Will of Robert Cooper of Hingham 1640

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]
Surnames/tags: Cooper Cowper

This is a transcription of the original will of Robert Cooper of Hingham, 1640. It was written on 29 June 1640. ^[1]

The image quality was fair and the handwriting very legible.
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]

Persons mentioned

• Robert Cooper, the Elder, butcher
• Anne Cooper, my daughter
• Suzan Cooper, my daughter
• Robert Aldridge
• Awdry', my loving wife
• John Cooper, my sonne
• Peter Sharp
• John Gooske
• Robert Cooper, my oldest sonne
• Gregory Pagraue, witness
• Wyatt Wright, witness
• Wm Barnswell, witness

---

In the Name of God Amen The twenty nynth
day of June Anno Domi in 1640 I Robert Cooper the elder of Hingham in
the County of Norff[olk] butcher being sickely & disseased in body yet of good
& [per]fect rememberance praysed be god / doe make & declare this my last
will & testam[en]t as followeth First I comend my soule into the m[er]cifull
hand of allmighty God And my body committ to the earth hoping
of a joyfull resurrection unto eternal life & I will the same to bee
decently buried in the churchyard of Hingham

Item I will & devise^[2] unto Anne Cooper & Suzan Cooper my daughters all of my terem
the yard herto belonging _ & being in Hingham afores[ai]d next
the tenement nere or late of Robert Aldridge on the South parte & the
Market stor of Hingham on the East And the right & Northe part of therof
lye next the tenent wherin I now I dwell alyce same hathe formerly bene
devided from my dwelling Tenen^t afores[ai]d To have & to hould the sow
Tenem^t & yard to them the s[ai]d Ane & Suzan their heires & assignes
from & after the decease of Awdry my loving wife

Item I will & devise
unto John Cooper my sonne & his heires all of my Stall in Hingham
market store now in the _ or possession of him the said John Cooper

Item I will & devise unto Awdry my loving wife all my titled houses
barne & yarde lying & being in Hingham afores[ai]d betwene the church

Page 2

yard of Hingham on the South & the Kings highway on the Northe and
abutt uppon the church way toward the East And also one poore
of land renteying by estimation Three Roode lying in Rooke
wood forte in Hingham between avorlame foote path there on the
Eest & the Lane of Peter Sharp on the west And Moreover one
Stall in the Market stoar of Hingham which was late in the occupation
of John Gooske to have & to hould the s[ai]d house land & yardes the s[ai]d
poore of land renteying by estimation Three Rood and the fair
Stall unto the s[ai]d Awdry her heires & assignes To the intent that
shee the s[ai]d Awdry shall & may sell the s[ai]d houses barnes & yarde the
s[ai]d poore of land renteying by estimation Three Roodes & the fair
Stall & the moneyes arysing uppon the sale thereof shall imploy
towarde the payment of my debts

Item I will & devise unto Robert Cooper
my sonne his heires Two other Stalles in the Market Stoar
of Hingham & one Stall in the Market Stoar of Watton in that county
aboves[ai]d uppon condition that he the s[ai]d Robert Cooper his heires or assignes
shall yeerly & every yeare during the natural life of Awdry my
wyffe pay unto her the s[ai]d Awdry Twenty schillinge of lawfull
mony of England at my now dwelling house in Hingham afores[ai]d The
first payment to begin wi^thin one whole yeere next after my decease
and if the s[ai]d Robert Cooper his heires or assignes shall make default
of payment of the s[ai]d Twenty schillinge or of any [par]te therof payable
yeerly as is afores[ai]d then I will & devise the s[ai]d two Stalles in Hingham
market stoar & the s[ai]d one Stall in Watten to her the s[ai]d Awdry & her
heires

Item I will & devise unto the fair Awdry my wife all other
my lande tenements & hereditament whatsoever in Hingham afors[ai]d
or else where to have & to hold to her & her assignes duriner her
natural lyfe and after her decease I will & devise the same to the
afores[ai]d Robert Cooper my oldest sonne & to his heires forever

Page 3
Item I give & bequeath unto the fair Awdry my wife all debte due unto
me & all my gooeds & chattell whatsoever toward the payment of my
debt & burying my body decently to the ground and I doe make
_ the s[ai]d Awdry my loving wife sole & only Executrix of
this my last will & testament. In witness wherof I have to this my
p[re]sent last will & testament set my hand & soale in the p[re]sence of
Gregory Pagraue Wyatt Wright Wm Barnswell Robert Coo[per]

Sources

1. ↑ Will of Robert Cooper 1640, Episcopal Consistory Court, Archdeaconry of Norwich Regd. copy wills vol. 132 1640-1642, Norwich Record Office; digital images, FamilySearch, FHL Digital Collection, DGS 8472224, image 218/9 of 552] Accessed 20 February 2022
2. ↑ same as bequeath but devise only applies when the gift is real property