Will of Thomas Dowsing of Hingham, 1546

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

This is a transcription of the register copy of the will of Thomas Dowsing of Hingham, Norfolk, England. Thomas wrote his will on 31 May 1546 and it was proved at the Consistory Court of the Diocese of Norwich on 10 July 1546 by his wife Johan and Richard Crowe, the named executors. ^[1] Johan made her will in the December of 1546, which was unrevised until her death in 1555. ^[2] A transcription of that will is here Will of Johan Dowsinge of Hingham, widow, 1555

Transcription conventions used in this text:
Spelling, punctuation and line breaks are as per the original document.
The text was originally in one block of text. Paragraph breaks at change of bequest ("Item"), and bold text for names have been added for ease of reading.
ff has been rendered as F.
Abbreviations and breviographs have been expanded in [square brackets].
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.
The image quality was good, but the handwriting was poor and the spelling extremely variable.

Persons mentioned:

• Thomas Dowsing of Hingham, Testator
• John Fytling has bought house and land from Testator, and still owes Testator money for this. No relationship mentioned. Witness to will. (In her will, Johan Dowsinge refers to him as her son in law. )
• Johan my wyff outlived her husband by nine years. Primary legatee and executor of the will.
• John Attemere, mercer owes money to Testator
• John Jessoppe owes money to Testator
• Richard Crowe, Basseman co-executor of will
• Syr Alexander Fascett p[ar]isshe pryst minister of St Andrew's church, Hingham. Witness to will. (Also witness to Johan's will).
• Richard Weston Witness to will.
• Fraunces Renyt farm[er] Witness to will.

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[folio 252 verso]
In the name of god Amen
The last daye of the moneth of Maij in
the yere of owre Lorde god M^ti CCCCC
xlvj the yere of the Raigne of ower Sov[er]ayn
Lord Henrye th[e ]eyght by the grace of god of
ynglonde Fraunce and of yrelonde king
deffendor of the feythe and here in erthe
supr[e]me hede of the churche of ynglonde and of
yrelonde the xxxviij I Thomas dowsing of
Hengh[a]m in the cowntye of Norff in the dioc[ese]
of Norwich being in hole mynde thanks be to
ower Lorde Jesu chryst make my Testament
and last wyll Revoking all other willes by
me made in tymes past in this man[ner] and
forme folows folowinge First I give and bequeth
my sowle to allmyghtye god to ower blyessed
Lady sent marye and to all the celestyall
c[o]mpanye in heven And my body to be buryed
in the church yearde of sent Andrew in Hengh[a]m
afforesaide nere unto my frinds unto the which
hye aulter I give and bequethe for tythes
forgotten and not payed xij ^d

It[e]m I give
towards the Repar[a]con of my p[ar]ishe church xxvj ^s
viiij ^d of lawfull monye to be payed in this
wisse that is to saye of the payments w[hi]^ch
is cedyng and growing to me dew and owinge
by John Fytling for p[ar]te of the purchase of
my house and londs whiche the saide John

[folio 253 recto]
Fytlynge latelye hath purchassed of me the saide
Thomas Dowsing at the next payment after
my decease xiij ^s iiij^d of lawfull monye to my
executors or unto the executors or assygnes
of them And that then the next yere after that
in lyke man[ner] to be payed xiij^s iiij^d in full
payment of the saide xxvj ^s viij^d Allso I wyll
that all other the rest of the saide payments
yerelye for the saide howse and londs w[i]^th the
appurt[e]n[a]nc[e]s which is dew and growing to me
to be payed by the saide John Fytling hes heyres
executors or assygnes to be payed to myn
executors or to the executors or assygnes of
them so longe and yerelye at the saide paye=
=ments dothe holde and enduer w[i]^th out ony
interuption or lette of the John or of ony other
p[er]son or p[er]sons

And allso I wyll that my saide
executors or th[e ]executors of them shall receyve
and take all my detts which is dew and owing
to me in all plac[e]s And allso they to paye my
detts of right which I do owe

Allso I wyll &
Require that all such coven[a]nts as is dew
and growing to me and to Johan my wyff by
indentures therof indifferentlye made and appered
betwen they saide John and me to the behoffe and
use of me And of the saide Johan my wyff that
is to saye as towching the corn[e] and malt
and cattill going and pasturing w[i]^th all other
the pr[e]misses as I and my saide wyff have hadde

[folio 253 verso]
Them both together and so I wyll that she
shall have them yerelye stylle duringe the
saide terme of her lyff in all things as it
is in the saide indentures of coven[a]nts w[i]^th owt
lette or denaying

It[e]m I give and bequeathe
unto the saide Johan my wyff all my goods
and cattailes in all plac[e]s And allso to her I give
and bequesth all my stuff of myn howse w[i]^th all
ymplements and nessessaries holey p[er]teyning
to myn house to her use for and to give &
to selle

It[e]m I give unto yche of the chyldren
of John Fyttelinge being alyve at my deceas
iiij^d It[e]m And allso I bequethe unto Johan my
wyff all the mony which as John Attemere
mercer oweth unto me playnley as it is
appeared the somes therof And allso the profitts
of that oblygac[i]on which is dew and growing
to me from John Jessoppe The rest of my
goods not given nor bequethed I put onto
the Disposic[i]on of my executors or unto the
executors of them which I orden and make
Johan my wyff and Richard Crowe Basse=
=man that thei shall dispose them as thei
shall thinke best to the pleasur of god &
welthe of my sowle and ther sowles as in
dede of charite and pytye wher nede is
And allso to the mending of wayes where
nede is wherfor I give unto the saide

[folio 254 recto]
Richard for his labor and letting abowte
this my saide wyll And for comforting my
wyff at her nede vj^s viij^d and his costs
deduct

Thes wytnesses Syr Alexander
Fascett p[ar]isshe pryst John Fytling Richard
Weston Fraunces Renyt farm[er] and other moo :/

Probate [from the Latin] This will was proved at Norwich the tenth day of July AD 1546. administration of the goods granted to the executors named in the said will.

Sources

1. ↑ Will of Thomas Dowsing of Hingham, 1546 Diocese of Norwich Consistory Court, NCC will register Whytefoote folio 252. Norfolk Record Office, Norwich, Norfolk, England Images on Family Search accessed 21 May 2022
2. ↑ Will of Johan Dowsinge of Hingham, Widow 1555 Diocese of Norwich Consistory Court, NCC will register Beeles folio 234B. Norfolk Record Office, Norwich, Norfolk, England Images on Family Search accessed 21 May 2022