Browne, Sir William, of Snelston, probate 1612

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Snelston, Derbyshire, England

In the name of god amen

I Sir William Browne of Snelston in the Countie of Derbye knighte beying whole of bodye and perfect of memorye considering with my selfe the mortalitye and uncertayntie of humane life and purposing to dispose and set downe in what manner my Landes and Tenements hereafter mentioned shall be and remayne after my deathe to the pleasure of Almightie god I do therof make this my last will and testament in wryting in manner following that is to saye

Whereas I am seised in Fee simple of and in three Messuages fortie acres of Land twentie acres of meadowe on hundred acres of pasture and twentie acres of wood with thappurtenances in Snelston Roston Norbury Cublye Clifton Edlaston and Alvaston in every or any of them set lying and beying in the Countie of Staff. And allso of and in sixe messuages one hundred acres of Land Fortie acres of meadowe three hundred acres of pasture and fortie acres of wood with thappurtenances in Snelston Roston Norbury Cubley Clifton Edlaston and Alvaston or in every or any of them in the Countie of Derbye of and in which premisses I stand and am seised of an estate of Inheritance in Fee simple as aforesayed and hould the same by Socadge tenure by vertue of two severall Recoveryes thereof respectively suffred by me with voucher over of the common vouchee uppon twoe severall writts of Entrie broughte against me by the name of William Browne gentleman by William Gray of Shirley in the saied Countie of Derbye Esquire and Philipp Harison of London gentleman (as by the saied severall Recoveryes and the Records thereof in the Courte of Common pleas in the tearme of Sanct Hillarye in the fower and thirthith yere of the Raigne of oure soveraigne Ladye Elizabeth the Queenes most excellent majestie that nowe is and by one Deede declaring the uses thereof bearing date the Eighteenth daye of Marche in the saied fower and thirtith yere of the raigne of our saied soveraigne Ladye the Queene amongest other thinges more at large may appear) All which Messuages Landes Tenements and hereditaments above specified in every of the saied severall Counties of Stafford and Derbye I do give and bequeathe unto Mary my lovinge wife: To have and to hould all and singuler the premisses with thappurtenances unto my saied wife for and during her naturall life for her better mayntenance and for and towards the vertuous education of my children:

And after her Decease I do devise and bequeathe all and singuler the Remaynder and Remaynders Revertion and Revertions of all and singuler the premisses with thappurtenances unto my trustie and welbeloved Freindes Sir William Russell knighte Sir Robert Sydney knighte Peter Manwood in the Countie of Kent esquire Thomas Edmonds Esquire Clerke of the Councell Rowland White and Philip Harison gent and to theire heires. Neverthelesse uppon confidence and truste reposed by me in them and every of them and in the heires of the Survivor of them that within convenient tyme after my deathe at the Costs and chardges of my saied wife (yf she shall then be living) And yf she shalbe dead then with the yssues and profitts of my saied Messuages Lands tenements and hereditaments above mentioned that the said Sir William Russell Sir Robert Sidney knight Peter Manwood Esquire Thomas Edmonds Esquire Rowland White and Philip Harison gentlemen and the Survivor of them or the heires of the Survivor of them shall cause and procure all suche my children which have ben borne out the Realme or hereafter shalbee borne out of the Realme and which shall then be living to be made free Denizens and Capable to purchase and enjoye Landes Tenements and hereditaments within this Realme by suche good wayes and meanes as shalbe avayleable and sufficient in the Lawe:

And after suche Denizations so had and procured I will and my Intent and mynde is that the saied Sir William Russell Sir Robert Sydney Peter Manwood Thomas Edmondes Rowland White and Philipp Harison and the Survivor of them and the heires of the Survivor of them according to my truste and confidence in them and every of them by me reposed as is aforesaied shall within convenient tyme sufficientlie in the Lawe conveye and assure all and singular the said Messuages Landes tenements and hereditaments with thappurtenances unto suche of my children as shall then be myne eldest sonne and then beyng a Denizen: To have and to houlde the same unto hym and to the heires males of his bodye; And for Defaulte of suche yssue the Remaynder of all and singular the premisses with the Appurtenances unto suche as shall then be my second sonne and then beyng allso a Denizen and to the heires Males of his bodye lawfullie to be begotten; And for defaulte of suche yssue The Remaynder of all and singular the premisses with thappurtenances unto suche as shall then be my thirde Sonne and then living allso a Denizen and to the heires males of his bodye lawfullie to be begotten; And for defaulte of suche yssue the Remaynder of all and singular the premisses with thappurtenances unto suche as shall then by my fourthe sonne beyng then allso a Denizen and to the heires males of his bodye lawfullie to be begotten; And for Defaulte of suche yssue or yf I shall have no sonne living nor any yssues male of their bodyes: Then my will and intent is that the saied Sir William Russell Sir Robert Sydney Peter Manwood Thomas Edmonds Rowland White and Philip Harison and the Survivor of them and the heires of the Survivor of them shall within convenient tyme after my deathe as aforesayed sufficiently assure and conveye all and singuler the saied Messuages Landes tenements and hereditaments and all and singuler the premisses with appurtenances to all and every of my Daughters which then shalbe living and Denizens and to the heires of theire severall bodyes: And for defaulte of suche yssue unto suche person and persons and his and theire heires as shalbe then next heire unto me the saied Sir William Browne.

