Parish church of St Peter and St Paul, Wadhurst
Last month I wrote about my maternal 12 x great grandparents, Magnus and Alice Fowle, who lived in Mayfield, Sussex, in the second half of the sixteenth century. In that post I speculated about Alice’s origins, and specifically the theory that she was the daughter of a certain Richard Lucke, also of Mayfield. Yesterday I received, from the National Archives, a photocopy of a legal document that seems to support this theory, and that I’ll discuss in a future post.
I’m still not absolutely sure that Alice’s father Richard is the same man who made his will in 1591 at Wadhurst, a few miles from Mayfield. However, since this is now looking more likely, I’m posting my transcription of the will, and I’ll discuss its implications in another post. As usual, I’ve retained the original spelling and punctuation as far as possible, emboldened key names thus when they appear for the first time, and used [?] to indicate uncertainty over a word and [???] to stand for a missing or illegible word.
In the name of god amen the ninth day of Maye Anno Dmi A thousand ffive hundred ninety one And in the three and thirtieth yeare of the Reigne of our Soveraigne Ladye Elizabeth by the grace of god Quene of England Ffrance and Ireland defender of the faithe etc [?] I Richard Lucke of the parrishe of Wadherst in the County of Sussex yeoman doe ordayne and make this my Last will and testament in manner and forme following that is to saye Ffirst I commit my Soule to Almighty god my onely Creator And to Jesus Christ my Redemer and Savyor And my bodye to the earthe in the Churchyarde of Wadherst when it shall please god to call me Item I give to the poore people of Wadherst aforesaide Twenty shillings to be distributed at my Buriall. Item I give to my sonne John one greate brasse pott a cupbord standing in the Buttrye and also all the tables benches and formes standing and being in my house in Wadherst wherein I nowe dwell and all my furniture and weapon appointed for warre. Item I give to my sonne Thomas my best yron kettell. Item I give to my sonne Richard my second yron kettell. The Residue of my household stuff unbequeathed I give and bequeathe to Joane my wife and to John my sonne to be equally devided beywene them which porcons so given to my wife to be upon condicon hereafter in this my will expressed Item I give to Richard Kenward my godsonne six shillings eight pence of currant money of England to be paide within one yeare next after my decease Item I give and bequeathe to Margarett my daughter the wife of John Barham fforty shillings of currant money of England to be paide to her or her assigned within twoe yeares next after my decease Item I give and bequeathe to Elizabeth my daughter the wife of John Kingewarde fforty shillings of currant english money to be paide to her or her assignes within twoe yeares next after my decase Item I give and bequeathe to Dorothy Lucke my daughter fforty pounds of currant money of England to be paide to her within one halfe year next after my decease Item I give and bequeathe to my daughter Joane Lucke fforty pounds of current money of England to be paide to her at her full age of one and twenty yeares Item I give and bequeathe to my daughter Marye Lucke fforty pounds of currant money of England to be paide to her at her full age of one and twenty yeares And my will is that iff any of my three daughters Last above menconed dye or decease this theire natural lyfe before theire Legacies before menconed be due to be paide according to the intent of this my Last will and testament That then I will the porcon and porcons of her or them so deceasing to the [???] or [???] of all my daughters which I have had by Joane nowe my wyfe to be equally devided amongst them Item I give and bequeathe to my saide daughters Joane and Marye to either of them twenty shillings a yeare to be paide to them yearely after my decase untill they accomplishe their said ages of one and twenty yeares Item I give and bequeathe to my daughter Anne the wyfe of Thomas Stapley and to her assignes Tenne pounds of currant money of England to be paide to her or he assigned within foure yeares next after my decease oppon condicon that the saide Thomas Stapley and Anne his wyfe or the executors or assignes of the said Anne shall make unto my Executors or assignes one good and sufficient acquittance and discharge for ffive pounds which was given and bequeathed unto the saide Anne by her grandfathers Last will Item I give and bequeathe to my daughter Katherine the wyfe of [???] Buson [?] twenty shillings of currant money of England to her or her assigned [???] twoe yeares next after my decease Item I give to my sonne Thomas Lucke fforty pounds of currant money of England to be paid to him his Executors or assignes in manner following that is to saye Twenty pounds thereof within three [?] yeares next after my decase And the other twenty pounds within twelve yeares next after my decease in full contentacon [?] of the saide fforty pounds Item I give to every Child nowe living of every of my fower daughters which are now maryed six shillings eight pence a peece to be paide within one yeare next after myy decase The Residue of all my goods and chattels moveables and immoveables my debts and Legacies paide and this my Last will fulfilled I give and bequeathe unto my sonne John Lucke whom I make my sole and onely Executor of this my Last will and testament And for the better performance thereof I make my brother Edward Lucke and my sonne in Lawe Thomas Stapley my overseers and doe give to either of them six shillings eight pence.
