11-0130-278_ThomasSpighte-WestHam_1617

In the name of God Amen, the eleventh day of October one thousand six hundred and seventeen and in the fifteenth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord King James by the grace of God of England France and Ireland defender of the faith or and of Scotland the one and fiftieth, I THOMAS SPIGHTE of the parish of Westham in the county of Essex yeoman being at this present sick and weak of body but whole and sound of mind laud and praise be therefore given to Almighty God for the same by whose only mercy and grace I make pronounce and declare this my last will and testament in manner and form following that is to say first I commend my soul into the hands of Almighty God the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost three distinct persons and but one only God whom I do trust in and hope by the merits precious death and resurrection of the second person Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour to rise again and be saved and enjoy the presence of the [deity with the clerk] in the kingdom of heaven; and I commit my body to the earth from whence it came to be buried in such comely manner as at the direction of my executor hereafter named shall be thought convenient.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto and amongst the poorest people of the parish of Westham aforesaid the full sum of five pounds of lawful English money that is to say to three score of the poorest people of Stratford [Wall ] twelve pence apiece and to twenty of the poorest people of Westham and Upton twelve pence apiece and to twenty of the poorest people of Plastoe twelve pence apiece to be distributed unto and amongst them as aforesaid by my said executor and Mr Jennyngs and Mr Holbrooke the minister of the said parish within one week next after my decease.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto and amongst the poorest people of the town of Woolwich in the County of Kent the sum of forty shillings of lawfull English money that is to say to three poor folks that do dwell in the three poor tenements that I built there for them the sum of six shillings eighyt pence apiece; and to twenty of the poorest people there the sum of twelve pence apiece to be distributed amongst them as aforesaid by my executor within one month next after my decease.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto and amongst twenty of the poorest people of Charleton in the said County of Kent the sum of twenty shillings that is to say twelve pence apiece to be distributed amongst them within one month next after my decease.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto JOANE my well-beloved wife all such plate household stuff and other things as she brought with her and were her own before I married her and I do likewise bequeath unto my said wife the full sum of four score pounds of lawful English money which I have now in present delivered unto her own possession together also with a debt due unto me of William Dragell of the said parish of Westham due by obligation which obligation I have likewise delivered into her own possession; and I do likewise give unto my said wife all my plate bedding my clock wood coals household stuff provision for household and moveables whatsoever as are now remaining and being in and about my now dwelling house in Westham aforesaid and are not hereafter in this my last will bequeathed to any other person or persons; and I do likewise give unto the said Johane my wife all such rent and rents as are now due unto me at Mapping and Ratcliffe; and I do likewise give and bequeath unto the said Johane my wife every year yearly during her natural life six loads of Kentish faggots for her firing to be delivered unto her frank and free from all charges by my executor yearly at the place of her dwelling wheresoever it shall be during her natural life aforesaid; and I give unto the said Johane my wife one large silver salt ungilt during her natural life aforesaid; and after her decease I give and bequeath the same silver salt unto her daughter ELIZABETH LAMMAS (if she shall be then living) but if she shall not be then living then the same to be at the disposing of my said wife.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto JAMES SPIGHTE my son all these parcels following, that is to say: one feather bed two bolsters two pillows and one blanket which are in the loft over the kitchen chamber one tapestry coverlet which was my other wife’s four pairs of sheets two dozen napkins one tablecloth one washing towel a [turkey] cupboard cloak and all my wearing apparel whatsoever which is not hereafter given to any other person or persons in this my present testament.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto Johane my said wife one ring of gold with a death head in it which I have delivered already into her own possession.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto RICHARD PHILIPPES my wife’s brother my gown lined with [bayes] to be delivered unto him within three days after my decease.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto my son in law WILLIAM MENTYE my black stiff suit and my best cloak buut one which is laid on with lace to be delivered unto him within three days after my decease.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto Elizabeth Halfehead the sum of six pounds thirteen shillings four pence of lawful English money to be paid unto her within six months after my decease.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto WILLIAM CLARE my son in law my best cloak but two my cloth breeches my cloak jerkin and doublet to be delivered unto him within one week after my decease.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto MILLICENT CLAYE my daughter the wife of WILLIAM CLAYE the sum of twenty pounds of lawful English money to be paid unto her in form following, that is to say: within one week after my decease ten shillings parcel thereof and so from thenceforth weekly every week one next and consequently following the other ten shillings parcel thereof until the said sum of twenty pounds of lawful English money shall be fully satisfied and paid unto her without any fraud or coven; but if it shall happen that the said Millicent my daughter shall die before she shall have received the said sum of twenty pounds as the same shall become due as aforesaid that then my will and mind is that so much of the said sum of twenty pounds as shall not at her decease be due to be paid as aforesaid shall remain come and be to my executor hereafter named the foresaid payments ceasing and to be of none effect.  