Location: Hingham, Norfolk, England

Surnames/tags: Cowper Cooper
This is a transcript of the original will of John Cowper (1554-1621) of "Hengham" (Hingham) Norfolk, a yeoman. He wrote his will on 12 March 1620/1 and it was proved the Archdeaconry Court of Norfolk on 20 April 1621. [1]
Spelling, punctuation and line breaks are as per the original document.
Crossings through have been included struck out
Paragraph breaks at change of bequest, and bold text are my own for ease of reading.
Where present, 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 and the writing very legible. Non standard spelling as per usual for this time period, which has been transcribed verbatim.
"Money of England" was consistently spelled as "Mony of Ingland"
Persons Mentioned (not necessarily in this order, some rearrangement to keep family groups together:
- Elizabeth my wellbeloved wife
- Thomas Cowper my eldest son executor of will
- Robert Cowper my sonne had nine children living in 1621, all named in the will. No wife named.
- Robert Cowper child of Robert Cowper and Testator's grandchild, Under the age of 21 years
- Thomas Cowper child of Robert Cowper and Testator's grandchild, Under the age of 21 years
- John Cowper child of Robert Cowper and Testator's grandchild, Under the age of 21 years
- Henry Cowper child of Robert Cowper and Testator's grandchild, Under the age of 21 years
- Agnes Cowper child of Robert Cowper and Testator's grandchild, Under the age of 21 years
- Susanna Cowper child of Robert Cowper and Testator's grandchild, Under the age of 21 years
- Elizabeth Cowper child of Robert Cowper and Testator's grandchild, Under the age of 21 years
- Margaret Cowper child of Robert Cowper and Testator's grandchild, Under the age of 21 years
- Mary Cowper child of Robert Cowper and Testator's grandchild, Under the age of 21 years
- Henry Cowper my sonne received lands in Norwood. Three children named in the will, no wife named. Executor of will
- George Cowper child of Henry Cowper and Testator's grandchild, Under the age of 21 years
- Henry Cowper child of Henry Cowper and Testator's grandchild, Under the age of 21 years
- Agnes Cowper child of Henry Cowper and Testator's grandchild, Under the age of 21 years
- Anthony Cowper my sonne three named children living in 1621, no wife named
- John Cowper Eldest son of Anthony Cowper, and Testator's grandchild. Under the age of 21 years
- Anthony Cowper son of Anthony Cowper, and Testator's grandchild. Under the age of 21 years
- Jeremy Cowper youngest son of Anthony Cowper, and Testator's grandchild. Under the age of 21 years
- Elizabeth Tuttell of Deepeham relationship not given. Had a recurring monetary bequest and also money to repair her house.
- her eldest sonne Anthony Tuttell the will originally had his surname written as Cowper. Under the age of 21 years.
- John Reynolds her next sonne Under the age of 21 years.
- my brother Robert Cowper overseer of the will - Robert (Cowper) Cooper (abt.1556-bef.1626)
- my brother Peter Cowper
- Peter Cowper son of Peter Cooper and Testator's nephew. Under the age of 21 years
- Thomas Cowper son of Peter Cooper and Testator's nephew. Under the age of 21 years
- John Cowper son of Peter Cooper and Testator's nephew. Under the age of 21 years
- Elizabeth Cowper daughter of Peter Cooper and Testator's niece. Under the age of 21 years
- my nephew John Cowper fishmonger
- John Cowper of Bannham
- Elizabeth Cowper daughter of John Cowper of Bannham
- Ruth Cowper daughter of John Cowper of Bannham
- Mr Peck our minister
- Henry Elwyn butcher
- Agnes Bishop
- Katherine Farrow my servant was still in service with Testator's wife Elizabeth in 1630 by her will
- Raphe Cowper of Deepeham
- his daughter with her lame hand
- William Godfrey tenant of Testator's house in Hingham
- Sir Francis Lovell Testator held leases from him
- John Woodcock occupied Testator's tenement in Norwood
- John Venters Testator bought land from him in Norwood
- Thomas Greeneward witness to the will
- John ffytling witness to the will
- Henry Barnewell witness to the will
In the name of god Amen the twelft daie of march in the Eighteenth yeere of the reign of our Sov[e]raign lord James by
the grace of god of Ingland France & Ireland king Defend[er] of the Faith &c and of Scotland the Four & Fiftieth
Anno do[min]i 1620 I John Cowp[er] of Hengham in the countie of Norff yeoman being sick in bodie but of good Remembrance
blessed be god do ordaine & make my last will and testament in man[n]er & forme following
Imprimis I bequeath
my soule into the mercifull handes of allmightie god my heavenly father trusting to be saved only by the merits
of Jesus Christ my blessed saviour and my body to be buried wher it shall please god to call me.
