Will of Richard Willis of Fenny Compton, 1640

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

This is a transcription of the register copy of the will of Richard Willis or Willys of Fenny Compton, Warwickshire, gentleman. Richard made his will on 7 December 1639, two months after the death of his wife, and he died and was buried at Fenny Compton on 21 December 1639. ^[1] The will was proved at the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 8 May 1640. ^[2]

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 writing was quite small and cramped in places, and the image had been overexposed, the two things making the text difficult to read in places.

Spelling: the scribe used only one S at the end of the word where modern spelling expects SS.

Persons named:

• my Wife Joan (Rutter) Willis had died in the September of 1639 and was buried at Fenny Compton.
• my brother Mr William Willis of London Testator's second eldest brother, co-executor of will
• my nephew Mr. George Willys son of Testator's eldest brother George. Although his father, step-mother and three younger siblings had probably emigrated by December 1639, it seems as though George was still in England. Co-executor of will.
• William Griffin tenant of the farm at Napton. Perhaps a relation of the George Gryffyn mentioned in the will of the Testator's father
• John Colin tenant at Napton
• Henry Taylor tenant at Napton
• my brother Mr George Willis eldest brother
• my sister Mris Marie Willis his wife George Willis' second wife Mary Smith. It is likely that George, Mary and at least the three youngest children had emigrated to Massachussetts Bay Colony by the time Richard wrote his will.
• neice Hester Willys
• neice Amy Willys
• Nephew Samuell Willes
• my brother in lawe Mr Thomas Goulder
• my sister Judith Goulder his wife Testator's sister Judith Willis, witness to will
• unnamed Goulder children
• my brother in lawe Mr John Ekins
• my sister Mary Ekins his wife Testator's youngest sister Marie Willis
• unnamed Ekins children
• my brother in lawe John Rutter brother of Testator's late wife Joan Rutter
• my sister Elizabeth Roberts
• my sister Mary Millington
• my brother Thomas Harris
• Bridgett his wife late deceased
• my sister Anne Powle
• my Cosen Thomas Powle her sonne
• my Cosen Richard Harris child of Thomas and the late Bridget Harris
• my Cosen Edmunds Harris child of Thomas and the late Bridget Harris
• my Cosen Bridgett Harrischild of Thomas and the late Bridget Harris
• my sister in lawe Anne Smith probably the sister of George Willis' second Wife
• Hester her sister sister of Anne Smith, surname unknown, probably the sister of George Willis' second Wife
• my Cosen Margarett Grant
• Mr James Sutton Rector of Fenny Compton, witness to will
• Mary Sutton his wife
• Samuell Sutton child of James and Mary Sutton
• Hannah Sutton child of James and Mary Sutton
• Thomas Sutton child of James and Mary Sutton
• Mr Nathaniell Cotton of Adson, joint executor of will
• Richard Dighton surgeon of Gloucester
• Persis Deares poor inhabitant of Fenny Compton
• Richard Westbury and his wife poor inhabitants of Fenny Compton
• Marie Barroes poor inhabitant of Fenny Compton
• Elizabeth Clarke widdowe poor inhabitant of Fenny Compton
• the Children of Mary Willys widdowe poor inhabitants of Fenny Compton
• Edward Petifer and his wife poor inhabitants of Fenny Compton. Edward Pettifer, labourer, was buried at Fenny Compton on 23 January 1639/40. His entry follows Richard's in the register.
• my Cosen --- Roberts and his wife poor inhabitants of Fenny Compton
• Simon Paine and his wife poor inhabitants of Fenny Compton
• Samuell Ekins witness to will

