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From National Archives - transcribed by Janet Meads 2020
The Will of Francis Robinson, Yeoman
1650

Above left is a row of Robinson family headstones, many of them badly weathered, to the east of the chancel of St. Mary's
church. Above right are opening lines in the will of Francis Robinson, Yeoman. The transcribed will of his son Francis
Robinson, clerk, appears elsewhere on the website

I ffrancis Robinson of Burton Lattimer in the County of Northampton yeoman being weake of body, but of good and perfect memorie, thanks bee to God, doe make and ordaine this my last Will and Testament writing as followeth. Ffirst I bequeath my Soule into the hands of Allmighty Godmy most mercifull Creator, trusting and relying upon the death merits and passion of my blessed Redeemer Jesus Christ for the free pardon and forgiveness of all my sinns. And my body I commend unto the Earth from whence it was taken to bee buried at the discretion of my Executors hereafter named. Also such worldly goods where with God in mercy hath bin pleased to blesse mee I doe hereby dispose of in manner, and forme following. Imprimis I give and bequeath unto my deare and welbeloved wife Anne Robinson my now dwelling house with all my houshold stuffe in, and to the same now belonging. And all houses edifices buildings malt houses and kilne, barns, stables, out-houses, orchards, and gardens to the same belonging. Together also with halfe a yard land to the said house belonging, lyeing and being in the parish and fields of Burton Latimer aforesaid with all and every thappurtenances thereto belonging. To have and to hold unto her the said Anne after my decease, for and during her naturall life. Item I give to her the said Anne two cowes and twenty sheepe for her to make cheyse of within tenn daies next after my decease. Item I give and bequeath unto my oldest sonne ffrancis Robinson after my decease, and the decease of my said wife the aforesaid house and halfe yard land with thappurtenances to the said belonging and apperteyning. To have and to hold to him the said ffrancis Robinson and to his heirs for ever. But my Will is that if my said sonne ffrancis shall departe this life (before hee shalbee seized of the said house and lands) without issue, that then the said house and lands after my decease and the decease of the said Anne my wife shall descend upon my sonne Henry Robinson To hold to him and his heires. Provided that hee my said sonne Henry doe pay out of the same within six monethes next after his entrie thereupon the summe of one hundred and fifty pounds unto my sonne George Robinson, my daughter Mary Stoit, and my daughter Elizabeth Robinson to bee equally divided amongst them all, or the survivors of them, or to bee paid to the surviving party of them. Item I give and bequeath unto my sonne Robert Robinson all those my houses situate and being in Weldon parva in the County of Northampton, which houses I have formerly settled upon him the said Robert with all and every the appurtenances to them or any of them belonging, or apperteyning (excepting all my movables there) hee the said Robert to enter upon the said houses att his full age of one and twenty yeares, and not before. Item I give and bequeath unto my sonne George Robinson one ancient cottage and tenement situate in Burton aforesaid which I lately purchased of one Nathanaell Saunders with all, and every the appurtenances thereunto belonging. Item I give and bequeath unto my said sonne George Robinson one quarter of a yard land with thappurtenances lyeing lyeing in the fields of Burton aforesaid, which were lately the lands of Edward Turner. To have and to hold all and every the premisses unto him the said George Robinson and to his heires for ever hee the said George to enter upon the said premisses att his age of one and twenty yeares, and not before. Item I give and bequeath unto my sonne Henry Robinson one ancient cottage and tenement in Burton aforesaid lately the inheritance of the said Edward Turner with all and every the buildings barnes, stables, out-houses ,orchards, gardens and appurtenances to the same belonging. Item I give and bequeath unto my said sonne Henry Robinson one arable land and a lea next adjoyining to the said house, sometime the land of Master ffrancis Mulshoe. Item I give and bequeath unto my said sonne Henry Robinson three acres of arable land bee the same more or less with the appurtenances lyeing in the fields of Burton aforesaid which I purchased of John Mason. To have and to hold all and every the premisses unto him the said Henry Robinson, and his heires for ever, hee the said Henry to enter upon all the said premisses att his full age of one and twenty yeares and not before. And further my Will is that if the said George Robinson shall departe this life before hee accomplish the age of one and twenty yeares that then all and every the premisses herin and hereby to him bequeathed shall descend and come to the said Henry Robinson his brother and to his heires for ever. And likewise if it shall happen the said Henry Robinson to departe to this life before hee shall accomplish the age of one and twenty yeares, that then the said lands, tenements, and premisses herein and hereby bequeathed unto him shalbee and remaine to the use and beharfe of the said George Robinson and his heires forever. Item notwithstanding I have alreadie given and paid unto my daughter Mary Stoit the summe of thirty pounds, and have alsofurther granted that shee and her husband John Stoit and their children (if any) shall have their dyett with mee, or my wife att our cost and charge untill the five and twentieth day of March which shalbee in the yeare of our Lord God one thousand six hundred fiftie and two. To the intent that her portion may bee made better then my daughter Elizabeth I doe (upon her departure with her said husband to provide for themselves elsewhere) give and bequeath unto her the summe of twenty pounds more to bee then presently paid her if shee bee living at the said time of their departure as aforesaid. Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Elizabeth Robinson the summe of fifty pounds to bee paid her when shall accomplish the age of eighteene yeares. And my Will is that all the lands, tenements and portions of money herein and hereby bequeathed unto all and every of my aforesaid children (excepting my daughter Mary Stoit) shalbee received and taken by my Executors hereafter named by them to bee imployed towards the maintenance and bringing upp of my said children untill they shall accomplish their severall and respective ages as aforesaid and then their said portions to bee paid them according to the true intent and meaning of this my last Will and Testament. All the rest of my goods, chattels, bonds, bills and debts whatsoever (either with or without speciality) unbequeathed (my debts beeing paid, legacies performed and funerall expences discharged) as aforesaid, I doe hereby give and bequeath unto my welbeloved sonne ffrancis Robinson and my deare wife Anne Robinson whoI make and ordaine my full Executors of this my last Will and Testament. In witnesse where of I the said ffrancis Robinson have hereunto sett my hand and seale the twentieth day of August in the yeare of our Lord God according to the computation of the Church of England one thousand six hundred and fifty. Signed, sealed and published in the presence of us George Smith, William Shelipe, Robert Hall.
This will was proved at London the two and twentieth day of July in the year of our Lord God 1652


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