ITEM; I give unto the said William Claye my son in law all my estate right title and interest which I have or might deign to have of in and to all that the messuage or tenement with the appurtenances called The Bell situate in Birchin Lane within the City of London and of in and to all the lands tenements and hereditaments within the county of Essex which late were the said William Claye’s and which he heretofore mortgaged; and I will my executor hereafter named to redeliver unto the said William Claye all and singular deeds evidences [payments] scripts and writings whatsoever which I have of or covering any of the said messuages lands tenements and hereditaments whatsoever within one week after my decease.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto ELIZABETH KENDALL and ANNE KENDALL the children of my said daughter Millicent Claye the sum of ten pounds apiece of lawful English money to be paid unto them when they shall accomplish their several ages of twenty and one years or days of marriage which shall next happen to ensue.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto MARTHA CLAYE MARY CLAYE MILLICENT CLAYE and SUSAN CLAYE the children of the said William Claye the sum of ten pounds apiece of lawful English money to be paid unto them as they shall severally accomplish their several ages of twenty and one years or days of marriage which shall happen next to ensue.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto MARGARET CLAYE the daughter of the said William Claye the sum of ten pounds of lawful English money and four pairs of sheets to be delivered and paid into the custody and possession of the said Johane my wife presently after my decease for the use of the said Margaret Claye to be paid unto her by my said wife or her assigns when she shall accomplish the age of twenty and one years or day of marriage which of them shall next happen to ensue.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto ELIZABETH SPIGHTE the daughter of FRANCES BISHOPP my daughter in law the sum of ten pounds of lawful English money and two pairs of sheets to be paid into the custody and possession of  the said Francis Bishopp within six months after my decease to be paid unto the said Elizabeth Spighte by the said Frances when she shall accomplish the age of twenty and one years or day of marriage which shall first happen to ensue.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto John Younge the son of William Young the sum of ten pounds of lawful English money to be paid unto him when he shall acoomplish the age of twenty and one years.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto ANNE SPIGHTE the daughter of JAMES SPIGHTE my son the sum of ten pounds of lawful English money two pairs of sheets and a brass pot.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto EDWARD FOSTER the sum of ten pounds of lawful English money to be paid within six months next aftermy decease.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto George Davies of Woollage [Woolwich] in the County of Kent surgeon ten pounds of lawful English money to be paid unto him within six months after my decease.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto Joane Haynes the wife of Richard Haines of Woollage in the county of Kent shipwright two pairs of sheets and a little brass pot to be given unto her within one week after my decease.  ITEM; I give unto WILLIAM SPIGHTE and THOMAS SPIGHTE the sons of ARTHUR SPIGHTE late my son deceased the sum of forty pounds of lawful English money that is to say twenty pounds apiece to be delivered into the custody and possession of William Payne of Wickham in the County of Kent yeoman within one year after my decease to be paid unto them the said William Spighte and Thomas Spighte by the said William Paynewhen they shall severally accomplish their several ages of twenty and one years and in the meantime to be employed for the benefit of them.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto ELIZABETH MENTEY my daughter the sum of ten pounds of lawful English money to be paid unto her within six months after my decease; and I give more unto the said Elizabeth Mentey my daughter my [foiled] bedstead with the bed bolster coverlet and curtains thereunto belonging four pairs of sheets one dozen napkins one tablecloth one washing towel and one little white wine cup of silver to be delivered unto her within one week after my decease.  ITEM; I give unto Frances Bishopp my daughter in law one pair of silk curtains and valance and one piece of gold of two and twenty shillings piece to be delivered unto her within one week after my decease.  ITEM; I give to my two maid servants the sum of ten shillings apiece to be paid unto them within a week after my decease.  ITEM; I do forgive unto John Rott the debt which he owes me; whatsoever be the rest and residue of all and singular my goods cattles and chattels not before bequeathed (my debts being paid my funeral charges borne and this my present last will and testament performed) I wholly give and bequeath unto James Spighte my son whom of this my present last will and testament I do ordain and make my full and sole executor of this my present last will and testament; and I do nominate and appoint Mr Holdbrooke preacher of the parish of Westham and Mr Clement Millmoore of Westham aforesaid to be my overseers and entreating them to be aiding and assisting unto my said executor and for their pains to be taken therein I give unto each of them one ring of gold apiece to be delivered unto them within one week after my decease; and I do revoke all former wills by me heretofore made and that none shall stand in force but this my present last will and testament containing four sheets of paper and all annexed together set my seal and to every of the same sheets set my hand the day and year first above written.   The mark of the said Thomas Spighte

Memoranda that the words “Joane” in the six and twentieth line of the first sheet “William” in the thirtieth line of the same sheet “Kentish” in the second line of the second sheet “ten pounds of lawful English money in the two and twentieth line of the third sheet hereof were interlined before the sealing hereof and so signed sealed published and declared as his last will and testament in the presence of us William Holbrooke Richard Philippes Thomas Walles

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