Will of Richard Sharpe of Northiam, Sussex, England 1553

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Northiam, Sussex, England
Surnames/tags: Sharpe Tufton

Transcript of the Will of Richard Sharpe of Northiam (also spelled Nordiam, and in the will "Northyhm"), Sussex, England taken from the copy will in the registers of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury. ^[1]

Images of the copy will in the register is available on Ancestry, The writing is legible and there is no damage to the pages. The scan is good.

Spelling is as per the original. Line breaks and bold lettering are for legibility and are my own.
Contacted and abbreviated words have been expanded in italics

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In the Name of God Amen

The sixte day of January in the Yere of our Lorde God a Thowsannde fyve hundred fiftie and three And in the firste yere of the reigne of our Soveraigne Lady Mary by the grace of god of England ffrance and Ireland Quene Defender of the faithe and in earthe of the churche of Englande and Irelande the supreme hed.

I Richarde Sharpe of Northyhm in the Countie of Sussex being of hole mynde and perfitt memory lawded be god, doo make my present testament and last will in manner and forme following.

Ffirste I bequethe my Soule to the almyghtie Jehsu Christe to the company of our blessed Lady Saint Mary the Virgyn and to all the holie company of heaven, And my body to be buried in the churche of Northihm aforsaide at suche place there as shall please the parishoners of the same for whiche buriall to be had I bequeth to the saide buriall vi s viii d ^[2]

Item I bequith to the parson of the said Churche for my tithes forgotten or nechgently witholden xii d

Item I bequith to the parson of the churche of Ewhurst for like cause xii d

Item Ibequeth to be don for me at my buriall and to be distributed to the pore people in bread Drinck and mony by the discretion of myne Executors xx s

Item at my monneth day ^[3] in likewise twentie shillings

Item at my yeres mynde ^[4] in like manner twentie shillings

Item I bequeth twentie shillings more to be distributed at the discretion of Alice my wiffe and John my sonne to the most poor aged and ympotent people dwelling within the parrishe of Northihm in manner and forme following that is to say at my buriall vi s viii d At my monneth Day vi s viii d And at my yeres mynde vi s viii d

Item I bequith more to the pore men of Northyham xiii s viiis

Item I bequeth to every of my godchildren viii d

Item I bequeth to Alice my Wiffe twentie pounds whereof I will to be paide unto her within one hole yere next after my decease tenne poundes And thoder ^[5] tenne poundes I will shalbe paide unto her within twoo yeres next after my Decease

Item I bequeth to the saide Alice one gelding or one mare the best she can choose withe her side Saddle and Bridle Sixe of my kyne ^[6] the best she can choose with all my wearing apparell except one Capp one Dublett one pair of hose and a Cote the whiche I bequith to William Mottym thelder of Northihm

Item I bequeth to Joan and Bridgett my Daughters every of theyme to theire marriages xxvii L xiii s viii d to be paide to theyme at the daye of theire marriages So that they marry with the assent and advise of theire mother my Overseer and myme Executor, And if any of theyme marry to the contrary Then my will is that she and they that so dothe shalhave but twentie poundes to theire marriage

Item I bequeth to Anne Cryour the daughter of Thomas Cryour and Margaret his wiffe my daughter Six poundes thirtene shillings and foure pence to be paide to her at the day of her marriage And if it happen the saide Anne Cryour to decease before marriage Then I will the saide Six poundes thirtene shillings and foure pence shalbe equally devided among all thoder doughters of the saide Thomas Cryour and Margaret his wiffe then lyving at theire marriages

Item I bequeth to every of my sarvanntes men and woomen sarvanntes xl d

Item I bequeth to John my sonne one of my gobletts of silver withe the cover thereof twoo silver spones and all my oute store apperteyining to husbandry

Item I bequeth to Thomas my sonne my other goblett of silver and my Mazer ^[7] withe the silver bonde and twoo silver spones

Item I bequeth to the saide Thomas a Couple of Oxen twoo steres of three yeres age and twoo kyne or ells the price of theym And thadvanntage and proffitt of theyme to be had to the use of hym ymedmediately after my decease

Item I will that Alice my Wiffe ^{shall have} the custody use and accompying at her pleasure of all my instuffe of housholde not before Bequethed aslong as she dothe live sole a widdowe And if she happen to marry Then my will is that the saide Alice shall before her marriage deliver unto John my Sonne and
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Thomas my Sonne all the saide instuffe of housholde equaly betwene theyme to be devided and she to have no further medling therof
And if it so happen the saide Alice to continense and live sole a widdowe to her liffe ende Then my will is that she shalhave at her disposition to give and bequeth all the lynnen of the said housholde And the residue thereof after her decease to be devided amonge my twoo sonnes equaly as is abovesaide.

