Will of Vincent Harris Esq 1574

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Maldon, Essex, England
Surnames/tags: Harris Herris

Transcript of the Will of Vincent Harris 1574, from the PCC Will held at the National Archives.^[1]

In the name of God amen the twentie one daie of Aprill 1574 / In the sixtenthe yere of the reigne of owre Sovereigne Ladye Elizabethe by the grace of god Quene of Englande Ffrannce and Irelande defender of the faithe / I Vincente Harrys of Mawldon in the Countie of Essex Esquier, Do ordeine and make my testamente and last will in manner and fourme followinge / viz: Ffirste and principallye I bequeathe my soule to allmightie god my maker and Redemer, by whose merritts amd mercie I do beleve to be saved and to lyve for ever in the kingdome of heaven, my bodye to Christian buriall at discretion of my Executoures, And as concerninge my landes Tenementes and Gooddes whiche I nowe possesse I ordaine, declare, and devise of them in ffourme folowinge (That is to saye) That Marie my welbeloved wife for tearme of her lief for her Joynture Dower and Intereste of Dower, of in and to all manner my Landes and Tenementes whatsoever, shall have and enioye All those my Messuages, Mansyons, Landes, Tenementes and hereditamentes called the Ffryers and Beanmeade in Mawldon, Small Porte and Temple als Templendshe in Northwakeringe and Litlewakeringe, and Betts

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and Bettswoodd in Hockeleye and my Tenementes Landes and hereditamentes called Bakers and Colliers in Parkleighe Norton and Stowe in the Countie of Essex, and all others my Landes Tenementes and hereditamentes whiche I late purchased of William Waldeigne and John Higham Esquiers, within the Countie of Essex for tearme of her lief and after her deceasse I will all the saide Landes Tenementes and hereditamentes to goe and remayne according to the use and uses declared in one Deade Indented of ffeoffmente made to the right honnourable my verye good Lorde the Earle of Sussex, Arthure Harris Esquier, Edwarde Harris Esquier and John Sammes gentleman, And where by the bequest and devise of William Harris Esquier ffather of me the sayde Vincente I am nowe possessed for tearme of yeres yet Enduringe of one Leasse and Estate for yeres of and in the Mannor of Mondon withe the Rectorye thereof and Tithes to the said Rectorie belonginge with other Leasses of other Quylletts and Landes in Mondon given and devised by the last will and testamente of my sayde ffather to me the sayde Vincente and the heires males of my bodye lawfully begotten, withe Diverse Remaynders in the Sayde Testamente declared. And forasmuche as by reason of divers charges and greate Expenss growen and happened to me by Suytes in Lawe, aswell in defense of the Title of the saide Leasss and of other inheritannces lefte and devised by my saide ffather to me of the like estate and nowe lykewise being in me in the same Condition and thestate tailed, as also by reason of the purchase of the Landes Tenementes and hereditaments aforesaide assured to my wiffe for Joynture withe Remaynder to my heire and the Remaynders declared over in the deade aforesaide, and by reason of greate charges susteyned in the buildings of my Mansyonhouse in Maldon parcell of the said Inheritanncs so assured, I am at this presente indebted in diverse somes of monney to dyverse persons whiche debtes thoughe in equitie and good consience I fynde my selfe bounden and intirelie desirous to paie or to assure to be paide, yett cannotte perfourme the same presentlie withoute channginge thestate and present Condition of the sayde Leasse of the Mannor of Mondon whereunto havinge regarde to my ffathers will and especiall care to the perfourmannce thereof I am greatlie unwillinge so to do, And therfore havinge preserved all the saide Leasss in thestate and condicion thereof appoynted and lefte by my ffather his will I wisshe and will all the same leasses so to contynue in this manner, neverthelesse folowinge (that is to saye) Ffirst that my Executors hereunder named shall receave somm_che of the yerelie proffittes of the saide ffearme of Mondon, and other the ffermes so to me given by my saide ffather as shall satisfye and paie all my debtes, And after paymente of my debtes I will my saide Executors shall receave oute of the yerelie proffitts of the saide ffarme for my saide wiffe ffower hundred markes, and after that receaved I will their shall also receave five hundred markes for my daughter Marie to be payde to my saide Daughter at the daie of her mariage, or her age of eightene yeres, And then I will the said leasse to be imployed and remayne to suche uses, intentes, and purposes as are conteyned and declared in my ffathers will withoute any alteration, To which receates of the saide yerelie proffyttes of my saide ffarmes for paymente of my saide debts and advancemente of my saide wiffe and daughter as is aforesayde, And for oth my Legacies hereafter bequeathed I require my sonne Thomas Harris and evy suche oth personne to whome the same Leasse shall or ought to come by the tens of my ffathers will for the Consideracons aforesaide to assente and agree the rath in discharge of my conscience, And for that I leave the saide leasse (after the saide sommes levyed) to the devise of my ffather his will, And And therefore I do will and require that all my saide leasss and all other my leasses and Evidences whatsoever shalbe in the Custodye and saffe kepeinge of my brother Arthure Harris to remayne and be kepte in the cheste apoynted by my ffather for the kepinge of the reste of the Evidences which were my ffathers. / The rest of my Inheritanncs I knowe that by the cawse and order of the Lawes of this Realme of Englande theye are to discende to my heire, and are to remayne accordinge to my ffathers will, and therefore so I leave them, And I moste humblie desire my good Lorde the Earl of Sussex to be a Patron and an especiall protector and furtherer of the perfourmance of this my will chieflie for

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the paymente of my debtes and legacies, and then for preservation of thestate and condition of my saide leasses accordinge to the will of my ffather, unto whiche my good Lorde, I give for his paynes herein to be taken my beste geldinge or horse at his choise. Item I give unto my saide wiffe all my howsholde stuffe, Plate, Jewells and ymplementes of howsholde (Excepte my chaine of golde) whiche I give to my heire. Also I give to the saide Marye my wiffe Sixe geldinges and her owne Colte called Ffulgleam and my milche kyne pasturinge in Beanmeade, And all the reste of my Cattell and gooddes herein no mencioned or bequeathed, I will to goe and be imployed to the paymente of my debtes Provided allwaies and my will is that my saide wiefe shall not at any tyme disturbe my Executours in the Execution of this my presente Testamente and will in anye thinge, article or thinge conteyned in the same uppon payne to lose all suche benefitte as to her shall or shoulde growe by this testamente. / Item I give to Richard Leversithe my Servannte twentie pounde And to Bridgett my wyves maide three pounde sixe shillings eight pence. Item I give to everie of my menne servannts in housholde fourtie shillings above theire wages, And to everie of my maide Servanntes twentie shillinges in like manner (Except Elizabeth Smythe) to whome I give three pound sixe shillinges eight pence to be paide after paymente of my debtes and former Legacies to my wife and Daughter. / And I ordaine and make my Brother Arthure Harris my sole Executoure of this my Testament and last will and I ordaine and humblie beseche my verie good Lorde Therle of Sussex to be Overseer of the same and to extende his Lordshippes favoure furtherannce and frindshippe for the staie of my wife and Children and execution of this my will. /

Theise beinge witnesses John Sammes, John Locke Thomas Kinge Hughe Branham William Bantosle, John Leedes, Thomas Chesse

Probate

28th November 1574 .. John Leedes of Southminster, Essex, Yeoman, Administrator of the deceased, Arthur Harris Executor …

Sources

1. ↑ Will of Vincent Harrys of Maldon, Essex. 28 November 1574. PROB 11/56/571. National Archives.