Will of Ellis Holcombe - 1585

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Branscombe, Devon, England
Surnames/tags: Holcombe Holcombe-605

In the name of God Amen

The one and twentieth day of September in the year of our Lord God 1585 I Ellis Holcomb of Branscomb in the county of Devonshire being sick in body yet thanks be to God in perfect remembrance doe make this my last will and testament in manner and form following

first my ***** mind and will is that all the wills and testaments by me before this made shall cease be ********* and utterly void and of none effect

next I bequeath my soul to Almighty God my maker and redeemer and my body to the earth

Item, I give and bequeath to Judith the daughter of John Holcomb Twenty pounds of lawful money with this premise and under this condition that she the said Judithe shall and will be obedient and enled by Elizabethe my wife otherwise it shall be lawful to and for my said wife to order this my gift and legacy at her will and pleasure

Item, I give and bequeath to Ursula one other daughter of the said John Holcombe Twenty pounds of like lawful money with the like promise and under the like condition as is annexed to the gift of the foresaid Judithe

Item, with the consent and agreement of Elizabethe my wife I give and bequeath to Christopher Holcombe and Josias Holcombe two of the sons of Thomas Holcombe, gentleman, deceased, to every of the said Christopher and Josias one annuity or yearly rent of forty shillings out of my whole Barton land and messuage of Rowson als Donne Raffe situate lying and being within the siles and parish of Axmouth in the County of Devonshire, to have hold and enjoy all the foresaid annuities or yearly rents of forty shillings to every of the foresaid Christopher and Josias severally for the term of their lives and the life of every of them longest living the same annuity and yearly rent to be forty shillings apiece as aforesaid to commence and begin immediately after my death, quarterly to be paid and for non-payment thereof in manner and form aforesaid it shall and may be lawful to and for the said Christopher and Josias and to and for every of them and to and for their assigns into the foresaid Barton land and messuage or into any part thereof to enter and distrain and the distrains thereof so taken and had to decine load or carry away and to impound and in pound to keep until the foresaid annuity of forty shillings apiece together with the averages if any shall be to them and every of them fully satisfied contented and paid

Item, I give to Ellys Wyppell one heifer of two years

Item, I give and bequeath to every of my godchildren twelve pence apiece

Item, I give to the poor people of Branscombe six shillings eight pence to be divided by the decision of my wife

Item, I give and bequeath all my lands, manors, messuages and hereditaments with the appurtenances whatsoever in the county of Somersetshire and Devonshire to Gilbert Holcombe my next cozen and heir in blood and son to Thomas Holcombe, gentleman, deceased. To have and to hold all the foresaid manors, land , tenements, messuages and hereditaments with the appurtenances to the foresaid Gilbert Holcombe and his heirs for ever always excepted and for prized performance of my wife’s ******* and also the foresaid two annuities according to the purpose effect and true meaning of this my will and testament.

The rest of my goods as well as all real and personal I give and bequeath to Elizabeth my wife whom I make my whole and only executrix, she to use and dispose it to the pleasure of God and at her will

These being witness

Nicholas Sparke

Rickard Ekerman of Endbury

William Tanner, clerk