It[e]m I give and
bequeath unto Elizabeth my wellbeloved wife the summe of Forty poundes of lawfull mony of Ingland to be paid
to the said Elizabeth or her assignes within seavon daies after my decease
It[e]m I give to the said Elizabeth more
the sum[m]e of twenty poundes yeerlie the same to be paid to the said Elizabeth or her assignes by my executo[rs] quart[e]rly
by Five poundes a quarter from & after the daie of my burial at the house where I now dwell during the wholl terme of the naturall life of the said
Elizabeth
It[e]m I give to the said Elizabeth & her assignes for & during the terme of her naturall life all that p[ar]te
of my house & Rooms wherin I now dwell and the use of all other my houses adioyning as I now have them and
likewise the little yard at the back door & Rooms in the other yearde for to lay wood in or for any other necessarie
uses as I now have & do use them
It[e]m I give to the said Elizabeth & to her executo[rs] & assignes all the stuffe in my
house & all other my moveable Goods except my bonds bills debts debtbook & ready mony & also except all man[n]er of
leases saving onelie of Crams Garden the use & lease wherof I give to the Elizabeth & her assignes during the terme of
her naturall life the said lease, yelding & paying such yeerlie rent & p[er]forming such covenants as shall grow due to the
lord of the Mannor of Hengha[m] aforesaid therfore
It[e]m I give to the said Elizabeth all kindes of wood in my yeard and
grounds meete for fire timber & timber trees excepted with free libertie of ingresse egresse & Regressevfor her & her assignes
servants & workmen with cart & cariage to fell cut downe make set up & carry away at fitt seasons & doing as litle
hurt to the corne or grasse theron growing as convenientlie she or they may
Ite[e]m I give to Thomas Cowper
my eldest sonne & to his heires for ever all that part of my house in the marketstedde [2] in Hengham aforesaide
wherin Will[ia]m Godfrey doth now dwell with the yarde & backside therunto belonging & adjoinying & all my houses
thereupon builded, yelding and paying during the naturall life of the aforesaid Elizabeth and toward the payment
of her annuitie before mentioned & bequeathed the summe of six poundes a yeere to be paid quarterlie by xxxs
a quarter from & after my decease or daie of my burial
It[e]m I give to my said sonne Thomas Cowper & to his heires for ever all that other parte of my house
in the marketstedd of Hengham aforesaide where I now dwell and all my houses & yards therto adioining & belonging
from and after the decease of the said Elizabeth
It[e]m I give to my said sonne Thomas Cowper his executors
& assignes all such landes as I hold of by lease togither w[i]th my lease therof from Sr Francis Lovell (Cranes garden
and my butchers stalls onelie excepted) during the wholle terme expressed in the said lease
It[e]m I give to the
said Thomas Cowper his executors & assignes the sum[m]e of twelve poundes of lawfull mony of Ingland to be paid
within two yeeres after my decease
It[e]m I give & bequeath to Robert Cowper my sonne & to his heires for
ever fouer several peeces of land lying in the Field of Hengham aforesaid conteyning in all six acres & three
Roodes of land by estimation yelding & paying therfore to my executors during the naturall life of the aforesaid
Elizabeth the sum[m]e of three poundes seaven shillings and six pence of lawfull mony of Ingland yearly and
[page 2]
and everie yeere by foure equall porc[i]ons quarterlie so long as the said Elizabeth shall live toward the payment
of her said annuitie of xxLs before to her bequeathed:
It[e]m I give & assigne to the said Robert Cowper my sonne
his heires & assigns three butchers stalles which I have in the marketstedde of hengham aforesaide
and also two butchers stalls in the marketstedde of Watton in the county aforesaid, yelding & paying to
my executors yeerlie & everie yeere during the naturall life of the said Elizabeth the sume of
Thirtie shillings of lawfull mony of Ingland by foure equall porc[i]ons quartelie fro[m] & after the
daie of my buriall It[e]m I give t Allwaies p[ro]vided that if the said Robert his heires or assignes
shall fayle in the payment of the said severall som[m]es or in any part thereof in man[n]er & forme aforesaide
Then I will & my mynde is : that my executors or anie of them by themselves or their assignes shall enter into
all & singular the said pr[e]mises whatsoever in this my will to they said Rob[er]t his heires or assignes afore bequeathed
aswell lands as stalls, and the same to hold & possesse, untill such time as all such arreareages shalbe
fullie satisfied . (with competent damages also according to the iudgment of my Supervisor) anything in this
my will to the contreerie not w[i]thstanding.
