Revision as of 17:53, October 4, 2011

Francis Raworth will

PROB 11/269 Ruthen 411 - 461 Will of Francis Raworth, Gentleman of Town and Port of Dover, Kent 27 October 1657

IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN, THE SIXT daie of February, in the yeare of our Lord Christ, one thousand, sixe hundred, ffiftie, and sixe, I FFRANCIS RAWORTH thelder, of the towne and port of Dover in the Countie of Kent gent, doe make and ordaine this to be my last will and testament in maner and forme followinge; The buryall of my bodie; I leave it to the discretion of my executrix hereafter named; And after my bodie buried, I will, that my funerall charge, and all debts oweing by me at the time of my decease, to any persons whatsoever, shall be well and truely paid by my Executrix; And as touching all such goods Chattells, householdstuffe, ready monyes, debts, and Leases, which shall properly belonge unto me at the time of my decease; I will and dispose of as followeth;

FFIRST I will and give unto ffrancis Raworth my eldest sonne, on whome I have setled a good part of my estate; all such Bookes, as he now hath of myne in his custodie, and my new cloth Gowne, and one halfe of the papers, and bookes, in my study And the other halfe to my sonne Thomas;

ITEM I will and devise unto Margarett Raworth my Daughter, one featherbedd, one fether boulster, one fether pillowe, one Coverlett, one blankett, Curtaines, and vallance, and the Bedstedle now standing and being in the Chamber called, the Blewe Chamber in my now Dwelling house; two paires of sheetes, two pillowbeeres, two tableclothes, and two dozen of napkins; To be delivered to her by my said Executrix, within sixe weekes next after my decease; such as Elizabeth my wife her mother shall thinke fitt to part with; All other my bookes whatsoever printed, written, or unwritten, I will and give unto Thomas Raworth my second sonne. Except the three volumes of the bookes of Martyrs, which I will and devise unto Robert Raworth, my youngest sonne;

ITEM I will and devise unto the said Margarett Raworth my said daughter, and to her Executors, Administrators, and Assignes, All those two tenements and grounds to the same belonginge scituate and being in ?Margate Streete in the said towne and port; which I hold by Indenture of Lease from the honoble warden, and assistance (sic) of the Harbor of Dover aforesaid, for diverse yeares yett to come, ánd unexpired, at the yearely Rent of eight shillings

ITEM I will, and give unto the said Elizabeth my said wife, during her naturall life (if she keepe herselfe a widdow): all my rights, tyths, tytles, interests, tearmes of yeares, and demands whatsoever, which I have yet to come, and unexpired of, and in, the ?Cliffe, whereof I lately tooke a Lease from Ralph Buffin Esq:r, for diverse yeares yet to come scituate at Dover peere: And of and in one peece, or pcell of Arable Land conteyning five Acres lying in the pish of Charlton next Dover aforesaid, which I hold by Indenture of Lease from the Churchwardens of S:t Marys parish in Dover aforesaid, for diverse yeares yet to come, and unexpired; And from and after my said wives (sic) decease; or marriage; I will and devise the said terme of yeares, of and in the said peese, or parcell of arable Land in the said parish of Charlton, unto the said Robert Raworth, my said youngest sonne, his Executors, Administrators, and Assignes;

ITEM I will and give unto the said Robt. Raworth, my sonne, ffourty pounds, which my said sonne ffrancis Raworth upon his marriage, and my passing over to him five acres of Land at Woodnes?borowe promised to pay at my decease:

ITEM I will and bequeath unto Elizabeth Raworth my Grandchild at her age of twenty and one yeares, or day of mariage;

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which shall first happen, our ?Besttester with a fetherboulster, feather pillows, Blankett, Coverlett, Curtaines, and vallence, and one paire of Sheetes, at the discretion of my said Executrix;

And lastly I will give, and bequeath unto the said Elizabeth my said wife, all the residue of my said goods, Chattles, householdstuffe, and implements of household, not herein before willed and divised, both of woollen, lynnen, Brasse, pewter, and wood; And all my plate, ready monies, debts, and creditts, (except before excepted, and the plate given to my said Children by their Godfathers, Godmothers, and other freinds, which doe belonge to them:) for and towards the payment of my debts, and for her owne, and her said Childrens maintenance, and p:rferment; discharge of my funerall expences, which may be ?extenuated in respect of my debts, & probate of this my said last will and testament, of which I hereby make her the said Elizabeth my said wife my sole Executrix: And I hereby charge and require my said sonnes, and daughters to be obedient and dutifull to their said mother; and to be loving and kinde, each to other; And I wish that my said wife may live to se them well educated, and provided for, in their severall callings;

This is the last will and testament of me the said ffrancis Raworth made and declared the saie and yeare first above written;

Touching the disposinge of my Lands and tenements in the said towne and port, and elsewhere in the said County of Kent:

