Will of Thomas Frewen (1630-1677)

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Northiam, Sussex, England
Surname/tag: Frewen

Contents 1 Introduction 2 People List 3 Property List 4 Will Transcript 5 Proving Transcript 6 Proving Translation 7 Research Notes 8 Sources

Introduction

This is a transcript of the Last Will and Testament of Thomas Frewen (1630-1677), Clerk, Rector of Northiam in the county of Sussex, England.^[1][2]

Spelling, punctuation and line breaks are as per the register copy. ff is rendered as F. Abbreviations are expanded and additions noted in [square brackets]. Paragraph breaks (where added) and bold text for names are my own for ease of reading. The first mention of an individual is linked to their profile if the profile exists, or is coloured red if not. The translation of the proving is my own.

People List

• Thomas Frewen, testator
• Thomas Frewen, eldest son
• Thankfull Frewen, late uncle
• William Benden, occupier of Northiham messuage or tenement
• Accepted Frewen, late uncle
• Thankfull Frewen, second son
• Thomas Westmore, occupier of Icklesham messuage or tenement
• John Frewen, late Father
• Walter Frewen, third son
• Henry Jenner, occupier of Wittersham lands
• John Frewen, fourth son
• William Barnes, occupier of Northiham messuage or tenement
• Robert Pope, occupier of Northiham messuage or tenement
• Mary Frewen, eldest daughter
• Winifred Frewen, younger daughter
• Mr John Sharpe, of Northiham
• Thomas Sharpe, nephew
• Father and Mother Evernden
• Thomas Frewen, cousin, and his wife
• Stephen Frewen, uncle
• Mary Frewen, loving wife
• Thomas Frewen Esquire, cousin, overseer
• Mr John Sharpe, overseer
• Thomas Bennett, witness
• Stephen Hart, witness
• John Hosmarr, witness

Property List

• Messuage or tenement in Northiham, Sussex, occupied by William Benden
• Advowson and Donation of the Rectory of Northiham
• Messuage or tenement in Icklesham, Sussex, occupied by Thomas Westmore
• Land in Wittersham, Kent, occupied by Henry Jenner
• Messuage or tenement in Northiham, Sussex, occupied by William Barnes
• Messuage or tenement in Northiham, Sussex, occupied by Robert Pope

Will Transcript

[Page 1]

In the name of God Amen
I Thomas Frewen Clerk Rector of the Parish Church of Northiham in
the County of Sussex being in perfect health of Body But of a sound memo=
ry (Blessed be God for it) Doe make Constitute and ordaine This my
last will and Testament in manner and form following (Revoaking
and annulling All former wills by me made)(viz^t) First and above
all things I humbly com[m]end and bequeath my soul into the hands of
Almighty God my maker hopeing through the meritorious death and
Passion of Jesus Christ my onely Saviour and Redeemer To receive full
and free pardon and forgivenes of all my sinnes My Body I leave in a
Christian manner To be decently interred att the discretion of my Executrix
hereafter nominated And as for the Estate both Reall and personall
wherewith it hath pleased God to Bless me I devise and bequeath as
followeth (viz^t) Imprimus I will and Bequeath unto Thomas my
eldest sonne and heire over and above what is already settled and intayled
upon him by Thankfull Frewen my late uncle All that messuage or
Tenement and the lands thereunto belonging lying in Northiham now or late
in the occupation of William Benden or his assignes And also the perpe=
tuall Advowson and Donation of the Rectory of Northiham to have and to
hold the said messuage lands and Advowson of the said Rectory to him and
his heires forever Item I further devise and bequeath unto the said
Thomas my sonne All the houshold goods in the house where I now
dwell except such p[ar]ticular goods as shall be by this my last will be
otherwise devised and bequeathed Item I further bequeath unto the said
Thomas my sonne Alll those my Bookes in my wainscott Studdy which
were left unto me by Accepted Frewen my late uncle The Lord Arch=
bishop of York Also my greate silver Pott and Plate Item I will
and bequeath unto Thankfull Frewen my second son All that my