---

I Richard Willis the younger of Fenny Compton in
the County of Warwick gent beinge of sound mynd and p[er]fecte memory though weake of
bodie Doe make my last will and testam[en]t in mann[er] and forme followinge First I comitt and
comend my selfe wholly into the hands of god the father whoe hath fearefully and wonderfully
made me and of God the sonne whoe hath redeemed me from Synne hell Death and damnation
by his death and righteousnes and of God the holy Spiritt whoe hath sanctified me to the praise
of the glorie of his grace beinge three p[er]sons but one essentiall lord God Secondly I comitt
my bodie to the earth, it beinge earth to be decentlie and Christianly buried in the Church yard
of Fenny Compton aforesaid betweene my Wife her grave and the Chancell wall in assured hope
that it shalbe raised upp againe att the day of the lord by the power of the resurrecc[i]on of Jesus
Christ and then my soule and bodie againe united together shall receave fullnes of blessednes
in heavenly places in Christ Jesus Thirdly I give and bequeath all my landes goodes Cattells
and Chattells in manner and forme followinge

First I give and bequeath to my brother Mr

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William Willis of london gent the some of twoe hundred poundes out of my landes and
Tenements lyinge and beinge in the lordshippe of Napton upon the hill and Ladbrooke and
Southam to be paied unto him within one Yeare after my decease by such p[er]son or p[er]sons unto whome
I shall in and by this my last will and testam[en]t give and bequeath my aforesaid lands tenem[en]ts
and hereditaments

Item I give and bequeath to the heires of my bodie lawfully begotten or to
bee begotten all my landes tenem[en]ts and hereditaments whatsoev[er] lyinge and beinge in Napton
Ladbrooke and Southam aforesaid in the possession or occupac[i]on of anie of my Farmers tenants
or underten[a]nts or of any other p[er]son or p[er]sons whatsoeve[er] And for want of such issue I give and
bequeath the said lands tenemetns and hereditam[en]ts to my nephew Mr. George Willys and to
the heires of his bodie lawfully begotten or to be begotten upon this Condic[i]on that there be paied
to my brother William Willys aforesaid out of the said landes and tenem[en]ts the some of twoe
hundred poundes aforesaid And for want of such issue of the said George Willys then to the
heires of me the said Richard Willis forev[er] Provided of the heires of my bodie or such other
p[er]son or p[er]sons as is by this my will to inheritt my land doe not paie unto my said brother William
Willis the said some of twoe hundred poundes within one yeare after my decease in such
case I give and bequeath one messuage and tenem[en]t in Napton aforesaid on the occupac[i]on of
one William Griffin my ten[a]nte and three quarters of one yard land w[i]th the hereditaments
thereto belonginge and one close called -assingdon close both in the occupac[i]on of one John Colin ^[3]
my ten[a]nte and another close called Horswell greene close in the occupac[i]on of Henry Taylor
my Tenante w[i]th all the hereditam[en]ts thereto belonginge All which landes tenem[en]ts Closes and
pr[e]misses are parte of my lands and tenem[en]ts in Napton aforesaid unto my said brother William
Willis and his heires forever

Item I give and bequeath to my brother Mr George Willis
and to my sister M^ris Marie Willis his wife tenn shillings apeece and to my twoe neeces
Hester and Amy Willys fowre poundes apeece, and to my Nephew Samuell Willes fower
poundes

Item I give to my brother in lawe Mr Thomas Goulder and to my sister Judith
Goulder his wife twentie shillings apeece and to everie one of theire Children twentie
shillings apeece to buy everie one of them twoe silver spoones apeece of tenn shillings price
apeece

Item I give and bequeath to my brother in lawe Mr John Ekins and to my sister
Mary Ekins his wife twentie shillings apeece and to ev[er]y one of theire Children twentie
shillings apeece to buy each of the twoe silver Spoones apeece, of tenn shillings price apeece

Item I give and bequeath unto my brother in lawe John Rutter and to my sister Elizabeth
Roberts and to my sister Mary Millington and to my brother Thomas Harris tenn shillings
apeece, and to my sister Anne Powle three poundes and to my Cosen Thomas Powle her
sonne twentie shillings and to my Cosens Richard Harris, Edmunds Harris and Bridgett Harris
Children of the said Thomas Harris by Bridgett his wife late deceased the some of fower
poundes apeece

Item I give unto my sister in lawe Anne Smith and to Hester her sister
tenn shillings appece

