1616 Will - Henry Norwood Esquire

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In the name of God Amen. The seaven & twentite day of March in the yeare of our Lorde God one thousand sixe hundred and sixteene I Henrye Norwood of West Camell in the County of Somerset Esq(uire) beinge sicke in Body, but of good and perfect remembrance, thanks be to God, doe make & ordeine this my last will and Testament in manner and forme followinge. That is principally I committ and comend my soule into the handes of Almighty God, hopinge & truste stedfastly believing that after this transitory lyfe ended, I shall inherit eternall life in the kingdome of heaven by and throughe the merite precious death and passion of my Lord, and Saviour Jesus Christe . My body I committ to the earth from whence it came, to be buried in Christian buriall in the parish Church of West Camell by the discretion of my Executor in this my laste will and testament named . And whereas I am possessed of a lease for fourscore and twelve yeares, determinable upon three lives, by the demise and grant of the right honorable Edward Earle of Bedford, or heretofore, of all that terme in Kingesbury Regis in the County of Somerset w(i)th th(e) appurtenances.

Touchinge the disposition of the sayd Lease and Terme, my will and meaning is, and I doe by bequeath and demise two partes of the sayde terme in three partes to bee devided, and the rente, yssues and profitts thereof, during the residue of the sayd lease, to the children of James Kyrton, Esq(ire), deceased, the former husband of my now wife Elizabeth Norwood, to be bestowed and imployed for and towardes the maintenance and preferment of the saide children. And the third parte of the sayde terme in three parte to be devided as aforesayde and the Rente, yssues and profitts thereof, during the saide Lease.

I give and bequeath to my daughter Jane Norwood, to be ymployed and bestowed for, and towardes the maintenance, and preferment of my sayd daughter, and to be paide unto her ,when she shall attaine the age of one and twenty yeares or be married, whether shall first happen. And if it shall happen my sayd daughter to dye before she shall attayne her sayde age the yeares of one and twenty or bee married, then my further ¬will and meaning is that the sayde third parte of the sayde terme, the parte, yssue and proffte thereof shalbe imployed and bestowed for and towards the maintenance and preferment of Charles and Henry Norwood my sonnes.

And whereas there is remaininge in the hands of S(i)r Edward Rodney Knight my brother in lawe the some of One hundred poundes late the money of the saide James Kyrton and for w(hi)ch and the paym(en)t thereof the saide S(i)r Edwarde Rodney hath given and security. Touchinge the disposicon of w(hi)ch saide some or One thousand pound my intent and meaninge is that the same shalbe devided amongst the children or the saide James Kyrton by the discrecion of my Exectutors and Overseers in this my p(re)sent Testam(en)t named.

And whereas after I am seised in fee of the reversion of one capitall messuage or ferme withe th(e) appurtenances situate, lyinge, and beinge in Bishampton in the County of Worcester with saide capitall messuage and ferme withe th(e) appurtenances, and all lands Tenements and Hereditaments of me the saide Henrie Norwood in Bishampton aforesaide.

I doe hearbye devise and bequeath to my Sonne Henry Norwood and the heires of his bodye, And for want or such issu(e)d to my sonne Charles Norwood and the heires of his bodye. And for want of or such yssue to my brother Thoma(s) Norwood and his heires for ever.

Alsoe I doe give and bequeath to my trusty and welbeloved servant Richard Mansell the re(s)iden(ce) and Inheritance or cottage or tenem(en)t and three acres of Land thereunto belonging be it more or lesse with th(e) appurtenances ,situate, lyinge and being in Badgeworth in the Countie of the citty of Gloucester commonlye called or knowne by the name of Bune House.

Also I give to the poore of the parish of Pittington And to the poore of the parrish of Mylborne porte Thirty shillings.

And to the poore of the parishe of West Camell Thirty shillings.

And all other my goods & Chattells my debts, legacies & funerall expences being payde and discharged.

I give and bequeath unto my welbeloved wife Elizabeth Norwood. And doe hereby make and ordaine my welbeloved cousine S(i)r Henry Berkeley, knight and my saide wife Executors of this my last will & testament.

And I doe alsoe make constitute ordaine & appoint my deare and welbeloved brother in lawes S(i)r Sir Edward Rodney, knight and my father William Norwood the overseers of this my Last Will and Testament, humbly entreating them to see the same informed according to my intent & meaninge. And I doe more humbly intreate & beseech my said father. Thatt what preferment he would hand bestowedd uppon mee if I had survived him, that he will be pleased to bestowe the same upon my sayd sonne Charles.

In witness whereof I have hereunto putt my hand and seale, the day and yeare first above written ~ Henry Norwood ~ published and signed in the p(rese)nce of the persons of, Jane Rodney, Edward Rodney, George Denham, Rich(ard) Mansell, provides, alwaies that if any childe or children or the saide James Kyrton shall at any tyme here after by suite in lawe, molest, or trouble the Executors or Administrators of the sayd James Kyrton or the Executor, administrator of me the sayd Henry Norwood, for, or, in respect of any greater person or persons or the good or the saide Jaymes Kyrton then shallbe by the discrecion and appointment or my sayde Executors and overseers severally allotted to the said children, put or the sayd Thousand poundes to be paide by the sayd S(i)r Edward Rodney as aforesaide. Then my will and meaninge is that such childe or children soe contendinge. I shalbe wholly and altogether excluded from all benefit to be by him, hir or them, had or taken by this my laste Will and testament and I shalbe left to the lawe for the recovery or his, hir, or their porcon or portions.

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Latin Probate:

Probatum fuit Testamentum cum Codicillo suprascripto apud London

coram venerabili viro d(omi)no Johanne Benet milite, legum doctore Curiae Prerogativae

Cantuar(iensis) Mag(ist)ro Custode sive Commi(ssario) l(egi)time constituto

Quinto die mensis Novembr(is) Anno D(omi)ni Millesimo Sexcentesimo Decimo Sexto

Juram(en)to Elizabethae Norwood rel(i)c(ta)e dic(ti) defuncti

et unius Executor(um) in eodem Testamento nominat(orum)

cui commissa fuit administratio omnium et singulorum

bonoru(m), jurium et creditor(um) dicti defuncti

De bene et fidelit(er) administran(do) eadem ad sancta Dei Evangelia

vigore Commissionis jurat(a), reservata potestate similem

Commissionem faciendi Henrico Berkley militi

Executori etiam in Testamento dicti defuncti nominat(o)

cum venerit eam petitur(o)

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English Translation:

The will, together with the codicil written above, was proved at London before the worshipful Sir John Benet, knight, Doctor of Laws, Master Keeper or lawful Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, on the fifth day of the month of November in the year of our Lord 1616, by the oath of Elizabeth Norwood, relict (widow) of the said deceased, and one of the executors named in the same testament, to whom was granted administration of all and singular the goods, rights, and credits of the said deceased, sworn on the Holy Gospels to well and faithfully administer the same, the power being reserved of granting similar commission to Henry Berkley, knight, also named as an executor in the testament of the said deceased, when he shall come to seek it.