Last will and testament of Anne Higham, widow of Thomas Higham of Westfield( -1617)
From East Sussex Record Office, PBT 1/1/16/106B^[1]
Transcribed by Dave Roberts

In the name of God Amen I Anne Higham the late wife of Thomas Higham of Westfield deceased being sick of body but of good remembrance thanks be to God do make and ordain this my last will and testament in manner and form following first I bequeath my soul into the hands of Almighty God hoping and steadfastly believing through the mercy death and passion of his only beloved Son our Saviour Jesus Christ to have full pardon and remission of all my sins and my body I commit to the earth to be buried in Christian burial and as concerning the disposing of my wordly affairs I give and bequeath it in manner and form following first that whereas my said late husband Thomas Higham did by his last will give unto John Higham and William Higham our sons five and twenty pounds apiece now I further will and give unto my said sons and make their said portions forty pounds apiece of lawful money to be paid unto them as they shall attain unto their several ages of one and twenty years and whereas my said husband did likewise by his last will give unto Alice Mary and Elizabeth Higham our daughters fifteen pounds apiece now I further will and give unto my said daughters and make their said portions thirty pounds apiece of lawfull money to be paid unto them when they shall come unto their full ages of one and twenty years and if either of my said sons die before they shall attain to their said age of one and twenty years then my mind is that the portion by me given to him so dying shall remain to the survivor wholy and if it likewise fortune any of my said daughters to die before they shall come unto their said ages of one and twenty years then my mind is that the portion by me given to any of my said daughters so dying shall remain to the survivor or survivors of my said three daughters wholy to be equally divided and that until such time as my said sons and daughters shall attain to their said ages my mind is that my eldest son Thomas Higham whom I make sole executor of this my will shall bring them up with the benefit of their portions otherwise to pay the sum to my overseers hereafter named whom I trust to bring them up with the benefit increase and benefit thereof and to give security to pay the said portions as they shall come to their ages as aforesaid Item I give unto Anne Catt my daughter wife of Nicholas Catt ten pounds of lawfull money to be paid unto her within three months next after my death and to remain to the children to be born on her body and she and her husband to have only the use and profit thereof also I give unto my said daughter my side saddle and a canvas lick and bolster two pairs of sheets a tablecloth Item I give to my said son John Higham one ewe sheep a pick a sword a red coat and headpiece his father's best shirt two pairs of good sheets in the great chest a great iron pot a dripping pan a boarded bedhead in the loft behind the chimney a chaff bed and bolster two blankets a pillow and a sheet covering Item I give to my said son William Higham one ewe sheep a brass bottle a cauldron an iron crest two pairs of sheets and one chest Item I give to the said Alice my daughter a pillion a joined bedhead a chaff bed a feather bed two feather bolsters two pillows three blankets an under red petticoat three rugs a basket two sheet cases two followers and my best corset Item I give and bequeath unto the said Elizabeth my daughter three rugs a kettle iron pot a great joined chest a chaffing dish a pewter basin Item I give and bequeath unto Mary Higham my said daughter three rugs my cupboard in the hall a coverset my best white apron a truckle bed a chaff bed a flock bolster two blankets a covering and a pillow Item I further give and bequeath to all my said daughters all my woolen and linen yarns which run and all my wearing apparel which not in this my will bequeathed to be equally divided betwixt them by my overseer Item I give unto my daughters Alice Mary and Elizabeth my chest of linen in the chamber where I lie to be equally divided betwixt them by my overseer and all my pewter I give unto all my children as well sons and daughters to be equally divided betwixt them Item I give to Stephen Bently and John Bently my sisters sons two ewes Item I give to my sister Elizabeth Wensbury my shortest white apron and a blue petticoat and waistcoat Item I give to Anne Lulham two old petticoats and a waistcoat also my minds will and intent is that my said son Thomas Higham my executor shall enter into a bond of two hundred and fifty pounds of lawful money to my good friends Thomas Avery and Abraham Downer of Westfield aforesaid whom I entreat to be overseers hereof to whom I give five shillings with condition for the true payment of all the legacies in this my will bequeathed to his brothers and sisters whose estate to do then my mind is that my son John shall be sole executor hereof in witness whereof to this my last will and testament I have put my hand and seal dated the fifteenth day of September in the fifteenth year of King James of England Anne Higham mark witness hereunto Peter Farnden Abraham Downer mark Nicholas Catt mark

Research Notes

Dates
date of will: 15 September 1617
grant of probate: 26 January 1617/8

People mentioned in the will:

1. Anne Higham, widow of Thomas Higham (Hyam) (Hiam) of Westfield
2. Thomas Higham, eldest son and executor of will
3. John Higham, son, not yet 21
4. William Higham, son, not yet 21
5. Anne Catt, daughter, wife of Nicholas Catt
6. Alice Higham, daughter, not yet 21
7. Mary Higham, daughter, not yet 21
8. Elizabeth Higham, daughter, not yet 21
9. Stephen Bently, son of Anne's sister
10. John Bently, son of Anne's sister
11. Elizabeth Wensbury, sister
12. Anne Lulham unknown
13. Thomas Avery, overseer
14. Abraham Downer, overseer and witness
15. Peter Farnden, witness
16. Nicholas Catt, witness. Presumably her son in law.