The will of Sir Thomas Pettus, 2nd Baronet of Rackheath

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Rackheath, Norfolk, England
Surname/tag: Pettus

Introduction

This is the will of Sir Thomas Pettus 2nd Baronet Pettus of Rackheath.

The will was written on 29 July 1662, Thomas died on 30 October 1671. The will was involved in legal action and not proved until that was settled in 1675/5. It was recorded at the PCC.^[1]

Spelling is mostly as in the probate copy. Abbreviated words are expanded in [square brackets]. Names of people and places are in bold introduced for ease of reading.

Line breaks are added in the text so that the lines match the probate copy. Extra paragraph breaks are added between sections for readability. Page breaks are indicated by dividing lines and in edit mode by HTML comments with page numbers.

Transcription

In the Name of God Amen ye
The Nyne and Twentieth day of July in the year of the Raigne of our most illustrious [glorious]
Soveraigne Lord Charles the Second by the Grace of God of England Scotland France and
Ireland King Defender of the Faith since? fourteenth Anno qui Domini One Thousand Six
hundred sixtie two

Sir Thomas Pettus of Rackheath in the county of Norff: Baronett
although sicke and weake of bodie yet being sound and perfect mind and memorie God be
praised considering the uncertaintie of this ??? life and the reasonableness of a setled
disposition to be made of what I possesse in such ??? as becomes mee doe hereby ?? ??  ???
every? former will and testament by me formerly made and doe now make and ordaine this my
last will and testament in manner and forme following

First with all humilitie & contrition
of ??? and with my l:in repentance of my manifold Sinnes(?) and offenses I commend my
Soule and selfe(?) into the … my Gracious Redeemer and
Saviour from and through whome only I expect and hope for eternal life ??? and ??? Kingdom of Heaven

Next I desire my bodie may be buried decentlie in the
Parish Church of Rackheath aforesaid as neare my late deare Father Sr Thomas Pettus
as may be

And coucking(?) my worldly Estate I dispose thereof as followeth I that is to say

First
I doe give and devise for a Stock for the poor people of the Parish of Rackheath the Summe
of five pounds of lawful money of England to be paid by my Executrix hereafter named

Item I give for a Stock for the poor people of Salehouse five pounds of like money

Item
Then I give to the poore people of Caster five pounds of like money

And also to the
poore people of little Ellingham five pounds to be paid by my Executrix

Item I give and devise all my Freeholds and copyholds Messuages houses lands Tenements and
hereditaments scituate lying and being in Hardwick alleddseton South Lynne the Norwich (?)
North Roughton and Tathey in the County of Norff; with theire appurtenances now
in the use and annexation of William Barker or his assigned or undertennants and alsoe
all those my messuages houses lands tenements marshes and hereditaments as well
Freehold as copyhold scituate lying and being in Hardwick aforesaid South Lynne
Middleton and North Roughton in the said county of Norff: with their appurtenances
now in the tenure use and occupation of Robert Rudd or his assignes or undertenants
on in anie other towne or townes there next adjoyning And alsoe all those my
Messuages houses lands marches feedings and pastures scituate lying and being in
Tillney

---

All Saints in the said County of Norff: or any other Towne or Townes there neare
adjoining now in the tenure use and occupation of Richard Farthing or his assignes or
undertenants all which said promised I give and devise unto my daughter Elizabeth
Pettus and her heires of her bodie forever when she shall attain to her age of one and
twentie years

And also all that my Marsh at Statocr Gate And all that my Marsh
calle or known by the name Bunars Marsh with the Grounds and appertanences
purchased by my late Father Sir Thomas Pettus of Robert Mongiston (?) Esquire
and lying in the Burlingham in Norff: And also all that my Marsh called or known
by the name of Thurlow Marsh with all the Grounds and other appurtenances
which my late father Sir Thomas Pettus purchased of Richard Jenkinson (?) Esquire
lying in Heringby in the said county of Norff: And after all that ?? ??
called or known by the name of Beres or Buells Marsh with all the Grounds
and appurtenances which I hold by lease made by the President ad scholars of
Mary Magdalen Colledge in Oxford provided that if the child that Dame Elizabeth
my wife now goeth with all when it shall be borne shall be a son then I give
and devise all the said Messuages Lands & Marshes and premisses to my said son
and his heires when he shall attain to the age of one and twenty years or
if the child which my said wife now goeth with all when it shall be borne shall
happen to be a daughter Then I will and my mind is that all my said messuages
Lands, Tenements Marshes and Premissses aforesaid whatsoever devised in ???
will shall be unto the said Elizabeth my daughterand the said daughter that
shall be borne and theirs heires equallie to be decided between the m when they
shall attaine to the ages of one and twentie years and in the meantime I will
and devise that my and well beloved wife Dame Elizabeth Pettus shall have
the use and occupation of all and singular ?? ?? premisses and profit ???
my said children shall attaine to their said severall and respective ages of one and
twenty yeares and shall have native (?) and take … profits
thereof coming for and towards the payment and satisfaction of my debts and
lecterns (?) But if it shall happen that my said children shall depart this
life before they shall attaine to their said ages of one and twentie yeares as afore
said without issue of theire bodies begotten then I give and devise all and sing???
my said freeholds and cophold lands aforesaid with theire appurtenances unto
my said dear beloved wife Dame Elizabeth Pettus and her heires for ever ?? I
will that my said dear wife shall have all the manners Lands Tenements ??
Freehold or Copyhold laying and being in the County of Suffolk or else where
late were the Mannors Land and Tenements of my brother Augustine Pettus ??
to her and her heires to dispose give or sell as she shall think fits

