The Will of Edward Hancocke 1591 Steeple Ashton

Date: 1591 [unknown]
Location: Steeple Ashton, Wiltshire, England
Surnames/tags: Hancock Hancocke

Edward Hancock's will was written on 16 March 1590/1 and his estate passed probate after 1 May 1591.^[1]

Spelling, punctuation and line breaks are as per the register copy. Capital F is rendered as F rather than ff. Abbreviations are expanded and additions noted in [square brackets]. Paragraph breaks (where added) and bold text for names are my own for ease of reading.

People mentioned in the Will

• William (son)
• Peeter (son)
• John Hancocke (brother? childrens' uncle)
• John (son)
• Elizabeth (daughter)
• Edward (son)
• Cecily (wife)
• Richard Hancocke (brother)
• Thomas Hancocke (brother)
• John Rogers (vicar, witness)

Note: all children under the age of 21

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[Inventory on previous page (not transcribed) taken on 1 May 1591 by John Bolwell
Richard Hancocke Thomas Hancocke and Thomas Langfield, total £9 15s]

[Page 73]
In the name of God Amen the xvjth day of march in the yeare of o^r lord Christ
1590 I Edward Hancocke of Hinton in the parish of Stipleashton in the
dioces of Sa[ru]m beinge sicke and weake in body but yet of good & p[er]fect
memory the lord be praised, do make this my last will & testament in maner
and forme folowinge First I co[m]mend my Soule into the handes of God trustinge
to be saved by faith in Jesus Christ and my body to be buried in the churchyard
at Stipleashton. Ite[m] I geeve to the cathedrall church of Sa[ru]m vjd. Ite[m] I geeve
to my p[ar]ish church vjd. Ite[m] I geeve & bequeath to my Son[n]e William my broade
loome w[i]th all the [...]nes belonginge to the same. Ite[m] I geeve to my five other
children xxs a peece to ^^be payed to them in this maner to ^^the boies when they
shalbe at the age of xxjti yeares & to the maides at xviij. And yf it
happen that any of my children to die before they come to that age then I
will that his part shalbe divided amonge ^^the rest livinge, Ite[m] I geeve to Peeter
my Son[n]e xls moore w[hi]ch was geeven to him by his uncle John Hancocke
and to the rest of my children v[i]z. William John Elizabeth Edward xs a peece
w[hi]ch was geeven them liekewise by theyr^euncle John, w[h]ich shalbe paid to them when
they shall come to the age afore said. All the rest of my goods & cattells I
geeve to Cicely my wife whom I make myne executrix of this my last will
to see my children ^^kept bred up and to pay them theyr legacies. And I desire my
beloved brethren Richard & Thomas Hancocke to see this my ^^will p[er]formed &
executed accordinge to myne in tent & meaninge. this beinge made in the p[rese]nce of
John Rogers vicar there Richard Hancocke and Thomas Hancocke
[Unsigned]

[The administration bond on the following page is damaged and illegible]

Sources

1. ↑ Probate: "Wiltshire, England, Wills and Probate, 1530-1858"
   Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre; Chippenham, Wiltshire, England; Wiltshire Wills and Probates; Reference Number: P1/H/2; Reference Number: P1/H/2
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry uk Record 61333 #133779 (accessed 12 January 2023)
   Edward Hancock probate in 1591. Occupation: Weaver.