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Will of William Rice of Medmenham 1588

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This is a transcription of the register copy of the will of William Rice, esquire of Medmenham, Buckinghamshire, England. He wrote his will on 22 July 1588, and it was proved at the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 25 November 1588. [1]

Persons named:

  • Richard Dobson relationship not given, inherits a cottage and a close in Bockmerfeild in the parish of Medmenham
  • John Cupper present occupant of that cottage
  • James Duffeild of Medmenham esquier granted a lease on the said cottage to Margery Weale
  • Margery Weale widowe leaseholder of the cottage
  • Robert Shipwashe relationship not given, inherits three closes called Horse in Medmenham
  • Robert Willis tenant of the Close named Horse
  • John Moore tenant of the Close named Horse
  • Barbara my wife executor of will. LNAB not known. Suggested in History of Parliament that she was Barbara Fuller. [2]
  • Elizabethe my sister Victoria County Histories suggests that all three sisters were half sisters [3]
  • Anne my sister
  • Margarett my sister
  • my very good friend Robert Scroope executor of will
  • my very good friend Robert Sawnders executor of will
  • Thomas Farmer of Great Marlowe overseer of will
  • John Scroope overseer of will
  • George Hide witness
  • Thomas Stratton witness

In the name of god amen I William Rice
of the parishe of Medmenham in the countie of Buck esquier callinge to my remembrance that all fleshe
is naturally borne to die and departe this present life the time and place therof beinge uncerteine
beinge now diseased in bodye but of perfect memorie thancks be given unto almightie god doe make my
last will and testament in manner and forme followinge that is to saye First I give and bequeathe my
sowle into the handes of almightie god hopinge by his mercie and goodnes and by the meritts and passion
of my saviour and redeemer Jhesus Christ I shalbe one of his elect unto whom god will nott impute his
sinns My bodye I will to the earthe from whence it came to be buried in suche seemly sorte as to my executors
hereafter named shalbe thought most meete and convenient And as towchinge those temporall things which
it pleased god almightie god to lende me and for the whiche I render him most humble thancks

First I will
that suche debtes duties and demandes as I shall owe at the time of my decease wheather the same shalbe by
writinge or otherwise shalbe truly contented and paide by myne executors hereafter named and that in as short
a time as conveniently it maye after my decease

Item I will and devise unto Richard Dobson all that cottage
with thappuratenances lyinge and beinge in Medmenham aforesaid withe a backside and a close therunto
adioyninge contyeninge by estimation twoe acres and one parcell of grounde lyinge and beinge in Bockmerfeild
within the parishe of Bedmenham [4] aforesaide conteyninge by estimac[i]on thre acres All which now byn
in the occupation of one John Cupper or his assignes to have the same unto the said Richard Dobson his
executors and assignes from thend expiration surrendor or forfeyture of one Lease therof heretofore made
and granted by one James Duffeild of Medmenham aforesaide esquier unto one Margery Weale widowe
for and duringe the terme of one and twentie yeares then next followinge fully to be compleate and ended
by and under the yearly rent of tenne shllings of currant englishe money payable at the feaste of
St Michaell tharchangell and the annunciation of our blessed Ladie St Marie the virgin by equall and even
portions

Item I will and devise unto Robert Shipwashe all those thre severall closes called or knowne by the
name of Horse leases lyinge and beinge within the parishe of Medmenham aforesaide and now beinge in
the severall tenures howldinges or occupations of one Robert Willis and John Moore their severall
assigne or assignes, to have the premisses last mentioned withe thappurtenances unto the saide 'Robert
Shipwashe his executors and assignes from the feast of St Michaell thearchangell next ensuinge the
date hereof unto the full end and terme of one and twentie yeares then next followinge fully to be compleate
and ended by and under the yearly rent of thre poundes of good and Lawfull money of England payable
at the feaste of the annunciation of our blessed Ladie St Marie the virgin and St Michael tharchangell
by equall and even portions

And as touching my mannor of Medmenham and other my Landes tenements
and hereditaments whatsoever whearof I am now presently seased I will and my full intent and mea=
ninge is that the same shalbe and remaine to suche person and persons to suche use and uses and in suche
sorte manner and forme as are limitted and conteyned in one Indenture bearinge the date of this my
present last will And as towchinge all and singular my goodes and chattells whatsoever First I
will that the same as shortly after my decease as conveniently may be shalbe praysed [5] to their
iust and trew value whearof first I give to the pore to be distributed at the time of my buriall
five poundes of Lawfull englishe money And as towchinge my servants and especially these that
have done me longest and faithefull servis and hathe nott byne by me alredy otherwise considered
I leave them to the consideration of myne executors to be used as in good conscience and reason by

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them shalbe thoughte meete And as towchinge my saide goodes and chattells I will the same being praised as
before is mentioned shalbe devided into thre equall parte and so beinge after my debtes paides my funeralls
discharged and my Legacies performed I will that twoe partes therof shalbe and remaine to my wife
Barbara to her owne proper use and behoofe And the third parte therof I give and bequeathe unto my
thre sisters Elizabethe Anne and Margarett to their owne like use and behoofe And yett neverthelesse I doe
alwaies provide and and my full intent and meaninge is that in case my saide wife shall paye to my saide sisters
so muche good and Lawfull englishe money as the saide thirde parte of my goodes and chattells be then
given and bequeathed as is aforesaide shall extend and amount unto as they shalbe then appraysed and
that within the space of twoe monethes next after my decease that then the saide Legacie of the thirde
part given to my saide sisters as is aforesaide shalbe utterly voyde

Item I ordeine and make the said Barbara
my wief and withe her (if it shall please them to ioyne) I ordeine and appoynt my very good frendes Robert
Scroope and Robert Sawnders to be also myne executors to who I give for their paines and for a remembrance
of my good will [blank] And overseers of this my will I ordeine and appoynte
Thomas Farmer of Great Marlowe John Scroope and thus revokinge all former wills by me before this time
made or declared I doe presently confirme and allowe this to be my trew and last will and in wittnes therof
have nott only so published the same in the presence of those person whose names are hereunto subscribed butt
also to every of theis six sheets of paper comprehendinge in them my said last will have subscribed my
name And to this last have sett my seale Dated the twoe and twentithe daye of Julye in the thirtithe
yeare of the raigne of our soveraigne Ladye Elizabethe by the grace of god of England France and Ireland
queene defendor of the faiethe &c By me William Rice George Hide Thomas Stratton

Probate [abstracted from the Latin] This will above written was proved at London on the twenty fifth day of November AD 1588 by the oath of Lawrenty Swinborne notary public and procurator for Barbara relict of the said deceased, Robert Scroope and Robert Sawnders executors named in this testament, having sworn on the saints of god. to faithfully administer the goods &c

Sources

  1. Will of William Rice of Medmenham 1589: "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: 73 Leicester folios 1-50
    Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry uk Record 5111 #925602 (accessed 8 March 2022)
  2. RICE, William (by 1522-88), of Medmenham, Bucks. Author: M. K. Dale Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1509-1558, ed. S.T. Bindoff, 1982 History of Parliament online Accessed 8 March 2022
  3. 'Parishes: Medmenham', in A History of the County of Buckingham: Volume 3, ed. William Page (London, 1925), pp. 84-89. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/bucks/vol3/pp84-89 [accessed 8 March 2022].
  4. scribe has definitely written Bedmenham here
  5. appraised




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