Will of George Saffyn late of Cullompton, Gentleman
Proved 12 September 1612
© Crown Copyright
National Archives Catalogue Reference PROB 11/120/220 Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Fenner Quire Numbers: 60 – 121
Transcribed by Art Ames
In the name of God Amen I George Saffyn of Colompton in the countie of Devon gent the sixe and twentith daye of June in the yere of our Lord God one thousand six hundred and twelve beyng of perfect mynde and memory (thankes be to God) do make this my last Will and Testament in wryting as followeth
Imprimis I give and bequeathe my soule unto Almightie God with perfect hope and full assurance that throughe the meritts of his onlie begotten sonne Jesus Christe I shalle partake of those heavenlie joyes which he and his blessed angells doe enjoye
Item I bequeathe my body to the earthe from whence yt came whensoever yt shall please God to finishe my dayes in this worlde and to be buryed in the parishe church of Colompton aforesayed or in that parishe church which where I shall happen to dye
Item I give and bequeathe unto Mary Saffyn my wife all that my messuage or tenement wherein I do nowe dwell and those landes meadowes and pastures with theire appurtenances which next the landes of Thomas Gaye deceased and nowe are or late were in my possession for and during the terme of nyne and twentie yeres if she the sayed Mary shall so longe live
Item I give and bequeathe unto John Saffyn my sonne all the residue of my estate terme and interest in the saied messuage or tenement landes meadowes and pastures which shall be to come and unexpired after the determination of the sayed estate of the sayed Mary Saffyn
Item I give and bequeathe unto the sayed Mary Saffyn all those messuages landes and tenements meadowes pastures and grounds which were demised unto me by Thomas Thompson set lying and beyng in Colompton aforesayed during my terme which I have therein to the intent and purposes that she shall release the dower unto my heire
But yf she shall refuse to release her dower in all those landes and tenements meadows and pastures of which she ought to be or maybe after my decease endowed unto my heire uppon reasonable request to her made by my sayed heire at his cost and charge then my will is that my sayed heire shall have the moytie and halfendeale of all the said messuages landes and tenements meadowes pastures and premises demised unto me by Thomas Thompson as aforesayed during my terme therein
Item I give unto the said John Saffyn my two tenements with the appurtenances and allso all wayse pathes and hereditaments unto the same belonging set lying and beyng in [Smimcott] within the mannor of Ufculme in the countye aforesayed for and during the terme of nyne and twentie yeres yf the sayed Mary my wife shall so longe live which said two tenements with the appurtenances and other the last mentioned premises were demised unto me by the Right Honorable Milham Earl of Bath and Dame Elizabeth his wife for the terme of fouer score and nyneteene yeres (if the said Mary Saffyn Joseph Saffyn and Elizabeth Saffyn my sonne and daughter or any of them shall so longe)
And after the end of nyne and twentie yeres my will is that my said wife shall have the sayd tenement with the appurtenances last mentioned premises during the terme of thirtie yeres (yf she the said Mary so long live)
And all the residue of my estate and terme in the said two tenements and last mentioned premises I give and bequeath unto my said sonne Joseph Saffyn and to his assignes
Item I give and bequeathe unto my sonne Simon Saffyn all the estate terme and interest which I have in those fouer closes of arable land and two meadowes commonlie called or known by the name of Crosslands lying in Uffculme aforesayed
Item I give unto my sonne Thomas Saffyn two hundred poundes to remayne in the handes of my executors to buy therewith for hym the sayd Thomas for terme of his life so muche land as shall be worthe yerelie twentie marks above all charges and reprises or an annuitie of twentie marks during his life
And my will ys that my said executor shall promote and give unto the said Thomas sufficient meate drinke and apparell fire and candlelight and fortie shillings yearlie untill such tyme as so much land or annuitie be conveyed unto hym as aforesayed
Item I give and bequeathe unto my sayd sonne Joseph Saffyn three hundred pounds to be payed unto hym in the second daye of February which shall be in the yere of our Lord God one thousand sixe hundred and fifteene
