Will of John Atdam of Hingham, yeoman, 1613

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

This is a transcription of the register copy of the will of John Atdam of Hingham, Norfolk, England, a yeoman. John wrote his will on 24 January 1609/10 and it was proved at the Court of the Archdeaconry of Norfolk sitting at Hingham on 8 September 1613. ^[1]

Transcription conventions used in this text:
Spelling, punctuation and line breaks are as per the original document.
Apart from a few instances the scribe wrote England consistently as Ingland, and years as yeres.
The tight binding means that the ends of words on verso pages are sometimes not readable. These end of lines are indicated by [text].
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 dark with bleedthrough especially at the tops of the pages. The handwriting was generally readable although the spelling was very variable.

Persons mentioned (not in order of appearance):

• John Atdam Testator
• my brother Peter Atdam
• Mary Atdam wife of the said Petter
• unnamed children of Peter Atdam
• my brother William Atdam
• Marye Atdam my sister
• Elizabeth Chambers my neace
• Atdam Neave my grandchild sonne of Thomas Neave under the age of 24
• Peter Atdam my neavie prbably an arachiac form of nephew
• Thomas Atdam my nevie
• John Atdam my nevie
• Thomas Neave the yongest sonne of Thomas Neave thelder
• Thomas Neave the elder executor of the will
• Maye Neave daughter of Thomas Neave
• Alice Spurgen Late wife of John Spurgen deceased
• John Spurgen deceased
• George Wentland relationship not given
• William Wentland my nephewe
• Suzanne Neave the daughter of Thomas Neave
• Christian White wife of Alexander White
• Alexander White
• Margarett White her eldest Daughter
• Margarie Halman sister of the said Christian
• Rob[er]te Lyncolne son of Alice Lyncolne
• Richard Lyncolne son of Alice Lyncolne
• Alice Lyncolne
• Beau Dam a basse child
• John Cadye Late deceassed Testator bought land from him in Hingham
• George Gooche of Hingham, Turner Testator was in the process of selling land to him
• Elizabeth Duckett my grandchild
• Suzanne Duckett my grandchild
• Ro[bert] Constable witness to the will
• Ric[hard] Humfrie witness to the will

---

[folio 241 verso]
In the name of god Amen the xxiiij^tie daye
of Januarye 1609 / & in the seaventh yere of the reigne
of o[u]r sov[er]aigne Lord James by the grace of god of
Ingland Fraunce & Ireland Kinge defender of
the faithe &c & of Scotland the fortye thre I John
Atdam of Hingham in the County of Norf[olk] yeoman
& in the dioces of Norwiche whole of mynd & of good
& p[er]fitt memorye Lauded be god doe ordayne and
make this my p[rese]nt testam[en]t & last will in mannor
& forme followinge viz utterlye Revokinge & settinge
voyd all other former willes & testam[en]ts in tymes
past by me made First & principallye I Committ and
Comend my soule into the hands of almighty god
my maker & Jesus Christ my Swett ^[2] Saviour &
onelye redemer & god the holye ghost my sanctifier
trustinge to inioye the glorius pr[e]sents of the
true & Immortall god amongst the saintts in
heaven & my bodye to be buryed in the Church
yarde of Hingh[a]m aforesaid

Item I give and
bequeathe unto the poore people of Hingham
afores[ai]d fyve pounds of Lawfull mony of Ingl[and]
to be distributed unto them at the daye of m[y]
buryall

Item I give & bequeathe to the repar[acons]
of the p[ar]ishe church of Hingh[a]m aforsaid
x^s to be payd to the church wardens theire
for the tyme beinge to the use above said w[i]th[in]
one year next after my decease

Item I give un[to]
ev[er]y one of the Children of my brother Pett[er]
Atdam Five Pounds of Lawefull mony of Ing[land]
to be payd unto them & ev[er]ye one of them when th[ey]
they shall severally attayne & Come to the age of x[xj] ^[3] yeres

[folio 242 recto]
It[e]m I give and bequeathe unto Will[ia]m
Atdam my brother xx ^li of Lawefull
mony of Ingland to be payd unto hime
in manner & forme Followynge that
is to saye w[i]thin one yere next after
my decease tenne pounds p[ar]cell of the
said twenty pounds & such daye twlve
month the other tenne pounds

It[e]m I give
unto Marye Atdam my sister forty shillings
of Lawefull monye of Ingland to be payd
unto hir w[i]thin one yere next after my
decease

