Will of Robert Cambell, Ironmonger of London, 1638

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

This is a transcription of the register copy of the Will of [[ Robert Cambell, Citizen of London and Freeman of the Company of Ironmongers]] It was written on 15 August 1635 when Robert was healthy, and proved at the Prerogative Court of Canterbury three years later on 14 November 1638. ^[1]

The writing of this will was probably due to the birth of his daughter Susannah, who was born in the previous year, and is the last of the seven surviving children to that date to be named. Notably, Robert did not update his will after the birth of a son Edward in 1637. Edward died shortly after his father in 1638.

Spelling, punctuation and line breaks as per the original
Paragraph breaks and bold text are my own for ease of reading
ff has been rendered as F, and ligatures and abbreviations have been expanded in [square brackets]

Persons mentioned:

• Sir Thomas Cambell Testator's father, deceased. Sir Thomas Cambell was also a member of the Guild of Ironmongers.
• Alice Cambell Testator's wife, born Alice Wellington to Richard and Agnes Wellington.
• James Thomas Hester Alice Rachell Judith and Susannah Testator's seven children living in 1635
• Sir James Cambell Testator's brother and Overseer of his will
• the Lady Cambell wife of Sir James Cambell
• mother in lawe Agnes Morris mother of Testator's wife Alice. She was born Agnes Isborde. Her first husband was Richard Wellington. Her second was Jerome Heydon, also of the Company of Ironmongers by whom she had 10 children. Her third husband was John Morris.
• my brother John Heydon and my fower sisters Anne Sarah Alice and Elizabeth step siblings of his wife Alice, all children of Agnes Isbord and Jerome Heydon
• the Lady Anne Cambell Testator's widowed mother
• my brother Christopher Cletheroe and to my sister his wife
• my sister Judeth Meggs
• my brother Anthony Abdy Alderman and to my sister his wife
• my brother Scott and to my sister his wife
• Rachell Cletherowe my Goddaughter
• my Cosen Mabell Westwood
• my Cosen Edward Bright
• my Cosen Large resident of the parish of Camberwell, Surrey
• Mr Maddison the Preacher and Minister
• Sir Edward Ducke Testator bought land in Surrey from him for Alice's jointure
• John Bouttler Testator bought a farm in Essex from him
• my cosen William Orme living in the house of the Testator in 1635
• Mr Feild Wherwood past apprentice and loyal servant of the Testator. Also remembered in the will of Testator's brother in law, Jerome Heydon

In the name of God Amen : the fifteenth day of
August Annoq D[o]m[in]i 1635 and in the eleaventh yeare of the raigne of our Soveraigne
Lord King Charles by the grace of God King of England Scotland France and
Irelande Defender of the faith &c I Robert Cambell Cittizen and Alderman of London
being of health in Bodie and perfect in memorie thankes be unto Almightie God and
knowing nothyng more certaine then death and noting more uncertaine then the howre
of death doe ordaine and make this my last will and Testament in manner and forme
followeing And first I doe bequeath and betake my soule into the hands of my most
faithfull Creator God the Father sonne and holy ghost three in person one in
substance God in very deed and from everlasting whoe as he promised to our first
parents in paradice soe alsoe he did in the fullness of tyme send his only begotten
Christ Jesus his sonne into the world to take our nature uppon him and in him did
reconcile the world unto himself whome alsoe I stedfastly beleeve is my only
and all sufficient Saviour and Redeemer whoe by his most pretious bloud shed
hath washed and cleansed me from all my sinnes and by his life and obedience unto

