Will of Robert Coker of Mappowder, Dorset 1625

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

Reference: The National Archives: PROB 11/145/584

Description: Will of Robert Coker of Mappowder, Dorset

Date: 10 May 1625

Ancestry Reference: The National Archives; Kew, England; Prerogative Court of Canterbury and Related Probate Jurisdictions: Will Registers; Class: PROB 11; Piece: 145 Clarke, Quire Numbers 1-63 (1625)

Robert Coker

In the name of God amen the' fifteenth daie of Aprill in the yeare of the reigne of our soveraigne Lord James by the grace of God of [ ] England France and Ireland Kinge defender of the faith the two and twentieth and of Scotland the fifitie seaven. (1624) I Robert Coker of Mapowder in the County of Dorset beinge sound and of perfect health, both of bodu and mind, thankes bee to Almightie god for it, considering the certainty of death and uncertainty of the hower thereof And because when it please god by sickness to call mee out of this world, I maie not then bee hindered by worldly matters, from performinge those good duties, th’t a chrystian ought to doe, I doe in this my tyme of health make and ordayne this my last will and testament hopeing that through the mercies and merritts of Christ Jesus my onely saviour,whom I have ever constantlie professed, it wilbe presented acceptable and unblameable in the light of god.

Secondlie I bequeath my body to the ground of w’ch it was made, and that to bee buried in such Christian manner as my executor shall thinke fitt, in the chancell of the p’ish church of Mapowder if w’th convenience it may bee soe.

And concerning the disposinge of my Manners, mansion house and such landes w’ch are not heretofore assured either to Amy Cocker my wife, for her ioynture, or to others my friends for the raising of portions for the p’formance of this my last will, I will and bequeath them all in possession, together w’th the [ ] of the farme of Mapowder w’ch heretofore I granted to my wife Amy Coker & to Robert Coker my second sonne, and alsoe the reversion of forty pounds by the yere,rent out of From Whitfield and one meadow here named sixpenny mead, w’ch I have likewise graunted to my said wife Amy for her ioynture, to my sonne William Coker and to the heires males of his body lawfully begotten or to bee begotten the remaynder to the heires males of my body begotten or to bee begotten, the remainder to right heires of mee the said Robert Coker for ever,

Item I give unto my sonne William Coker all those yeares w’ch at the tyme of my decease shalbe unexpired in Hatherley, except the Copice of Norwood, w’ch I give unto Amy my wife and her assignes duringe the yeres w’ch shalbe then to come in the lease of Hatherly and Norwoode, and if my sonne William Coker dye wthout issue male lawfully begotten, before the expiration of the said lease, then I give it wholly unto my sonne Robert Coker

Item I give unto my wife Amy Coker, the some of two hundred pounds in money, for the better reedifying of the farmehouse of Mappowder, and the stocking of the ground there, to bee paid unto her at two payments, w’thin two yeares after my decease by equa;; portions, the first payment to comence and begin at that quarter daie w’ch shall next happen after my decease

Item I give unto my said wife all her wearinge apparell and jewells and alsoe the third part of all my houshold goods , as beddinges, linnenes and other furniture, and alsoe the third part of all my plate, pewter, brasse, iron and timber utensills, All my goods, my intent is shalbe by my overseers,devided into three equal parts,The first p’te whereof my sonne William Coker shall choose, the second p’te my wife, and the third p’te shall come unto my said sonn William Coker.

Item I give unto my said wife Amy All such goods as shalbe at the tyme of my decease, at or in my farme house at Mapowder neere the Church there, together w’th all such felled tymber, wood, stone w’ch then shalbe lyinge upon the said farme for the better keepinge and repayring of her house there

Item I give unto her my Coach with the horses thereto appyteyninge, and the best geldinge or horse that I shall have at the time of my decease and my willis, that all those thinges before mentioned shalbe by mine exectutor w’th the help and advice of one or two of overseers,delivered unto my said wife Amy Coker w’thin one moneth after my decease

Item I give unto Rober Coker my sonne, my best suite of apparell and cloke together w’th the second best horse or geldinge w’ch I shall then bee owner of

Item whereas I passed over in trust my late purchase of lands and mannors in or at Sherbourne, Muston and Folke unto S’r John Strangways, S’rThomas Trenchard, S’r John Strode Knights and Thomas Gerard Esq my will and intent is , that if it bee not in my lifetyme sold, then my friends in trust shall presently upon my decease make sale of it, and the money there raised and comeing my will is shalbe by my said friends uimployed for the benefitt and preferement of my two daughters Bridget and Elizabeth Coker, that is to saie, unto my daughter Bridget eight hundred pounds , the residue for my daughter Elizabeth as more at large is specified in the same indenture bearinge date the seaventh daie of this instant Aprill And my will further is that after my decease untill the said land bee sold my daughter Bridget shall have the rents of it for her maintenance, and after it is sold such convenient maintenance arising out of the benefitt of her portion as my overseers shall thinke fitt untill shee bee married, or attayne to the age of twenty one yeares, and further my will is that myne executor shall allowe unto my daughter Elizabeth Coker for her maintenance the yearly some of thirteene pounds six shillinges and eight pence, to bee payd unto her at ye fower most usuall feasts in the yeare, by equall portions, until the tyme of her marriage, or that shee attayne the age of twentie one yeres.

Item I give to every one of my Grandchildren w’ch shalbe living at the tyme of my decease a gold ringe of the price of twentie shillings for a remembrance of mee

Item I give to the p’ish of Mapowder five pounds to bee imployed yerely for her benefitt, by the overseers of the poor and the Churchwardens of the same p’ish

Item I give towards the maintenance of th p’ish Church of Mapowder five pounds

Item I give unto John Morley and Christian Morley my servants the some of twenty pounds to be paid to them w’thin one quarter of an yeare after my decease

Item I give unto all the rest of menservants, w’ch have served me in covenant three yere before my death one double yeres wages in money,

All other my goods, chatells, stocks of cattell or implem’ts of household of my Capitall mansion or dwelling houses at Mapowder and Frome in the said County of Dorset and all other my landed and goods whatsoever w’thin the realme of England and not bequeathed nor devised in this my last will and testament, my debts, legacies, and funerall beinge discharged, and payed I bequeath unto my sonne William Coker, whom alsoe I make and ordayne to bee the sole executor of this my last will and testan’t, And I die further ordayne that my beloved friends S’r John Strangways, S’r Thomas Trenchard, S’r John Stroud, knights & Thomas Gerard Esqy shalbee my overseers of this my last will, praying them to apply theire best indeavours and cares, that this my testament bee performed according to the trust reposed in them and in token of their goodwill, for theire paines to bee taken in that behalfe, I give unto every of them, a gold ringe of the value of twentie shillings

In witnes whereof to every of the leaves of this my last will, being two in number, I have subscribed my name and likewise unto it have affixed my seale, the daie and yeres first above written annnos Domini one thousand sixe hundred twenty

Robert Coker, Signed sealed and published as the last will & of the said Robert Coker in the presence of Thomas Gerard, Charles Bruen, Jo Morley, Tho Samways

Probate granted to William Coker, son and executor 10 May 1625