Will of William Manfield (abt.1530-bef.1598)
This is a transcription of the register copy of the Will of Willyam Manfield in Stockland, Dorset. It was written on 14 March 1598 and proved at the Prerogative Court of London on 12 May 1598. ^[1]</div></div>

Transcription conventions:
Spelling, punctuation and line breaks are as per the original document.
Crossings through have been included struck out
Paragraph breaks at change of bequest, and bold text are my own for ease of reading.
Where present, the obsolete letter Thorn has been rendered as th, and ff has been rendered as F.
Abbreviations and breviographs have been expanded in [square brackets]
The image quality was good and the writing very legible.
Non standard spelling as per usual for this time period, which has been transcribed verbatim.

Persons mentioned

• Willyam Manfeild Testator
• the poore people of Stockland
• the poore people in Membery in the Countye of Devon
• John Manfeylde Son
• James Manfeylde Son
• Henry Manfeyld Son
• Anstice Manfeylde Daughter
• Alice Manfeylde Daughter
• Bridgett Manfeyld Daughter
• Jone Burrowes Daughter
• Rawlin Newebery Daughter
• my god children
• Willyam Manfeeld Son, Whole Executor
• Henry Smithe the Elder Overseer, Witness
• Walter Hackombe Overseer, Witness
• John Neweberry Witness
• Richard Burrowe of Luppitt, Debtor
• Thomas Voisey Witness

Transcription

[page one]
In the name of God Amen The fourtenth daie of Marche
Anno Domini One thousand Fiue hundreth nynetie eight, and in
the Fortith yeare of the raigne of our soveraigne Ladye Queene Elizabeth
by the grace of god of England France, and Ireland Queene Defender of
the Faythe &c: I Willyam Manfeild of Stockland in the County of Dorsett

[page two]

husbandman being sicke of bodye, but hole of mynde, and perfect remembrance
thankes be geven to god do make this my last will and testament in manner, and forme
following, that is to saye

Firste I geue my Soule into the hands of Allmightie god the
Creator, and redeemer thereof, and my bodie to be buried in the Churcheyard of Stockland
aforesaid

Item I geue and bequeathe to the poore people of Stockland aforesayde, sixe
shillings eight pence of good Englishe money.

Item I geue and bequeathe to the poore
people in Membery in the Countye of Devon Three shillings and fourepence to be
dystributed vnto them by the dyscretion of my Ouerseers hereafter named.

Item I doo by
this my last will and testament declare, That my will is, where there is an estate
in reuert[io]on by coppie of Courtroll made by the Fermo^es of the mannor of Memburye
in the Countie of Devon vnto John Manfeylde, and James Manfeild my sonnes of and
in one Tenement P[ar]cell of the said mannor nowe in the tenure of Will[ya]m Manfeyld
aforenamed.

To haue and to houlde the Reuert[io]on, and Tenement aforenamed to the
same John and James for terme of their lyues, and to either of them longest living
successiuely according to the Custome of the said mannor , when after the deathe
surrender, or forfeyture of the said Will[ya]m Manfeyld it shall happen, or otherwyse the
first, or next reuert[i]on that shall channce to come to the Lordes handes:

Item my
will is that my said sonne John Manffeylde shall haue the Ferme [farm] of the said tenem[en]t
and receaue take and haue all manner benefytts, proffittes, and Comodityes therof
in as ample, and large maner and forme, as I haue, or by anie maner of waye or
meane ought to haue, of ^ ⁱⁿand to the said tenement, The estate whiche is made therof
to the said John and James ^{as aforesaid} onelie excepted.

Item I geue and bequeath vnto Henry
Manfeyld my sonne Fortye poundes of good englishe money to be payde vnto him
the sayd Henry within one whole yeare next after my decease.

Item I geue and
bequeathe vnto James Manfeyld my sonne Fortye poundes of lyke money to be
payde vnto him the saide James when he shall come and be One and twentye
yeares of age.

Item I geue and bequeath vnto Anstice Manfeylde my daughter
Fortye poundes of lyke money to be paid vnto her the sayde Anstice within one
haulf yeare next after my decease

Item I geue and beqeuathe vnto the sayde Anstice, One brasen panne, one pewter platter, one pewter porridger, And
one pewter sawcer.

Item I geue and bequeathe vnto Alice Manfeyld my daughter
Fortye poundes of lyke money, when shee the sayde Alice shall come and be in
the full age of Fyue and Twenty yeares.

Item I geue and bequeathe vnto the said Alice, One brasen Crocke, one pewter platter, one pewter porringer, one
pewter sawcer.

Item I geue, and bequeathe vnto Bridgett Manfeyld my
daughter Fortye poundes of lyke money to be payde vnto her the said Bridgett
when shee shall come and be in the full age of Fyue and Twentye yeares.

Item I geue and bequeathe to the said Bridgett, one brasen panne, one pewter
platter, one pewter porringer, one pewter sawcer.

my Will is that the said monyes shalbe payd sooner vnto the said James, Alice, and Anstice, yf my
Ouerseers shall see that it be for their benefytt and proffytt.

Item my will is
that yf anie of my said chilldren shall channce to decease before they shall come and
be to the full age and time aforewrytten, That then his, and her part so deceased
shall equally be diuided among them that then shalbe living.

Item I geue and
bequeathe vnto Jone Burrowes my daughter twentye pence of good englishe
mony.

Item I geue and bequeathe vnto Rawlin Newebery my daughter, the
biggest brasse panne that is nowe in her custodie, and one woodden trey that
is nowe in her custodye.

Item I geue and bequeathe vnto my chilldrens
chilldren to euery of them Three shillings foure pence a peece.

Item I geue and bequeathe vnto euery of my god chilldren sixe pence a peece.

The rest of
my goods, and Chattelles not geven nor bequeathed, I geue and bequeathe vnto
Willyam Manfeeld my sonne, whom I make my whole Executor to see this my
last will and testament performed, and doo appointe Henry Smythe the
ellder, and Walter Hackombe my Ouerseers, and doe geue to every of them for
their paynes sixe shillings eight pence.

Witnes herevnto Henry Smithe,
Walter Hackombe, John Newebery, and Thomas Voisey.

Detts owing vnto me
the said Willyam Manfeyld,

Item Richard Burrowe of Luppitt in the
Countie of Devon oweth Fyftie fyue poundes. /

Probatum in Latin
Probatum fuit testamentum suprascriptum apud
London Coram venerabili viro magistro Johanne Gibsonne legum
Doctore Curie prerogatiue Cantuariensis magistro, Custode siue
Commissario legitime constituto Duodecimo die mensis Maij Anno Domini
millesimo Quingentesimo Nonagesimo Octauo Juramento Thome Jles
notarij publici Procurator Willmi Manfeyld filij et Executoris dicti defunct
in huismodi testamento nominat: Cui comissa fuit Administratio Bonorum,
Jurium et Creditorum einsdem defuncti, de bene et fideliter administrand[] &c Jurat.
Ex

Research Notes

Last name various spellings: Manfeild, Manfield, Manfeeld, Manfeyld, Manfeylde

Sources

1. ↑ Will of Willyam Manfield, Husbandman of Stockland, Dorset
   Reference: PROB PROB 11/91/383

   Description: Will of Willyam Manfield, Husbandman of Stockland, Dorset

   Date: 12 May 1598

   Held by: The National Archives, Kew</li></ol>