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death hath performed perfect righteousness for me, acceptable to God his Father
and my Father by w[hi]ch only sacrifice and obl[ig]ac[i]on once made uppon the altar of his
Crosse I stedfastly beleeve and hope to be saved eternally As concering my bodie
that I doe bequeath to the earth from whence it came And my desire is yf it please
God to have my bodie buried in the parrish Church of Chancell of St Olaves in
the old Jury in London ^[2] as neere unto the place where the bodie of Sr Thomas
Cambell my deceased Father is buried as conveniently may be : And as concerning
those worldly goods wherewith it hath pleased Almightie God to make me his
unworthy Steward my debts be me duly oweing being dicharged and my funerall
charges defalled and payed I will that the residue be devided according to the
Custome of this Cittie of London into three equall parts Whereof one third or
Customary part I give and bequeath unto Alice Cambell my beloved wife
intreated her to be a loveing and carefull mother to her and my Children and for
the second third of Customary part I bequeath and give the same unto and amongst
my seaven Children James Thomas Hester Alice Rachell Judith and Susannah w[hi]ch
I will shalbe devided to and amongst them equally according to the Custome of
the said Cittie of London the other third and Customary part of my Chattles I
reserve unto myself to dispose of and to performe such legacies as are hereafter
in my last will and Testament menc[i]oned and expressed

Item I give and bequeath
unto my loveing brother Sir James Cambell fortie shillings Currant money of
England to make him a ring in remembrance of me praying him to be assistant
unto my wife in all things wherein shee shall stand in neede of his helpe Item I
give unto the Lady Cambell his wife my loveing sister fortie shilling like
money to make her a ring in remembrance of me

Item I give unto my loveing mother
in lawe Agnes Morris fortie shillings like money to make her a Ringe in remembrance
of me Item I give unto my brother John Heydon, and to my fower sisters Anne
Sarah Alice and Elizabeth fortie shillings a peece to make them Rings in remembrance
of my if they shalbe liveing at the tyme of my decease

Item I give unto the Lady
Anne Cambell my mother xl^s like money yf she be liveing at the tyme of my
decease to make her a Ring in remembrance of me Item I give unto my brother
Christopher Cletheroe and to my sister his wife xl^s a peece to make them Rings
in remembrance of me Item I give unto my sister Judeth Meggs xl^s like money
to make her a Ring in remembrance [margin addition: of mee] Item I give unto my brother Anthony Abdy
Alderman and to my sister his wife fortie shillings [margin note: a peece] like money to make them Rings
in Remembrance ^{of mee} Item I give unto my brother Scott and to my sister his wife
fortie shillings a peece like money to make them Rings in remembrance of me

Item I give unto Rachell Cletherowe my Goddaughter fortie shillings like money to
make her a Ring in remembrance of me Item I doe give unto my Cosen Mabell
Westwood xl^s like money to make her a Ring in remembrance of me Item I give
unto my Cosen Edward Bright xl^s like money to make him a Ring in remembrance
of me

Item I [margin note: doe] give and and bequeath unto the poore of St Thomas Hospitall where I
am a Governour the some of one hundred poundes currant money of England
to be payed to the Treasurer of the said house or hospitall w[i]^thin six moneths
nexte after my decease Item I give unto the poore Children of Christs hospitall
Fiftie poundes Currant money of England to be payed to the Treasurer of the said
house or hospitall within six moneths next after my decease Item I give and bequeath
unto the five Compters in the Poultry and Woodstreete in London to the poore
Prisoners of Ludgate Newgate the Marshallsea in Southwarke the White Lyon the
Compter there to each of these places I pay to either of them twentye nobles a peece

