Will of Elizabeth Sumpter late of Cullompton, Widow
Proved 18 August 1660
© Crown Copyright
National Archives Catalogue Reference PROB 11/301/ 205 Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Nabbs Quire Numbers: 211 – 259
Transcribed by Art Ames
In the name of God Amen
The seaventeenth day of September in the year of our Lord God one thousand six hundred fiftie and nine I Elizabeth Sumpter of Cullompton in the county of Devon widow (being weake of body but of perfect mind and memory God Almighty be praised for it) revoaking all former Wills and Testaments whatsoever doe make and declare this my last Will and Testament in manner and forme followinge (that is to say)
First I bequeath my soule into the hands of Allmighty God that made it resting assured by a lively faith in Jesus Christ and through the only meritts of his most precious death and passion to obtain full remission of all my sinnes in this life and eternal salvation both of body and soule in the life to come
And as for my body being but dust and ashes I commit itt to the earth from where it came to be interred in the churchyard of Cullompton aforesaid in or neare unto the place where my late husband William Sumpter lyeth buried and entombed
Item I gave to the poore people of the towne and parish of Cullompton aforesaid forty shillings to be distributed amongst them by the discretion of my executrix and overseers hereafter named
Item whereas my said late husband by his deeds or indenture bearing date in or about the thirteenth day of Aprill in the thirteenth yeare of the raigne of the late King Charles over England etc did demise grant bargain and give unto Peter Sainthill esqr deceased all his right estate interest and terme of three thousand yeares of and in all those roomes houses parts of houses chambers shopps stable garden backside and croft in the same deed particularly mentioned bounded out and also all those fouer closes of lands and meadows with the appurtenances commonly called Turnett all which premises are situate in Cullompton aforesaid and now are the tenure or possession of my sonne William Sumpter or his assignes for the serving or payment of one annuitie or yearly rent of eight pounds unto the said Peter Sainthil his executors or assignes to and for the use and behoofe of Mary Seward late the wife of John Seward of Bradninch deceased for and during the life of the said Mary
And whereas also the said William Sumpter deceased my late husband became bound in and by one or more obligations or writings obligatory or the payment of the summe of one hundred pounds after the death of the said Mary Seward in manner and forme following that is the say threescore pounds or therabouts unto one Christian Bonyford or her assigns and other twenty pounds or thereabouts unto one Ellen Coombes or her assignes and other twenty pounds or thereabouts unto one Katherine [S..] or her assigns or unto some other person or persons by the appointment of the said Mary Seward to bee paid shortly after the death of the said Mary as in and by the said recited deed indentures and the severall recited obligations and conditions thereof respectively more fully and at large appeareth
Now my will intent and meaninge is and I doe hereby demise and appointe that they said annuitie or yearly summe of eight pounds payable unto the said Peter Santhill his executors and assignes as aforesaid and likewise the foresaid summe of one hundred pounds payable by or upon the several obligations aforesaid or soe much thereof as shall remaine due and unpaid att or after the tyme of my death shall bee satisfied paid and discharged by my executrix hereafter named out of and with the goods and chattells which I shall give or leave unto her by this my last Will and Testament
And that the foresaid houses and closes called Turnetts and all over the lands and premises so granted to the said Mr Sainthill as aforesaid shall thereof and of every part thereof absolutely freed and discharged or otherwise att all tymes well and sufficiently saved and kept [ ] by my said executrix hereafter named or her assignes and that the said recited deeds indentures made to the said Mr Sainthill as aforesaid shall bee taken upp and delivered unto my sonne William Sumpter or his assignes within one year next after my decease or otherwise my executrix hereafter named to give her bond or security by obligation unto my son William Sumpter his executors or assigns in the penall summe of one hundred pounds for the discharging or saving [ ] of the foresaid lands houses and premises and every parte thereof of and from the said annuitie or yearly summe of eight pounds and every part thereof of and from all suites actions entries evictions forfeitures penalties charges troubles and damages touching or concerning the same
