Robert Alchin of Marden – 1596

In the name of God amen the eighteenth day of June anno domini 1596 and in the 38^th year of the reign of our sovereign lady Queen Elizabeth etc I Robert Alchin of Marden in the county of Kent yeoman weak in body but of good and perfect remembrance thanks be given unto Almighty God therefore do make my testament and last will in manner and form following First I bequeath my soul to Almighty God my maker redeemer and sanctifier steadfast trusting by the merit and passion of Jesus Christ .... all my sins are freely pardoned and forgiven me and my body to be buried at the discretion of my executors wheresoever it shall please God to appoint Item I give and bequeath to the poor people of the parish of Marden aforesaid twenty shillings of good and lawful money of England to be distributed amongst them ……….. after my decease Item I give unto James Alchin my son one joined bedstead standing in the inner chamber with a bed and a bolster two blankets one coverlet and two pairs of sheets one pillow two pillow coats one …….one burning tub one ……… board one kneading trough …… they do find in my dwelling house And also thirty pounds of good and lawful money of England out of the profits of my land hereinafter mentioned also in this my last will in the disposition of my said lands all which said legacies I will shall be delivered unto the said James Alchin my son when he shall accomplish the full age of two and twenty years Item I give and bequeath unto Thomas Alchin my son one bed and a bolster two blankets one coverlet two pairs of sheets one pillow two pillow coats And also forty four (?) pounds of good and lawful money of England out of the (assets/profits?) of my lands hereafter mentioned also in the …. of my lands All which legacies I will shall be delivered unto my said son Thomas Alchin at his full age of two and twenty years Item I give and bequeath unto Agnes Alchin my daughter one flock bed one bolster two pair of sheets two blankets six table napkins and one table cloth And also three ….. and ten pounds of good and lawful money of England to be paid unto her by my executrix at her full age of twenty years Item I give unto Mary Cooper my servant one fine lamb to be delivered by mine executrix within one year next after my decease Item my will and mind is that if the said Mary my wife shall hereafter happen to marry with any man that before such time of her marriage she the said Mary shall enter into bond for the true performance of all the legacies before given to my children with such sufficient securities as to the overseer of this my last will and testament hereafter named shall be thought most meet and convenient All the residue of my goods and chattels moveables and unmoveables my debts and legacies and funeral charges first paid and performed I give and bequeath unto Mary Alchin my wife whom I ordain and make my sole executrix of this my last will and testament ordaining and appointing Thomas Butcher my brother in law and John Alchin my natural brother overseers of this my last will and testament