It[e]m I give and bequeath unto
Elizabeth Chambers my neace fyve
pounds of Lawefull mony of Ingland to
be payd unto her w[i]thin two yeres next
after my decease

Item I give will devise
& bequeath unto Atdam Neave my grandchild
sonne of Thomas Neave & to the heirs of
his bodye Lawefully begotten or to be
begotten when he shall attayne to the age
of fower & twentye yeres All my lands
tenem[en]ts & hereitam[en]ts w[it]h ther & ev[er]ye of
ther app[ur]ten[a]nces Lyinge in Hingh[a]m afors[ai]d
w[i]th all such houshould stuff ymplm[en]ts bruinge
vesselles & all belonginge unto them the mylle
& all other my goods whatsoev[er] w[hi]ch I shall
have at the Daye of my decease at his said
age of xxiiij^tie yeres & he the said Thom[a]s Neave
his executors & assignes all the meane tyme
till the said Atdam Neave shall attayne to
his said age of xxiiij^tie yeres or myght if he
had lived so longe shall have the use occupac[i]on

[folio 242 verso]
And p[ro]fitt of my said Lands tenem[ent]s &
heriditam[en]ts w[i]th ympeachm[en]t of
wast towards the paym[en]t of my debtes & legacies
& for want of such heires of his bodye Lawfully
begotten to remayne to Peter Atdam my neavie^[4]
& to his heires of his bodye Lawefully begotten
at the said age of Atdam Neave of xxiiij^tie yeres
or myght if he had Lyved so longe & for want
of such yssue to remayne to Thomas Atdam
my nevie & to the heires of his bodye Lawefully
begotten And for want of such yssue to remayne
to John Atdam my nevie & to the heires of his
bodye Lawefullye begotten & for want of such
yssue to remayne to the right heyres of me
the said John Atdam for ev[er]

It[e]m I give &
bequeath unto Atdam Neave my five fetherbeds
iij of them in the p[ar]lour another in the p[ar]lour
Chamber & the rest in the Chamber next
the brue house & all my houshould stuff
what soev[er] my greatest brasse potte in the
hows one flockebed of tartia ^[5] & five bousters
belonginge to the said five fetherbeds

Item I give & bequeath unto Thomas Neave
the yongest sonne of Thomas Neave thelder
tenn pounds of Lawefull mony of England to
be payd unto hime when he shall accomplish
his age of xxi^tie yeres

It[e]m I give will devise
& bequeath unto Atdam Neave my grandchild
All that my Inclose Called Lystere conteyninge
by estimation tenne acres of Land & pasture
wherin the same be more or lesse w[i]th a howse
therupon builded scituate Lyinge & beinge

[folio 425 recto]
In Hingh[a]m aforesaid & Skowlton ^[6] to have
& to hould the said Inclose w[i]th thapp[u]rten[a]nces
unto the said Atdam Neave his heires & ass[igne]s
to the onelye use & behoofe of the said Atdam
Neave his heires & assignes for ever so as
the said Atdam Neave his heires executors
administrators or assi[gne]s shall well & trulye
paye or Cause to be payd well & trulye payd
unto Peter Atdam my brother to his ass[igne]s
yerelye from & after my decease duringe the
whole terme of his naturall life at or w[i]thin
the nowe mansion howse of the said Petter
scituate in Hingham aforesaid the some of fortye
shillings of Lawefull mony of Ingland at the
Feast of St Michell tharchangell the birth
of o[u]r Lord god Thanunciac[i]on of our Ladye &
the nativie of St John Baptist by even
& equall portions the first paym[en]t to begine
at w[hi]ch the said feastes shall first happen
next after my decease Provided alwayes
my full Intent purpose & playne meaninge
is th[a]t if Mary Atdam wife of the said Petter
shall survive the said Peter that then from
& after the decese of the said Petter the
said Atdam Neave his heirs executors
administrators or assignes shall yerelye
paye unto the said Marye or to her assignes
duringe her Lyfe in or at the place afores[ai]d
the said some of fortye shillings at the said feasts
& in such forme as is aforesaid & not otherwise
And if it shall happen the said Anuitye or yerely
rent of fortye shillings of Lawefull monye
of

