Will of Peter Cooper of Hengham 1618

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]
Surnames/tags: Cooper Cowper

This is the Will of Peter (Cowper) Cooper 1618

Persons Mentioned

• Peter Cowp[er] the elder, yeoman
• Peter Cowp[er], my sonne
• Thomas Cowp[er], my sonne
• Alice, wife of John Fittlinge
• John Fittlinge of Hengham, yeoman
• Thomas Cow[per], my brother
• Suzanne, my wife
• Rob[er]te Marston
• John Cowp[er], my son
• Elizabeth Cowp[er], my daughter
• Richard Cow[per], my brother
• Suzanne Kyrbye, daughter of Rob[er]te Kyrbye
• Rob[er]te Kyrbye
• Barnwell, witness (first name missing due to damage)

In the name of god Amen the ninth day of Februarie Anno D[omi]ni 1618 and in the yeare of the Raig[n]e of o[ur] soveraig[n] [Lord King]
James by the grace of god of Englande France & Irelande [Kin]ge defender of the faith &c the Sixtene & of Scotland the fifty
two/ I Peter Cowp[er] thelder of Hengh[a]m in the County of Norff yeoman within the dioces of Norw[i]ch whole of monde and of
p[er]fect memorie praised be god/ doe ordaine and make this my p[rese]nt testament and last will In manner and forme
followinge viz: refusing settinge voide and disan[n]ullinge all other willes and testament[es] in tymes past by me made
First and principallie I Com[m]itt & Com[m]ende my soule into the handes of allmightie god my maker & Creator & Jesus
Christ my swete saviour and only redemer & god the holie ghost my sancktfier trustinge to inioy^[1] the glorious
p[re]sence of the true and Immortall god amongest the saint[es] in heaven & my bodie I Comitt to the earth
Item I gyve and
bequeathe unto the poore people of Hengh[a]m afores[ai]d the some of fortye shillinges of lawfull money of England to be
distributed unto them by the householdes as ther severall wantes shall requier halfe ^{a yere} after my decease
It[e]m I gyve
and bequeathe unto Peter Cowp[er] & Thomas Cowp[er] my sonnes during the natuirall life of Alice Fittlinge wife
of John Fittlinge of Hengh[a]m afores[ai]d yoman the use and occupac[i]on of all suche howses landes ten[emen]t[es] & hereditement[es]
fre and Customarie hold with their & ev[er]y of therapp[ur]ten[a]nc[es] situate lying and being in Depeh[a]m in
the County afores[ai]d As late were Thomas Cowp[er]s my brother And allso of all suche houses landes
tenement[es] and hereditament[es] fre and bonde with their appurten[a]nc[es] scituate lying and being in Hengh[a]m
afores[ai]d sowthbergh and Estdereh[a]m in the County afores[ai]d As I nowe have and holde
Item I give
& bequeath unto Suzanne my wiefe duringe her naturall life the some of fortye shillinges of lawfull
money of England yerely to be paid to her At the Feast[es] of Thann[u]nciation of o[ur] blessed ladie St
Marie the Virgin the nativitie of St John the baptist St Michael Tharchhangell & the birthe of
o[ur] lord god by even and equall porc[i]ons the first payment to beginne at w[hi]ch of the s[ai]d Feastes
shall first happ[e]ne next after my decease All w[hi]ch sev[er]all payments are to be made in the
Church porch of Hengh[a]m afores[ai]d in Considerac[i]on of suche dower title of dower or third p[ar]t w[hi]ch she
maye Recon^[2] in any of s[ai]d lands ten[emen]t[es] and hereditament[es] at any tyme hereafter And yf she shall I
will p[re]sentlie her yerelie payment of xls to Surcease and be maid by voide Any thinge afor[said]
in this my testam[en]t and last will to the Contrarie notwithstandinge
Item ^{I give} & bequeath unto the s[ai]d Suz[anne]
my wife all the wood in the yarde and the bare use and occupac[i]on of all my movable goodes with[in]
my howse wherein I dwell duringe her life And after her decease I will all the s[ai]d movable
goodes shall be equallie devided betwene all my Children
It[e]m except the greate Caldron w[hi]ch I
gyve unto my sonne Thomas p[re]sentlie after my decease
It[e]m I give and bequeathe unto Thomas Cowp[er] m[y]
sonne the some of Fyve powndes of lawfull money of Englande to be paid unto him within one yere [ne]xt
after the decease of the s[ai]d Alice Fittlinge
Item I gyve & bequeath unto the s[ai]d Peter [Cowper my]
sonne & his heires after the decease of the s[ai]d Alice Fittlinge All that my measuage with
thappurten[a]nc[es] scituate in Hengh[a]m afores[ai]d & the lease land on the backe side of my measuage afores[ai]d
during my the Continuance of the s[ai]d lease and the table & forme th[a]t stande in the hall of the s[ai]d measua[ge]
& all th[a]t my Close of pasture conteyninge thre acres more or lesse lying and being in Heng[ham] Southberghe
afores[ai]d w[hi]ch I late purchased of Rob[er]te Marston late deceased And my shoppe in Estdereh[a]m afores[aid]
So as the s[ai]d Peter Cowp[er] my sonne his heires or assignes shall truly well and truly paye
cause to be well and trulie paid in the porch of the of the p[ar]ish Church of Hengham aforesaid to
John Cowp[er] my sonne & to either of them Elizabeth Cowp[er] my daughter & to either of them
twentie powndes of lawfull money of England where as they shall attaine unto ther sever[al]
Ages of one and twentie yeares or within with one halfe yere after upon reasonable demande And [if]
it shall happen the s[ai]d Peter Cowp[er] my sone ^his heires and assignes or any of them to Omitt and make
defaulte in the payment of the s[ai]d severall legacies of twentie pownd[es] or any p[ar]cell therof contra[rie]
to them true intent & meaninge of this my testam[en]t & last will Then I will my full intent and mea[ninge]
is that to w[hi]ch of them shall happen defalte to be made shall enter enter into all and sing[u]lar the p[remisses]
afores[ai]d with the appurten[a]nc[es] before given to the s[ai]d Peter Cowp[er] my sonne & his heires and the full p[arte?]
& Comodities therof Com[m]inge Rising or growing to their severall uses quietlie and peaceablie tot[allie?]
untill it hath fullie satisfied & paide the p[er]son to whome the defalte shall chance to be made tog[ether]
withall suche Costes losse & damages as shall be susteyned by the forbearing therof any th[in]g[e]
before said in this my testam[en]t & last will to the Contrarie then not withstanding
It[em] I give and bequeath
unto my brother Richard Cowp[er] yerely during his life vs quarterly to be paide
Item I give &
bequeath unto Suzanne Kyrbye the daughter of Rob[er]te Kyrby one silver Sponne
It[em] all and sing[u]ler
the rest of my goodes not here before given and bequeathed I gyve & bequeath unto the s[ai]d Peter
Cowp[er] & Thomas Cowp[er] my sonnes whome I make executors of this my testam[en]t & last will to the [..]
intent they shall truly p[er]forme the same so said forthe as to them Concernd & se my debtes &
legacies trulie paid & p[er]formed In witnesse herunto whereof herunto I have sett my hand & Seale
the day and yere first above written
Peter Cowp[er] (signature)

thes being witnesses
[Rob]art Cowp[er] (signature)
[damaged page] [Ba]rnwell (signature)

Sources

1. ↑ enjoy
2. ↑ ie reckon (claim)