This is also the last Will and testament of me the saide Richard Lucke made and declared the daye and yeare first above written touching the order and disposicon of all my Landes and Tenements bothe ffreehold and cophyehold that is to saye ffirst I give and bequeathe to my sonne Christofer Lucke and his heires for ever all my Landes Tenements and hereditamenets Lying at Boreham in the parrishe of Wartling in the County of Sussex upon condicon that he the saide Christofer his heires and assignes doe paye or cause to be paide unto my saide sonne John Lucke his Executors or assignes at or in the nowe dwelling house of me the saide Richard Lucke in Wadherst above menconed the some of forty pounds of Lawfull money of England for the better pformance of this my Last Will and bringing upp of my children in manner and forme following that is to saye ffive poundes a yeare yearely during the term of eighte next ensewing the ffeast of St Michael the Archangell whiche shalbe in the year of our Lorde god one Thousand ffive hundred ninety and three in and upon the ffeast dayes of Thannunciacon of the blessed virgin Marye and St Michael Charging all by even porcons yf it happen that I the saide Richard Lucke doe decease before the saide ffeast of St Michaell Tharchangell in the saide yeare of our Lorde one thousand five hundred ninety and three Otherwise if it happen that I the saide Richard Lucke doe Live untill the saide ffeast of St Michael Tharchangell in the yeare of our Lord god one thousand ffive hundredth ninety and three That then the saide xpofer his heires or assignes shall paye or cause to be paid unto the said John Lucke his executors or assignes the same fforty pounds in or at the saide nowe dwelling house of me the said Richard in manner following that is to saye ffive pounds a yeare yearely during the term of eighte yeares next after my decease at the saide ffeasts of Thannunciacon of the blessed virgin Marye and Saint Michaell Tharchangell by even porcons The first of the said payments to beginner at the first of the said ffeasts whiche first happen next after my decease. Item I give and bequeathe unto my sonne Richard Lucke and to his heires for ever all that my house or Tenement with the Barns Orchards and Landes thereto belonging with theappurtenances in Wadherst aforesaid nowe in the occupying of John Maye my ffarmer And all those my Landes Lying in Wadherst aforesaide hereafter menconed that is to saye certen Landes called Ballotts, one parcel of Lande nowe called Longe Reede certain Lands called Wye Landes Lying on both sides of a Brooke And also three parcells of Lande nowe comonly called Tare reede the Marling and Woodroffe with theire appurtenance in Wadherst. Item I give and bequeathe unto my sonne Thomas Lucke and his heires for ever All that my Tenement houses barnes with all Landes rentes and hereditamenets to the same belonging Lying and being in the parrishe of Lamberhurst in the same County of Sussex whiche nowe are in the occupying of Jeffrey Beale and his assignes. Item I give and bequeath unto Joane my wife during her widowehoode her dwelling in the now parlor and the twoe chambers that Leade in by the end of the chimney at the Southend of my house in Wadherst wherein I nowe dwell with sufficient fyrewoode to be spent in the said roome and to bake within the oven in my same house whiche ffyrewoode shalbe taken upon my Landes in Wadherst hereafter given to my sonne John Lucke and also ffree Liberty egresse and regresse for my saide wyfe and her familye during her widowhoode to and from the said roomed and to bake in the oven of my said house And also I give and bequeathe unto my saide wyfe yearely during the same terme of her widowhoode one Seame of wheate and one seame of maulte upon condicon in this my Last will hereafter expressed. Also I give and bequeathe unto my said wyfe one Annuity of yearely Rent of Tenne pounds of Lawfull money of England to be yearely yssuing and going oute of all those my Landes and tenements by this my Last will given and bequeathed unto my sonne John Lucke and during the Lyfe of the saide Joane at fower ffeasts or terms of the yeare that is to saye At the ffeast of Thannunciacon of the blessed virgin Marye the Nativity of St John the Baptists St Michaell the Archangell and the Birthe of our Lord by even porcons The first payment thereof to beginne at the first of the saide ffeasts whiche shall first happen after my decease And if it happen the saide Annuity or yearely Rent of Tenne pounds of any parte thereof to be behind and unpaid in parte or in all by the space of thirty dayes next after any of the said ffeasts in whiche it oughte to be paide That then and so often it shall and maye be Lawfull to and for the saide Joane her executors and assignes into the saide Landes and Tenements and into every parcel thereof to enter and distreyne and the distresse and distresses thereof had and taken Lawfully to Leader drive and carry awaye and the same to impounde detayne and keepe untill the saide Annuity or yearely Rent of Tenne pounds and the arrerages thereof (yf any be) to be unto the said Joane her executors and assignes fully contented and paide upon condicon notwithstanding hereafter following that is to say Uppon Condicon that the saide Joane shall in her widowehoode within thirty dayes next after my decease make or cause to be made unto my said sonnes John Richard Thomas and xpofer theire heires and assignes one good and sufficient release of all her dowrye thries [?] and other Interests whatsoever which she the said Joane maye or oughte to have owte of or in any parte or parcel of any my Lands tenements or hereditaments after my decease by any cause or meanes whatsoever other then the saide Annuitye or yearely Rente of Tenne pounds by yeare and her dwelling and other comodityes before to her appointed in my nowe dwelling howse in Wadherst whiche if she shall refuse or neglecte to doe being thereto requested by my saide sonnes or any of them, or theire assignes Then my will is that as well the saide gifte and graunte of the Annuity of Tenne pounds by yeare as also all othe giftes Legacies and bequests before unto the saide Joane by this my Last will and testament made given or bequeathed shalbe utterly voide frustrate and of none effecte Any thing in this my Last will and testament conteyned to the contrarye not withstanding. The Residue of all my Landes and tenements as well ffrehilde as Copyholde before unbequeathed I give and bequeath unto my sonne John Lucke and to his heires for ever. These being witnesses Robert Parris yror [?] John Kingewoode Edward Lucke and Thomas Ballard, the marke of Richard Lucke.
