1584 Joane Crafford widow

11-0067-241_JoaneCrafford_1584

In the name of God Amen, I Johan CRAFFORD widow, late wife of Guy Crafford of London Esquire, having my perfect health and memory (thanks be given to Almighty God) do make and ordain this my present last will and testament in manner and form following (that is to say) first and principally I commit my soul into the hands of my maker and redeemer Jesus Christ by whose death and passion I trust to have remission and pardon of all my sins, and my body to be (buried) within the parish church of Saint Ellyns in Bishop Gate Street where I am presently a parishioner under the same stone which lies over my said husband.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto my cousin Mr Richard CRAFFORD Esquire one ring of fine gold being a flat hoop with this posie on the outside “Rex Lege Gubernat”.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto my son in law Mr Thomas COLSHILL Esquire one black gown with the hood piece eighteen shillings the yard, and also one ring of gold with a death’s head weighing three quarters of an ounce of twenty crown gold, and also one standing cup of silver and gilt with a cover.  ITEM; I give and bequeath to my daughter COLSHILL a black gown with the hood piece eighteen shillings the yard, and also one ring of gold with a diamond three square set in the same ring, and also one chain of fine gold weighing two ounces quarter and a half, and also I give and bequeath unto her my two best gowns and two of my best (kyrtles) the one of satin and the other of damask, and my best hood never as yet worn with my best (boneygrate) and other the appurtenances.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto her one Flanders chest barred with round bars of iron and locked with two locks now standing in my bedchamber with certain parcels of linen in the same which are expressed in a certain writing remaining in the same chest.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto my son in law John WATSON one black gown and a hood price eighteen shillings the yard and one hoop of fine gold with the name of (Jhus) enamelled on the outside.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto my son Arthur CRAFFORD one black gown with the hood price eighteen shillings the yard, and also one ring of gold engraved with a (falcon’s) head, and one brooch of gold enamelled and also one ring of French crown gold with a death’s head.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto my son Nicholas CRAFFORD one black gown with the hood price eighteen shillings the yard, and one ring of French crown gold with a death’s head enamelled with the posie “nosce te ipsum”, and also I give and bequeath unto my said son Nicholas Crafford all that my messuage with a cottage thereunto adjoining and with all and singular their appurtenances set lying and being in the town of Rainham in the County of Essex adjoining near the bridge there, and also all the writings and evidence concerning and belonging to the same, to have and to hold the said messuage and cottage with the appurtenances together with all the said evidence to him the said Nicholas Crafford and his heirs and assigns forever, which said messuage and cottage with their appurtenances my late husband gave unto me the said Johan freely to give sell and bequeath unto whom I like as by a deed bearing date the tenth day of October in the eight and twentieth year of the reign of the late king of famous memory Henry the eighth more at large does and may appear, and for as much as the said messuage and cottage with the barn with other their appurtenances are very old and greatly (suynous) and decayed my mind and will is that my said son Nicholas Crafford shall have as much good oak timber and other necessary wood from time to time as shall be requisite and necessary for the repairing and amending of the premises at any time during the space of three years next after my decease, the same to be felled and taken at seasonable times in and upon my grounds belonging to my Manor called (Buddes) or Downsettes in the County of Essex without any let denial or interruption of my said son Arthur Crafford his heirs executors or assigns or of any of them, and further I give and bequeath unto my said son Nicholas Crafford all the interest and term of years which shall remain after my decease of certain grounds adjoining upon the said messuage and cottage called Rainham (Rayneham) Brooks containing by estimation five acres.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto my said son Nicholas Crafford one of my best feather beds, one bolster, two pillows, one grounded with orange tawny and one other needlework cushion with my late husband’s arms and mine wrought therein, and also one carpet with flowers which carpet is five yards and three quarters long and two yards broad.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto my daughter Dorothy CRAFFORD his wife a black gown and a hood price eighteen shillings the yard and one hoop of fine gold weighing half an ounce lacking twenty grains wherein is enamelled these words “see ye forget me not”, also I give and bequeath unto her my best gown that is in goodness next to the two gowns that I have given to my daughter Colshill and my (kyrtle) of taffeta and my holiday hood.  ITEM; I give and bequeath to my son Edward CRAFFORD one black gown with the hood price eighteen shillings the yard, and one ring of gold with a death’s head with this sentence: “Nosce te ipsum” which weighs half an ounce and half a quarter, and also one salt of silver gilt with a cover.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto the said Edward Crafford six silver spoons and six pairs of sheets whereof three pairs are of canvas and the other three pairs are of a finer sort and six pillow beres.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto his wife one black gown of fifteen shillings the yard and a hoop ring of gold and eight and twenty skeins of yarn to make them some linen cloth containing by estimation about four and twenty pounds weight, but if my said son Edward Crafford his heirs executors or assigns or any other for him or them do at any time after my decease sue vex or trouble my said executors or do interrupt my last will and testament for any other benefit portion or legacy than herein is expressed or do refuse to deliver  them a sufficient acquittance or lawful discharge at the receipt of these parcels aforesaid to him given and bequeathed that then my will and mind is that my gift and bequest of every of them shall be unto him utterly frustrated and of none effect.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto Cicely Coldwell one black gown price fourteen shillings the yard, and to Mary Coldwell her sister a black gown of like price, and also I give and bequeath unto the said Mary to be paid to her by the hands of my son Arthur Crafford his heirs executors or assigns at the date of her marriage or within one month after his decease which shall first happen the sum of ten pounds of lawful money of England to be answered out of such goods as I shall leave unto my said son Arthur also I give and bequeath all the residue of my apparel (which shall remain unbequeathed at the time of my death, and all the linen which I do usually wear.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto my maid servant one black gown of ten shillings the yard.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto four poor men shall bear me to church each of them a gown at the discretion of my executors hereafter named.  ITEM; my will and mind is that all such my plate and jewels as shall remain at the time of my death unbequeathed shall be equally divided between my two sons Arthur Crafford and Nicholas Crafford whom I name ordain and make my full and only executors of this my present last will and testament to see it executed according to the true meaning thereof, and also I will and my mind is that the residue of my goods and household stuff which shall remain at the time of my death unbequeathed shall wholly remain to the use of my said son Arthur so that he the said Arthur do not only perform this my last will but also bear and pay the whole charges of the funeral and other debts and duties growing by me or for me, and for the better performance and execution of this my present testament and last will I make and ordain my well-beloved son in law Mr Thomas Colshill to be overseer of the same, trusting that he with my said executors will see this my said testament and last will in all things truly performed.  In witness whereof I the said Johan Crafford to this my present last will and testament have put my seal proven the tenth day of December in the year of our Lord according to the computation of the Church of England on thousand five hundred four score and three, and in the six and twentieth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lady Elizabeth, by the grace of God of England, France and Ireland Queen, Defender of the Faith, etc, and in the presence of the persons hereunder subscribed – Johan Harlow, Hugh Kenrick

Proved 2nd October 1584