1533 John Mervyn wrote his will on September 16. "In the name of god amen. The xvjth day of September the yere of our lorde god a thousande fyve hundred thirty and three. I John Mervyn of Ramesey in the Countie of Essex yoman of hole mynde and good Remembraunce make and ordeyne this my last will and testament vnder this fourme and manner folowing first I bequethe my soule to allmighty god our lady sainte marye the virgin and to all the cumpanny in hevyn and my bodye to be buryed in the churche of sainte mighell tharrchanngell of Ramesey aforesaid so nye to my father as may be. Item I bequethe to the high aulter of Ramesey for my tithes negligently forgotten iijs iiijd. Item to the Ade wourke of powles xijd. Item I will that an hounest preest doo singe for me and my frendes in Ramesey churche the space of half a yere and he to have for that space iii li vj s viij d Item to the foure orders of freers in or abowte Ipeswiche xls by eqall porcyons. Item to the amending of the high waye and bridge of Ramesey iiij li. Item to Margarete my wife all my howses and landes in and wtout Ramesey bother copye and free excepte Ianecope for terme of hir life if she kepe her soole and vnmaryed to kepe her children wtall till they be able to helpe them selfes and she to kepe the houses in reparacyounes and the landes in ferme and discharge the Rentes. And if my said wife Margarete doo marry I will that then she shalhave but half the ferme of all the said howses and landes and she to kepe half reparacionnes and fences and discharge half the Rentes. Item I will that Margarete my wife have all my stuffe of howsehold except the hanginges in the hall and parlour and the greate chest in my shopp. Item I bequethe to my wife xx li thone half in monney and thother halfe monney corne or cattall and also tenne milche beestes of the Best two cowpel of oxen my carte hors harness carte and plowghe a hundred sheepe of the best. Item I bequethe to John my sonne the eldist my howse that I dwell in wtall my copye holde landes that I holde of my lorde Abbott of Saine Osyth and a pightell called waxe after the deceace of his mother if she kepe her sole and vnmaryed to have and to holde to hym and to his heires. Item the saide Johane to have my quarter of the ship called the mary and John as she is wt all profutes ymmediately after my deceace. Item I bequeth to Raynold my sonne a tent called Bonnettes wt landes thereto belonging to have to him and to his heires. Item to Thomas my sonne a tenement called Rolfes wt all the landes that is nether landes and gesses to have to him and to his heires. Item to Richard my sonne a tenement lying in litle Ockeley called Brandons and free pightell to hym and his heires. Item to John my sonne the yonger a tenement called Mills lying in myche Ockley to have to hym and to his heires after the decease of his mother and x li if his mother be content as she hathe faithefully promised if she will not than I will the saide John have xx li. Item I bequethe to Raynold Thomas and Richard my sonnes at the age of xxj yeres eche of them tenne pounds And if it chaunce anny of them to dye afore the same age of xxj yeres Than I will that his parte aswell of the landes as of the money shllbe diuided by egall porcionnes to his bretherne than lyving that is to say betwene Raynold Thomas and Richard or to suche of them as shall chaunce to survive. Item I bequethe to eche of my three daughters that is Margarete Cristiane and Marion x li to be deliuered at the day of theire mariage. And if it chaunce any of my three dawghters to dye afore they be maried I will their parte be diuvded by eqall porcion to their susters lyvinge. Item I will that a parcell of lande called Janecoxe be in my feoffers hands euermore to kepe an obite for me my father and all my frendes and the valure of the farme of it euery yere to be dispoased by the discretion of the churchewardeynes and eche of them to have for their labour iiij d. Item I bequethe to John Blosse two sheepe and iij busshelles of corne. Item to Richarde Tredfall two sheepe. Item to Roger Smithe two sheepe. Item to Thomas Cuckcuckt the yonger one shepe. Item I begquethe to Thomas Mervyn my brother v li a garthing plate in harwiche that was my fathers wt all my bowes and shaftes. Item to eche of my seruants now being bothe man and woman two sheepe. Item to John Blosse thelder my best gowne except oon. Item to Robert were my Best Bucskynnes dowblett wt my best hoose. Item to John Frotsame my fryst coote. Item to James Carter my olde Buckskyn dowblett wt one of my sleveles Jacketts. Item to John mote one of my sleveles iacetts and a payer of hoose. Item to Thomas Hege my russet cote wt sleves. Item to Robert harting and purkas my russet gowne betwixt them. Item to Robert Blosse three sheepe. Item to Robert Tidder two sheepe. Item to John Blosse the yonger two sheepe. Item to eche of my godchildern vnmaried iiij d. Item to eche of my godchildern maried xijd. Item to Robert lorkyn my olde woursted dowblett my russet Jerkyn and a payer of white hoose. Item I will and requier that all my cofeoffers that be cofeoffed wt me in my saide landes and tenements at all tymes when they shalbe laufully requierid by myn executours to deliuer a state in and of theim according to this my last will and testament. Thus my legacies fulfilled my debtes payed, my funerall costes and charges deducted at my buriall vijth day xxx day and twelve monnethe daye, I will all my goodes moueabell not bequethed be praised and the valure of it to be diuided amonge myn sonnes and dawghters by eqall porcionnes prouided always that whosouer have the custodye of any of my Childernes parte or partes that ymmediateley after my thirty day he she or they be bounde in obligation of dowble valure wt suerties vnto my superuisor whome I make Thomas Mervyn my brother that it may euer be deliuered at the day or daies in my will aforeassigned My executours I make Margaret my wife and John my eldest sonne they to finde sufficiaunte sureties according to my will before they have possession prouided alwayes that my childerne be honnestly kepte and for lacke of finding sureties my superuisour to have possession of all myne moueable goodes monney and other allway till suche tyme as they have founde suerties witnesse Sir Nicoas Awdley curate Thomas Hurre John Blosse thelder Robert Blosse Thomas Curkekucke the yonger wt other was written the day and yere aboue." Probate at Lambeth 17 December 1533 to John Mervyn personnaly present and Margarete Relicte in the person of Master Antony Huste, notary. [1]
1537 In the Hilary term, Margaret Meven, widow, and John Merven of Ramsey, bachelor, sued John Sak of Harwyche, beer brewer, in the court of Common Pleas concerning a debt [2]
[1] Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858, PROB 11, Piece 25, Hogen (1533-1536), [AncestryImage].
[2] Court of Common Pleas, CP40, The National Archives, UK, Anglo-American Legal Tradition, University of Houston, CP40/1092, folio 1764f, [AALTImage].