Will of Robert Shenton, gent of Alkington, Shropshire 1631

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]

Shentons of Barwell

The Will of Robert Shenton, gent of Alkington, Shropshire, was written between 12 July 1628 and 2 August 1630. Proved on 17 August 1631, Dioceses of Lichfield and Coventry. No probate or witnesses names in evidence but the cover page gives the probate date.^[1] Second copy of Will.^[2]

Transcription conventions used in this text:

• Spelling, punctuation and line breaks are as per the original document.
• Where present, ff has been rendered as F, and the old letter Thorn has been rendered as th.
• Abbreviations and breviographs, and assumed words, have been expanded in [square brackets] and notes about legibility italicised.
• Additions and margin notes, where they occur, have been added where indicated in the text.
• Crossings through, where they occur, have been included Struck out.
• Illegible words or parts of words are marked [...]
• The image quality was good but damaged and folded in places, and the handwriting mostly legible, a very wide document that has been split into sections. Some words retrieved from second copy.

Persons mentioned:

• Robert Shenton of Alkington, testator
• William Shenton son
  • Roberte Shenton William's eldest son
  • Sara his daughter, married
  • Margarett his daughter
  • Thomas Shenton his son
• Randall Shenton son
  • Randall Shenton his son
  • Jane Shenton his eldest daughter
  • Samuell Shenton his youngest son
  • Roberte Shenton his second son
  • Margrett Shenton his daughter
  • Sara Shenton his daughter
• Jane Ealeshall reputed daughter
  • Randall Wood, Francis Wood, Edwarde Ealeshall and Marie Ealeshall Jane's children
• Anne Phillippes widow, reputed daughter
  • Roberte Williams Anne's son
  • William Phillippes Anne's late husband
• Ellyn Smithe of Teaton, widow, daughter
• John Shawe kinsman
  • Sir Richard Newporte his employer
• Richard Evanson of Tylstocke, tenant
• Richard Hopkyn of Newe Woodhowses, tenant
• Raffe Pemberton of Wrenbury, tenant
• Arthur Starkye esq
• Ottwell Bostocke brother in law
  • Constatine Bostocke his son, godson of testator
• Randall Stonely of Coppenhall
  • Roberte Stoneley his son, godson of testator
• Joshua Richardson son in law
  • Sara Richardson his wife, testator's daughter
  • Marie Richardson his eldest daughter
• William Goughe owner of land held by testator
• Franncis Shenton son
  • Roberte Shenton one of his sons
• Margarett Wolley lessor
• George Hitchin debtor

Will of Robert's brother Randle Shenton, clerk of Coppenhall, Cheshire 1621
Will of Robert's son Randall Shenton, gent of Alkington, Shropshire 1641

