Will of Robert James of Hingham 1602

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Hingham, Norfolk, England
Surnames/tags: James Lincoln

Contents 1 Introductory Notes 2 Transcription Conventions 3 Persons Mentioned 4 Will 5 Probate 6 Footnotes

Introductory Notes

The will of Robert James, yeoman, of Hingham, Norfolk, England was written on 6 March 1602/2 and proved in the Archdeaconry Court of Norfolk on 21 January 1602/3.^[1]

The will is a register copy, written in English over 2 pages. The text is reasonably clear and generally easy to interpret, apart from some areas of bleed-through and a few cases where ascenders/descenders extend to the lines above/below and clash with the text on that line. The will starts at the top of folio 201 recto and the probate statement ends at the bottom of the reverse page, folio 201 verso.

Transcription Conventions

The conventions used in this transcription are:

• spelling, punctuation, line breaks and capitalisation are recorded as in the document, with the following exceptions to aid readability:
  • capital I is silently modernised to I or J as appropriate (eg "Joan", rather than "Ioan")
  • ff at the start of a word is silently modernised to F (eg "First", rather than "ffirst")
  • additional paragraph breaks may be included to increase readability of large amounts of text
• superscript letters are silently lowered, except where these relate to money (eg ^{li s d}), dates (eg ^th) or titles (eg M^rs)
• abbreviations/breviographs are expanded with the additional letter(s) in square brackets, except symbols for money (li s d) and the ampersand (&)
• the letter thorn is recorded as "th" in square brackets (eg "[th]e", rather than "ye")
• the letter yogh, which often appears like a "z", is recorded as "gh" or "y" (depending on the context) in square brackets (eg "[y]ellow", rather than "zellow")
• short series of missing/illegible letters are recorded with a period for each letter thought to be missing/illegible in square brackets; longer gaps are described with an editorial note
• editorial notes are italicised and in square brackets
• names and relationships are highlighted in bold
• footnotes are used to clarify archaic terms, difficult text and discrepancies
• u/v and i/j are recorded as they appear; even where modern usage would dictate one over the other (eg "haue", rather than "have" if the third letter is clearly a "u"; "vnto", rather than "unto" if the first letter is clearly a "v")
• the virgule, signifying a pause (comma, semi-colon, colon or full-stop), is recorded using a forward slash /, but only when such intent is obvious (the virgule is often indistinguishable from various check marks and otiose flourishes that are of no significance)

Persons Mentioned

The will mentions the persons below. Modern/alternative spellings for names have been included where appropriate, to help ensure this page is listed in relevant web searches.

• Robert James of Hengham yeoman: Robert James of Hingham, testator
• Henrie James my sonne: Henry James, son
• Daughters of Henrie James my sonne: unnamed daughters of Henry James, grandchildren
• sonne John James: John James, son
• Bridget Lyncolne the wife of Edward Lyncolne my bellchilde: Bridget Lincoln, wife of Edward Lincoln, grandchild
• Edward Gylmine my sonne in lawe: Edward Gilman, son-in-law and witness
• John Pyttcher: John Pitcher, witness
• w[illia]m Mallowes: William Mallows, witness and scribe

Will

[folio 201 recto]

In the name of god Amen
the sixte Daye of Marche 1601 and in the xliiij^th yeere
of the Reigne of o[ur] most gracious sou[er]ainge lady
Elizabeth by the grace of god of England Fraunc[e]
and Ireland Queene Defendor of the faythe &c I
Robert James of Hengham in the Count[ie] of Norff[olk]
yeoman and w[i]thin the Dioces of norw[i]ch, beinge wholl
of mynd & of p[er]fect remembrance lauded be to good
Doe ordayne and make this my p[re]sent last will and
testam[en]t, In mann[er] and forme followinge vidz.
refusinge settinge voyde and Disanullonge all other
last wills and testament[es] in tymes past by me made
First and principallie I Comend my sowle into the
handes of allmightie god my maker and Jesus Christe
my redeemer and god the holly ghost my sanctifier
trustinge to inioye the glorious presence of the trewe and
immortall god, amongst the S[ain]t[es] in heaven, and my body
to be buridd in the p[ar]ish church of Hengham aforsaid neere
the stoole where I sitt, Item I giue and bequeathe
vnto the poore people [tha]t shalbe assembled at my buryall
peny Dole, Item I giue and bequeath vnto eu[er]ie
one of the Daughters of Henrie James my sonne
my grandchildren v^li a peece of lawfull mo[n]y of Eng=
land, to be paid vnto eu[er]ie one of them, as they come
to there seu[er]all ages of xxj^ti yeers or at the Daye of
there seu[er]all marriges w[hi]ch of them shall first happne
to be, Item I giue and bequeath vnto my welbelo[u]ed
sonne John James vij^li of lawfull mo[n]ey of England
to be paid vnto him w[i]thin one yeere nexte after my
Decease, Item I giue and bequeathe vnto Bridget
Lyncolne the wife of Edward Lyncolne my bellchilde
xx^s of lawfull mony of England to be paid vnto
her w[i]thin three monthes nexte after my Decease
Item I giue and bequeath vnto eu[er]ie one of my

[folio 201 verso]

Godchildren xijd a peece, Item all
and singuler the Reste of my goodes, Cattells
Chattells Debt[es] and utensills of howshold by what
ty[t]le or name soeu[er] they be called, not herein spec=
allie giuen nor bequeathed, excepte all such Debt[es]
as Edward Gylmine my sonne in lawe Doth owe
me by band or w[i]thowt, my Debt[es] beinge paide
I giue and bequeathe vnto Henrie James my
sonne whoo I make executo[ur] of this my p[re]sent
last will & testam[en]t to the intent he shall feythf=
=ullie paye my Debt[es] what soeu[er], and bringe my body
Decentlie to the churche and Discharge my legaces
accordinge to the trewe intent herin specified
Inwitness[e]s wherof hervnto I haue sett my seale
given the Daye and yeere first aboue writtne
These beinge witness[e]s Edward Gyllmyne
John Pyttcher and me w[illia]m Mallowes

Probate

[folio 201 verso continued; translated from Latin]

This testament was proved at Wymondham before the venerable man Master Richard Stokes, clerk, Bachelor of Laws, duly and legitimately supported, the 21st day of January in the year of Our Lord according to etc. 1602. And administration of all and singular the goods etc was granted to the executor named in the said testament, duly and legitimately sworn on the Gospels in due form of law, rights reserved etc.

Footnotes

1. ↑ Court of the Archdeaconry of Norfolk, Register copy wills, v. 35 (Offwood), 1602-1604, fol. 201 recto, will of Robert JAMES of Hingham, proved 21 January 1602/3; images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ : accessed 7 May 2022) DGS no. 8045773, image 210 of 468 (can be viewed at Family History Centres and Affiliate Libraries); Norfolk Record Office.