Location: Hingham, Norfolk, England
Surnames/tags: Cooper Cowper
Contents |
Introductory Notes
The will of William Cooper, clerk, of Hingham, Norfolk, England was written 9 August 1562 and proved in the Consistory Court of Norwich on 23 December 1564.[1]
The will is a register copy, written in English on a single page (with the probate clause on the following page). The text is generally clear, with the exception of a few small sections where very heavy bleed-through of an ornate majuscule "I" on the reverse of the parchment has totally obscured some letters. These have been inferred from the context.
The paper/parchment is in good condition. The will starts at the top of folio 86 recto and the probate statement ends about a quarter of the way down folio 86 verso.
Transcription Conventions
The conventions used in this transcription are:
- spelling, punctuation, line breaks and capitalisation are recorded as in the document, with the following exceptions to aid readability:
- capital I is silently modernised to I or J as appropriate (eg "Joan", rather than "Ioan")
- ff at the start of a word is silently modernised to F (eg "First", rather than "ffirst")
- additional paragraph breaks may be included to increase readability of large amounts of text
- superscript letters are silently lowered, except where these relate to money (eg li s d), dates (eg th) or titles (eg Mrs)
- abbreviations/breviographs are expanded with the additional letter(s) in square brackets, except symbols for money (li s d) and the ampersand (&)
- the letter thorn is recorded as "th" in square brackets (eg "[th]e", rather than "ye")
- short series of missing/illegible letters are recorded with a period for each letter thought to be missing/illegible in square brackets; longer gaps are described with an editorial note; where missing letters can reasonably be inferred from the context, these are recorded in square brackets
- editorial notes are italicised and in square brackets
- names and relationships are highlighted in bold
- footnotes are used to clarify archaic terms, difficult text and discrepancies
- u/v and i/j are recorded as they appear; even where modern usage would dictate one over the other (eg "haue", rather than "have" if the third letter is clearly a "u"; "vnto", rather than "unto" if the first letter is clearly a "v")
- the virgule, signifying a pause (comma, semi-colon, colon or full-stop), is recorded using a forward slash /, but only when such intent is obvious (the virgule is often indistinguishable from various check marks and otiose flourishes that are of no significance)
Persons Mentioned
The will mentions the persons below. Modern/alternative spellings for names have been included where appropriate, to help ensure this page is listed in relevant web searches.
- the Children of my nephew Walter couper: unnamed children of Walter Cooper, testator's nephew
- Walter coper my nepheu: Walter Cooper, testator's nephew and executor
- Robarte Cunstabell: Robert Constable, witness and scribe of the will
- John Blesse: John Bliss, witness
- W[i]ll[ia]m knighte: William Knight, witness
Will
[folio 86 recto]
In the name of god Amen
the ixth Daye of auguste in the yeare of ower
Lorde god a thousand fiue hundred thre Skore and
too and in the forthe yeare of the reigne of ow[er]
Soueraigne Ladye Elizabethe by the grace of
god quene of Englande fraunce and yreland quene
Defendo[ur] of the faithe I walter couper of hingham
in the Countie of Suff Norf clerke be[inge of] Holle
minde and remembraunce praised [be to] allmightie
god ponderinge p[er]ten[i]nge the frailtie of the worlde and
Shortenes of Life remembring that I muste
Leaue this worldelie race and Departe from
Hence and mindinge to leaue Suche littell
Substaunce as I haue in quietnes Do constitute
ordeine and make this my testamente and Laste
will in manner and forme followenge Firste
and principaullie I com[m]ende my Sowle into
the handes of allmightie god w[hi]ch hathe creatid
me and w[i]th his precious bloude redemid me
and my bodye I bequeth to the yearthe from
Whence It camie Secondlie I geue to the poore
peppell in Hingh[a]m afforesaide thre Shillinges
and fower pence the residewe of all my goodes
to be payde w[i]thin one yeare nexte after my
Decease It[e]m I geue to Euerie of the Children
of my nephew Walter couper thre Shillinges
and fower pence the residewe of all my goods
& chattelles as well moueable as not moueable
I geue and bequeathe them Hollye to the saide
Walter coper my nepheu whom I Do ordeine
and make my Sole Executor he to paye
my Debtes and Bringe my Bodie honestelie
to the yearthe these beinge Witnesss me Robarte
Cunstabell John Blesse W[i]ll[ia]m knighte w[i]th others
Probate
[folio 86 verso; translated from Latin]
This testamant was proved at Norwich before Edward Gasco[i]n, Doctor of Laws, Official &c, the twenty-third day of the month of December in the year of Our Lord one thousand five hundred and sixty four and administration of the goods was granted to the executor named in the said testament, sworn in due form of law &c
Footnotes
- ↑ Consistory Court of Norwich, Regd. copy wills vol. 73 1563-1565, fol. 86 recto, will of Walter COOPER of Hingham, proved 23 December 1564; images, FamilySearch ( https://www.familysearch.org/ : accessed 15 April 2022) DGS no. 8076317, image 477 of 744; Norfolk Record Office.
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