[Page 2]

messuage or Tenement And all and singuler the Lands meadow and pasture
thereunto belonging scituate lying and being in the parish of Icklesham
in the County of Sussex And now or late in the Tenure or occupation
of Thomas Westmore or his assignes To have and to hold the said messuage
lands tenements and hereditaments with their and every of their appurtenances
to him the said Thankfull Frewen and his heires for ever Item I further
bequeath unto the said Thankfull my sonne All those Bookes in that
my Studdy adjoining unto my Chamber and which were left unto me by
John Frewen my late Father or which I have since bought As also my
great Silver Salt and two little Salts Item I will and bequeath unto
Walter Frewen my Third sonne All that my land meadow and pastures
with their appurtenances lying and being in the parish of Wittersham in
the County of Kent and now or late in the tenure or occupation of Henry
Jenner or his assignes To have and to hold the said Lands with the appur=
tenances unto the said Walter and his heires for ever And I also Be=
queath unto the said Walter the sume of Five Hundred pounds of Lawfull
money of England To be paid unto him att his age of one and Twenty
yeares upon such Conditions restrictions and lymittacons nevertheless as
is herein after Expressed lymitted and appointed Alsoe I give unto the said
Walter my silver Tanker Item I will and bequeath unto John
Frewen my Fourth sonne All that my messuage or tenement with the
Gardens orchards And all the land Meadow and pasture thereunto belonging
scituate lying and being in Northiham aforesaid now or late in the tenure or
occupation of William Barnes or his assignes All that messuage or Tenem^t
with the appurtenancs lying in Northiham aforesaid now or late in the tenure
or occupation of Robert Pope or his assignes To have and to hold the said
messuages lands Tenements and hereditaments with their and every of
their appurtenances unto the said John Frewen and his heires for ever
And further I will and bequeath unto the said John Frewen the sume of
Five hundred pounds to be paid unto him at his age of one and twenty yeares
hee the said John paying doeing and performeing as is herein after mentioned
and appointed Also I give unto the said John my other silver Pott and
Porringer Item I give and bequeath unto Mary Frewen my eldest daughter
the sume of Eight hundred pounds To be paid her att her age of one and
Twenty years or day of marriage which shall First happen Provided it be
with her mothers Consent and approbation she paying doeing and performing
as is herein after mentioned and appointed Alsoe I give unto the said
Mary my silver Candle Cup and Cover Item I give and bequeath unto
Winifred Frewen my younger daughter the sume of Eight hundred pounds
To be paid her att her age of one and Twenty yeares or day of marriage which
shall First happen Provided alsoe it be with her mothers Consent and approbac[i]on
And she likewise paying as herein after is expressed Also I give unto the
said Winifred The one halfe of the Remainder of my Plate And if it shall
happen That any of my younger Children shall depart this life under age
And before the severall Legacies to them herein bequeathed become due and
payable Then my mind and will is That such Legacie to him or her devised
and bequeathed shall be equally divided share and share like among the
rest of my younger Children And if it shall happen That I depart this
life leaveing my wife with childe be it male or Female my mind and will
is That the sume of one hundred pounds shall be deducted out of the Legacie
given to my sonne Walter Frewen The sume of Fifty pounds if it be a sonne
But the sume of one hundred pounds if it shall be a daughter of the

[Page 3]

legacie given unto my son John Frewen The sume of Two hundred
pounds out of the Legacie given unto my daughter Mary Frewen And the
sume of Two hundred pounds out of the Legacie given unto my daughter
Winifred Frewen which said sumes deducted as aforesaid my will is shall
remain and be for for a provision and portion for such Child as my wife shall
then goe withall Also my will is That such Child shall have the other
halfe of the Remainder of my Plate Item My will is that my Execu=
trix hereafter named shall retaine and take the Rents and proffitts of all
and singular my Lands Tenements and hereditaments whatsoever untill my
sonnes shall arrive att their severall and respective ages of one and Twenty
yeares for and towards their maintenance and Education desiring my said
Executrix That Two of my sonnes att the least may be brought up to Schoole
and the university That soe one of them may be made capable of the Rectory
after my decease (if it soe please God) Item I will and bequeath unto the
poore of the parish of Northiham the sume of Five pounds To the poore
of the parish of Icklesham Forty shillings To the poore of the parish
of Wittersham Forty shillings To the poor of the parish of Beckley
Twenty shillings To each of the servants in my house Twenty shillings
To Mr John Sharpe of Northiam Five pounds To my nephew
Thomas Sharpe Twenty shillings To my Father and Mother Evernden
my Cosen Thomas Frewen and his wife and my uncle Stephen Frewen
to everyone of them a Ring of Twenty shillings price And of this my last
will and Testament I make constitute and ordaine my loving wife Mary
Frewen my sole Executrix And I desire and appoint my Cosen Thomas
Frewen Esquire And M^r john Sharpe to be overseers of the same entreat=
ing them to be aiding and assisting unto my wife in the Execution of this my
last will and Testament And to helpe her gett in such debts as shalbe due
unto me att the time of my death Alsoe I give and bequeath unto my
beloved wife the sume of Fifty pounds in Gold As likewise the Bed Curtaines
Counterpane And all other the Furniture in my Best Parlour Chamber
Except the pictures In witness whereof I the said Thomas Frewen
have hereunto sett my hand and seale And unto every sheete of Paper
being Three in number I have subscribed my name Thomas Frewen
written with my owne hand This thirtieth day of August Anno Dom[ini]
1676 / Thomas Frewen / Signed Sealed published and declared in the
presence of Thomas Bennett Stephen Hart John Hosmarr

