c 1555

Born

In the County of Sussex

Geoffrey Barber's research

after 7^th Nov 1600

Died

In the Parish of Rotherfield, Sussex

Rotherfield Burial Registers

20^th Nov 1600

Buried

At St. Denys Church in the Parish of Rotherfield, Sussex

Rotherfield Burial Registers

7^th Nov 1600

Will

The Will of John ADowne

Geoffrey Barber's research

 

In the name of god amen The sevententh day of november in the yeare of our Lord god [illeg.] the computation of the Church of England one thousand and six hundred and in the three & fortith yeare of the raigne of our soveraigne Lady Elizabeth by the grace of god of England ffrannce and Irelande Queene defender of the faith etc I John Downe of Retherfeild in the county of Sussex beinge sicke in bodye but of good and perfect remembrance thanks bee to god therefore doe make and ordayne this my last will and testamente in manner and forme following ffirste and principally I bequeath my soule unto almightye god my maker saviour and redeemer by whome & through whome I hope to have forgivenes of my synnes and my bodye to the earth from whence yt came Item I gyve and bequeath unto Alice Merrywether my sister forty shillings of lawfull money of England to bee paid unto her or her heires or assignes by myne executor hereafter named wthin one yeare next after my decease all the residue of my moveable goods and chattells not before given and bequeathed my debts first paid my legacyes discharged and my funerall expences pformed I give and bequeath full and whollye unto Edward Downe my brother whome I make and ordayne my whole executor of this my present will This is the last will and testament of mee the aforesaid John Downe made the day and yeare firste above written Concerning the disposition of my lands and tenements as followeth ffirste I will and bequeath to Edward Downe my brother all that my messuage howses barnes buildings and edifices together wth all those my Assert11 i.e Assart holde lands wth thappurtenances sett lyinge and beinge in the parrishe of Retherfeilde in the county of Sussex to have and to hold to him his heyres and assignes for ever the said Edward his heyres or assignes paying & [performing] out of my said lands and tenements these severall legacyes and bequeaths hereafter in this my // present will expressed That ys to say ffirste I will and bequeath unto Elinor Downe my mother seven pounds of lawfull money of England a yeare and every yeare for and duringe her naturall lyfe to bee paid quarterly out of my sayd messuage lands and tenements by the sayd Edward Downe my brother his heyres or assignes and ffurther I will and bequeath that after the said Ellynor my mothers decease that the said Edward Downe my brother his heyres or assignes shall pay out of my said messuage lands and tenements unto [Amy] Downe my sister (yf shee bee then livinge) three pounds of lawfull money of England a yeare and every yeare duringe her naturall lyfe quarterly in forme aforesayd and yf it happen that the sayd [Emy] doe decease before the sayd Ellinor my mother that then my will and true meaninge ys that the said Ellinor my mother shall have but foure pounds a yeare and every yeare duringe her said naturall lyfe after the said [Emy] her decease to bee paid by the said Edward his heires or assignes out of my said messuage lands and tenements quarterly in manner & forme aforesaid any thing in this my present will conteyned to the contrary in any wyse notwthstanding and further I will and bequeath unto Christopher Downe my brother tenn pounds of lawfull money of England to bee paid unto him his heyres or assignes by the said Edward Downe his heires or assignes out of my said messuage lands and tenements wthin seven yeares next after the said Ellinor my mothers decease and further I will and my verye true meaninge ys that the said Edward my brother and his heyres shall enter into sufficient bonds of threescore pounds of lawfull money of England to the said Ellynor my mother and to Isack Alchorne and theire heyres for the performance of these my severall giftes and legacyes before given and bequeathed before the surrender of the premisses made by mee uppon this my will bee [brought unto] the courte accordinge to the custome of the [illeg.] //of Rotherfeild otherwise this my present gifte made of my said messuage and lands to the said Edward and his heyres shalbee utterlye voyd and of none effecte and finallye my will and true meaning ys that the said Ellynore my mother shall have one moneths libertye after my decease for the avoydeing away of her twoe fatt bullocks and that shee shall have all the residue of her chattells kepte in and uppon my said lands wth such hay and fother as is uppon the same untill the myddle of may nexte cominge anythinge herein conteyned to the contrarye in any wyse nothwthstandinge and I ordayne and appoynte William Newman and John Hosmer to bee my supervises and overseers of this my present will and they to have three shillings foure pence apeece and theire chardges borne these beinge witnesses Isacke Allchorne Thomas Hosmer Nicholas Merrywether wth others Signum Johannes Downe22 The mark of John Downe Probate: 17th December 1600 to Edward Downe, brother and executor. (Transcribed by Claire Wickens, 23rd March 2017 for Geoffrey Barber.)