Will of Robert Donne of London 1553

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: London, England
Surnames/tags: Donne Dunne

This is a transcription of the register copy of the will of Robert Donne of London proved at the Prerogative Court of Canterbury at London. ^[1]
The will was written on 22 November 1552, and proved on 17 March 1552/3.

Spelling, punctuation and line breaks are as the register copy of the will and now catalogued with the Prerogative Court of Canterbury wills at The National Archives at Kew, Surrey, England.
Paragraph breaks at the change of subject in the text, and highlighting are my own for ease of reading.
Abbreviations have been expanded in [square brackets]
Capital F has been rendered as F rather than ff.

Persons mentioned

• Danyell Donne (Daniel Dunne) - eldest son
• Samuel Donne - second son
• William Donne - third son
• John Brannche the younger (John Branch) - draper of London, brother in law
• Thomas Brannche (Branch) - draper of London, brother in law
• Anne Donne/ Dune - wife, formerly Anne Branch, sister to John and Thomas Branch
• Thomas Dune - father, still living in November 1552
• John Brannch (Branch) thelder - father in law, still living in November 1552
• Mr William Pye
• Hugh Connsell of Callais (Calais)
• My Sister Rowle
• Mary Souch
• Marget (?Margaret) Mawe (?Moore) - Robert's nurse
• Sir Water Mylemaye (?Walter Mildmay)
• John Studly

In the name of god amen The xxij th daye of November in the vith yere of the Reign of
oure soveraign Lorde King Edward the sixth by the grace of god king of England France and Ireland
defendour of the faithe and in earthe of the churche of Englande and also of Irelande the supreme hed I Robert
Donne of London gentilman being of good mynde and memory thanks be to god make this my testament and
Last will in maner and forme following That is to say my soule unto the Lyving god my savior and Redemer
therough whose bloode shedding I believe to be saved and my body I beque[a]th unto the earth /. I bequeth to my iij
Sonnes that is firste and formost Danyell Donne Samuell Donne and Willi[a]m Donne eyther of them one
hunderth poundes good and Lawfull money of Englande And these my three sonnes to be in the custody of
of John Brannche the younger and Thom[a]s Brannche of London Drap[er]s And these porc[i]ons I have
bequethed them / And of Anne Donne my wyf will have the keping of the forsaid iij children then I will yt she finding

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them till they come to thage of xxj yeres apece / have the said John and Thomas Brannch /for either of my
said three Children vj ^Li xiij ^s iiij ^d yerely for the fyndinge of them / If any of my aforesaid three children shuld
dye afore he come to Age / I will the other that lyve to have the parte amonge them /. Item I bequeath to
my father Thomas Dune vj ^Li /. I bequeath to Mr Willyam Pye xl ^s /. I bequeathe to Hugh Connsell
of Callais xx ^s /. Item I bequeathe to my father in lawe John Brannch thelder draper a Ringe in
value iiij ^Li /. I bequeathe to John Brannch the younger of London drap[er] a Ringe value iiij ^Li /. I bequeath
to Thomas Brannch his brother a ringe value iiij ^Li /. I bequeath to Mary Souch a ringe value iij ^Li
I bequeathe to my sister Rowle a Ringe value xl ^s /. I bequeath to Marget Mawe my norse iij ^Li vj ^s viij ^d
I bequeath to 'Sir Water Mylemaye knight fyve pounds /. I bequeathe to John Studly xl ^s /. All the rest of
my goodes moveable and unmoveable this my will fulfilled and my debts paide I holy give to Anne Dune
my wief whom I make my sole Executrix of this my testament and Last will /. In witnes of this to be true
I have subscribed my name /.

Probate (in Latin) at London xvij (17) day of March AD 1552 (1552/3) to Anne relict and Executor

Sources

1. ↑ Will of Roberti Donne Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Series PROB 11; Piece: 36: Tashe (1553-1554) The National Archives; Kew, Surrey, England; Ancestry requires subscription Accessed 28 August 2021