Proving Transcript

Probatum fuit Testamentum suprascriptum apud London
Decimo die Mensis Februarij Anno Domini (Stylo Angliae) millimo
Sexcentesimo Septuagesimo Sexto Coram ven[tra]^bli viro Domino Leolino
Jenkins milite Legum Deore Curia Praerogativa Cant[uariensis] Mag[iste]ro Custode
sive Comissario legitime Constituto Iuramento Maria Frewen Rel[ic]^ta
dicti defuncti et Ex[ecu]^tricis in huiuoi Test[ament]o no[mi]nat Cui Commissa fuit
Administrac[ion]um omnium et singulorum bonorum Iurium et Creditorium
dicti defuncti de bene et fideliter Administrandum eod[e]^m Ad Sancta Dei
Evangelia (vigori Comissionis) iurat.

Proving Translation

The Testament written above was proved at London on the tenth day of the month of February, in the year of our Lord (in the style of England) one thousand six hundred and seventy six in the presence of the venerable Sir Leolin Jenkins, soldier of the laws of God master of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury keeper of the commission by the lawfully constituted oath of Maria Frewen relict of the said deceased and executrix in this testament to whom was entrusted the administration of all and singular the goods rights and credits of the said deceased having sworn on the Holy Gospels of God to administer the same well and faithfully.

Research Notes

William Benden
The property inherited by Thomas' first son Thomas Frewen was in the occupation of William Benden. In 1696 Thomas Frewen the younger, Esquire, was suing William Bender, butcher, of Northiam, for overdue rent..^[3]

Thomas Westmore
A candidate baptism for Thomas Westmore, who occupied the Icklesham property, took place at Ewhurst, Sussex, on 29 July 1632, for a Thomas Wesmore, son of William.^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ National Archive
   Reference: PROB 11/353/172
   Description: Will of Thomas Frewen, Clerk, Rector of the Parish Church of Northiam, Sussex
   Date: 10 February 1677
   Held by: The National Archives, Kew (accessed 4 July 2022)
2. ↑ Will: "England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858"
   The National Archives; Kew, Surrey, England; Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Series PROB 11; Class: PROB 11; Piece: 353
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 5111 #744788 (accessed 4 July 2022)
   Will of Thomas Frewen of Northlham, Sussex, England, granted probate on 10 Feb 1676. Died Abt 1676.
3. ↑ National Archive
   Reference: C 6/409/42
   Description:

   Short title: Frewen v Benden.
   

   Plaintiffs: Thomas Frewen the younger esq, of Northiam, Sussex.
   

   Defendants: William Benden butcher.
   

   Subject: Suit concerning the tenancy of two farms, arrears of rent and any depredation committed on the farms: Crocks Farm, Northiam, Sussex and Silvers Farm, Northiam, Sussex.
   

   Document type: copy bill, answer.
   

   Date: 1696
   Held by: The National Archives, Kew (accessed 7 July 2022)
4. ↑ Baptism: "East Sussex, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812"
   East Sussex Record Office; Brighton, England; Sussex Parish Registers; Reference: PAR 324/1/1/1
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 62049 #3259749 (accessed 7 July 2022)
   Thomas Westmore baptism on 29 Jul 1632, son of Willia Westmore, in Ewhurst.