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In the name of God Amen the one and twentith Daie of Julie Anno D[omi]ni 1628 . And in the Fyfte yeare of the raigne of our Sov[er]aigne Lord Charles by the grace of God of England Scotland France and
Ireland Kinge Defendor of the faith &c I Robert Shenton of Alkington in the Countie of Salop Gent, haveinge ben lately visited with sickness, but mowe of sound and p[er]fecte memorie, all laude and praise be
to the Allmightie for the same, yett groweinge in yeares and ponderinge and consideringe with my self That nothinge is more certaine then death and nothinge more uncertaine then the tyme and place thereof, And
for the settlinge and establishinge of the worldely estate that God hath lent me in this lyffe amongest my Children and freind[es] to thend that after my decease they maie accord and agree togeather in love and
the feare of God and that noe controv[er]sie shall or maie heareafter arise. or growe amongest them w[hi]ch I doe upon my blessinge Chardge them all to p[er]forme, and to lyve in unytie and w[i]th eche other after
my decease, And to thend, that when Death shall approch I would nott be troubled with any worldly busines Butt be p[re]pareinge myself for the Kingdom of Heaven Doe heareby publishe
and declare my Testament, Contayninge therein my last will First and principally I Gyve and bequeathe my soule to Allmightie God the father sonne and holie Ghost beinge the holie and blessed
Trynitie hopeinge by the meritt[es] Death and Passion of my Lord, and Savyour Christ Jesus to receive Free p[ar]don and remission and forgivenes for all my sinnes bypassed and to Come Item I
give and bequeath my body to be buryed in Christian burial by the discretion of my Executors heareafter named Item whereas hearetofore I have given and puttforth, for the use of the poore of the
p[ar]ishe of Monck Coppenhall in the County of Chester, the sum[m]e of Tenn[e] pound[es], the use whereof is yearely to be distrybuted amongest the poore of the said p[ar]ishe of Coppenhall aforesaid, my will
and meaninge is That my sonne William Shenton and Roberte his eldest sonne shall have the distrybuteinge and bestowinge of the same I meane the use thereof amongest the poore of the said p[ar]ishe for and dureinge
the tearme of their naturall lyves accordinge to their discressions att the Feast[es] of the natyvitie of our Lord God Comonly called Christmas and after there twoe decesses my will and meaninge is, that the said
stocke of Tenn Pound[es] given as aforesaid, shall wholly remayne to the use and benefytt of the Children of the said William or Roberte Shenton the Survyvor of theim for ever Item I Gyve and bequeath to
the poore of the said p[ar]ishe of Coppenhall the som[m]e of Fyve Pound[es] to be devyded amongest theim by my Executors heareafter named Item I Gyve and bequeath unto my sonne Randall Shenton and Randall
Shenton his sonne, the som[m]e of Tenn pound[es] of lawfull money of England, to be putt forthe for the use and benefytt of the poore of the two Towneshipps of Alkington and Tylstocke in the County of Salop
and the use thereof the same to be yearely distrybuted, and bestowed, to and amongestthe poore of the said towneshipps Dureinge the tearme of the naturall lyves of the said Randall Shenton the father
and Randall Shenton the sonne att the Feast[es] of Christmas aforesaid and after their decesses the stocke to remayne wholely to the use and behoofe of the Children of the said Randall the father and Randall
the sonne, or to the Children of the Survyvor of theim for ever Item I Gyve and bequeath to the poore of the p[ar]ishe of Whitchurch in the County of Salop, the som[m]e of Six Pound[es] thirteene shilling[es] and
Fower Pence to be equally devyded amongest them by my Executors heareafter named, w[i]thin one moneth nexte after my decease, wishinge them to take thadvise of the Church Wardens, and overseers
of the poore of the said p[ar]ishe for the tyme beinge, for the more Charytable distrybuteinge and bestoweinge of the same wheare most neede shall require Item I Gyve and bequeath unto my reputed
Daughter Jane Ealeshall Sixe pound[es] thirteene shilling[es] Fower pence, and to the Children of the said Jane Ealeshall vizt to Randall Wood, Francis Wood, Edwarde Ealeshall and Marie Ealeshall my
Grande Children to eiche of theim Fyve pound[es] a peece, To be paid theim, w[i]thin Sixe monethes, nexte after my decease / Item I Gyve, and bequeath to the poore of the p[ar]ishe of Baddeley in
Cou[nty] C[h]ester Forty shilling[es] to be distrybuted amongest theim by my Executors hearafter named Item I Gyve and bequeath unto Roberte Williams eldest sonne of Anne Phillippes widdowe my
reputed Daughter, the som[m]e of sixe pound[es] thirteene shilling[es] and Fower Pence, To be paid him w[i]thin one yeare nexte after my decease, in leiwe of one byll of Fyftie shilling[es] w[hi]ch I received of his
Item I Gyve and bequeath to the other three Children of the said Anne Phillippes w[hi]ch she had by William Phillippes her late husband the som[m]e of Fyve pound[es] a peece, to as many of
theim as shalbe lyveinge, att my decease . Item whereas Ellyn Smithe of Teaton in the County of Chester widdowe, standeth nowe indebted unto me, in the som[m]e of Twenty pound[es], or
thereabout[es] my will and meaninge is And I doe heareby Freely forgive her Twenty nobles thereof soe she willingly paid the rest, w[i]thout any [suite]. w[i]thin sixe monethes nexte after my decease unto
my Executores heareafter named / Item I Gyve and bequeath to my kinsman John Shawe attendinge the worthy S[ir] Richard Newporte knighte A Twenty shilling[es] peece of gould to make
him a ringe w[i]thall Item wheareas Richard Evanson of Tylstocke oweth me for rent of Grounde Fower Pound[es] I doe Freely and absolutely forgive acquite and dischardge the said Richard Evanson of the said Fower pound[es]
