SECTION 7
Transcription of Original text |
Modern English |
| Itm I will that my Executors shall have the custodie and occupienge of all the legaces houses and Londes geven to the saide thomas my Sunne untill sutche time as the saide thomas shall cum to the foresaide age of fortene yeares Itm I will that my saide Executors shall kepe all the forsaide howses lienge in geiton in good and sufficient reparacions and shall paye all manner of customes rentes services sutes of corte belongenge to the saide mannor of geitons duringe the same time |
Item – I will that my Executors shall have the custody and occupancy of all the houses and lands in this legacy given to Thomas my son until such time Thomas reaches the age of fourteen years. Item – I will that my Executors shall keep all the houses lying in Gayton20 in good and sufficient repair and shall pay all manner of customs24, rents, services and sutes (duties)25 of Court belonging to the manor of Gayton20 during the same time. |
NOTES:
24‘customs’ – refers to tax or duty payable.
25 ‘sutes of corte’ is suits, meaning service or duty of tenants to attend the manor court.
SECTION 8
Transcription of Original text |
Modern English |
| Itm I will that yf the saide thomas shelacare my sunne die withoute issue of his body & Lawefullye begotten then I will that all my houses and londes afforesaide lienge in the towne and feldes of Leisiate glostrope wickin haule wellhale and also in the toune and feldes of geiton welhale and aliswithorpe shall remaine unto my Executors and to their heiers |
Item – I will that if Thomas Shelacare my son die without issue (without children) of his body and lawfully begotten26, then I will that all my houses and land already mentioned lying in the town and fields in of Leziate, Gasthorpe8, Wiggenhall9 and Welhall10 and also in the town and fields of Gayton20, Welhall10 and Ashwellthorpe (Gayton Thorpe)21 shall remain unto my Executors and to their heirs. |
NOTES:
26Without issue – This sentence, ‘without issue of his body & lawfully begotten’, is to make a provision in this Will in the event that his son Thomas does not have any children and then stipulates they must be his natural children (and not, for example, step-children) and must be born within wedlock and not illegitimate.
SECTION 9
End of Page Two of the original document
Transcription of Original text |
Modern English |
| Itm I geve a surrender of all my houses and Londes afforesaide into the handes of John loye Richard Ebitson ‘clithero’ [probably] and to the performeannce and fulfillinge of this my testamente and Laste will Itm I will that yf the afforesaide margarit my wife will have any of the saide legaces geven and bequeathed to the foresaide thomas my Sunne then I will the foresaide margarit my wife shall be bound in a lawefull bonde unto my Execu- tors for the discharginge and repayenge of the saide Legaces unto the saide thomas shelacare my sunne when he shall cum to the foresaide age of fortene yeares and yf that she refuse to be bounde in a lauful bonde then I will that she shall have none of the foresaide legaces geven to the saide Thomas my Sunne |
Item – I give and surrender of all my houses and lands mentioned into the hands of John Loye, Richard Ebitson, [and Thomas?] Clithero to the performance and fulfilment my Last will and Testament. Item – I will that if the Margaret my wife has any of the legacies given and bequeathed to Thomas my son, then I will Margaret my wife shall be bound in a legal bond to my Executors for the comply and repay the said legacies to Thomas Shelacare my son when he reaches the age of fourteen years. And if she refuses to be bound in a lawful bond, then I will that she shall have none of the legacies given to Thomas my son. |
End of Page two of the original document
SECTION 10
Transcription of Original text |
Modern English |
| Itm I geve to Christopher pincbecke my servannte one milche cowe and I geve to agnes kilworthe one cowe The residewe of all my goodes not gevin nor bequeathed moveabels and unmoveabels I geve them all unto thomas clethero of geiton and to gabraell seill of congehum whom I ordeine and make my trewe and faithefull Executors and thei to dispose them as thei shall thinke expediente in Witnes hereof thomas sergeante clarke John loye and alisander graye withe other —- |
Item – I give to Christopher Pincbecke, my servant one milk cow and I give to Agnes Kilworthe, one cow. The remainder of all my good not given or bequeathed, moveable and unmoveable, I give them all unto Thomas Clethero of Gayton20, and to Gabriel Seill of Congehum whom I order and make my true and faithful Executors and they can dispose them as they see fit. In Witness hereof – Thomas Sergeant Clarke27 (Clerk), John Loye and Alisander Graye with other —- |
NOTES:
27‘thomas sergeante clarke’ – This witness is a clergyman – the term ‘clarke’ indicating a ‘Clerk’.
This ends the Last Will & Testament of John Shellacare of Leziate from the County of Norfolk written in 1567. At the end of the third and final page Latin text has been added after his death. This section can be seen below and is in legal terminology granting probate of the Will.
Summary of the Latin text
Probate granted 28 at Norwich before Stephen Nevinson, Doctor of Laws, on 2nd April 1568 29. To the executors named in the will, Thomas Cletherooe (who appeared in person) and Gabriel Seylie (Richard Hinde appeared on his behalf).
NOTES:
28Probate – Grant of Probate is a document issued by the court confirming both the validity of a will and the executor’s right to administer the estate.
29 Date of death – The Will was made on 23rd March 1567 and probate granted on 2nd April 1568, a Friday.
Therefore John Shellacare of Leziate died between those two dates – and remembering that 25th March (Lady Day), under the Julian Calendar, is the start of the New Year of 1568, he died very short time period after the will was made – around 10 days after making his Will. One could conclude that he knew his death was imminent but usually the Will would say ‘sick in body’ if the testator was expected to die.
Next Page: A Summary of the Life and Death of John Shellacare