Item I bequethe to the saide Alice my wiffe five silver spoones

Item I bequeth to Dorathee Mary and Joan Sharpe my sonnes daughters each of theyme vi s viii d

Item to every childe of Thomas Cryour and Margarett my Daughter vi s viii d except Anne Cryour

Item I bequeth to William Coke xl d

Item I bequeth to Mary Holman daughter of Thomas Holman and Agnes Holman my Daughter vi s viii d

Item I will unto Thomas Sharpe my Sonne twentie ponndes

Item I bequeth to the saide Thomas Sharpe my Sonne All my ffarme Landes called Tannehowse To have unto hym During all my terme of my Lease therein

The residue of all my goode and cattalls not bequethed my debtes and my beqestes first paide I give and bequeth theyme John Sharpe my sonne whome of this my present testament and last will I ordayn and make my Executor he to dispose theyme as to hym shall seme expedient by his Discretion And of the same testament and last will I ordeyn and make Mr Tufton my brother in lawe myne Overseer to whom I bequith for his paines for his councell and advise in that behalfe to be hadd fourtie shillings

This is the last Wyll of me the saide Rychard made the day and yere above saide of and uppon the Dispercion of all my Landes and tenements Rentes and annuities sett lying and being in the Counties of Kent and Sussex aswell within the liberties as without

ffirste I will that Alice my wiffe shall take all the issues and proffittes of all that my tenement and Landes excepte my Woodes in Benenden the whiche one Henry Moter nowe occupieth and holdeth in fferme. And of one pece of Lande called the Long Felde to the saide Tenement belonging during thole terme of her liffe naturall she keping the repaatcions of all the howsing thereof tenement like: And after the terme of her liffe I will all the saide tenement Landes and woodlands with thappurtenences th John my sonne and to his heirs in fee.

Item I will to the said John my sonne three peces of lande whiche I late purchased of one William Turner and John Hobbarde lying in Rolvenden and one yerely Rent or annuitie of xxi s viii d comyng out of certtyne Lands of Richarde Busshopp of Hasting lying in Westfelde To have and to holde to hym and to his heirs in fee.
Also I will to the said John my sonne and to his heirs all those my Lands and tenementes with thappurtenences sett and lying in Sandhurst which John Bate thelder and John Bate the younger nowst holde and occupie in fferme by the Lease of me the saide Richarde:

Item I will that the saide John my sonne shalhave and preceive to hym and to his heire one yerely Rent or annuytie of sixe poundes comying out of the Landes and tenementes late of one Edwarde Pettite gent in Stokebury and Brabon in the Countie of Kent uppon condicion that he shall finde and kepe at his cost and charge all my children under thage of xviii years until every of theym come unto the saide age of xviii yeres meate and Drincke and sufficient apparell or ells if they be not married afore the saide age
Then my will is that every of theym shalhave yerely twentie shillings until they be married towards theire Apparell over and above meate and drincke. And uppon condicion that he doo well and truly performe this my testament and last will and pay my Debtes
And in case he make default this to doo Then my will is that Thomas my sonne his brother shall Shifte with hym in the premisses and then the saide Thomas to be bounden to pay my Debtes and Legacies And if the saide John my sonne and Thomas bothe Doo refuse and make default of the premisses Then I will my saide Wiffe if she be widdowe shalhave and preceive the premisses during her widdowehedd finding and keeping my saide Children as is abovesaide

Item I will to Thomas my sonne All my Lands and Tenementes Rentes and annuities withe thappurtenences in Tenterden Smalhithe and Ebney and on Annuytie out of all the Landes and tenementes of Richard Tildey of Ebney Benynden or Tenterden or the mony of theyme comyin if anny of theyme be redemed All which annuyties after my decease be without redemption by our bergaynes excepte one annuytie of William Hogge of Tenterden which muste followe and be according to the Indentures betwene hym and me the whiche covenents thereof nowe be expired To have holde and preceive the premysses to the said Thomas and his heirs in fee: the yerely Rente fferme and proffitt whereof I will that John Sharpe my sonne his brother shall receive to the use of the saide Thomas untill he shall com to the age of xxii yeres
And then at the saide age the saide John shall make hym Accompte and payment thereof to make hym a stock withe to sett upp hym occupying of howsbondry or otherwise

