The Will of William Clopton of Kentwell, Suffolk - 1589

Date: 1588 to 1589
Location: Long Melford, Suffolk, England, United Kingdom
Surname/tag: Clopton

Contents 1 Introduction 2 The Will 2.1 Transcript of the Willl 3 Probate Norwich 31 December 1588 3.1 Latin Transcript 3.2 English Translation 3.3 The Sentence 4 Probate Catebury 19 July 1599 4.1 Latin Transcript 4.2 English Translation 5 Marginal Note 5.1 Latin Transcript 5.2 English Translation 6 Sources

Introduction

William Clopton was a gentleman from Kentwell in the Parish of Long Melford, Sussex, England. He wrote his will on the 11th of December 1588 and died within a matter of days, being buried on the 18th December

The will was extremely brief, it revoked former wills and the sole beneficiaries were the poor of three local parishes. His widow Anne received nothing and is not mentioned. It named three executors, one of whose was William’s younger brother Thomas Clopton, next in line to inherit the estate.

The will was initially proved at Norwich on the 31st December 1588, administration being granted to the executors. However the will may have been contested (possibly by Anne) as it was subsequently considered by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury and a Sentence given. Administration was granted on the 19th July 1589 to the named executors subject to the Sentence.

A further grant of administration was made in 1619 to Walter Clopton.

The Will

This is a transcript of the last will and testement of William Clopton of Kentwell in Sussex gent. Who died in 1588 and who’s will passed probate on the 19th July 1599 ^[1]

Spelling, punctuation and line breaks as per the original.
Bold text where bold or large text used
Superscripts used as appropriate
lligatures and abbreviations have been expanded in [square brackets].
ff replaced by capital F
Words unable to transcribe signified by ——
Words transcribed but uncertain by ?

Sansum-45 09:45, 3 August 2023 (UTC)

Transcript of the Willl

The xi^eth daye of December 1588 Anno xxxi Elizabethe Regine [etc.]
I William Clopton of kentwell esquire do revoke
and hereby utterly reverse and disalowe all former wills by me heretofore made and doe
by this? presente make and declare my last will and testament First I com[m]end my
sowle to god [etc.] Item I ordeyne and appoynte my brother Thomas Clopton my Lovinge kinsman
William Clopton of Groton gent and my fayethefull and trustie servannte John Bowswell
gent to be my exetutors to see my debte and legacie fuly payde Item I give to the pore
people of [deleted word possibly melford] Melford Stansted and Glemsford five poundes The handes of the
witnesses Thomas Banwell Rgger Matto Signum Edwardi Lovell

Probate Norwich 31 December 1588

The will was initially proved at Norwich on the 31st December 1588 (just 13 days after his burial). A transcript (see below) provided in the 1866 edition of the Visitations ^[2] is presumably of the will held at Norwich (it does not specify its source but the Norwich will could be inspected).^{[3] [4]}

Administration was granted to the named executors in the person of Mr. Thomas Peade of Bury St. Edmunds in the county of Suffolk.

Latin Transcript

Probatum fuit hujusmodi testamentum apud Norwicum coram venerabili viro magistro Willielmo Maister legum doctore vicario in spiritualibus generali et officiali principali reverendi episcopi patris et domini domini Edmundi , providentia divina Norwicensis episcopi legitime deputato ultimo die mensis Decembris anno Domini millesimo quin gentesimo octogesimo octavo . Et commissa fuit administratio bonorum etc. executoribus in dicto testamento nominatis de bene etc. in persona magistri Thomæ Peade de Burye Sancti Edmundi in comitatu Suff ' , notarii publici procuratoris in hac parte legitime constituti jurat ' etc.

English Translation

Translated through google translate Sansum-45 11:12, 7 August 2023 (UTC)

This testament was proved at Norwich in the presence of the venerable man Master William Maister, doctor of laws, vicar general in spiritual matters and principal official of the reverend bishop father and lord Sir Edmund, the divine providence lawfully appointed bishop of Norwich on the last day of December in the year of the Lord one thousand five hundred and eighty eight. And he was entrusted with the administration of goods, etc. to the executors named in the said will concerning the property etc. in the of Mr. Thomas Peade of Bury St. Edmunds in the county of Suff, the notary public procurator duly appointed in this part swears, etc.