Item whereas Thomas Baker of Owlecombe in the parish of Cullompton aforesaid yeoman by his indenture bearing date in or about the sixth day of July in the eighteenth yeare of the raigne of the late King Charles over England etc hath granted enfeoffed and conveyed unto Abraham Turner and John Cole gent and their heires forever all that his fourth part the whole in foure parts to be decided of and in all that messuage and tenement with the appurtenances called Potteshaies situate at Whiteheathfield within the said parish of Cullompton late in the tenure of Thomas Sumpter deceased and now in the tenure of me or my assignes or under tenants do in and by the said recited deeds thereof appeareth which fourth part was nevertheless purchased with the proper money of me the said Elizabeth Sumpter and conveyed and assured as the said Abraham Turner and John Cole by my appointment and only in trust for the use of me and my heires and assigns and the said trust by them acknowledged by writing under their hands since which time the said Abraham Turner is deceased and I the said Elizabeth and the said John Cole have late by deed indented granted and demised one said fourth part of the said messuage and tenement unto one William Edwards for and during the terme of ninety nine years if the said William Edwards and two other persons therein named or either of them soe longe shall happen to live
Now I doe hereby give devise and bequeath the said fourth part of the said tenement and premises and the reversion [re.. ] and services thereof and all my right estate title interest use claime and demand of in and to the said fourth part unto my daughter Joane Kerslake widow and to her heires and assigns forever to have and to hold the same to her and to her heires and assigns for evermore and I doe hereby intreate and appointe the said John Cole and his heires to grant & convey the same to the said Johan and to her heires and assignes accordingly
Item I give and bequeath unto my sonne Giles Sumpter tenne pounds to bee paid within one yeare next after my decease if he shall bee then living
Also I give and bequeath unto my said sonne William Sumpter two of my brasse milke panns of the middle sort and also the livery table now standing in the chamber over ye kitchen of my now dwelling house in Cullompton and one paire of brasse candlesticks marked with the letters NS and also two feather pillows and my best [ ] coverlett
Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Mary now the wife of Samuel Antony merchant my best greene cloth carpett which is wrought about with a border of needlework and also two of my brass panns of the middle sort after the other two brass pannes formerly given to my sonne William Sumpter shall be chosen out and delivered
Also I give unto her my brasse posnett and two feather pillows
Item I give unto all my grandchildren which shall bee living at the tyme of my death twenty shillings apiece to bee paid unto them or unto their parents respectively for their use and behoof within one yeare next after my decease
Item I give unto Alice Lake my late servant twenty shillings and also the field bedsteed standinge in the cockloft of my now dwelling house and one dustbed and one coverlett
Also I give unto Mr William Crompton minister of Cullompton fortie shillings
All the rest residue of my goods and chattles real and personal [ ] household stuffe plate jewells and ready money whatsoever after my debts legacies and funerall expenses discharged I doe hereby give and bequeath unto my daughter Johan Kerslake widow whom I doe also make ordaine and appointe to be my sole executrix of this my last Will and Testament charging and requiring her to cause the same to be truly performed in all things according to my true intent and meaninge herein declared
And I doe also intreate and appoint my sonne William Sumpter and my loving friend William Hart of Uffculme clothier to bee my overseers of this my last Will and Testament and to bee ayding and assisting to my said executrix in and about the performance thereof and for theire paines therein I give unto each of them tenn shillings
In witness whereof I have to this my last Will and Testament conteyned in three sheetes of paper and to every sheete thereof sett my hand and seale and day and yeare first above written Elizabeth Sumpter
Memorandum that upon the seaventeenth day of September in the yeare of our Lord God first above written the above named Elizabeth Sumpter did publish and declare this writing contained in three sheets of paper to bee her last Will and Testament and to each sheet thereof did sett her hand and seale in the presence of us John Cole James Hartnoll
Probate in Latin (at London to Joanne Kerslake)