Will of William Folkes of Exning, Suffolk (1638)

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Exning, Suffolk, England
Surnames/tags: Folkes Westrop

The National Archives of the UK: PROB 11/177/14

Tm: Will[ia]mi Folkes

In the name of God Amen The twoe & twentieth
day of January in the Thirteenth yeere of the raigne of o[ur] Soveraigne Lord Charles by
the grace of God king of England Scotland France & Ireland Defender of the faith &c
1637 I William Folkes of Exning in the County of Suff[olk] being of sound and p[er]fect
remembrance (thank[es] be unto Almightie God therefore) Doe ordaine and make this my
last Will and Testament in manner and forme followinge First I bequeathe my soule
into the handes of Almightie god my maker trustinge by the death and passion of my
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to enioy a place in heaven and I will that my bodie be
buried in decent sorte in the Church or Churchyard of Exninge aforesaid Item I will
that five powndes be distributed among the poore people the daie of my buryall Item I give
unto Anne my welbeloved wife Fourtie poundes a yeare for and towardes her maintenance
during her naturall life to bee paid unto her and her assignes in this manner vizt tenn
poundes of lawfull english money within one quarter of a yeare next after my decease
and so tenn poundes quarterlie soe longe as shee liveth Item I doe give unto her
moreover sufficient and necessarie furniture to furnishe a lodging chamber for her as bedd &
beddinge lynnen stooles chaires a pott skillett and some dishes of pewter and other needfull
utensilles as shee shall choose out of my howshold stuffe And I will that my Executor
shall enter a band of Twoe hundred pound[es] penaltie unto my sonne in lawe John Westrop
and my Cosen John Roven well & truelie to p[er]forme the said quarterly payment unto her during
her life. Prouided allwayes And my will & meaneing is that my said wife shall not
Demand nor clayme any estate or dower or Thirdes in my lande at Burwell in the County
of Cambridge nor in Cowling in the County of Suff[olk] neither of my sonne Symon Folkes
nor his heires nor of my sonne William Folkes his wief [i.e. William Folkes's wife] nor of the heires of the said Will[ia]m
but shall & will uppon request made release & surrender up her right & title unto them therein
Item I doe give unto my said sonne Symon All those my howses landes & Tenement[es]
with thappurtenances in Cowling aforesaid to him & his heires for ever. Item I doe give unto
the said Symon All that Close of pasture called Cysselies with thappurtenanc[es] lyeing in
Burwell aforesaid that I lately purchased of one Michaell Bridgman And all those ^Coppihold^ land[es]
& tenement[es] that I bought likewise of the said Michaell To have & to hold the same & every of
them to the said Symon his heires & Assignes for ever And the residue of my land[es] & Tenem[en]t[es]
in Burwell aforesaid or in Exning aforesaid I give unto my grandchild Francis the sole
Daughter & Heire of my said sonne William Deceased & to her heires which came unto mee
from my Father John Folk[es] Item I give that my daughter Anne Senden? widd[ow] shall
retayne the Forty six poundes shee oweth mee & shall dispose of the same as shee please among
my Children as my guift Item I doe give unto my daughter Phillip the wief of George
Westropp Twentie poundes of lawfull English money to distribute it where shee shall
think good Item I doe give unto my daughter Grace the wief of John Westropp five
poundes of like money to dispose thereof as shee will Item I doe give unto my daughter
Priscilla one hundred pound[es] of like money over & above the Hundred pound[es] that I
have alreadie given unto her Husband Richard Maning soe as shee may be reasonablie
provided of competent maintenance during her life in case shee overlive the said Richard
her husband Item I doe give unto my daughter Bridgett the wief of John Bridgman five
pound[es] of like lawfull money to bestowe the same as shee think good The residue of my
good[es] & chattells after my debt[es] payd & funeralls discharged I give & bequeath unto my said
sonne Symon whome I make sole Executor of this my last will & Testament trusting of
his true p[er]formnce therein according to my good intent & meaning In wittnes whereof I have
hereunto sett my hand & seale And have published the same in the p[re]sence of the day & yeare
abovewritten William Folkes John Westropp sen[ior] Symon Folk[es] John Raven John Taylor

[Proved in London before Sir Henry Marten on 2 May 1638 by Simon Folkes, son of the deceased]