FFIRST I for my two Lyme Killnes, Tenement; storehouse, well, or pXXXully, and ?ground to the same belonging, scituate; lyeing, and beinge at Dover peere, and which I lately purchased of Susan ??Warby of Dover aforesaid widdow, to me and my heires for ever; And for the part of the Cliffe which I hold by Lease from Ralph Buffin Esq:r for diverse yeares yet to come & unexpired at the yearely rent of five poundes, sixe shillings, and eight pence, and one loade of Lyme besides; I will and devise the same to Thomas Raworth my second sonne, and to his heyres, Executo:rs, and Assignes for ever; together with all the utensills, and implements belonging to the kilnes; And all my right, tythe, and interest, and tearme of yeares w:ch I have yet to come of and in the said Cliffe, To be had and holden to the said Thomas Raworth, his Executo:rs, Administrato:rs, and Assignes; provided, that he the said Thomas Raworth, his heyres, Executo:rs, Administrato:rs, or Assignes doe & shall yearly pay, or cause to be paid unto the said Elizabeth my said wife, his mother, the summe of Ten pounds during her naturall life (if she keepe herselfe a widdow) by quarterly payments, (to witt) on the feast daies of the Annunciaton the Virgin Mary, The nativity of S:t John the Baptist; S:t Michaell the Archangell, And the nativity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, by even and equall portions; And that in his, or their ddefect of payment thereof, it shall, and may be lawfull to and for the said Elizabeth my wife, or her assignes, into the said lyme kilnes, and p:rmisses, together with the said Cliffe, to enter, and the same to deteyne, keepe, and dispose of, untill satisfaction be made unto her of all árrears; And also provided: that the said Thomas Raworth his heyres, Executo:rs, or Assignes, shall well and truly paie the said yearely rent of five pounds, sixe shillings, and eight pence; And also the said Loade of Lyme reserved to be paid for the said Cliffe, unto the said Ralph Buffin, his heyres, or assignes, when the same shall be due, and payable, and thereof acquitt, and discharge, the said Elizabeth my said wife and Executrix, of this my said last will and testament;

ITEM I will and give unto the said Elizábeth my wife and to her heires, and Assignes for ever, all my parte of the Garden belonging to my dwelling house, which I heretofore (ámongst other XXXX) bought of Basill
Nicholls

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Nicholls, gent. and others, Not doubting but she the said Elizabeth will invest and setle, the said dwelling house and garden to the same belonging (of which she was ioynt purchaser with me) by her last will and testament, on the said Thomas Raworth, and Robt Raworth my sonnes, and to their heires and Assignes for ever: which is my earnest desire;

ITEM I will and devise unto the said Elizabeth my wife, and to her heires, and assignes for ever, all that tenem:t ?Buther Shopp, and ground to the same belonging, scituate lyeing and being in Biggin Streete; in the said towne and port late PXXXy Evens widdow deceased my kinswoman; now in the severall occupaccons of Dorothy Waller spinster, Edward Burt, and of their assignes, from and after the decease of the said Dorothy Waller: To be sold by the said Elizabeth my wife, her heires, or Assignes for the greatest price that may be procured for the same; And that she the said Elizabeth, her heires, or assignes, shall deteyne in their hands which the said PXXXy Evens was indebted and did owe unto me in her life time: And the residue of the said moines, shall well and truly pay unto John Evans, only some of the said PXXXXy Evens, when he shall áccomplish his age, of one and twentie yeares, or sooner for his necessary occasions, if my said wife and Executrix, her heires, Executo:rs, and Administrators may be sufficiently acquitted; and discharged thereof;

ITEM I will and devise the messuage, or tenement, stable, and Backside to the same belonging, called the signe of the HXXXell in Dover aforesaid; and the tenement adioyning to the same, now in the severall occupaccons of Henry Sturman, and ?Phymens Shrewsbury, which I lately purchased of William ?Hughesen Esq: unto the said Elizabeth my said wife; during her naturall life (if she keepe herselfe a widdowe): And from and after her decease, or marriage, I will and devise the said severall tenements, stables, Backsides, well, and áppurtenance unto the said Robert Raworth my said sonne; and to his heires and ássignes for ever;

ITEMI will, give, and devise unto the said Thomas Raworth, and Robert Raworth my said sonne, and to their heyres, and assignes for ever, All that tenem:t Barne, garden, orchard, and Lands to the ferme belonging, scituate and being in ?Caple LeXXXXX in the said County, now in the occupacon of John Cloudesby from and after the decease of Elizabeth their mother, or her marriage (my will and meaninge beinge) that the said Elizabeth shall first, after the decease of the said John Cloudesby and ?Cosby his wife, enter upon the same; and dispose thereof, during her widdowhood as aforesaid

And lastly, my will, intent, and meaninge is; that if either of my two sonnes Thomas, adn Robert, shall happen to depart this life without Childe, or Children, before they shold have enioyed the said hereby devised messuages Lands, or Tenements; That then the survivor of them shall have, and enioy, what the other dying should have enioyed; (if he had lived): And giveing Almighty God all hearty praise, that he hath prmitted me health and life, to effect this ma last will and testament, Revokinge áll former:

IN WITNES thereof, I have hereunto sett my hand and seale, the daie and yeare first above written:

FFRN RAWORTH:

Sealed, subscribed, and published, in the p:rsence of

DOROTHY MARSH, ANTH: ?KEYLOCKE

THIS WILL WAS PROVED AT LONDON Before the Judges for probate of Wills and granting Administratons the seaven and twentieth daie of October, in the yeare of our Lord God
one

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one thousand, Sixe hundred, ffiftie, and seaven; By the oath of Elizabeth Raworth the relict, and sole Executrix named in the said will; To whome Administraccon of all and singular the goods, Chattells, and debts of the said ffrancis Raworth deceased was Committed and grannted, She being first sworne by Commission truly to Administer the same

Commentary

Francis Raworth was the elder brother of XXXX and Robert Raworth. At his death in 1657 he left a widow, Elizabeth Raworth, and two sons - Ffrancis and Thomas Raworth, together with an unmarried daughter, Margaret Raworth.

He was born in Dover, and was the son of Francis Raworth (b.?, d.?), who was the town clerk of Dover in the early seventeenth century, a post he inherited from his father.

Sources