Richard Bobbett Will -- 19 April 2006

Transcription Of The Will of Richard Bobbett 1685

Amy Harris

April 19, 2006

19 April 2006

11:45am-12:45pm

Will of Richard Bobbett, Michell Creech, Sumerset, 1685

People/Relationships Named in the will

Spouse: none listed

Children: none listed

Brother: Edmond Bobbett

Cousin: Joan Bobbett

Uncle: Richard Bobbett (deceased)

Other: godchildren, servant, others without specific relationships

· I have put names (and relationships) in bold

Transcription standards followed and unusual spellings defined

· The writer sometimes used a superscript or postscript abbreviation mark, I have noted this with a use of “~” at the end of the word

· The writer abbreviated “alias” as “als” I have added the [ia] in brackets, so demonstrated.

· I have also used ~ to represent flourishes used in the text, particularly at the end of lines

· In abbreviated words that contained no abbreviation mark, I left it intact. So, “condition” remains “condicon”

· The probate note at the end is in Latin. My Latin is rusty, but it gives the names of the executors who had the will proved: Edmund Bobbett, brother of the deceased. It lists, as best I can tell, a probate date of May 1685, which is before the will was written. So there might have been a transcription error in the original, or my Latin is rustier than I thought.

· In lines 11 and 13 there is an unusual word: “ni” I have highlighted it in yellow because I don’t what the writer meant by it, nor any possible abbreviations. It does not hinder the understanding too much.

From the Oxford English Dictionary (OED)

-Trow: A name for various kinds of boats or barges: spec. a. Formerly, on the Severn, a large flat-bottomed sailing barge; b. in the south of Scotland and north of England, a double canoe or boat used in spearing salmon by torch-light (also pl. const. as sing.): see quot. 1825 (? obs.); c. on the south coast of England, a small flat-bottomed boat used in herring-fishing

In the name of God Amen
The foure and twentyeth day of Secember in the six and thirtyeth ~
yeare of the reigne of our Sovereigne Lord ~ Charles the second over
England etc. Anno[q] dni~ One thousand six hundred eighty Five I Richard
Bobbett of Michell Creech in the County of Sumersett Merchant being sick
and weake in body but of perfect mind and memory (blessed be God) doe make
and ordaine this my last Will and Testament in manner and forme following
First I commend my soule into the hands of Almighty God who gave it ~
me and my body I commit to the earth from whence it came to be decently ~
buryed Impris~ I give and bequeath unto John Baker the elder of ~ ~
Bridgwater in the said County one third parte of ni and to a Trow vessel
or Catch commonly called the William and Richard of Bridgewater and ~
whereof hee now [go]eth Master and of ni and to one third parte of all the ~
Masts Yards Sailes Anchors Cables Boate sciffe Oares and other Tackling
Materialls and things thereunto belonging Alsoe I give and bequeath unto
the said John Baker all such debts as are due and owing from the said John
Baker to me on Bond Bill or other wise Alsoe I give and bequeath unto
Robert Halsnoth the younger sonne of Robert Halsnoth the elder of ~
Taunton my Godson the sume of Five pounds of lawfull money of England
to be paid unto his Uncle Richard Snow for the use of my said Godsonne
within three yeares after my decease Alsoe I give and bequeath unto Sarah
Reed daughter of Alexander Reed of Bridgwater my Goddaughter ~
Five pounds of lawfull money of England to be paid within two yeares ~
after my decease Alsoe I give and bequeath unto Elizabeth Starkey my
Goddaughter daughter of Thomas Starkey of Bridgewater if shee be
living three pounds of lawfull money of England And I give to my God-
daughter Margaret Davies al[ia]s Welchman daughter of John Davies
al[ia]s Welchman the sume of three pounds of lawfull money of England
the said two last menconed Legacies to be paid within three yeares next
after my decease Alsoe I give to Joane Bobbett daughter of Uncle ~
Richard Bobbett deceased Fifty shillings of lawfull English money to be
paid her within one yeare after my decease Alsoe I give unto Frances
Currant of Oldscombe in the County of Devon and unto the said Richard
Baker of Bridgwater and unto his now Wife and unto Thomas Morgan
of Burton Ferry in the County of Glamorgan in Wales twenty ~ ~
shillings apeice to buy each of them a Hatt Alsoe I give unto Edith Hill ~
my Servant the sume of Five pounds to be paid here within one yeare after
my decease Alsoe I give and bequeath unto the Sonne of James Biffin late
of Taunton deceased if hee be living the sume of Five pounds and the same
to remaine in the hands of my Executor herein after named to be by him
imployed and improved for the good and benefitt of my said Godsonne ~
Biffen during his minority and to be paid unto him with the profitts thereof
made at his age of one and twenty yeares Alsoe I give unto the Poore of
the said Parish of Michell Creech the sume of Five pounds of lawfull ~
money of England and the same to be distributed to such Poore People as
my Executor shall think fitt Lastly all the rest of my Lands Tenements,
Goods and Chattells I give and bequeath unto my Brother Edmond Bobbet
of Michell Creech aforesaid whom I doe make and ordaine my whole and
sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament In witnesse whereof to
this my last Willa and Testament I have sett my hand and seale the day
and yeare first above written/ Richard Bobbett./ Signed sealed ~ ~ ~
published and declared in the presence of us Fra~ Brome Barnard ~
Exon Hugh Woodberry sig~ Will Bawler.

Probatum fuit humoi~ Testum~ apud London Tricesino,

Die mensis Maij Anno Dni~ Millimo sexcennio~ octogenis~ quinto Cora[ ]

[Qenli] et egre[ ]pio viro dno~ Leolius Jenkins Milite[ ] Legui[ ] d~ctore Curia ~ ~

Praragat Cant Magro Custode sive Comissario l[tine]~ constitute Juran[to]

Edmundi Bobbett Fratris dicti defuncti[ ]et Executories in [ ] Testamento

Nominat: Qui comisa fuit Admi[ ]straco om [ ] et [eni]galorum bonorum [ ]

Et creditorum etc. defti de bene et fideliter Adndstrand ead~ Ad sanita dei

Evangelia Viqore Comnis~ Jurat.