Will of Anne Wightwick, spinster of Coventry, Warwickshire, 1657

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]

This is a transcription of the register copy of the will of Anne Wightwick, a spinster of the City of Coventry, Warwickshire. Anne drew up her will on 11 February 1656/7 when she was "sick and weake in bodie". The will was proved on 28 April 1657 at the Probate Court which replaced the Prerogative Court of Canterbury during the Protectorate. ^[1]

Transcription conventions used in this text:
Spelling, punctuation and line breaks are as per the original document.
The text was originally in one block of text. Paragraph breaks at change of bequest ("Item"), and bold text for names have been added for ease of reading.
Where present, ff has been rendered as F, and the old letter Thorn has been rendered as th.
Abbreviations and breviographs have been expanded in [square brackets].
Additions and margin notes, where they occur, have been added where indicated in the text.
Crossings through, where they occur, have been included Struck out.
The image quality was acceptable, and the handwriting legible.

Persons mentioned:

• Ann Wightwicke of the Citie of Coventrie Spinster one of the daughters of John Wightwick Testatrix
• John Wightwick Serieant at Law deceased father of the Testatrix, Serjeant at Law
• my deer Mother Mris Bridgett Wightwick received mourning apparel
• my Loveing Brother Rowland Wilson Esqr received mourning apparel
• my deer Sister Mris Susanna Wilson received mourning apparel
• my Cosen Mris Ellen Allen received mourning apparel
• my friend Anne Johnson Twentie shillings
• my Loveing Cosens Mris Abigaile Street and Mris Anne Street sisters of Testatrix's brother in law Thomas Street. Twenty shillings each
• my loveing Neece & God daughter Katherine Street daughter of Thomas Street under the age of 18 years. Received Testatrix's household goods and fifty pounds
• Thomas Street of Cleeveload in the Countie of Worc[este]r Esqr brother in law of Testatrix. Executor of will
• Bridgett Street & Marie Street Daughters of the said Thomas Street Under the age of 18 years. Received fifty pounds each
• my Nephews sons of the aforenamed Thomas Street received £200 between them
  • George Street
  • Francis Street
  • Thomas Street
  • John Street
• James Wightwick my brother deceased left £200 to Testatrix
• my deere Sister Mris Marie Street sister of Testatrix married to Thomas Street. Clothes & wearing apparel
• my Loveing Cosens Francis Wightwick Esqr, Samuell Wightwick gent, & Mris Sara Wightwick ten shillings each
• my Loveing friends Mr Abraham Gibbons Mr Abraham Astley & Mr John Astley ten shillings each
• Bridgett Wightwick witness to Will
• Joⁿ Astley witness to Will
• Ellen Allen witness to Will

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[folio 294 verso]
In the name of God Amen The Ele=
venth daie of Februarie in the yere of our Lord God One Thow=
sand Six hundred Fiftie Six, I Ann Wightwicke of the
Citie of Coventrie Spinster one of the daughters of John Wightwick
Serieant at Law deceased Being at this present Sick and weake in
bodie but of sound and perfect mind & memorie (praysed be God) doe
make ordeyne & declare this my last will & Testament in manner
followinge First I bequeath my soule into the hands of Allmightie
God my Creator hopeing for life & salvation through th'alone merits
of Jesus Christ my Saviour And my bodie I committ to the earth to
be buried at the descretion of my Executor here after named And as
touching my worldie goods. first I give and bequeath unto my
deer Mother M^ris Bridgett Wightwick a mourning Gowne
& Petticoate of silk mohaire or Sarsnett which she shall best like

[folio 295 recto]
Of, and a vaile. Also I give and bequeath unto my Loveing Brother Rowland
Wilson Esq^r seven yards of black Cloth to make him a Mourning suite and
Cloak to weare for my sake

And I give to my deer Sister M^ris Susanna
Wilson a Mourning Gowne & Pettycoate of Silk Mohaire or Sarsnett w[hi]ch
she shall best like of.

It[e]m I give to my Cosen M^ris Ellen Allen a
Mourning Gowne and to my friend Anne Johnson Twentie shillings

Also I give to my Loveing Cosens M^ris Abigaile Street and M^ris
Anne Street Twentie shillings a peece to buy them Rings to weare
for my sake

Item I give to my loveing Neece & God daughter
Katherine Street daughter of Thomas Street of Cleeveload in the
Countie of Worc[este]r Esq^r All my howsehold goods And I give and
Bequeath unto the said Katherine Street and to Bridgett Street &
Marie Street Daughters of the said Thomas Street The summe of Fiftie
pounds a peece in monie To be paid unto them severallie at their sever=
=all ages of Eighteene yeres.

Item I give and bequeath to my Nephews
George Street Francis Street Thomas Street and John Street sonnes
of the aforenamed Thomas Street the summe of Two hundred pounds
which was given and bequeathed unto me by the Last will & Testament
of James Wightwick my brother deceased The same to be equallie
divided amongst my said Nephews.

And I give and bequeath unto
my deere Sister M^ris Marie Street All my Clothes & wearing apparrell
whatsoever Also I give and bequeath unto my Loveing Cosens Francis
Wightwick Esq^r Samuell Wightwick gent & M^ris Sara Wightwick
Ten shillings a peece to buy them Rings. And to my Loveing friends
M^r Abraham Gibbons Mr Abraham Astley & M^r John Astley
Ten shillings a peece to buy them Rings.

All the rest & residue
of my goods & Chattles whatsoever not hereby given or disposed of I
give and bequeath unto the aforesaid Thomas Street Esq^r my Loveing
brother whom I make constitute & ordeine the full & sole Executor
of this my last will and Testament In witnes whereof
I the said Anne Wightwick have hereunto sett my hand & seale the
Daie & yere first above written. Anne Wightwick. Sealed &
published by th'above named Anne Wightwick for and as her last
will and Testament. In the presence of Bridgett Wightwick Jo.ⁿ
Astley Ellen Allen. /

This will was proved at London The
Eight and Twentieth Daie of Aprill in the yere One thowsand
Six hundred Fiftie seven Before the Judges for Probate of Willes
& granting of Administrations Lawfullie authorized By the oath
of Thomas Street Esq^r the brother in Lawe & sole Executor named in the
said will To whom was Granted Administrac[i]on of all and singular the
goods Chattles & debts of the said deceased He being first legallie
sworne well and trulie to Administer the same. /

Sources

1. ↑ Will of Anne Wightwick 1657: "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: 263
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 5111 #997447 (accessed 7 August 2022)