe me to be paid to her at the age of 18yr item I do give to Robt Cobbe 10s and to Thos Anderson 5s to be paid unto them within one year next after my decease item I do give to my godson Hen Darrell and to my goddaughter Anne Darrell to either of them 10s item I give more to my goddaughter mistress Anne Darrell 30s item I do give to my nephew and godson Thos Harlakenden my book of acts and moments being bound in three volumes in it item I do give to mr Robt Darrell and to his wife to either of them a testament of mr Beza his translation fair bound with letters on them for my name item I do give to mr Darrell and to mrs Darrell either of them such a bible as mrs Darrell hath and to my niece Jane with letters for their names and my name and the date of the lord by me Wm Lyar (inserted) item I do give to mr Elye vicar of Tenderden to mr Elie vicar of Charinge and to mr Terrie schoolmaster at S=erlindge to either of them a testament of the least volume trimmed something handsomely with letters as aforesaid item I do give to all the rest of mr Darrell his children both sons and daughters as also to my godsons Dan Godwill also to mr Honeywood of Pett to mrs Guborne to mrs Hales of Tenderden to mrs Heymon the elder to mrs Heymon the younger to mr Thos Swan's wife to mr Rammie and his wife to mr Leach to mr Payman and his wife to either of them a testament of the least volume except the Cambridge testament all of them for the better sort to be bound fair in white vellum with some gilding and broad silk laces and upon one side the letters for my name all which to be provided for them within one year item to mr Anth Deringe of Charinge a service book only with the collects and psalms in prose and in metre bound plain item I give to my cousin mr Rich Swan a testament of mr Beza his translation fair bound with letters in it for my name I may not forget good old mrs Honiwood but do give unto her a testament of the Geneva translation fair bound with letters for both our names with the date of our lord by me Wm Harlakenden (inserted) item I will that there be distributed and given among the servants of that house where it shall please god to take me out of this wretched life 20s to some more and to some less according to the discretion of my executors provided always and my mind is that every of the servants have something thereof and I do ordain and make Jn Darrell of Colchull esq and mr Jn Swan overseers of this my last will and testament and I do give to either of them for their pains one gold ring with death's head of the value of 30s apiece the residue of all my goods not bequeathed my debts and legacies paid I do give to my nephew Thos Harlakenden gent and to my nephew Geo Harlakenden gent whom I do ordain and make my executors of this my last will and testament and if they or any of them do refuse the same then I ordain and make my cousin Jn Swan gent one or sole executor of this my last will and testament item I do give to my godson Wm Harlakenden such another bible as I have given to mr and mrs Darrell with the letters for our names and date of our lord and to little Wm Harlakenden one bible of the least volume with letters and date of the lord item I do give and bequeath to the poor mans box of that parish where I shall be buried 20s subscribed again by me Wm Harlakenden 1.7.1605 by me Wm Harlakenden this is the last will of me Wm Harlakenden made and declared the day and year abovesaid first as touching my lands called Melfields and Stonelands lying in the parishes of Shadyherse and Warehorne in the county of Kent containing by estimation 28a and also my lands in Snane in Rumney Marshe containing by estimation 25a more or less I do give and bequeath to my nephew Geo Harlakenden the son of my brother Jn Harlakenden late of New Rumney deceased gent to be had unto him and to the heirs males of his body lawfully begotten and for want of such issue male I do give and bequeath all the said lands to my nephews Rich Harlakenden and Thos Harlekenden the sons of my brother Roger Harlakenden of Earls Colne in Essex esq and to the heirs male of their two bodies lawfully begotten and for want of such issue male to the next heirs of me the said Wm Harlakenden forever provided always and my will is that Frances the wife of my nephew Geo Harlakenden shall have 10li a year to be paid her out of my lands in Snare during her natural life if she do outlive her now husband and I do give her authority to distrain for the same every half year if it be not paid her and the distresses to use according to the law in that case provided in whose hands soever the said lands do come item I do also give and bequeath to Wm Harlakenden my godson and the son of the said Geo Harlakenden Wm all that my lands called Stumble Fields containing by estimation 11a2r lying and being in the parish of Brensett in Rumney Marshe to be had to him and his heirs forever under these conditions following viz that he do pay or cause to be paid to my niece Jane Harlakenden yearly during the term of her natural life at the feast of michaelmas or within 40days next after 40s of good money yearly to be paid as also that he the said Wm Harlakenden his heirs or assigns do pay to her and her other sisters Kath Couchman Elianor Eliz and Anne Harlakenden to either of them 10li in that manner and form as by this my last will and testament before expressed is mentioned which thing if he the said Wm Harlakenden his heirs executors and assigns do refuse to do then I will and my mind is that the said Kath Jane Elianor Eliz and Anne shall have hold and enjoy the foresaid lands called Stumble Fields with the appurtenances during their natural lives or life any thing before mentioned to the contrary notwithstanding memorandum my will and mind is that Wm Harlakenden or my nephew Geo Harlakenden their heirs executors and assigns shall pay unto Jn Thusson my servant 20s a year to be paid him during his natural life for the which it shall be lawful for him and his assigns to distrain in my lands at Brensett at the feast of michaelmas or within forty days next after if it be so long unpaid provided always that it is my will and mind that if any go about to alter change or break any part of this my last will and testament or do not content themselves with such legacy or portion as is given to them by this my last will and testament that he she or they whatsoever shall lose the benefit of this my last will and testament whatsoever hath been said to the contrary notwithstanding memorandum that my will and mind is that the 100li that my nephew Rich and Thos Harlakenden stand bound to pay me as also the 200li which mr Jas Maisters of East Langden and his two sons Edw and Wm Maisters stand bound in 400li to pay to my brother Roger Harlakenden at his dwelling house in the Old Pallace at Westminster within certain months after not ice given to them or either of them of my death and the same left in writing at the now dwelling house of mr Jas Maisters at East Langden aforesaid as in the said obligation appeareth that my two nephews shall have the same to them their executors and assigns for the paying of such debts as their father was indebted for that is the true meaning and cause chiefly that I first gave and have left the land in my nephew Thos Harlakenden his hands memorandum that the and Wm Harlakenden did affirm in the presence of us whose names are here under written that the writing contains herein containing five sheets of paper written and all sealed and his name subscribed to every sheet were and is his last will and testament containing the disposition of all his lands and chattels whatsoever in witness whereof we have subscribed our names the day and year abovesaid