Will of Robert Williams of Great Yarmouth, Cordwainer 1658

Date: 1658 to 1658
Location: Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England
Surnames/tags: Williams Custans Roote

Transcription conventions:
Spelling, punctuation and line breaks are as per the original document.
Crossings through have been included struck out
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]
The image quality was good and the writing very legible.
Non standard spelling as per usual for this time period, which has been transcribed verbatim.

In the name of God Amen
I Robert Williams of great yarmouth in the Countye
of Norfolke Cordwiner^[1] Beinge sicke and weake in bodye
but praised be the Lord of sound and perfect remem=
brance, doe hereby make and ordaine this my last will &
Testament in manner and forme followeinge this five& twentieth
day of August in the yeare of Jesu Christ according to bothe
Computation of the Church of England one thousand sixxe
hundred fiftye eight

First and principally I give my soule
into the handes of Almightie God my maker Trustinge and
stedfastlie beleevinge to be saved and sanctified in by and through
the mediation death and passion of Jesus Christ my alone Saviour
and Rede emer and the Holy Ghost my Sanctify & Trinity in
Unity, and Unity in...... And my bodie I comitt unto the
earth from whence it came to be interred according to the discrecion
of myne Executor herafter named in sure hope of a ioyfull resur=
rection at the last day in glory everlastinge And ^as for such worldly
goodwa and temporall estate as it hath pleased Almightie God
of his great goodness to bestowe on me in this world I dispose of
them as followeth, that is to saie. I will and bequeath unto Joane

[page 2]

Custans of Rolleby in the Countye of Norfolk widdowe my sister
the sume of fower poundes of lawfull money of England And unto
John Custans, Richard Custans, Francis Custans and Anne Custans
children of my sister Joane the sume of Twentie shillings to each
of them To be paid unto my said sister Joane and her said foure children
within one yeare next after my decease. And if the said Joane shall
happen to depart this life before her said legacie be paid unto her ...
children? then to be equally devided amongst her said fower children
And if any of the said fower children of the said Joane shall happen
to depart this life before the said legacies be paid Then that Childs
or childrens legacie to be equally devided amonge the Survivor or Survivors
of the said Children

Also I will and bequeath unto my sister
Temperance Smith the nowe wife of William Smith of Hemsby in
the County of Norfolke Cordiner the sume of Three pounds of lawfull
money of England

And unto Jane Smith daughter of the saide
Temperance the sume of Twenty shillings of like lawfull money To
be paid unto them the said Temperance my sister and to her child
Jane within one yeare next after my decease. And if either the said
Temperance or Jane her daughter shall happen to depart this life
before the said legacies be due and payable Then the Survivor of
them the said Temperance and Jane to have the others legacie.

Alsoe
I will and bequeath unto the three daughters of Margarett
Roote my sister wife of John Roote of Martham in the County of
Norfolke Cordiner namely Margarett, Mary and Elizabeth the sume
of three poundes a peece to each of them. To be paid unto them and
every of them within one yeare next after my decease. And if
either of them shall happen to depart this life before their said
legacies be due and payable Then that Child or Childrens part for
deceasinge to be equally devided amongst the survivors of the said
children.

Also I will and bequeath unto my sister Elizabeth
her Executors administrators or Assignes within one yeare next
after my decease.

And lastly all and singular my moveable goods
catells, chattells ....... houshold stuffe and ymplements of
houshold whatsoever not by me in this my will before given &
bequeathed I will and bequeath unto Margaret Roote my
sister and John Roote her husband. And I doe appointthe
said John to be my sole Executor of this my Testament and
last will he to take my debts and pay my debts and legacies
and to pay my funerall expenses. And I doe hereby revoke
as null and make void all other wills and Testaments by me
heretofore made. And doe verifye and confirme this present
writinge beinge conteyned in onw whole sheete of paper to be
my last will and Testament, and have therefore hereunto subscribed
and sett mine hand and seale dated the day and yeare first
above written. The marke of Robert Williams. Read signed
sealed published and delivered by the said Robert Williams to
be his last Will and Testament in the presence of us Henry Coleman
Thomas Laroy? Avis Callow

This will was proved At London

[page 3] Before the Judges for probate of wills and granting admini
startions lawfully authorised the fourteenth day of February in
the yeare of our Lord God accordinge to the computation of the Church
of England one thousand sixe hundred fifty eight by the oathe of
John Roote the Executor named in the said will To whome was
granted administration of all and singular the goodes chattell & debts
of the said deceased he being first sworne by vertue of a Comisssion
well and truly to administer

Sources

1. ↑ Cordwainer