Top Section: Contains a modernised English version of the Will set out in a way that makes it easier to follow and understand the intentions of the testator without losing the original sentence structure. I have added some punctuation and genealogical notes and links where appropriate. Second Section: Shows the original transcription, where to aid researchers with identification, I have deliberately retained the original line structure, paging, spelling, abbreviation and superscript used in the Will. It is a good example of the changeover between Court Hand and Secretary Hand. Probate as always is written in Latin. My Latin leaves more than a bit to be desired but I have attempted a rough translation. I am happy to be corrected by anybody who can transcribe it properly. In the Name of God Amen: The last Day of July in the year of Our Lord God 1582 and in the 24th year of the reign of Queen (Elizabeth) (1) I Thomas DAVIDGE of Weston Buckhorn in the County of Dorset Yeoman being sick of body but yet of good and perfect remembrance thanks be given to God therefore do ordain and make this my last will and testament in manner and form following In the First place: I bequeath my soul to Almighty God and my body to be buried in the church or churchyard of Weston aforesaid when it shall please god to call me out of this transitory world. I bequeath: to the parish church of Weston aforesaid the sum of six shillings & eight pence(2) Item: Where I have one house, tenement or messuage, with a Mill thereunto belonging set lying and being in Shaftesbury in Mill lane, and also one croft(3) of arable pasture called Tymbercroft containing by estimation one acre, or thereabouts, belonging to the said messuage I give and bequeath, and my will and intent is, that John (DAVIDGE) my son shall have the said mill and croft and other (appurtenances(4)) appertaining in Shaftesbury aforesaid to him and to his heirs forever paying such rents and duties due to the Lord of the Manor. Item: I give and bequeath to my son Robert [DAVIDGE] the sum of ten pounds per annum to be paid after my decease by my said son John during all such time as he my said son John shall have, hold and enjoy the farm that I now dwell in and certain ground of meadow and pasture called Loxsonns lying within Gillingham. Also my said son John to give unto my son Robert meat drink and lodging during the aforesaid time. Item: I give and bequeath to my said son Hugh [DAVIDGE] the sum of six pounds thirteen shillings and four pence(2) Item: I give and bequeath to my son Thomas [DAVIDGE] the lease and the years that I have to come in Mr Peter GREENE'S bargain(6) with two oxen, four dozen of my kine (cows), four bullocks of a year old, twenty sheep and one wain(7) the worst that I have, together with one featherbed and two of my mazes(8). Item: I give and bequeath to Robert WHALE two bullocks of the age of two years and 10 sheep with 10 pounds in money with the said money and all the rest unto the said Robert WHALE, in this my Last Will and Testament given and bequeathed by me, my will is shall remain in the hands and custody of my overseers by them to be employed to the use and profit of the said Robert and to be paid him when he comes to the age of 21 years Item: I give and bequeath unto Katherin HAYNE one cow. Item: I give and bequeath unto Elizabeth BARNARD one bullock of a year old and 20 shillings in money with said bullock and money my will is (it) shall remain in the hands and custody of my overseers, by them to be employed to her most profit until she come to the age of 21 years, or marry's. Item: I give and bequeath to Edith MULLENS one bullock of a year old. Item: I give and bequeath to every one of my godchildren four pence. Item: I give to the poor of this parish as follows vizt: to John OBORNE two pence; to Agnes SMALL three pence; to Alice SMALL two pence; to Joane The rest of all my goods & Chattels, real and personal, moveable and unmovable, my debts paid and legacies performed I give and bequeath to John [DAVIDGE] my son whom I make my sole executor of this my last will and testament and I appoint [as] my overseers of this my Last Will and Testament John YOUNG my kinsman and Roger YOUNG. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my Seal and mark in the presence of the names hereunder written Thomas DAVIDGE (the) testator Thomas MOLENS, Richard YOUNG Clerk (i.e. a priest) Mitchell WESTOW In the Name of God Amen: The last Daye of July in the year of our lord ∞ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------end of page 1 God 1582 and in the xxiiijth year of the Queen ina her reigne that now is I Thomas DAVIDGE of Westonbuckhorne in the countie of Dorst Yeoman beinge sicke of body but yet of good and pfecte remembrance thancks be given to god therfore doe ordaine and make this my last will and testament in mannor and fforme ffollowinge. In primis I bequeath my Sowle to allmightie god and my body to be buried in the church or churchyard of Weston aforesaid when It shall please god to call me out of this transitory world. I bequeath to the pishe church of Weston aforesaid the some of vis viijd It where I have one howse tenement or messuage with a mill therunto belonginge sett lyinge and beinge in Shaston in mill lane and allso one croft of pasture orerrable called Tymbercroft conteyninge by estimaton one acre or therabout to the said messuage belonginge I geve and bequeath and my will and intent is that John my sune shall have the said mill and croft and other thapptening in Shaston aforesaid to him and to his heires for ever payinge such rents and duties as to the theifelord thereof appteynneth.It I geve and bequeath to my sonne Robert the some of xls by the year to be paied after my deceasse by my said sonne John duringe all such time as he my said sonne John shall have hould and enjoy the farme that I now dwell in and certeine ground of meadow and pasture called Loxsonns lyinge with in Gillingham as allso my said sonne John to geve unto my sonne Robert meat drincke and lodginge during thaforesud time It I geve and bequeath, to my said sonne Heughe the some of vjls xiijs iiijd It I geve and bequeath to my sonne Thomas the leasse and years that I have to come in Mr Peter Greenes bargaine with two oxen iiijoz of my kine ffoure bullocke of a year old twentie sheepe and one waine the worst that I have with one ffetherbed and two of my mazes. It I geve and bequeath to Robert Whale two bullocks of th age of two years and x sheepe with xls in money wth said money withall the residewe unto the said Robert Whale in this my last will and Testament by me geven and bequeathed my will is shall remaine in thande and custody of my overseers by them to be ymploied to th use and proffitt of the said Robert and to be paied him when he cometh to th age of xxjtie years It I geve and bequeath unto Katherin Hayne one cowe. It I geve and bequeath unto Elizabeth Barnard one bullocke of a year old and xxs in money wth said bullocke and money my will ys shall remaine in thande and custody of my overseers by them to be ymploied to her most proffitt untill she come to th age of xxjtieyears or married. It I geve and bequeath to Edith Mullens one bullocke of a year old. It I geve and bequeath to every one of my godchildren iiiid. It I geve to the poore of this pishe as ffolloweth vitz to John Oborne ijd to Agnes Small iijd to Alice Small ijd to Joane Small ijd to Hellen Mitchell ijd and to John Lambert ijd The rest of all my goods & Chattells reall and psonall moveable and unmoveable my debte paied and legacies pfourmed I geve and bequeath to John my sonne whom I make my wholle executor of this my last will and testamt and I appointe my overserre of this my last will and Testament John Younge my kinsman and Roger Younge. In witness whereof I have hereunto sett my Seall and marke in the presence of theise names hereunder written Thomas Davidge test Thomas Molens Richard Younge Clarke Mitchell Westow Rough Translation only:- Proved has been this Testament (will) before William Dewry (or Dewye/ Dewey) Doctor of Law keeper of commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 21st June in the year of our lord 1586 --- given to Johis {John} DAVIDGE Executor to administer Genealogical Notes:- (1). The 24th year in the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1st ran from 17th November 1581 to 16 November 1582. (2). Thirteen shillings and eight pence was 1 mark (a monetary accounting value not a coin) and therefore six shillings and eight pence was half a mark which is what he left the parish church. (3). Croft is land adjoining a house, often enclosed often used as in this case 'croft of pasture' (4). Appurtenance - The rights and duties attached to the holding of manorial land. The most important were submission to the manor court, grazing rights and the payment of various fines to the lord of the manor. A pew, or part of a pew, in church was often an 'appurtenance' of a specific house in the parish. (5). The Protestation Return for Buckhorn Weston for 1641 (on this site) lists 7 members of the Davidge Family as being resident: I am told that The Hearth Tax returns of 1661/2 show:- William Davidge 1; Thomas Davidge, 1; Thomas Davidge, 3; Richard Davidge, 3; and John Davidge, 3 (but 2 were false returns!): and the Poor rate assessment for 1689 (on this site) lists 5 as being assessed. (6). 'bargaine' in this context means 'contract' and is referring to the conditions of the lease (7). A wain is a large open 4-wheeled wagon still around today but regularly used on farms of this period. (8). I have assumed this is a reference to 'mazers' which is from the old french word 'masere' and was a hardwood drinking bowl |