Item I give unto my Cosen Margarett Grant twentie shillings

Item I give
and bequeath to Mr James Sutton Rect[or] de Fenny Compton three poundes and to Mary Sutton
his wife five pounds and to theire Children Samuell Sutton and Hannah Sutton tenn
shillings apeece, and to theire sonne Thomas Sutton twentie shillings and to Mr Nathaniell
Cotton of Adson fortie shillings

Item I give and bequeath to my loveinge and carefull Surgeon
Richard Dighton of Gloucester gent three poundes for his love paines and faithfullnes towards
me in my weake estate and lamenes

Item I give and bequeath unto the inhabitants Church=
wardens and Ov[er]seers of the poore for the time beinge of Fenny Compton aforesaid the some
of twelve poundes to remaine in theire handes for and as a p[er]petuall stock and by them to be
imployed to and for the use behoofe and benefitt of the said Poore of Fenny Compton
abovesaid yearely in some lawfull waye or waise for the best advantage and yearelie
proffitt of the said Poore and the yearely benefitt and increase thereof arisinge and
growinge of the same to be given by the said Churchwardens and Ov[er]seers unto eighteene
of the most laborous honest and weldisposed Poore of Fenny Compton aforesaid and to none

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other of them

Item I give and bequeath to the inhabitants churchwardens and Ov[er]seers of
the Poore for the time beinge of Napton aforesaid the some of fower poundes to remaine in theire
handes for and as a p[er]petuall stock and by them to be imployed for the use behoofe and benefitt
of the said Poore of Napton abovesaid yearely in some lawfull way and waise for the best advan=
tage and yearly proffitt of the said Poore and the yearely benefitt and increase thereof arising
and growinge of them same to be given by the saod Churchwardens and Ov[er]seers unto twelve
of the most labourous honest and well disposed poore of Napton aforesaid and to none other of
them

Item I give and bequeath to Persis Deares ten shillings to Richard Westbury and his
wife five shillings apeece to Marie Barroes five shillings to Elizabeth Clarke widdowe five
shillings to the Children of Mary Willys widdowe twentie shillings to be equally devided
amongst them, to Edward Petifer and his wife five shillings apeece to my Cosen --- Roberts
if he be livinge if deceased then to his wife, to Symon to Simon Paine and his wife five shillings
apeece all these beinge poore inhabitants of Fenny Compton and to everie one of my howsehold
servants five shillings apeece

Item I give and bequeath to Mr Sutton and Mr Cotton above
named fortie shillings apeece to be bestowed in cloth for mourninge cloakes to be worne att my
fun[er]all All which legacies and guifts above named my will is shalbe paied within one yeare and
halfe after my decease

Item I make and ordaine my aforesaid beloved and trustie brother
William Willis and my nephew George Willis aforesaid ioynte executors of this my last will
and testam[en]t unto whome (all my debts by them beinge paied legacies and funerall expences by
them fully discharged, I give and bequeath all other my goodes Cattells and Chattells whatsoever
not before given by this my last will and testam[en]t And I doe revoke and make void all other
form[er] wills and testaments made by me the said Richard Willis by this my last will and testam[en]t
In witnes whereof I the said Richard Willis have unto this my last will and testament sett
my hand and seale the seaventh day of December in the fifteenth yeare of the reigne of our
Soveraign lord Kinge Charles of England Scotland France and Ireland, kinge Defender of the
faith &c Annoq Domini one thousand six hundred thirtie nyne Richard Willys Sealed subscribed
and published in the presence of James Sutton, Judith Golder, Samuell Ekins

Probate [abstracted from the Latin] at London at the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on the eighth day of May AD 1640 to William Willis the natural and legal brother of the deceased

Sources

1. ↑ Burial: Parish Register of Fenny Compton, Warwickshire, England
   Archive: Warwickshire County Record Office; Reference: DR0103/1
   FindMyPast Image - FindMyPast Transcription (accessed 12 February 2022)
   Richard Willys burial on 21 Dec 1639 in Fenny Compton, Warwickshire, England.
2. ↑ Will of Richard Willis 1640: "England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858"
   The National Archives; Kew, Surrey, England; Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Series PROB 11; Class: PROB 11; Piece: 183
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry uk Record 5111 #1004007 (accessed 12 February 2022)
3. ↑ best guess on surname