Item I will to the saide Thomas my sonne all my Landes and rents with thappurtenences called Hempdon plasshed Rowlande and Oldelande with thappurtnenences sett and lying in Benynden and Sandeherst which Thomas Cryour occupieth To have to hym and his heirs in fee uppon condicion yat he shall pay unto Alice his mother during her widdowhedd one yerely Rent of foure poundes of lawfull mony of England at twoo termes of the yere by equall portions
And for lacke of payment thereof the saide Alice shall enter and take thole proffitt thereof during her widdowhedd

Item I will to Thomas my sonne the revercion after the decease of his ^[8] brother John Sharpe of a Tenement and certeyne Landes adioyning withe thppurtenences sett lying and being in the parrishes of Benynden and Sandherst which I late boughte of the saide John Sharpe my brother sometyme one Xpofer ^[9] Ledes And also of my other peces of Landes which I late purchased of my said brother there lying and adioyning to the Landes of the saide tenement called the Facobbys Tolene hokemarling and the twoo Rechez To have and to holde to hym and to his heires in fee: And futherment I will to John my sonne the revercions after the death of my said brother of all that principall Messuage gardeyn Landes meddowes pastures and woods withe thappurtunences which my saide brother nowe dwellith in ^and one Bate now holdeth and occupieth sett and lying in the parrishes of Benynden and Sandeherst which I late purchased of the said John Sharpe my brother as by fyne and otherwise it shall appear To have and to hold into the saide John my sonne and his heirs males of body lawfully

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begotten And if it happen the saide John to Dye without heires or heires male or males of his body lawfully begotten Then I will the said principall Messuage and all other the premisses withe theappurtnences to Thomas my sonne and to the heires males of his body lawfully begotten And if it happen the saide Thomas my sonne to Dye without heires male of his body lawfully begotten Then I will the saide principall Messuage and all other the premisses withe theappurtenences shall remayne to the next heire or heires of me the saide Richarde for ever

I will unto the saide John my Sonne all that tenement or Messuage withe all the Landes medowes pasutres and woods to the same belonging whiche I late purchased of John More gent sett and lying in the parrishes of Benynden and Sandeherst and which one Robert Reade now dwellith in and occupieth in ferme To have and to holde to hym and his heires in fee uppon condicion that the saide John his heires or assignes shall yerely content and pay or cause to be contented and paide unto Alice my Wiffe his mother or to her assignes during the terme of her widdowhedd foure poundes of good and lawfull mony of England at twoo termes of the yere by equall porcions
And for the default of payment thereof accordingly my will is that the saide Alice shall Enter into the saide Messuage and to all other the premisses with thappurtenences and shall take the hole Revenewes and proffittes of the same During all the terme of her saide widdowhedd: And after that terme of widdowhedd ended my will is that it shall remayne unto the saide John my sonne and to his heires Alwayes uppon condicion that he truly pay my Debtes and performe this my last will and testament.

Item I will and bequesth unto Thomas Sharpe my sonne one Howse and gardeyn sett and lying in Northyhm in the Countie of Sussex the which one William Shether nowe dwelleth in and occupieth To have and to holde unto hym his heires and assignees in fee for ever

Theis Wittnesses John Tufton Esquier ^[10] William Coke ^[11]

Probate [in Latin] to Johannes Sharpe executor Twenty Sixth day of the month of January Anno Domini 1553. ^[12]

Sources

1. ↑ Richard Sharpe in Prerogative Court of Canterbury and Related Probate Jurisdictions: Will Registers; Class: PROB 11; Piece: 36 Tashe (1553-1554) National Archives, Kew, Surrey, England. Accessed 12 January 2020 on Ancestry.co.uk Image
2. ↑ 8 shillings and 6 pence was exactly one third of an English pound
3. ↑ Month's Mind mass - a requiem mass celebrated a month after the death. Wikipedia contributors, "Month's mind," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, (accessed January 12, 2020).
4. ↑ Year's Mind mass - a requiem mass celebrated a year after the person's death. Wikipedia contributors, "Month's mind," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, (accessed January 12, 2020).
5. ↑ "the other" - words beginning with a vowel often had "The" shortened to "th" and attached to the word
6. ↑ Cattle
7. ↑ A drinking vessel Wikipedia contributors, "Mazer (drinking vessel)," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, (accessed January 12, 2020).
8. ↑ This may be a transcription error "his" being substituted for "my" which would make sense for a reversion clause. Also Richard uses the term "aforesaid" for his brother John, but with the written wording he has not mentioned him before.
9. ↑ Archaic spelling of Christopher
10. ↑ His wife's brother
11. ↑ Husband of one of his wife's sisters
12. ↑ 6 January 1553/4