It[e]m I give & bequeathe unto the said Robert Cowper my
sonne the Sum[m]e of Fifty & Foure poundes of Fiftie and three poundes and Fifteene shillings of lawfull
mony of Ingland, to be be paid to the said Robert his executors or assignes within one wholle yeere after
my decease
It[e]m I give to Henry Cowper my sonne & his heires for ever, all that my tenement
in Norwood with the lands thereunto adioyning. now in the occupac[i]on of John Woodcock, and also one pictle
or close which I bought of John Venters conteyning two acres of land as it lyeth in Norwood aforesaid
yelding & paying yeerlie & everie yeere during the naturall life of the said Elizabeth my wife the Sum[m]e of
Five poundes of lawfull mony of Ingland , the same to be paid by even & equall porc[i]ons quarterly . viz
xxv s a quarter fro[m] & after the daie of my buryall towards the payment of the yeerly Annuity of xx Ls befor
bequeathed to the said Elizabeth
It[e]m I give to Anthony Cowper my sonne the sum[m]e of twentie &
three pounds and Fifiteene shillinges to be paid to the said Anthony his executors or assignes within one
yeere after my decease, Allwaies p[ro]vided that the said Anthony or his executors shall first give or show forth
sufficient assurance to my executors by bond or otherwise, or show forth some assurance allready passed by him
for the sure & true payment of the Sum[m]e of three poundes to my said executors of lawfull mony of Ingland yeere
ly & everie yeere by foure even and equall porc[i]ons quarterly from & after the day of my buryall towards
the payment of the yeerly Anuity of the said Elizabeth . during the wholle terme of the naturall life of the
said Elizabeth
[page 3]
It[e]m I give to my said sonne Robert Cowper his nyne children w[hi]ch be now living viz to Rob[er]t Thomas John Henry
Agnes, Susanna, Elizabeth, Margaret & Mary to everie one of them the sum[m]e of Five pounds of lawfull
mony of Ingland the same to be paid be paid into the hands of their said father to their severall uses within one yeare after my decease
and by him to be repayed unto them at their severall ages of one & twentie yeeres
It[e]m I give to my sonne An=
thony his two eldest sons viz John & Anthony Cowper the sum[m]e of five poundes a peece and to his youngest sonne
Jeremy the sum[m]e of ten poundes of lawfull mony of Ingland the same to be paid within one yeere after
my decease into the hands of their said father to their severall uses and by him to be repayed unto them
severally as their severall ages of one & twentie yeeres
It[e]m I give to my sonne Henry Cowper his two sons
George and Henry Five pounds a peece & to his daughter Agnes ten poundes of lawfull mony of
Ingland the same to be paid into the hands of their said father to their severall uses within one year after
my decease and by him to be repayed unto them at their severall ages of one & twentie yeeres
It[e]m I give to Elizabeth Tuttell of Deepeham the sum[m]e of vis viijd a yeer for & during the terme of three yeeres next
following after my decease
It[e]m I give to her eldest sonne Anthony CowperTuttell the sum[m]e of forty shillings to be paid
unto the said Anthony his executors or assignes at his age of one & twenty
It[e]m I give to John Reynolds her next sonne
the sum of xxs to be paid to him his executors or assignes at his age of one & twenty yeeres
It[e]m I will that
my executors shall bestowe twenty shillings in reparac[i]ons upon her house at her direction
It[em] I give to every
one of my brother Peter Cowpers children viz Peter. Thomas. John & Elizabeth forty shillings a peece
the same to be paid unto them severally at their severall ages of one & twenty yeeres within three yeeres after
my decease
It[e]m I give to my nephew John Cowper fishmonger the sum[m]e of forty shillings to be paid
unto him within three yeeres after my decease
It[e]m I give to Elizabeth Cowper & Ruth Cowper the daughters
of John Cowper of Bannham ten shillings a peece to be paid within one year after my decease
It[e]m my desire is that Mr Peck our minister should give some word of exhortation to the assembly at my buryall
and I do give to him for his paines twenty shillings
It[e]m I give unto Henry Elwyn butcher & Agnes Bishop
ten shillings a peece and to Katherine Farrow my servant twenty shillings.