[folio 425 verso]
Of England to be behind or unpayd in p[ar]te
or in all or at the place aforesaid at any
feast or the feasts aforesaid in w[hi]ch it ought
to be payd as aforesaid Contrarye to my
true meaninge in that behalfe herin above
specified that then & so often & from thence
forth yt shall & maye be Lawefull to & for the
said Peter & Marye & either of them the ass[igne]s
of them & either of them into the aboresaid
Inclose w[i]th thappurten[a]nces to enter & ther
to distrayne & the Distresses ther beinge
founde & taken Lawefullye to Drive Chase
Carrye away ympound Deteyne & w[i]th hould
untill the said yerelye rente or anuitye
of fortye shillings & ev[er]ye p[ar]te & p[ar]cell therof
w[i]th the arrerages ^[7] thereof if any shall happen
to be unto the said Peter & Marye & to
eyther of them accordinge to the true meaninge
above said trulye satisfied Contented & payd

It[e]m I give unto Maye Neave daughter of
Thomas Neave Tenne pounds of Lawefull
mony of Ingland to be payd unto hir when
she shall accomplish her age of xxi^tie years

Item I give & bequeath unto Peter Atdam
my brother all my app[ar]rell whatsoev[er] to
be deliv[er]ed unto him pr[e]sentlye after my
decease

It[e]m I give & bequeath unto Alice
Spurgen Late wife of John Spurgen
deceased fortye shillings of Lawefull
mony of Ingland to be payd unto her w[i]thin
twoo yeres next after my decease
Item

[folio 426 recto]
It[e]m I give & bequeath unto George
Wentland three pounds of Lawefull mony
of Ingland to be payd unto hime w[i]thin
thre yeres next after my decaese

It[e]m I
give & bequeath unto William Wentland
my nephewe thre pounds to be payd unto
hime w[i]thin one yere next after my decease

Item I give & bequeath unto Suzanne
Neave the daughter of Thomas Neave
by his second wife tenne pounds of Lawe
full money of Ingland to be payd unto her
at one & twentye years of age

It[e]m I give
& bequeath unto Christian ^[8] White wife of Alexander
White tenne pounds of Lawefull mony of
Ingland if she shall survive the said Alexander
otherwise I give & bequeath the said tenne
pounds unto Margarett White her eldest
Daughter w[i]thin one yere next after the
decease of the said Christian yf she shall then
accomplishe her age of one & twentye yeres

It[e]m I give & bequeath unto Margarie Halman
sister of the said Christian tenn pounds of Lawfull
mony of Ingland to be payd unto her w[it]hin
thre yeres next after my decease

It[e]m I give
& bequeath unto Rob[er]te Lyncolne & to Richard
Lyncolne to either of them fortye shillings of
Lawefull mony of Ingland sonnes of Alice
Lyncolne to be payd unto them & either of
them w[i]thin two yeres next after my decease

Item I give & bequeath unto Beau Dam a basse
child

[folio 426 verso]
Childe forty shillings of Lawefull
mony of Ingland to be payd unto hir w[i]thin two
yeres next after my decease All wh[i]ch sev[er]all
paym[en]ts are to be payd in the Church portche
of Hingham aforsaid

It[e]m I will my full intent
purpose & meaninge is That if the said Thomas
Neave his heires executors administrators &
assignes shall omitt & make defaulte in the
paym[en]t of any of the said sev[er]all legacies contrary
to my true meaninge in that behalfe herein
above specified Then I will my full intente
purpose & meaninge is That it shall & maye
be good & Lawefull unto the p[er]son or p[er]sons p[ar]tie
or p[ar]ties to whome the default in paym[en]t shall
Chance to be made to enter into all or any my
said Lands tenem[en]ts heridatam[en]ts excepte those
w[hi]ch I have appoynted to be sould by force of
this my testam[en]t & last will Lyeinge Hengh[a]m
aforesaid w[i]th ther & ev[er]y of ther appurten[a]nces and
therto distrayne & the Distresse & Distresses
ther so taken & found to leade drive Chase
Carry awaye Impound w[i]thold & deteynes untill
they & ev[er]y of them be trulye satisfyed content[ed]
& payd ther sev[er]all Legacie or Legacies before
unto them given by force of this my testam[en]t
& last will accordinge to my true intente and
meaning therof together w[i]thall such Costes
Charges & expences as they or any of them
shall sustayne by the forberinge therof any
Artickle Clawes or sentence estate of of intaylo...
Any

