Will of Katherine Gifford, Widow of Exeter, Devon

Proved 13 April 1666

© Crown Copyright

PROB 11/320/176 Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury

Transcribed by John Moore

In the name of God Amen I Katherine Gifford of the Cittie of Exeter widow being sicke of body butt perfect in mynd and memory (thankes be to god) doe make and ordaine this my last will and Testament in manner and forme following First I bequeath my soule unto Almighty God that gave it  hopeing to be saved by the alone merritts of Jesus Christ my saviour & redeemer And my body to Christian and decent buriall Item I give and bequeath the somme of one hundred pounds of lawfull money of England to bee kept in stocke or store forever by the Chamber of the Citty of Exceter aforesaid and by them the best way to be imployed that the yearely proffitt and benefitt threof may redound and acrew to & for the reliefe of six poor widow women of the said Cittie of Exceter such as the said Chamber form tyme to tyme shall thinke fitt And the said one hundred pounds to be paid into the said Chamber by my Executour hereafter named when and as soone as he shall recover the moneyes now due unto mee from John Gifford of Aylesbury esquier by vertue of a Commission of sequestrac[i]on issued out of the High Court of Chancery which I have now in force upon his estate reall and personall Item I give and bequeath unto my Cousin Symon Leach twenty shillings to buy him a ring Item I give and bequeath unto John Davyes of Ruxford and Dorothy his wife Twenty shillings a peece to buy each of them a ring Item I give and bequeath unto my Cousin Katherine Davye the somme of Tenne pounds Item I give and bequeath unto my Cousin Robert Davyes Rebecca Davyes and Symon Davyes the Somme of five pounds a peece Item I give and bequeath unto my my  Cousin Thomas Brooking and Anne his wife and unto my Cousin Humphrie Wale  and Charitie his wife Twenty shillings a peece to buy each of them rings  Item I give and bequeath to Humphrie Walrond my godsonne five pounds Item I give and bequeath unto my Cousin Henry Gold and Katherine his wife and unto my Cousin Ambrose Helmore and Elizabeth his wife Twenty shillings a peece to buy each of them a ring Item I give and bequeath unto my Cousin Elizabeth Martin Rebecca Martin Anne Martin Dorothy Martin Sarah Martin and Giles Martin Twenty shillings a peece Item I give and bequeath unto my Cousin Bridgett Leach the somme of Twenty shillings to buy her a ring Item I give and bequeath unto my sister Margarett Burrington my sister Margarett Foxwell and my Cousin Margarett Foxwell the somme of Twenty shillings a peece To buy each of them a ring which severall Legacies before menc[i]oned are to be paid respectively by my executour as soone as he shall recover my moneyes due unto me from my brother John Gifford as above declared And not before Item I give and bequeath unto my mayd Elizabeth Randell the somme of five pounds And all my worst clothes of Lynnen and Woollen The rest of my clothes To bee disposed of amongst the poore sorte of my kinred by my executor Item I give and bequeath unto my man Daniell Delve forty shillings Item I give and bequeath unto my friend Mr John Whiddon of Exon five pounds All the rest and residue of my goods & chattells which now I am possessed of or which shalbe hereafter recovered my funerall expences being defrayed in which my will is that my executor shall bestowe the somme of Two hundred pounds I give devise & bequeath unto my Cousin Nicholas Leach whome I ordaine and make my full and whole executor of this my last will and Testament And in witnes whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seale and published this my last will and Testament This Tenth day of March Anno Domini one Thousand six hundred sixtie five Sealed and published in the presence of Edward Foxwell Anne Davell. The marke of Katherine Gifford

Probatum fuit Testamentum suprascriptum apud London decimo Tertio die mensis Aprilis Anno Domini Millesimo sexcentesimo sexagesimo Septo coram venerabili viro Domino Willimo Mericke milite legum doctoris Curiæ Prærogativæ Cantuariensis magistro custode sive Commissario l[egi]time constituto Juramento Nicholæ Leach de medio Templo London armigeri executoris in huiusmodi Testamento nominat[i] Cui commissa fuit administrat[i]o omnium et singulorum bonorum Jurium et creditorum dictæ defunctæ de bene et fidel[ite]r administrando eadem ad sancta[m] dei Evangelia[m] vigore Commissionis alias in ea parte emanat[…] Jurat[um]

die mensis Novembris Anno Domini Mill[es]imo sexcentesimo sexagesimo Octavo emanavit Commissio Gracia Crooke et Charitate Waldron sororibus dictæ defunctæ ad administrand[um] bona Jura et credita dictæ defunctæ iuxta Tenorem et effectum Testamenti …suis defunctæ & dictum Nicholam Leach armigerum executorem non plene administrat[…] De bene et fideliter administrand[o] eadem ad sancta[m] dei Evangelia[m] Jurat[um]

 1  Sic.
 2  Cf the name in the second probate below. Read Walrond?