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Sunday 1 February 2015

The Will of John Boteler, of Broomfield (1499)

BOTELER, JOHN – 4 January 1499.    Of Brounfelde, in the co. of Essex, gentleman.  To be buried in the parish church of our lady of Brounfelde, in the chapel of St. Leonard.  To the high altar of the same, for tithes and oblations forgotten or negligently withholden, 3s. 4d.  To the reparation of the mother church of saint Poul e in London, 3s. 4d.  To an honest priest to sing and pray for my soul, for my wife, for our fathers’ and mothers’ souls, and for our friend’s souls, in the church of Bromfeld the term of 2 years (no sum given).  To the three daughters of my son, George Boteler - Margaret, Isbell and Felis, to each of them, 40s. on their marriage.  To Margaret, daughter of Robert Rolff and of Mary, my daughter, 40s. on her marriage.  To the 2 daughters of John Rolff and Anne his wife, to Mary and to Agnes, to each of them, 40s. to be paid on the day of their marriage.
To the said church of Bromfeld, to be prayed for, a blewe vestment wt all belonging therto.”  To the same church, "a pece of grene felowet to doo make a coope to serve and to be occupyed in the honour of God in the said church.”
To each of my godsons, 1 silver spoon. To my son, George Boteler, "my best masour, ij flate peces of si ver, xij spones of silver wt gilte knoppys, a salt of silver wt the coveryng, and my bed in the parlor."  To my daughter, Anne, wife of John Rolff, "xij silver·sponys wtoute ends, and a pece[1] of silver that is occupied daily, a salt of silver wtout a coueryng, and my masour next the best.”··And the said Anne and John Rolff to have my bed in the great chamber. To William Brownyng, of Chelmesford, my goblet of silver which that ( sic) I daily occupy and my spoon of silver. To the church of the Fryrs prechours in Mulsham, to pray for my soul, a vestment.
All my tenements, lands, etc., including lands called Sotels, to be held in trust for John Boteler, the son of my son, George, who was born in the 14th year of the reign of King Henry VII, "to fynde him to schole;" and when he is of the age of 21 years, the said John shall have the said la nds, with remainder to my son, George, for life; and then the lands shall be sold and the money coming disposed "in weyes and werks of Charitie."  Also my will is that "the money coming of the annuyte which l should have of Maister Dalamer, which draweth above the sum of xlli, when it is recovered, the said George to have of that money so received, xxli; and the residue l bequeth to the beying of a newe belle to be in the said church and town of Bromfelde."
"Furthermore, my laste wyll ys, not wtstanding the devyse before made and rehersed of my landis and tenements, that if my said executors or eny of theym in tyme comyng after my decease be vexed, served in the lawe, or in eny wyse trubled by the said George Boteler,  my sone, or by his st'oring and mocyon of hym, so that this my laste wille may not wt my moveable goodys be performed and fulfilled shortly," then my executor s to sell all my lands, etc., and with the money perform the will,  and do deeds of charity according to their discretion, and neither the sai d George, or any of his children, to have any part or parcel.
Residue to be at the disposal of my executors, for the health of my soul. Executors: John Rolff; William Brownyng; William Pawley, the elder, of Bromfeld. Supervisor: Mr John Emson, to whom for his labour, 40s., and to the executors, 20s. a piece. Witnesses: Sir William Hoode, "vicary and curet" of Bromfeld;[2]  Thomas Bigton; Robert Gynes; James Lamborne.
No probate act. (F. 38b; also P.C.C. , Moone 13.)


{Taken from ‘Essex Wills at Canterbury’, by Revd. G M Benton, Transactions of the Essex Archaeological Society, Volume 21, Part 2.}





[1] Pece (Lat. pecia), a wine-cup, or drinking vessel
[2] Vicar from 1499 until his death, in 1505.

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