[folio 427 recto]
Any other matter whatsoev[er] to the contrary
notwithstanding Provided alwayes & my
full intent & playne meaninge is th[a]^t Thomas
Neave his executor or executors shall bargayne
sell & assure one Inclose Conteyninge iiij
acres w[hi]ch I Late purchassed of John Cadye
Late deceassed Lyinge in Hengh[a]m aforesaid
to George Gooche of Hingh[a]m aforesaid Turner
& to his heires for the mony I am agreed to have
for it & the same mony to be ymployed to thuse
of Atdam Neave sonne of the said Thomas by his
said father untill he shall attayne to the age of
xxi ^tie yeres And then the said Atdam Neave to
have the mony & the p[ro]fitt therof And if he shall
refuse to buye the same upon the price agreed
upon Then I will the said Thomas Neave his
executor or executors shall bargayne sell and
assure the same to any other p[er]son or p[er]sons & ther
heires that will buy the same & the mony to be
ymployed & bestowed as aforesaid

Item I give
& bequeath unto Atdam neave my grandchild &
to his heires all my lands & tenem[en]ts Lyinge in
Atleborrowghe in the said Countye

Item I
give & bequeath unto the said Thomas Neave
his executors & ass[igne]s the use occupac[i]on & p[ro]fitt
of all my lands tenem[en]ts & hereditam[en]ts free &
bond w[i]th ther & ev[er]y of ther app[ur]ten[a]nces scituate
in Remerstonn ^[9] in the said Countye & Hardingh[a]m
untill Elizabeth Duckett my grandchild
shall or myght yf she had lived attayne to the
age of xxi ^tie years Payinge ther out unto Suzann
Duckett my grandchild towards her better
maynten[a]nce

[folio 427 verso]
Maynten[a]nce yerelye five pounds
of Laweffull mony of England so longe as she shall
be unmaryed halfe yerelye to be payd And if she
shall marrye before her sister shalbe of the age
of xxi^tie yeres by the Consent of her Frinds then
I will my full intent purpose & playne meaninge
is that the said Suzanne towards the maynten[a]nce
of her & heres shall have twlve pounds of Lawe
full Inglish mony of England halfe yerelye
to be payd untill her sister Elizabethe Come to
the age of xxi^tie years or myght if she had lived
so longe & also payinge there out unto the said
Elizabeth Duckett towards her maynten[a]nce
yerely fyve pounds of Lawefull mony of Ingland
halfe yerelye to be payd untill she attaynes to the
age of xxi^tie yeres And if she marrye before
she attayne the said age then I will & my full
Intent is that the said Elizabethe towards
the maynten[a]nce of her & hers shall have twelve
pounds of Lawefull mony of Ingland halfe
yerely to be payd all w[hi]ch sev[er]all paym[en]ts are
to be payd in the Church portche of Hingham
aforesaid

It[e]m I will & my full intent purpose
& playne meaninge is that if the said
Thomas Neave his heyres exec[uto]rs admini[strators] and
ass[ignes] shall omitt & make defaulte in the paye[ments]
or any of the said sev[er]all paym[en]ts to my said
grandchildren Suzanne & Elizabeth Ducke[tt]
or to either of them Contrary to my true mea[ning]
herein above specified Then I will & my full
Intent & meaninge is That it shall & maye [be]
good

[folio 428 recto]
Good & lawefull unto either of them
unto whom the defalte shalbe made to enter
into all or any my said Lands ten[emen]tes and
hereditam[en]ts Lyinge in Reym[er]ston and
Hardingh[a]m aforesaid w[i]th ther & ev[er]ye of ther
app[ur]ten[a]nces & ther to distrayne & the distresse
& distresses ther so taken & found to Leade
Drive Chase Carry awaye Impound w[i]thold
& deteyne untill they & either of them be trulye
satisfied Contented & payd the sev[er]all paym[en]ts
unto them or either of them given by force of
this my testam[en]t & last will accordinge to the
true intente & meaninge therof together
w[i]thall such Costes Charges & expences as
bearinge therof And when the said Elizabethe
shall accomplish ther said age of xxj^tie yeres
Then I will w[hi]ch of them shalbe best in estate
shall bye the others p[ar]te & paye for it xx^li lesse
then another will give / bona fide / And upon
refusall by her w[hi]ch shalbe of the best estate
to buye the said Lands ten[emen]tes & hereditam[en]t
I will the other shall have then pr[e]ferm[en]t of the
Salle therof twenty pounds under the paine
that another will give (bona fide) & they both
refuse I will my full intent & playne
meaninge is And I will give & bequeath
the moitie or one halfe of the said Lands
ten[emen]tes & hereditam[en]ts beinge free to the said
Suzanne Duckett & to the heires of her bodye
Lawefullye begotten or to be begotten
And