And my further mynde and intent ys that for the better mayntenance of all and every suche my Sonnes as shall not be my eldest sonne and shall no be otherwise advanced by me before my deceasse and for the better advancement of every of my saied daughters as shall not be likewise advanced by me before my decease That then the saied Sir William Russell Sir Robert Sydney Peter Manwood Thomas Edmunds Rowland White and Philip Harison and the Survivor of them and the heires of the Survivor of them shall first of all before any suche guifte in tayle be made unto my saied sonnes and Daughters in manner as aforesaied give and graunte by sufficient assurance in the Lawe unto every one of my saied sonnes not beyng my eldest sonne and to every of my saied Daughters not otherwise beyng advaunced one yerelie Rent of tenne poundes of englishe money yerelie goyng out of the premisses payable quarterlie by equall portions with sufficient Clauses of Distresse in every of the saied grauntes to be conteyned for the better levying of every such Rent Chardge as aforesaied: To have and to hould every of the saied Rents to every of my saied sonnes and Daughters respectively for terme of his her and theire lives.

And for the Disposition of all my goodes and chattells I Constitute and make my saied wife my sole Executrix she paying and performing all suche Legaceys as I shall set downe in any Codicill unto this present testament to be annexed.

In witnesses wherof unto theise presents I have set my hande and seale the twoe and twentith Daye of September in the fower and fortithe yere of the raigne of oure soveraigne Ladye Elizabeth by the grace of god of England France and Ireland Quene Defender of the faith etc.

William Browne

In stead of a Schedule I have annexed this wryting to my Will above specified that is that I bequeath unto each of my children (except my eldest sonne living at the Day of my deathe) one hundred and twentie poundes sterling wherwith the better to maynteyne them selves:

And yf my beloved wife can otherwise without receyving the profitt of this maynteyne her selfe and them Then my hope and desire ys that yt may be ymployed to make up a greater somme towardes theire advauncement in marriage or otherwise:

And my desire and will is that when my eldest sonne shall come to be one and twentie yeres of age that then my wife shall allowe hym thirtie poundes sterling yerely; but he not to have any hundred and twenty pounds as the rest layed out for hym.

this is all written underneathe the firste draughte of my will and signed with my hande the seaventhe of Julie one thowsand sixe hundred and fower in the second yere of our sacred Majestie King James:

William Browne

Theise words tenne poundes of englishe money were enterlyned with my owne hand the seaventh of Julie 1604 for witnesse I have subscribed my hande the daye above written:

William Browne

Probatum fuit testamentum suprascriptum apud London coram venerabili viro Dno Johanne Benet milite legum doctore Curie Prerogative Cantuariensis Mag'ro Custode sive Commissario l'time constituto vicesimo tertio die Mensis Januarij Ao Domini ... millesimo sexcentesimo undecimo Juramento Domine Marie Brown relicte dicti Defuncti et executricis in eodem test'o nominat'; Cui commissa fuit Administrato bonorum Jurium et Creditorum dicti Defuncti De bene et fideliter administrand etc. ad sancta Dei Evangelia vigore Commiss'ni ea parte als emanat Jurat

Transcribed by Stephen Heathcote from probate records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on Ancestry.co.uk: "England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858"
The National Archives; Kew, Surrey, England; Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Series PROB 11; Class: PROB 11; Piece: 119
Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry uk Record 5111 #890606 (accessed 9 December 2023)
Will of Dni Willmi Bowne, granted probate on 23 Jan 1611. Died about 1611 in Snelston, Derbyshire, England.