It[e]m I give to Raphe Cowp[er]
of Deepeham vs and to his daughter w[i]th her lame hand vs
It[e]m I do appoint my brother Robt Cowper
supervisor of this my will and I do give him for his paines visviijd
It[e]m I do ordayne & make my two
sons aforesaid Thomas Cowper & Henry Cowper executors of this my last will & testament conteyned in 3 sheets
of paper
It[e]m all other my Goods & chattalls bonds bills debts debtbooks &ready mony whatsoev[e]r ungiven and
unbequeathed I do give the same to my said executors towards the bringing of my body to honest buriall
payment of my debts & legacies the p[ro]bate & p[er]formance of this my last will & testament: In witness whereof
I have sett my hand and seale to these pr[e]sents the day & yeere first above written
Mark of John Cowper
Redde Sealed & delivered in the pr[e]sence
of us: Thomas Greeneward
John ffytling
Henry Barnewell his mark
[page 4]
Clemens Corbet Legum d[o]c[t]or in et p[er] totum archniatum Norffolcia Commissarius et Offilur
rite et legittime constitutus Dilcctie nobis in Chromris Roberte Pecke rec[t]ori de Hingham Henrico
Scotrectori de Reymerston et Willielmo Grigson rec[t]ori di Hardingham Archniatus pr[o]dict urce q[..] inxues Sualis
Ad inrandum fuit inrari faciendum et Juramento corporali onerandum in debita nirus forma Quosdam Thomam
Cowper et Henricum Cowp[er] Executores testimenti siue ultima voluntatus Johannis cowp[er] nuper dum vixit de
Henryham pr[e]sentibus annex archinatus pr[e]dict uraq uixuis de defunct Vobie cuilbet vestrum vices et auctem
uras commistimus concedinusq[ue] potatem pr[e]sentes Et quid in pmisse feceritus nosant alium nidciem in hac p[er]cem petentem
que incimq[ue] Debite certs unacum pr[e]sentibus Date subsigillo officij urei vicesimo die menses Aprilis Anno domini
mile[si]mo sexcentesimo vicesimo primo
The form of the oath
You shall sweare that you beleive the will w[hi]ch is hereunto annexed is the laste will and Testament of John Cowp[er]
of Hengham yo[u]r late father deceased that there hath binne nothinge added thereunto not taken from the same since
the daie of his death to yo[u]r knowledge That you shall paie his debts and legacies so farforth as his goods will
extend and as by lawe you shalbe chargeable, and that the Inventorie w[hi]ch y[o]u have ex'ted into the Office of
the Archdeacon of Norff is the true and p[er]fecte Inventorie of all the goods and chattells of yo[u]r late father deceased
nothinge left out thereof To yo[u]r knowledge So helpe you god &c.
Sources
- ↑ Will of John Cowper (Cooper) of Hengham, 1621 Archdeaconry of Norfolk ANF original will 1621 no. 15 indexed in the Norfolk Record Office catalogue as: Cooper, John, of Hingham 1621 Description identifier fccb7dd7-f861-4d06-9350-5e7f53ef320c Norfolk Record Office, Norwich, Norfolk, England. Family Search film DGS008045779 images 405-408, viewable at a Family History Centre Transcribed February 2022
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