[folio 428 verso]
And the moytie of the Coppyhold I
give & bequeath to the saide Suzanne her heires
& ass[igne]s To hould to her & to her heires & assignes
at the Will of the Lord accordinge to the Custom
of the mannor of whome it is houlden And
the other moitie or halfe p[ar]te of the said lands
ten[emen]ts & hereitam[en]ts beinge onelye free I give will devise &
bequeath to the said Elizabeth Duckett & to her heires of
hir bodye Lawefullye begotten or to be begotten & the
residue of the Coppiehold I give & bequeath unto
the said Elizabeth & to hir heires to hold at the will
of the Lorde accordinge to the Custom of the mannor
And if the said Suzanne die before the said
Elizabeth shall attayne to her said age of xxj ^tie yeres
w[i]thout heires of hir bodye Lawefullye begotten
Then I will the said Elizabeth Duckett shall have
all my said Lands ten[emen]ts & hereditam[en]ts beinge onely
Free To hir & to hir heires of hir bodye Lawefullye
begotten or to be begotten & the Coppiehold to her the
said Elizabeth hir heyres & assignes at the will of
the Lorde accordinge to the Custome of the mann[or]
of whome it is houlden & if the said Elizabeth
Dye before she shall come to hir said age of xxj^tie
w[i]thout yssue of hir body Lawefullye begotten or
to be begotten Then I will the saide Suzanne Duckett
shall have all my said Lands ten[emen]ts & hereditam[en]ts beinge
onelye free to her & her heires of her bodye Lawe
fullye begotten & to be begotten And the Coppiehold
to her the said Suzanne hir heires & assignes
accordinge to the Custome of the mannor of whome
the same pr[e]miss[e]s bene holden & if both of them
shall Dye w[i]thout yssue of ther bodye Lawefullye
begotten Then I will it shall remayne to Atdam Neave
And

[folio 429 recto]
And to the heires of his bodye Lawefullie begotten
or to be begotten And for want of such yssue to remayne
to Peter Atdam my nephewe to the heires of his bodye
Lawefullye begotten And for want of such yssue to remayne
to Thomas Atdam my nephewe & to the heires of his bodye
Lawefullye begotten & for want of such Issue to remayne
to John Atdam my nephew & to the heires of his bodye Lawe
fullye begotten And the Coppiehould to remayne to the
Like estae yf the Custom of the mann[or] of whom the
same Coppiehold pr[e]miss[e]s bene houlden will it p[er]mitte
& suffer or els not And for want of such yssue to remayne
to the right heires of me the said John Atdam forever

It[e]m I doe ordayne & make the said Thomas Neave
Sole executor of this my testam[en]t & last will requiringe
& strayghtlye Charginge hime as he will answer befor
god at the last daye to see my bodie brought to the
earth in honest Comlye & Decente mann[or] & this my
last will & testam[en]t trulye p[er]formed

It[e]m I give and
bequeath unto Peter Atdam my brother and Mary his wife
& to the longer liver of them two the use & occupac[i]on of
all th[a]t my howse wher they doe nowe inhabett w[i]th the
goeinge of a pigge all the meane tyme in the yarde
belonginge to the said howse w[i]th free libertye of Ingresse
egresse & regresse unto the said Peter & Marye & the
Longer Liver of them into the said yarde & from the
same & w[i]th the libertie of Layinge ther wood in the yard
& takinge watter at the pitte w[i]thall such liberties as they
nowe ther enioye any article Claweses or sentence
herein above specified to the Contrarye not w[i]thstandinge

In wittnes wherof to this my last will & testam[en]t
Conteyninge five shettes of pap[er] I have sett my
hand & seall the Daye & yere Firste above written
ex^r & Concord at one originall p[ar]ne Ro: Constable et
Ric: Humfrie /

Probatum [in Latin] This will was proved at Hingham before Master William Grigson clerk on behalf of the venerable Master Richard Stokes Clerk in Holy Orders of the Court of the Archdeaconry of Norfolk constituted the eighth day of September AD 1613 Adminstrations of all and singular the goods and credits of the said deceased to the executors named in this Will.

Sources

1. ↑ Will of John Atdam of Hingham 1613 Will registers of the Archdeaconry of Norfolk ANF will register Roe folio 423. Norfolk Record Office, Norwich, Norfolk, England. Family Search film 167096 image 244 onwards Accessible at a Family History Centre. Transcribed 4 June 2022
2. ↑ sweet
3. ↑ guess on age as most likely
4. ↑ nephew?
5. ↑ need to look this one up
6. ↑ Scoulton, a hamlet to the west of Hingham
7. ↑ arrearages = late payments
8. ↑ Here rendered as the Greek Chi-Rho at the start of the name
9. ↑ Reymerston