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currant money of England [margin note: to each prison] To be payed and distributed amongst them within a moneth
next after my decease Item I give and doe order that fyve poundes currant money of
England be payed and delivered unto the Churchwardens for the the tyme being of the
parrish Church of St Bartholomewes by the Exchange where I did lately dwell to be
given and distributed to and amongst the poore of that parrish at the Discretion of the
said Churchwardens and parrishioners uppon the daye of my buriall Item I give and
bequeath unto the poore of the parrish of St Olaves in the old Jury where I
was borne fyve poundes currant money of England to be distributed to and amongst
them at the Discretion of the Churchwardens for the tyme being uppon the day of
my buriall there Item I give and bequeath unto the poore of Barking parrish^[3]
where I now dwell the some of fyve pounds currant money of England to be distributed to
and amongst them at the discrec[i]on of the Churchwardens to the tyme being uppon the
daye of my buriall Item I give and bequeath unto the poore of the parrish of
Camberwell in the Countie of Surrey fyve poundes Currant money of England to
be distributed and devided to and amongst them by the Churchwardens of the sayd
parrish w[i]thin one moneth next after my decease prayeing my Cosen Large to wyrk
with them to see the distribution thereof Item I give and bequeath unto the company
and society of Iremongers whereof I am a brother the some of thirtie pounds currant
money of England tenn poundes whereof to make them a dynner uppon the daye of my
buriall and th'other Twentie pounds to make a peece of Tapistry handing for the
furnishing of the Upper parlour w[hi]ch is already begunn by the legatie of Sir
Thomas Cambell my Father And further my desire is that threescore poore men
shall have twentie shillings a peece currant money of England or Gownes of black
Cloath made for them to weare at have uppon the daye of my burall w[hi]ch I doe leave
to discrecon of my executors to performe the one of them w[hi]ch shalbe thought of best to
be done as the tyme shall require

Item I give and bequeath unto Mr Maddison the
Preacher and Minister fyve pounds currant money of England to be paied
him w[i]thin one moneth next after my decease yf he be then liveing Item I give unto
the hospital of Bridewell and to the hospitall of Bedleham w[hi]ch I finde I had
forgotten among th'other prisons before in my will twentie nobles a peece currant
money of England I saye twentie noble a peece as to thother prisons to be paied
and distributed amongst them w[i]thin one moneth next after my decease And for my
land and tenements w[hi]ch I purchased of Sir Edward Ducke scituate and being in the
parrish of Lambeth Deane and Camberwell in the Countie of Surrey of w[hi]ch I have
made my webeloved wife Alice Cambell a ioynt purchaser w[i]th me in regard I
was bound before marriage w[i]th Sir James Cambell my brother to make her a ioynter
of two hundred poundes a yeare, the some being now almost three hundred pounds p[er]
ann[um] I will that my sonne James Cambell shall either have it for his inheritance
and advancement in marriage, or els if my wife Alice will have and enioy that
as her ioynture that then shee leave the third part or Customary part of my
p[er]sonall estate to my sonne James Cambell or at the least the moietie thereof to
be payed unto him as it shall fall out to amount unto, be be equally devided
betweene them and after her decease I will the reversion thereof w[i]th all and
singular the appurtenances to my sonne James Cambell and to the heires of his
body lawfully begotten ; and for want of such heires I will and bequeath the same
unto my sonne Thomas Cambell w[i]th the apurtenances thereof and to the heires
of his body lawfully begotten and for want of such heyres I will and bequeath
the same w[i]th all and singular the appurtenances to and amongst my fyve
Daughters Hester Alice Rachell Judeth and Susanna and their heires And
as concerning my land and Farme house in Essex w[hi]ch I purchased of John