This is the last will and testament of me the said Robert Alchin made and declared the date and year above …….. concerning the disposition of all my lands tenements and hereditaments whatsoever within the parish of Marden or elsewhere Item I give and bequeath unto Mary Alchin my wife my messuage or tenement which I now dwell in with all those my lands which are now in my occupation with all and singular their appurtenances (except two pieces of land lying on the lower side of the street  called by the names of of the three corner field and the long field containing by estimation nine acres of land more or less) until my son James shall accomplish or attain the full age of 22 years doing neither …… nor waste upon any of the premises And also paying yearly by all the said term the quit rents ….. of all my said lands and tenements and keeping them and sufficiently repaired having convenient timber upon the same lands ………… taking upon the said premises so long time as the said Mary shall keep herself a widow five wain loads of wood for her spending upon the same premises Provided nevertheless that this gift of the piece of my lands and tenements aforesaid made unto Mary my wife aforesaid shall upon this condition that the said Mary my wife shall not at any time or times hereafter either by her self or any other challenge or claim any jointure or dower out of any my lands or tenements aforesaidwhich thing if she shall do Then I will that the foresaid gift of my lands and tenements aforesaid made unto her shall be utterly void frustrate and of none effect And also upon this condition that the said Mary my wife shall pay out of the said yearly …….. of my lands and tenements given unto her unto my son James Alchin at his full age of twenty and two years the full sum of thirty pounds of good and lawful money of England and also do keep my son James to school one whole year next after my decease and do also bring up my other two children Thomas Alchin and Agnes Alchin until they come to years of discretion And after the time that the said James my son shall come to his said age of twenty and two years I give and bequeath unto the said Mary my wife out of the said lands and tenements ten pounds yearly to be paid at four usual feasts or terms in the year (that is to say) at the feast of St Michael the Archangel the nativity of Christ the annunciation of the blessed Virgin Mary and the nativity of St John the Baptist by equal and even portions And for default of payment of the said ten pounds or quarter to be paid ……. aforesaid during the time and term of her natural life I will that it shall be lawful for the said Mary my wife or her assigns to enter and distrain in all or in any part or parcel of the said lands which I shall hereafter give to the said James and the distress or distresses there so taken and had to keep and impound until she shall thereby fully satisfied contented and paid together with the (overages?) if any shall happen by that occasion Item I will that Mary my wife do pay out of my lands and tenements which I have before given unto her to my mother in law forty shillings of good and lawful money of England which my lands are charged with all by virtue of my fathers will according to the said will half yearly to be paid until my son James does accomplish his said full age of twenty and two years Item I will give and bequeath unto Mary Alchin my wife all those my tenements and lands now in the tenure and occupation of John (Juell?) of Marden aforesaid and also two other pieces or parcels of land called the three cornfields the long field accounted twenty acres more or less until such time as my son Thomas Alchin shall accomplish the full age of twenty and two years doing no ..… nor waste thereupon also keeping it well sufficiently repaired and amended and paying the quit rent thereof yearly meeting upon this condition also that the said Mary neither by her self nor any other shall challenge or claim any jointure or dowry out of the said tenemnets and lands for ever hereafter which thing if she shall at any time do then my will and mind is that the benefit of this gift made unto her the said Mary shall be utterly void and of none effect upon this condition also that the said Mary shall pay or cause to be paid unto the abovenamed Thomas my son the full sum of forty four pounds pounds of good and lawful money of England at his full age of twenty and two years And after the time that Thomas Alchin my son aforesaid shall accomplish his said age of twenty and two years Then I will give and bequeath unto the said Mary my wife out of the said lands and tenements four pounds of good and lawful money of England yearly at four usual feasts or terms in the year (that is to say) at the feast of St Michael the Archangel the nativity of our saviour Christ the annunciation of the blessed virgin Mary and the nativity of St John the Baptist by equal and even portions to be paid And for default of payment of the said four pounds quarterly to be paid as is aforesaid during all the time and term of her natural life I will that it shall be lawful for the said Mary my wife or her assigns to enter and distrain in all or any ……. of the said lands which I shall hereafter give to the said Thomas And the distress or distresses there so taken or had to keep and impound until she the said Mary shall thereof fully satisfy contented and paid together with the (overages?) if any shall happen by that occasion Provided also that the said Mary my wife shall happen to be with child either with a manchild or womanchild at the time of my death Then I do will give and bequeath unto the said child the full sum of forty four pounds of good and lawful money of England at his or her full aged of one and twenty years to be paid in manner and form following viz that my son James Alchin aforesaid shall pay or cause to be paid unto the same child son or daughter the full sum of forty pounds of good and lawful money of England at his or her age of one and twenty years or within one quarter of a year then next ensuing at or within the south porch of the parish church of Marden aforesaid at one whole and entire payment without any …. or further delay And also that my son Thomas Alchin aforesaid shall pay or cause to be paid unto the same child son or daughter the full sum of forty pounds of good and lawful money of England at his or her age of one and twenty years or within one quarter of a year then next ensuing at or within the south porch of the parish church of Marden aforesaid at one whole and entire payment without any …… or further delay Also my will and mind is that if my said son James Alchin shall not pay or cause to be paid the foresaid sum of forty pounds unto the said child son or daughter at the due time or place presented according to the true meaning of my foresaid gift That then the said child or his assigns shall enter into three pieces of my land in this my last will and testament given unto James Alchin my son lying on the lower side of the green called by the names of four acres field maplesden field and little (hapsen?) field to have and to hold the said three pieces of land to him or her and to his or her heirs in fee simple for ever Also my will and mind is that if my said son Thomas Alchin shall not pay or cause to be paid the foresaid sum of forty pounds unto the said child son or daughter at the due time and place presented according to the true meaning of my foresaid gift That then the said child or the assigns shall enter into two parcels of my lands (given in this my last will and testament unto Thomas my son) called by the name of Broad Meadow with a lane thereonto belonging to have and to hold the said two parcels of land to him or her and to his or her heirs in fee simple for ever Item I give and bequeath unto my son James Alchin my mansion house that I now dwell in with all my lands lying above the green and three pieces beneath the green called by the names of four acres field maplesden field and little (hapsen?) field (after the time that he shall accomplish the full age of twenty and two years) to have and to hold the said mansion house and the said lands to him and his heirs in fee simple for ever Item I give and bequeath unto my son Thomas Alchin all that my messuage or tenement will all my lands thereonto belonging now in the tenure and occupation of John Juell of Marden aforesaid and also two other pieces of land called by the names of three corner field and long field containing by estimation nine acres of land more or less lying in Marden aforesaid to have and to hold the said messuage or tenement and all the lands aforesaid to him and to his heirs in fee simple for ever after the time that he shall accomplish the full age of two and twenty years Provided also that if all my children shall decease without issue of their bodied lawfully begotten then I do will give and bequeath unto my brother Edward Alchin his children and to theirs forever the one moiety or half part of all my lands and tenements wheresover And the other moiety or half part of all my lands and tenements wheresoever I do will give and bequeath unto all the other of my brethren and sisters children and to their heirs in fee simple for ever By me Robert Alchin witness at the in sealing and acknowledging his written (promise?) John Markley The mark of John Harris

Probate granted

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