Wills (ERO D/ACW15/280 Mary Church 1650)

17.5.1650 (Friday 17 May 1650)

document 4300105

in the name of god amen the 17.5.1650 I Mary Church of Earls Colne in the county of Essex gentlewoman being weak in body but of good and perfect mind and remembrance I give god thanks therefore I do make ordain and declare this my last will and testament in manner and form following and I do hereby utterly renounce and revoke all former and other will and wills by me heretofore made whatsoever first and principally I commit my soul into the merciful hands of almighty god the father my creator and to his ever blessed and beloved son jesus christ my only redeemer and to the holy ghost my only comforter sanctifier and preserver and my body to the whence it was taken to be decently buried in christian sepulchre according to my degree in sure and certain hope of the resurrection of the same to eternal salvation and blessedness amongst all the elect and saints of god in and through the only merits and passion of jesus christ my saviour and redeemer and for that part and portion of worldly goods wherewith it hath pleased god out of his fr ee favour and love to endue me withal item I give and bequeath unto Rose Church my loving mother all that my copyhold messuage or tenement called Clarkes and five parcels of land thereunto belonging and one other parcel of copyhold land called Cates Crofte or by whatsoever other name or names the same or any part or parcel thereof now are or at any time heretofore hath been called situate lying and being in Earls Colne aforesaid holden of the manor of Colne Priory and now in the tenure and occupation of Hen Tomson or his assigns for and during the term of her natural life and after her decease I do give and bequeath the same unto Ralph Josselin of Earls Colne aforesaid clerk and to his heirs and assigns forever upon these conditions hereafter following viz that he the said Ralph Josselin his heirs executors administrators or assigns shall pay unto the said Rose Church the sum of 30li of good and lawful money of England at before or upon the next general court day that shall next ensue for the manor of Colne Priory after my death and also upon condition that the said Ralph Josselin his heirs executors administrators or assigns shall pay unto the said Rose Church my mother the sum of 20li more of like lawful money of England within six months next ensuing after the said court and 5li more unto the poor people of the said parish upon the day of my burial or within two days after at the discretion of the said Rose Church and Ralph Josselin and also upon condition that the said Ralph Josselin his heirs executors administrators or assigns shall pay unto Jane Josselin his daughter the sum of 100li of current money of England so soon as she shall attain to her age of 21yr provided that it shall happen that she shall die before then to remain to the said Ralph and his heirs or assigns item I give and bequeath unto the said Ralph Josselin and his heirs forever all my reversion and reversions remainder and remainders right title interest whatsoever I have shall have or should have after the death of Rose my said mother of in or to all that my copyhold lands called Ten Acres now divided into two crofts and all those my two crofts or parcels of copyhold land called Readings and one other croft called Stonebridge Croft or otherwise being copyhold holden of the said manor of Colne Priory upon condition that the said Ralph Josselin his heirs executors administrators or assigns shall pay unto Jn the son of Jn Church of Earls Colne aforesaid gent my kinsman the full sum of 100li of good and lawful money of England within four years next ensuing after the death of Rose Church my said mother if he shall then be of lawful age to give an acquittance or discharge for the same and my will and meaning is that if it happen that the said Jn Church shall die before he shall have had and received the 100li before herein by me given unto him then I do give and bequeath the same unto Barth Church his eldest brother to be paid unto him within four years next ensuing after the death of Rose my said mother so as he shall be of lawful age to give a release or discharge for the same as is aforesaid item I give and bequeath unto the said Ralph Josselin and his heirs forever all my reversion or reversions remainder or remainders right title interest and demand whatsoever I ever had now have or of right ought to have or shall and may have at any time hereafter the death of Rose Church my said mother of in or to all that my freehold meadow called Fabians Meadowe alias Stonebridge Meadowe and unto all that my freehold land containing by estimation 2r more or less lying in my said copyhold field in Earls Colne aforesaid called Ten Acres belonging to my said tenement called Clarkes in Earls Colne aforesaid upon condition that the said Ralph Josselin his heirs executors administrators or assigns shall pay unto Jn Church of Earls Colne aforesaid gent the sum of 10li of good and lawful money of England within one year next ensuing after the death of Rose my said mother and shall also pay unto Rose Briant (may be Rose Briant) widow my kinswoman the like sum of 10li of lawful money of England within one year next ensuing after the death of the said Rose Church my mother and shall likewise also pay unto Eliz the daughter of the said Jn Church my kinswoman the full sum of 50li of good and lawful money of England within two years next ensuing after the death of the said Rose my mother provided always notwithstanding and my true intent and meaning is that if it shall happen that the said Eliz Church my kinswoman shall die without issue of her body before she shall have received the said 50li then I do give and bequeath the same unto Barth Church my kinsman her brother item I give and bequeath unto the said Barth Church my kinsman the sum of 5li of good and lawful money of England to be paid unto him within three years next ensuing after the death of the said Rose Church my mother all the rest of my goods whatsoever or wheresoever unbequeathed and all my wearing apparel both linen and woollen my debts being paid and my funeral expenses being discharged by the said Rose my mother I do give and bequeath unto her and I will and my true intent and meaning is that the said Rose my mother shall take care that at her death all the writings evidences inscriptions copies concerning both my freehold and copyhold messuages houses lands and tenements with the appurtenances before herein by me given and bequeathed unto the abovenamed Ralph Josselin shall be delivered unto him presently after her death and I do make and ordain the abovenamed Ralph Josselin to be my sole executor to this my last will and testament intreating him to see the same well and truly performed in every thing according to my true intent and meaning before herein above mentioned in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day month and year above written sealed delivered acknowledged published and declared as her last will and testament in the presence of us Sam Burton Xoph Mathewes his mark witnesses Wm Adams writer Mary Church