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Bouttler called Warners scituate and being in Dange Hundred ^[4] in the parrish of Althoune
al[ia]s Aldrond ^[5] in the Countie of Essex I will and bequeath the same w[i]th all & singular the
appurtenances to my sonne James [margin note:Cambell] and to the heires of his bodie lawfully begotten
And if he dye without such heires of of his bodie lawfully begotten then I bequeath the
same w[i]th all and singular the appurtenances unto my sonne Thomas Cambell and to the
heires of his bodie lawfully begotten  ; And yf he dye w[i]thout such heires of his bodie
lawfully begotten, Then I will and bequeath the same w[i]th all and singular the
appurtenances unto and amongst my fyve daughters Hester Alice Rachell Judeth
and Susanna and to their heires And in regard I have noe other lands to leave
my sonne Thomas Cambell nor my fyve daughters Hester Alice Rachell Judeth
and Susanna I therefore will and order by this my last with and Testament
that the residue of my thirde unbequeathed and the residue of my goods
and Chattles whatsoever unbequeathed that the same shalbe equally devided
to and amongst my said six children Thomas Hester Alice Rachell Judeth
and Susanna by even and equall porc[i]ons or to soe many of them as shalbe liveing
at the tyme of my decease, and the same to be sett out for them w[i]thin one yeare
next after my decease and to be payed him my sonne Thomas Cambell w[i]th the
annuall use and proffit thereof after the rate of fyve pounds sterling p[er] cent
p[er] ann[um] from thence till such tyme as he shall have attayned the age of twentie
and one years And in like manner to be payed or sett apart w[i]thin one yeare
after my decease unto or for my fyve Daughters Hester Alice Rachell Judeth
and Susanna w[i]th the annual use or proffitt of fyve poundes p[er] cent p[er] ann[um]
for every hundred poundes from thence untill or at or upon the daye of their
marriage or the age of twentie and one yeares w[hi]ch shall first happen And if
any of my said six Children Thomas Hester Alice Rachell Judeth or Susanna
shall happen to decease or depart this life before they have accomplished or
attayned the age of twentie and one yeares or that Hester Alice Rachell Judeth
or Susanna their dayes of marriage Then my will and desire is that the defuncts
part or porc[i]on before menc[i]oned w[i]th all the proffitt thereof shalbe equally devided
betweene the survivor or survivors to be ordered and payed as is before in this
my will declared and sett downe

Further I doe will and bequeath unto my cosen
William Orme w[hi]ch is now resident in my house the some of twentie markes
currant money of England to be payed w[i]thin six moneths next after my decease
Alsoe I doe give and bequeath unto Mr Feild Wherwood w[hi]ch hath heretofore
beene my apprentice, and was a long tyme remayning w[i]th me after his tyme was ex=
pired the some of twentie poundes currant money of England yf he be liveing at the
tyme of my decease to be payed him one yeare next after my decease And
further I doe give and bequeath unto each and every of my servants w[hi]ch shalbe
dwelling w[i]th me at the tyme of my decease the some of fortie shillings a peece
currant money of England to be payed them within three moneths next after my
decease they carrying themselves dutifully and respectfully to my wife after
my decease And of this my last will and Testament I doe make and ordaine
Alice Cambell my beloved wife and James Cambell my sonne to be my executors
of this my last will and testament and none others And I doe make and
ordaine my brother Sir James Cambell Knight and my brother Christopher
Cletheroew Alderman to be my Overseers prayeing them to be ayding & assistant
to my wife and my sonne James Cambell whome I have made my executors in the
p[er]formance of this my last will and Testament And I hereby doe repeale revoke
and disamiss all former wills guifts and bequests whatsoever w[hi]ch I have w[hi]ch I
have limitted or bequeathed before the date hereof And I doe devise limit and

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ordain will nominate and determine this to be my last will and Testament In witnes
whereof I the aforesaid Robert Cambell have written this present will w[i]th my owne hande
being so all fower sheets of paper and have publsihed them w[i]th my name and seale sett to them
all written in London the daye and yeare aforementioned 'Robert Cambell

Probate [in Latin] at London on 14 November 1638 to James Cambell son of the said deceased and executor named in this testament... Alice Cambell relict of the said deceased and the other executor named in this Testament

Sources

1. ↑ 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: 178
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 5111 #877169 (accessed 3 January 2022)
   Will of Robti Cambell of London, granted probate on 14 November 1638.
2. ↑ An area known as Old Jewery
3. ↑ Probably the City of London parish of All Hallows Barking by the Tower, as otherise he would have specified Barking in the County of Essex
4. ↑ Dengie Hundred on the Dengie peninsula in South East Essex.
5. ↑ Althorne