The Sentence

The sentence (which is dated 19 June 1589) probably relates to William’s widow Anne Clopton contesting the will but the latin script has not been transcribed or translated. ^[1]

Probate Catebury 19 July 1599

Administration was granted to Thomas Clopton (the heir and one of the named executors), subject to the sentence (see above) on the 19th July 1589.^[1] a latin transcript being available in the 1866 edition of the Visitations of Suffolk (and translated below).^[2] which has been translated using google translate.

Latin Transcript

Probatum ac per sententiam approbatum et insumatum fuit testamentum suprascriptum apud London ' coram venerabili viro magistro Willielmo Drury legum doctore Curiæ Prerogativa Cantuariensis magistro custode sive commissario etc. decimo nono die mensis Junii anno Domini millesimo quingentesimo octogesimo nono , juramento Johannis Burrough notarii publici , procuratoris Thomæ Clopton unins executorum in hujusmodi testamento nominato ; cui commissa fuit administratio bonorum , jurium , et creditorum ejusdem defuncti de bene et fideliter administrando etc. ad Sancta Dei Evangelia jurati ; reservata potestate similem commissionem faciendam Willielmo Clopton et Johanni Bowswell cæteris executoribus in eodem testamento nominatis , cum venerint eandem petituri in debita juris forma admissuris .

English Translation

Translated through google translate Sansum-45 11:12, 7 August 2023 (UTC)

Proved and by sentence approved and accepted was the above-written will at London 'before the venerable man William Drury, doctor of the laws of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, master custodian or commissioner, etc. on the nineteenth day of June in the year of the Lord one thousand five hundred and eighty-ninth, by the oath of John Burrough, notary public, Thomas Clopton's attorney, one of the executors named in this testament; to whom was entrusted the administration of the goods, rights, and credits of the same deceased for the good and faithful administration, etc. sworn to the Holy Gospels of God; reserved power to make a similar commission to William Clopton and John Bowswell, the other executors named in the same will, when they come to claim the same in due legal form. "

Marginal Note

The following note is also inserted in the margin of the PCC copy of the will^[1]. In 1619 (on 15th April), as the will was not fully administered (and the executors deceased), Walter Clopton next of kin to William Clopton, was granted administration.

A transcript (see below) is provided in the 1866 edition of the Visitations ^[2] which has been translated using google translate.

Latin Transcript

Deco quinto die Aprilis anno Domini 1619 emanavit commissio Waltero Clopton proximo consanguineo Willielmi Clopton de Kentwell armigeri defuncti habentis etc. ad administrand ' bona , jura , et credita hujus modi juxta tenorem et effectum testamenti ejusdem defuncti per Thomam Clopton unum executorum jam etiam defunctum non plene administrata de bene etc. jurato , Willielmo Clopton et Johanne Bowswell executoribus in eodem testamento nominatis demortuis

English Translation

On the fifteenth day of April in the year 1619, a commission was issued to Walter Clopton, the next of kin of William Clopton of Kentwell, esquire, deceased, etc. to administer the goods, rights, and credits of this kind according to the tenor and effect of the will of the same deceased by Thomas Clopton, one of the executors of the already deceased, not fully administered of the property, etc. to the jury, William Clopton and John Bowswell, deceased, named as executors in the same will

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} Will: "Will of William Clopton of Kentwell, Suffolk",The National Archives Kew,ref: PROB 11/74/85, 19 June 1589, (accessed 31 Jul 2023)
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Visitations: “ WILL OF WILLIAM CLOPTON , ESQUIRE . - 1588”, Joseph Jackson Howard (ed.) The Visitations of Suffolke, William Harvey, with additions from Family Documents Original Wills”, publisher Samual Tymms, London, 1866 , Vol. I, p. 64, Google Books, (accessed 6th August)
3. ↑ Will: “Clopton, William, esquire, of Long Melford [Kentwell], Suffolk”,Norfolk Records Office, 1588, NCC will register Homes 337, (accessed 8th August)
4. ↑ Will: "Probate records for the Episcopal Consistory Court, Archdeaconry of Norwich"
   Catalog: Probate records for the Episcopal Consistory Court, Archdeaconry of Norwich Regd. copy wills vol. 86 1587-1588
   Film number: 008219667 > image 391 of 490
   FamilySearch Image: 3Q9M-CSGJ-DSZQ (accessed 10 August 2023)