Will of Edward Sponer/Spooner of Caston, Norfolk, 1614

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]
Surnames/tags: Sponer Spooner

This is a transcript of the register copy of the will of Edward Sponer/Spooner of Caston, Norfolk, England. It was written on 26 November 1613 and proved at the Archdeaconry Court of Norwich on 23 May 1614. ^[1]

Spelling, punctuation and line breaks are as per the original document.
Paragraph breaks at change of bequest, and bold text are my own for ease of reading.
The obsolete letter Thorn has been rendered as th, and ff has been rendered as F
Abbreviations and breviographs have been expanded in [square brackets]
The image quality was good although there was some ink bleed through.

Persons mentioned:

• Edward Sponer or Spooner' Testator
  
• Cicelie Sponer or Spooner Testator's wife
  
• Edmund Sponer or Spooner Testator's son
  
• Edward Spooner Testator's son
  
• Cicelie Rebecca Marie Christian and Anna Testator's daughters
  
• George Sponer or Spooner witness to will

---

In the name of God amen
The syx and twentith daye of November In the yeare
of the Reigne of our Sov[er]aigne Lord James by the grace of
god of England France and Ireland King Defender of
the fayeth &c the xj^th and of Scotland the xlvii^th 1613
I Edward Sponer of Caston in the Countie
of Norff yeoman being sick and weak in bodie but in good
mind and p[er]fect remembrance thanks be given to god in Jesus
Christ Doe make this my Last will and testament re
voking all former wills and testaments heretofore made
in mannor and forme following

Fyrst I committ and comend
my sowle into the handes of Allmightie god my creator
and maker Jesus Christ my Saviour and the holie
ghost my comforter three p[er]sons one eternall and immortall
god by whose grace throughe the free mercie of god
in Jhesus Christ I Doe hope to be saved and my bodie
to the earth from whence yt came to be buried in
Christion sepulture

Item I give and bequeath unto
Cicelie Sponer my wieff All my tenement messuages

[page 2]
And landes as well free as coppie Edifices w[i]thall and
singuler the appurtenances therunto duringe the terme
of her lief naturall, and to her Assignes until the feast
of S^ct Michael the Arkangell then next followinge
after her decease

Item I doe give and bequeath unto
Edmund Sponer my sonne and his heires after the
decease of Cicelie my wieff, and the time limitted unto her
Assignes, all my Tenements messuages Edifices and landes
aswell free as coppie w[it]h the appurtenances thereto
belonginge, conditionallie that he the said Edmund
Spooner my sonne his heires executors Administrators
and Assignes doe pay or cause to be paied unto Edward
Spooner my sonne and his heires the some of fortie
poundes of good and Lawful money of England in mannor
and forme followinge that is to say att and uppon
the feast of S^ct Michael the Arkangell one whole
yeare after the decease of Cicelie my wieff Tenn
poundes of like lawfull money of England, And soe
yearlie att and uppon the saied feast the some of tenn
poundes unril the forsaied some of Tenn ^fortiepoundes soe
given and bequeathed be fullie satisfied and paied
And for want of non paiement in manner and
forme aforesaied yt shalbe lawfull for the saied Edward
my sonne his heires and Assignes, to enter uppon
all the saied p[re]misses my tenements messuages and
Landes w[i]thall the appurtenances thereunto belonginge
Duringe the whole space of fower yeares then next
insueinge to be fullie complete and ended To
have hold possess occupie and inioye in full satisfac[i]on
of the foresaied some of fortie poundes

Item I doe give
and bequeath unto ev[er]y one of my daughters viz^t
Cicelie Rebecca Marie Christian and Anna five poundes
a peece to be paied unto them there heires and Assignes
when they shall accomplishe the age of one and
twentie yeares

Item all the residew of my
goodes corne cattell chattells howsehold stuff

[page 3]
And all ymplements and utensills of household and
household stuff whatsoev[er] I doe give and bequeath
unto Cicelie Spooner my wieff paieinge my debts
and legacies and bringinge my bodie honestlie to the
ground, And I doe constitut and make the saied
Cicilie my wieff sole executrix of this my last will
and testament, In witnes whereof I the foresaied
Edward Spooner hereunto have put to my hand and
seale the daye and yeare fyrst above written
These beinge witnesses George Sponer Simon
Windout and me Lancellott Griffes

Probate [abstracted from the Latin] was granted at Watton at the Archdeaconry Court of Norwich xxiij day of May AD 1614 to the executrix named in this testament.

Sources

1. ↑ Edward Sponer 1614 will, Archdeaconry of Norwich, Norfolk Record Office, register copy of wills v. 35 1614-1615, fo. 22, no. 19, Norfolk Record Office; digital images, FamilySearch, FHL Digital Collection DGS 8472741, image 38 of 521.