But yf he do any act deed or thyng whereby my said sonne John Saffyn shall be or may be anyway endammaged by reason of one bond of the summe of one hundred pounds which he hath entered unto the Master of the said Joseph then my will ys that whatsoever summe or summes of money the said John Saffyn shall paye or be liable to paye by the sayed bond by meanes of the ill behaviour of the said Joseph he the said John Saffyn shall detayne and keep to his own use so muche of the said three hundred poundes
Item I give unto my said son Symon two hundred poundes to be payed unto hym when he shall accomplish the age of one and twentie yeres (yf he be then living) and in the meane tyme to be ymployed for hym as his mother and my executor shall thinke fitt and further I give unto the sayd Symon one hundred poundes to be payed unto hym when he shall be of the age of fouer and twentie yeres (yf he be then living)
Item I give unto my said sonne John Saffyn and to his assignes all the rightes title terme and interest which I have in those landes tenements and hereditaments with all theire rightes members and appurtenances situate lying and beyng at Weeke withyn the mannor of Colompton aforesayed and now are or late were in the possession of one Nicholas Turner
Item I give unto George Saffyn sonne of the sayd John Saffyn my [ ] wherein my name ys engraved
Item I give unto my daughter Elizabeth fouer hundred markes to be payd unto her at the daye of her marriage yf she marrye before she accomplishe the age of one and twentie yeres with consent of her mother or of my executor
But yf she marry before she be of the age of one and twentie yeres without consent of her mother or of my executor or do not marry before she accomplishe the age of one and twentie years then my will ys that yt shall be payed unto her at suche tyme as she shall be of the age of one and twentie yeres
And my will allso ys that my executor shall yerelie paye after my decease unto the sayed Elizabeth tenne poundes untill suche tyme as the sayed fouer hundred markes ought to be payed according to this my last Will as aforesayed (yf she do not in the meane tyme marry without consent of her mother or of my executor)
Item I give unto Susanna my daughter two hundred and fiftie pounds to be payed unto her at the daye of her marriage (yf she marry before she be of the age of one and twentie yeres with the consent of her mother or of my executor)
But yf she marry before she be of the age of one and twentie yeres without consent of her mother or of my executor or yf she do not marrye before she be of the age of one and twentie yeres then my will is that yt shall be payed unto her when she shall accomplishe the age of one and twentie yeres
And my will allso ys that my executor shall paye yerelie after my decease unto the sayed Susanna ten poundes untill suche tyme as the sayed two hundred and fiftie poundes ought to be payed according to this my last Will as aforesayed yf she do not in the meane tyme marry without consent of her mother or of my executor
Item I give unto my sayd wife [ ] labouring implements and all my corne and grayne
And my will ys that my sayed wife shall have the use of all my household stuffe in my tenement at Weeke during the tyme that she shall live a widowe and unmarryed
Item I give unto every of the children of Christopher Sweeting and Johane his wife my sister deceased betweene them lawfully begotten fortie shillinges (Johane theire daughter only excepted)
Item I give and bequeathe for the better mayntenance and setting to worke of the poore people of Colompton aforesayed tenne pounds to be lent for one whole yere by ye churchwardens of Colompton aforesayed unto suche of the said poore people as they shall thinke fitt taking good securitie for repaying thereof at the yeres end and so to remayne from the sayed churchwardens unto the churchwardens then and then succeeding forever to be lent and ymployed as aforesayed
Item I give and bequeathe for the better mayntenance and setting to worke of the poore people of Uffculme aforesaid fyve markes to be lent for one whole yere by the churchwardens of Uffculme aforesayed for the tyme beyng unto suche of the sayed poore people as they shall thinke fitt taking good securitie for repaying thereof at the yeres end and to remayne from the said churchwardens unto the churchwardens then and then succeeding forever to be lent and ymployed as aforesayed
Item I give and bequeathe unto my said sonne John Saffyn all the residue of my goods and chattells heretofore not given nor bequeathed to the intent that he shall paye my debts and performe my legaceys heretofore bequeathed and hym I make my executor of this my last Will and Testament Amen
George Saffyn Witnesses John Harding George Bocknell John Harding
Probate in Latin