Will of John Fox c.1602-1665

Date: 2 Dec 1665 to 15 Dec 1665
Location: Stepney, Middlesex. England
Surnames/tags: Fox Will

Transcription of the Will of Joh'es [Johannes] or John Fox of Stepney, Middlesex made verbally on 2 December 1665 and proved in London 15 December 1665.
This was during the year of the Great Plague, and 6500 people died in Stepney alone. ^[1]
The fact that John Fox made a deathbed Will with his wife also "lying sicke in bedd" suggests that he died of the plague.

The archaic spelling is as per the text of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury copy Will register lodged at the National Archives, Kew, Surrey, England. ^[2]
The image is viewable on Ancestry.
The line breaks are my own to make the text more readable.

Memorandum that on or about the Second day of December in the yeare of our Lord God 1665 John ffox of Wapping Wall in the parish of Stepney als Stebonheath ^[3] in the County of Midd'x being sicke and weake in body but of good and perfect mind and memory
Did make and declare his last will and Testament Nuncupative ^[4] or by word of mouth in these or the like words following (That is to say)

Hee the said John and his wife lying both of them sicke in bedd together hee said if it shall please God That my wife and I do both dye I doe appoint John Coates of Shadwell and my sister Elizabeth Kettlebuler ^[5] my executors in trust for the good of my Children

And I give to my executors Twenty shillings a peece

To Mary Sheaveffocke ^[6] and to my Cosen Steade I give Twenty shillings a peece

And all the rest of and remainder of my goods and Chattells and Estate whatsoever I give and bequeath To my ffive children To be equally devedid amongst them

And in case any of them shall dye Then the partes and portions of them soe dyeing To be equally devedid amongst the rest of them that shall survive

Which words or the like in effect he spoke and uttered with an intent to declare his last will and Testament in the presence and hearing of credible witnesses Henry Kendall Mary Sheflacke

---

There follows the probate declaration in Latin:
At London on the Fifteenth day of December 1665 Executors Johannis Coates and Elizabetha Kettlebuler

Sources

1. ↑ https://ukga.org/england/Middlesex/towns/Stepney.html
2. ↑ The National Archives; Kew, England; Prerogative Court of Canterbury and Related Probate Jurisdictions: Will Registers; Class: PROB 11; Piece: 318: Hyde, Quire Numbers 108-162 (1665)
3. ↑ The old name for Stepney
4. ↑ A verbal deathbed will in front of witnesses
5. ↑ This is my best approximation of this surname - will need more research
6. ↑ Another surname that needs research