Will of Robert Coker, gentleman of Mappowder, 1643

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]
Surname/tag: Coker

Reference: PROB 11/202/649

Description: Will of Robert Coker, Gentleman of Mappowder, Dorset

Date: 23 December 1647

Transcribed by Helen Ford from image on ancestry.co.uk. February 2019

The National Archives; Kew, England; Prerogative Court of Canterbury and Related Probate Jurisdictions: Will Registers; Class: PROB 11; Fines, Quire Numbers 202-260 (1647)

In the name of God Amen, the eleventh day of September in the nynteenth yeare of the Reigne of our Soveraigne Lord Charles by the grace of God King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, defender of the faith of Anno’Dm’ 1643 I Robert Coker the elder of Mapowder in the County of Dorset gent [transcribers note, Robert the younger would presumably have been Robert, the son of William Coker b 1617 d1697,this man’s nephew ] being weake of bodie but of sound and perfect memory (thankes be unto God therefore make and ordayne this my last will and testament in maner and forme following.That is to say

First I bequeath my soule unto Almighty God my maker who gave it trusting that for his infinite mercies sake and for the meritts of his only sonne my alone Saviour and Redeemer Christ Jesus he will take it to him selfe And for my bodie (if I survive my Mother M’[tress?] Amy Coker my will is to be buried as neere her as conveniently maybe And if it is to be my fortune to dye before her then I desyre to be buried in the same place in the Churchyard of Maypouder where she intends to be buried .The performance whereof to be done in decent and comely order ,I leave wholie to myne executrix hereafter named not doubting that shee will see it performed accordingly

Item I give and bequeath towards the repeayring of the parish church of Maypouder the sum of five pounds

Item I give unto the poore of the same parish to be distributed the day of funeral the sum of five pounds

Item I give unto my Mother M’[istress] Amye Coker my grey gelding and three fatting beast now gooing in Costlell grounds

Item I give unto my brother William Coker Esq one peece of silver coynes tenn shillings in remembrance of my love

Item I give unto my godsonne Luke Coker to buy him a peece of plate tenn pounds to bee paid within one yeare next after the sale of my lands called [Fo-woods]hereafter mentioned

Item I give unto my Goddaughter Francis Gerard ten pounds to be paid uppon sale of [-woods] as aforesaid.

Item I give unto my Goddaughter Ursula Twynihoe one silver bole which M’rs Hide my Godmother gave me

Item I give unto my cosines Susan Weekes and Mary Weekes to both of them five pounds to be paid as aforesayd

Item I give unto my Cosin John Brune my old bay mare

Item I give unto my cosin William Coker my Chestnutt colt

Item I give unto M’rs Elinor Brune one bond of thirteene pounds sixe shillings eightpence wherein she is bounden to me, and one diamond ringe which was sometimes my sister Mary Brunes

Item I give unto Anne Twyinhoe and Martha Flayges my sister Jefferies servants to each of them fortie shillings.

Item I give unto all of my mothers men servants and mayde servants now being tenn shillings a peece

Item I give unto Walter Su[rle] my servant the summe of three pounds and all my wollen wearing apparrell

Item I give and bequeath unto my sister Elizabeth Jefferyone indenture of lease of the farme of Mapowder with the appurtences for the term of three score and tenn yeares to begin immediatlie after the decease of my Mother M’istress Amy Coker made by Robert Coker Esq my father deceased to have and to hold the sayd lease farme and lands therein mentioned with all and singular the appurtenances unto the sayd Elisabeth Jefferys and her assignes for and during the whole terme of threescore and tenn yeares if shee the sayd Elisabeth Jefferies shall soe longe happen to live And after her decease the remaynder of yeares which shalbe then unexpired together with the sayd lease I give and bequeath unto my godsonne Luke Coker aforesayde and his assignes And if he shall happen todye before the expiration of the sayd indenture my will is that yt shall remayne and be to the right heires of Robert Coker my father deceased.

Item Concerning one parcell of lands before mentioned called of knowne by the name of __woods within the parish of Thornford in the sayd County of Dorset.My will intent and meaning is that is shall be sold by my sayd ,mother M’stresss Amy Coker for payment of my debts and legacies.And the overplus of money thereof remayning to be dipsosed of at her will and pleasure and to that intente and purpose I doe carefully entreat my loving kinsmen Christopher Twyinhoe Esq and George Thornhull the younger gent to [assure?]their speede

All the rest of my goods and chattles reall and personall ungiven and unbequeathed whatsoever my debts legacies and funerall charges being charged being first paid and discharged I wholly give and bequeath unto my sayd loving and only sister Elizabeth Jefferie whome I make and ordeyne the sole executrix of this my last will and testament hereby revokeing all fomer wills and testaments by me or myne appointment testratori made .In witness whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seale the day and yeare above written, Robert Coker signed sealed and published in the precence of us Rob Morley, Sept 14 1643 (line completely crossed out and illegible)

Probate granted in 1647,this is quite a long time but in 1644, his sister Elizabeth the executrix also died .There are a lot of conditions which often caused problems and delays to probate

Family in will (from Hutchins and 1623 visitation)

Sister Mary married to Charle Brune of Athelhampton no bio at present but she was buried at Puddletown (the parish church for Athelhampton ) on March 25, 1639 aged 50 :see Puddletown Memorials, Dorset OPC

Francis Coker is the daughter of Sister Ann who was married to Thomas Gerard see profile for details Ann

Elizabeth was m to John Jeffery,by this date she was the only sister still living but she herself died in 1644 before probate was granted.

For relationship of the siblings, William, Mary (Bruen) and Ann (Gerard) to Robert see the 1623 Visitation of Dorset https://archive.org/details/visitationofcound00stge/page/n49