and doe Gyve and bequeath the same unto him as a Legacye / Item Richard Hopkyn of Newe Woodhowses is to paie unto me Sixe pound[es] twoe shilling[es] yearely upon Condic[i]on that he doe paie me my rente yearely
dureinge my lyffe I doe hereby Gyve and bequeath [unto him the said Richard] Hopkyn the som[m]e of three pound[es] one shillinge beinge the half yeares rent / Item yf Raffe Pemberton of Wrenbury whoe
houldeth Certaine land[es] of me, w[hi]ch I had by [the] [grannt of Arthur] Starkye esq[uire] decessed, yf he paie me my [rent] truely and [...] dureinge my lyffe [I give and bequeath unto the said Raphe]
Pemberton upon the Condic[i]ons aforesaid, the [somme] of Fortye shilling[es] either to be paidd him, or abated in his rent Item I Gyve and bequeath to my godson Constatine Bostocke one of the sonnes
of Ottwell Bostocke my brother in lawe. twenty shilling[es] Item I give and bequeath to Roberte Stoneley sonne of Randall Stonely of Coppenhall in the County of Chester, beinge also my godson
thirteene shilling[es] Fower pence Item I give and bequeath to all my Godchildren male or Female, w[hi]ch I am Grandfather unto, unto eich of theim I give and bequearg Sixe shilling[es] eight
pence / Item I Gyve and bequeath to all the rest of my godchildren, vizt to every of theim twelve pence a peece to be paid to every of theim after my decease / Item I give and bequeath
to my sonne Francis Shenton the som[m]e of Twenty Pound[es] of Currant Englishe money to be paied after my decease in full satisfacc[i]on of his filiall porc[i]on, or Child[es] parte of all my Good[es] and p[er]sonall estate
Item I Gyve and bequeath unto my Daughter Ellyn Smithe widdowe Twenty markes in money to be paid her after my decease in full recompence and satisfacc[i]on of her filiall porc[i]on or Child[es] parte of
all my Good[es] and p[er]sonall estate, w[hi]ch I Could wishe her to distribute amongest her Children, because she hath noe neede of ytt herself Item whereas I hould a messuage or tenement, and [Varied]
land[es] of William Goughe in Tylstocke for diverse yeares yett in beinge by a Surrendor in the Court of the mannor of Whitchurch I doe Gyve and bequeath C[o]nvaye and Assigne over all the rest and residue of the
tearme of yeares, That shall happen to behinde and unexpired att the tyme of my decease in the said tenement and p[re]misses unto my twoe Grande Daughters vizt to Marie Richardson eldest daughter
of my sonne in Lawe Joshua Richardson, and to Jane Shenton eldest daughter of my sonne Randall Shenton to be equally devyded betwixte theim Item I Gyve and bequeath unto my Granndchildre[n]
vizt unto every one of the Children of my sonne Franncis Shenton, w[hi]ch shalbe lyveinge att the tyme of my decease, (exceptinge Roberte Shenton his sonne) to eiche of theim I Gyve and bequeath Fyve pound[es]
a peece to be paid theim after my Decease, (yf my sonne Francis, stand to this my will, otherwise theise Legacies to his Children bequeathed to Cease and nott be paid) Item I Gyve and bequeath unto
all the Children of my sonne William Shenton, (excepte Sara w[hi]ch is marryed Margarett w[hi]ch I have already given twenty pound[es] unto, and Thomas Shenton w[hi]ch is joynt taker w[i]th me in a Lease
from one Margarett Wolley) vizt to every of the rest I Gyve and bequeath Fyve pound[es] a peece, to be paid after my decease, I meane every one of theim w[hi]ch shalbe then lyveinge / Item I Gyve
and bequeath unto all the Children of my daughter Sara Richardson, that shalbe lyveinge att the tyme of my decease, vizt to eiche one of theim Fower Pound[es] a peece to be paid after my decease
Item I Gyve and bequeath unto Samuell Shenton youngest sonne of my sonne Randall Shenton the som[m]e of thirtie Pound[es] to be paid him after my decease. Item I Gyve and bequeath unto
Roberte Shenton my Godson second sonne of my sonne Randall Shenton the som[m]e of Twenty pound[es] in money to be paid unto him after my decease / Item I Gyve and bequeath unto [Margrett]
Shenton and Sara Shenton twoe of the daughters of my sonne Randall Shenton to either of theim Fower Pound[es] a peece Item all the rest, and residue of my Good[es] moveable [and]
unmoveable, quicke and dead, my debt[es] first paid, and Funerall expences discharged, I Gyve and bequeath unto my Fower Children vizt William Shenton Franncis Shenton and [Roberte]
Shenton my three sonnes, and Sara Richardson my daughter to be equally devyded amongest theim Fower Item whereas George Hitchin of Tylstocke is indebted unto me in the sum[m]e [Twenty]v mark[es], or upward[es] my will is, That yf he paie the same willingly without suite, or Compulc[i]on, that my Executors shall abate him Fortie shilling[es] of the said Debts, w[hi]ch I leave him for a [legacye]
Item I doe nominate make and appoynt my loveing Sonnes, the said William Shenton, Franncis Shenton, and Randall Shenton to be Executors of this my last will and [testament]
And I doe hereby utterly renounce and revoke all former and other willes, by me att any tyme heretofore made, And I doe publishe and declare this to be my last will and testame[nt] [the]
second daie of August in the Sixte yeare of the raigne of our Sov[er]aigne Lord Kinge Charles that nowe is 1630 / In p[re]sence of the p[er]sons undernamed /

Sources

1. ↑ Probate: "Staffordshire, Dioceses Of Lichfield And Coventry Wills And Probate 1521-1860"
   FindMyPast Image - FindMyPast Transcription (accessed 10 January 2024)
   Robert Shenton probate in 1631. Residence Alkington, Shropshire, England, Alkington, Shropshire, England.
2. ↑ Probate: "Cheshire Wills And Probate"
   FindMyPast Image - FindMyPast Transcription (accessed 10 January 2024)
   Robert Shenton probate in 1631 in Cheshire, England. Residence Alkington (Co Salop), Cheshire, England. Occupation: Gentleman.