And whereas I
did mortgage to John Pettus Esquire my brother Ellingham Hall in the County
of Norff: with certain Lands thereunto belonging for Five hundred years (?) for them
payment of the Summe of One thousand pounds to my said brother when he should
attaine to the age of one and twentie yeares of which said summe of One Thousand
pounds there was paid unto him the said John Pettus the Third Day of April in the
year of our Lord One Thousand Six hundred sixty and one the summe of two hundred
pounds at the payment of which said Summe of Two hundred pounds it was then
agreed in writing between me and the said John Pettus that upon the payment of
the summe of Hundred pounds upon the Four and twentieth day of June then next
following and a mortgage or certaine Lands in Cafney (?) All Saints to the said John Pettus
that the said John Pettus should assigne and sell ?? all his Estate right Title and lease (?)
of yeares and interest in Ellingham to mee on such reason (?) or ?? ?? whome I should
appoynt which said last mentioned Two hundred pounds with a mortgage Sealed of a
tendered (?) to the said John Pettus for in security of Six hundred pounds being the remainder
of the said One Thousand pounds according to the said agreement which he would not
accept

---

accept of now I do (?) hereby will and devise that I doe nominate and appoint my
Executrix hereafter named shall take the said assignment of the said John Pettus
and all the Estate and Interest and Termes of Yeares as he should have assigned to mee to her
yie(?) and behoose(?)

Item I give unto John Pettus Esquire my loveing Brother Twentie
pounds to buy him mourning

Item I give to my servants Richard Lewes and Francis
Biymall (?) fortie pounds

Item I give to my cousin Charles Ramsey and his wife twenty
pounds that is to say to each and everie of them Tenn pounds

Item I give to the maid
servants (vizt) the House maide the Chamber maide and the wash maide to each and every
of them fourty shillings a peece

Item I give to Thomas Rafles Clerke the summe of Tenn
pounds of lawfull money of England

Item I give to him that shall preach my funerall
Sermon five pounds

Item I give to my loveing Niece Mrs Mary Goodyear(?) the summe
of one hundred pounds of lawfull money of England

Item I give to Mother Stratford?
twenty pounds to buy her mourning

Item I give to my brother Goodyeare and his wife
Tenn pounds a peece to buy mourning

Item I give to my Sister Mistress Anne
'Overbury and my Sister Mullene Tenn pounds a peece to buy them mourning

Item I give to my Cousin and his wife Tenn pounds a peece to buy them mourning

Item I give to my Cousin Thomas Cornwallis and his wife Tenn pounds a peece

Item I give to my Cousin
Harman? and my cousin Mrs Frances Le Grose and my cousin Hamon to each and every
of them tenn pounds a peece to buy them mourning

Item I give to Mr Mapleshon? Five
pounds

Item I give to Charles Shillinge my God sonne Parson Shillinge's Sonne twenty pounds

Item I give to my Cousin Thomas Cornwallis and sonne Thomas Cornwallis
?? which he owe mee being Fifty pounds

Item I give to Francis Styles tenn
pounds

Item I give to my true and faythfull servant Richard Lewes the Bedd in the
in the Corner Chamber and all the furniture of the same to be delivered by my Execut[rix]

All the rest of my Goods and Chattels Debts plate Jewells household stuffe Implements(?)
and ??? of household I wholy give and bequeath to my dearely beloved wife
Dame Elizabeth Pettus whome I ordaine and make sole Executrix of this my last
will and testament and doe will and appoynt her to bestowe one hundred pounds of
lawfull money of England at my Fi?icen? In wihielse whereof

I the said Sir
Thomas Pettus name to this my last will and testament being in writing containing
??? fower? sheetes of paper ?? my name to everie page and to the last
sheet affixed my seale the day and yeare above written

Tho: Pettus

?? published and declared by the above named Testator as his last will and testament
in the presence of Rich Lewes Anna Overburie Fran Style Symon Mojse Charles
Ramsey ?? Anrelby Lionell Gizling

Probatum (latin)

?? Testamentum ...
...
... constituto Inoderimo Die Mensio Novembrio Anno Domini Millesimo
sixiense? survo Sextuage Sind? Textio Juramento Dominus Elizabetha Pettus Relicta dirti de funrti
...
...
...
...
...
...

Revoratafuit ... Testum
29 January : 1675: Et Administratio ..... Marty: 1676: juxla :

Sources

1. ↑ "England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858" https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/5111/images/40611_310560-00109