Will of Anthony Stapley of Hickstead, Sussex 1667

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

This is a transcription of the register copy of the Will of Anthony Stapley "of Hickstead" (Hickstead, Sussex). It was written on 20 November 1666 and proved at the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 19 November 1667. ^[1]

Spelling, line breaks and punctuation are as per the original document.
Paragraph breaks and bold text are my own for ease of reading.

Persons mentioned:

• John Stapley his son
• Anthony Stapley his son
• Jane his wife and executrix
• Thomas Stapley his son under the age of 21 years
• Richard Stapley his son under the age of 21 years
• Henry Stapley his son under the age of 21 years
• John Stapley his brother deceased
• Anne Stapley his daughter unmarried and under the age of 21 years
• Elizabeth Stapley his daughter unmarried and under the age of 21 years
• Thomas Stapley, son of his son John
• Overseers: my brother John Spence esquire, my brother James Plinner gent and his son Henry Plinner
• Witnesses: John Spence, Thomas Winne, John Lashmore

---

In the name of God Amen
The twentieth day of November in the yeare of our Lord one Thousand six hun=
dred sixty and six.I Anthony Stapley of Hicksted in the County of Sussex
Esquire Doe make this my last wll and Testament in manner and forme
following That is to say First I bequeath my soule unto God hopeing for
salvacon only by the merritt of Jesus Christ Alsoe I will my body to bee
buried in decent manner att Twineham in the said County And for my
land and goods which god hath given me I bequeath tjem as followeth First
I give unto my sonne John Stapley Twenty shillings of lawfull English
money to be paid him by my executrix hereafter mentioned within one
moneth ^[2] after my decease

Item I give unto Anthony Stapely my sonne
my Capitall messuage of Hicksted and all the lands thereunto setled after
the decease of Jane my wife To have and to hold to him and the heires of
his body according to the said settlement

Item I give to Thomas Stapley my
sonne one moyety of those my lands called Hurst lands and the moyety of
the Westfield To have and to hold to him and his heires And the other
moyety of the said Hurstland and Westfield I give unto 'my sonne Richard
Stapley and his heires And if either of the said Thomas Stapley or Richard
Stapley Dye before they accomplish the age of one and twenty yeares then
his or their moyetie soe dying to be and remayne to Anthony Stapley my
sonne and his heires

And for my coppyhold lands holden of Saddlescombe
descendable to my sonne Henry Stapley I give unto him according as they were
sett out betweene my selfe and my brother John Stapley deceased Provided that
if my sonne Anthony Stapley shall pay unto my said sonne Henry when he the
said Henry shall accomplish the age of one and twenty yeares the somme of
three hundred pounds Then my meaning is that the said lands shalbe assu=
red to my said sonne Anthony Staley and his heires forever

Item I give the
one moyety of my lands called Perrylands And the one moyety of my
Lands called Slypefield and Slype=mead and the Little Mead unto my
daughter Anne Stapley and her heires And the other moyety of my said
lands called Perrylands Slipefield and Slype=mead [inserted from margin and a little mead] I give and be
queath unto my daughter Elizabeth Stapley and her heires Provided
that if the said Anne Stapley and Elizabeth Stapley happen to dye before
they accomplish the age of one and Twenty yeares Then her parte soe dying
to her unto the survivor and their heires And if it happen the said
Anne Stapley and Elizabeth should both dye before they accomplish

[next page]
The age of one and twenty yeares then my will and meaning is And I doe hereby give
the said lands called Perry lands and Slypefeid and Slipe=mead unto Thomas
Stapley my sonne Johns Child and the heires of his body lawfully
begotten And for want of such heires of his body To Anthony Stapley my sonne and
his heires forever

Item I give unto the poore of the parrish of Twineham forty
Shillings

Item I give unto Jane Stapley my wife the bed and furniture chairs &
stooles in the Chamber over the study And all appurtenances thereunto belonging
Alsoe I give unto my said wife Six paire of sheets That is to say two paire
of the fynest two paire of middle and two paire of course sheets. Item I give
her two paire of fyne Pillow cases and two paire of middle sorte

Alsoe all
the rest of my good and Chattells my debts and Legacies being paid & funerall
expences discharged I give and bequeath unto my sonnes Anthony Thomas
Ricahrd and Henry Stapley and to my daughters Anne and Elizabeth Stapley
amongst them equally to be devided Alsoe I make and constitute my loving wife
Jane Stapley executrix in trust of this my last will and Testament And I doe
appoint my brother John Spence esquire and my brother James Plinner
gent and his sonne Henry Plinner to be the overseers of this my last will
and testament desiring them to see the same performed

In witnes whereof
I have hereunto sett my hand and seale the day and yeare above written
Anthony Stapley Signed Sealed published as the last will and testament of the said
Anthony Stapley in presence of John Spence Tho: Winne John Lashmore

Probate statement [in Latin] at Exeter House in the Strand, County of Middlesex, nineteenth day of November 1667, to Jane Stapley relict of the said deceased and executrix.

Sources

1. ↑ Will of Anthoni Stapley 1667: "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: 325
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry uk Record 5111 #684310 (accessed 19 December 2021)
   Will of Anthonij Stapley of Hicksted, Sussex, England, granted probate on 19 Nov 1667.
2. ↑ moneth = archaic spelling of month