Will of Robert Betterton of Cricklade 1665

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

The Will and codicil of Robert Betterton were written on 27 October 1664 and proved in London, Prerogative Court of Canterbury, on 10 April 1665, administration granted to Francis with power reserved to Anne the relict.^[1][2]

Spelling, punctuation and line breaks are as per the register copy. ff is rendered as F. Abbreviations are expanded and additions noted in [square brackets]. Paragraph breaks (where added) and bold text for names are my own for ease of reading. Not a clear copy, and the probate is almost illegible.

People named in the Will

• Robert Betterton of Cricklade St Marys (testator)
• Marke Betterton (son)
• Joane Hicks (sister or sister in law of testator, Mark's aunt)
• Francis Betterton (son)
• Anne (wife)
• Robert Betterton (son)
• Walter Betterton (son)
• William Betterton (son, under 16)
• Richard Betterton (son, under 16)
• Elizabeth Betterton (daughter)
• Anne Palmer (daughter)
  • John Palmer (Anne's son)
• Richard Skylling (relationship unknown)
• John Lawrence of Cricklade (overseer)
• Thomas Lawrence (overseer)
• Witnesses: William Lawe, William Palmer

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In the name of God Amen I
Robert Betterton of Cricklade St Marys in the County of Wilts Victualler
Being weake in bidy but of a sound and perfsit memory thankes bee given
unto Allmighty God for the same) Doe make this my last Will and Testament
in manner and forme following (That is to say) First of all I Com[m]end my
Soule

[Page 2]
Soule into the hands of God my Creator And my body to the earth from whence itt came
hoping for a Joyfull Resurrec[i]on to [app...]beforethe blessed Saints and Angelles
att the last Day And as to what Temporall Estate itt hath pleased the Lord in his
mercy to lend mee I give and bequeath in manner and forme following Imprimis
I give and bequeath unto my sonne Marke Betterton and to his heires forever
the nyne Lands of arrable ground Lying in Redlands which was formerly purchased
of the Trustees of [...] John [De...] deceased The said Marke paying unto his Aunt
Joane Hicks the full sum[m]e of Thirty pounds of Lawfull English money within
two yeares after my decease, Hee paying Interest for the same sum[m]e during the
[...] said Terme and for soe long tyme as hee detaines itt. Item I give unto my sonne
Francis Betterton the dwelling house and all other outhouses thereunto belonging
and appertaining scituate lying and being in Cricklade St Maryes aforesaid
together with the ground thereunto belonging and adjoining To hold to him the
said Francis Betterton and his heires forever. Im[m]ediatly after the severall deaths
and deceases of mee the said Robert Betterton and Anne my Wife. The said
Francis Betterton paying unto Robert Betterton, Walter Betterton, William
Betterton and Richard Betterton and Elizabeth Betterton the severall sum[m]es
of Twenty Marks a peece of Lawfull English money To bee paid within one
yeare after my said sonne Francis enioys the aforesaid Estate Item I give
unto my daughter Anne Palmer the sum[m]e of tenne pounds of Lawfull English
money To bee paid by my sonne Francis Betterton att the tyme aforemenc[i]oned Item I
give unto my sonne Francis Betterton the bedd and Bedsteed in the best Chamber
with all things belonging to itt. And lastly as for and concerning All the rest
of my goods chattles and cattle (All my debts satisfyed I give and bequeath unto
my Wife Anne Betterton and my said sonne Francis Betterton Whom I make
my Joint Executors of this my last Will and Testament And I doe likewise hereby
appointe John Lawrence of Cricklade aforesaid Gent and Thomas Lawrence
of [Eysey?] Gent to bee Overseers of this my last Will and Testament by Wittnesse
whereof I the said Robert Betterton have hereunto sett my hand and seale
the Seaven and twentyeth day of October In the sixteenth yeare of the Raigne
of our most Gracious Soveraigne Lord King Charles the second &c Annoq[ue]
Domini One thousand six hundred Sixty Foure The marke of Robert Betterton
thelder) Signed, sealed, published and declared to bee my last Will and Testament
in the p[re]sence of William Lawe William Palmer.
[Codicil]
Whereas I the said Robert Betterton have the day and yeare afores[ai]d
thought fit to make some addic[i]on to the aforesaid Will of severall things expressed
in this p[re]sent Codicill And first Whereas by the said last Will I have given to my
severall children Robert, Walter, William, Richard and Elizabeth Betterton twenty
Marks a peece And to Anne Palmer the sum[m]e of Tenne pounds Which said
sum[m]es of money My Will and meaning is shalbee raised out of the Rents, issues
and profitts of the said dwelling house and ground soe bequeathed to my sonne
Francis as aforesaid And further my Will is that John Palmer sonne of the
said Anne Palmer and Richard Skylling shall have Tenne shillings a peece
to be paid them by Francis Betterton When hee enioyes the said house and
ground With Th[e]appurten[a]nces And my Will is that the said Francis shall allow
sufficient maintenance and breeding to the said William and Richard Betterton
till they come to the Age of Sixteene yeares And the ^^saide Francis ^^Betterton to bee att the
charge of binding of them Apprentices the marke of Robert Betterton thelder
Wittnesses hereunto W^m Law, William Palmer /

[Probate in Latin]
Probatum fuit testamentum suprascriptum [...] Codicillo apud
London Coram venerabili viro Domino Williamo Mericke milite legime Diere [...]
[...] Custode siur Comissis sio? itime? constitute Decimo die mensis Aprilis Anno
Domini millesimo sexcentesimo sexagesimo quinto Iuramento Francius Betterton filii
dicte defuncti et unino executorum in [...] Testamento nominae [...] [...] quit
Administrais? [...] et singulorum [...] inediter [...] defaustede dicte defuncti de bene et
fidele Adminis[...] [...] [...] Sancta Dei Evangelia in debita Iuris forma Iurat Reservata
potestate tamen similem comissionem faciendi Anna Betterton relicte et alteri executori
in huiusmodi testamento nominate cum venerit eadem petiture et in debita Iuris forma admissuris

Sources

1. ↑ PROB 11/316/365 Description: Will of Robert Betterton, Victualler of Cricklade Saint Mary, Wiltshire Date: 10 April 1665 Held by: The National Archives, Kew.
2. ↑ Will: "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: 316
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry uk Record 5111 #988365 (accessed 28 November 2023)
   Will of Roberti Betterton, granted probate on 10 Apr 1665. Died about 1665 in Cricklade St Maryes, Wiltshire, England.

Acknowledgments

• Many thanks to Roy Walmsley, Nic Donnelly and Ann Browning for their help with the Latin probate.