The xiijth day of Aprill 1561, I John Ponder of Brancktree2 within the countie of Essex, yeoman, whole of mind but sicke in bodie, do make my last will. My bodie to be buried within the church of Braintree. I haue bought landes of my brother in law, William Aylet and Margaret his wiffe:—sayd landes shalbe given vnto Elizabeth3 my wiffe, and to her heires for ever, in full recompence of her dower in all my landes and tenements. To John Ponder4 my sonne all my houses, lands and tenements, within the townes of Bocking5 and Braintree, to him and his heires for ever. Vnto Elias Witham, my wives sonne, the somme of lxx li., which I stand bound to pay him when he come to the age of xxij yeares. Vnto my sonne in lawe George Raymond xx li. To Joane Ponder6 and Sara Ponder my daughters, to either of them twentie poundes at their severall ages of xxi yeres, or the day of their mariage. To Prudence Ponder my daughter16

In the name of god Amen. The xxth daye of September Anno Domini 1562, I Adam Wyntrope2 of Groton in the Countie of Suffolk, gentleman and late clothworker and Cittezen of London, being whole of mynde and in good and parfect remembrance, thanks be giuen to almightie god, doe ordayne and make this my presente testamente and laste will in manner and forme followinge; revoking and disannulling all other willes and testaments heretofore by me made, or caused to be made. First I bequeath my soule to almightie God, and my boddie to be buried in the parrish churche yarde of Groton aforesaide. Item, I doe giue to the poore people of Groton xl s. to be giuen and distributed to the most needest  where most nede is—interlined by my executors or Administrators. Item I do giue vnto John 18Wyntropp3 my sonne, the leace and whole terme of yeres of my mancion house Wherein I nowe doe dwell, wholy as I haue yt by leace, withall the buildings, Orchardes, gardens, tenements with th’ appurtenances, to the saide John, to his heires and assigners. Neverthelesse I will and giue the saide leace and mancion house, withall the premisses and all and singular th’ appurtenances, vnto Agnes my wief during her naturall lief. Item I doe giue vnto Agnes my wief all that my mannor of Groton with the Advowson of the bennefice there, with all and singular wooddes, lands and tennements, courts and proffits of courts rents and seruices, with all and singuler th’ appurtenances and commodities whatsoeuer they bee, to the saide mannor belonging, or in any wise appertayning, during her naturall lief. Item I doe giue vnto the saide Agnes, during her naturall lief all those landes and tenements, meddowes, and pastures which I purchased and had of Thomas Facon by exchange or otherwyse. And also all those landes and tennements whiche I purchased and had of John Doget, with all those exchanged landes whiche I had of Frauncis Clopton Esquire. Item I doe giue to the saide Agnes my wief, during her natural lief, all those landes and parcells of lande whiche I bought of Rose Bonde widdow. And after the decease of the said Agnes, I will and giue all that my foresaide Mannor with the Advowson of the benefice with thappurtenances as is aforesaide, And also all those landes which I had of Thomas Facon and of John Doget, with also all those exchanged lands with Mr. Clopton, and also all those landes and parcells of lands whiche I bought of Rose Bonde widdow, with all and singular their premisses, vnto John Wyntropp my sonne and to his heires males of his boddie lawfully begotten. And for lack of such Issue males of the saide John lawfully begotten, I will the saide mannor with the advowson of the bennefice, with all the other the premisses with theire appurtenances, and also the other landes and tennements, with the exchanged landes and other the premisses with theire appurtenances, shalbe and remayne vnto Adam Wyntrop4 my sonne, and to the heires males of his boddie laufully begotten. And for defalte of such Issue of the saide Adam, I will all and singular the premisses with theire appurtenances to remayne vnto Willyam Wyntropp5 my sonne, and to his heires males of his boddie laufully begotten. And for lack of suche Issue of the said Willyam, I will and giue all the saide premisses with theire appurtenances before rehersed, 19vnto my fower daughters: That is to saye Alice,6 Bridget,7 Mary8 and Susan,9 and to theire heires then living: and when the saide Mannor and all th’ other premisses shall so dissende and come, Item I doe giue vnto Willyam Wyntrop my sonne and to his heires all my landes and tennements, woods and pastures and feedings, both free and coppie now being in the occupacion and meonoring manoeuvring of John Tylor of Groton, excepte the lande called Lynseye Chappell10 lande in the occupacion of the saide John Tylor. Item I doe giue vnto the saide Willyam and to his heires all those landes and tennementes both free and coppie, now in the occupacion and meonoring of John Yeamon, which Nicholas Colquyn hath of me to farme. Item I doe giue to the saide Willyam and to his heires so muche of the landes exchanged with Mr. Clopton as doe lye within and to the farme that the said John Yeman occupieth. Item I doe giue vnto Agnes my wief my ij tennements in Churche streete, now in th’ occupacion of John Lyrskin and the wydoe Waspe during her naturall lyef. Item I doe giue vnto the saide Agnes, terme of her lief, my Coppie land which I holde of the Mannor of Beerhouse in Edwardston. And after her deceace, I will the foresaide ij tenements with the saide lande to remayne vnto John Wyntropp and to his heires males of his boddie laufully begotten, and soe forth, accordingly as aboue, for defalte of such Issue of the saide John. Item I doe giue vnto Willyam Wyntropp my sonne all my wearing apparrell and rayment to my boddie belonging. Item I doe giue to the saide Willyam Wyntropp and to his heires all that my landes and tennements, both free and coppie, lyeng at Woodkerstreete in Boxforde, now in the vse and occupacion of Raufe Rerland Rudland. Item I doe giue vnto Agnes my wief during her naturall lief all and singuler my howses, buildings, landes and tennements, pastures, wooddes and feedings, both free and coppie, with theire appurtenances, now in the vse and occupacion of Nicholas Colquyn. And also all those landes and tennements with theire appurtenances in the vse and occupacion of John Warde, with also all the late Chappell of Lynsey, with all the landes and tennements, Rents, Tythes, fedings and 20pastures, with the keping of the faire and the proffits of the same. And all the other rights and commodities to the same belonging. And also all those my other landes and tennements both free and coppie vnbequeathed, being noe parcell nor member of my saide Mannor, to the saide Agnes for terme of her lief: And after her deceace, I will and bequeath all those foresaide landes and tennements, both free and coppie with theire appurtenances, in the occupacion of the saide Nicholas Colquyn and John Warde, And also all the other premisses with theire appurtenances vnto Adam Wyntropp my sonne and to his heires males of his boddie laufully begotten. And for lacke of suche Issue of the saide Adam I will it vnto John Wyntropp my sonne and to the heires males of his boddie laufully begotten. And soe successiuely for defalte of suche Issue of John Wyntrop vnto Willyam Wintrop my sonne and to his heires males of his boddie laufully begotten. And for lacke of such Issue of the saide Willyam, I will all the saide premisses remayne wholy to my iiijor daughters, That is to Alice, Bridget Mary and Susan, to them and to theire heires, then and when the premiss shall soe dissende and come, equally to be divided betwene them parte and parte lyke. Item I doe giue and bequeath vnto John Wyntropp and Adam Wyntropp my sonnes, vjl a peece at theire age of xxiti yeres, to be payed yerely vnto them and vnto eyther of them by the handes of Agnes my wief during her naturall lief. Whiche saide some I will yt be levied and taken yerely oute of all my landes and tennements, goodes and cattalls, bequeathed to Agnes my wief. Item I doe giue vnto Alice Wyntropp my daughter threescore and six poundes thirteene shillings and iiijd which is in the handes of Willyam Wyntropp my sonne as yt appereth by his bill obligatorie. Item I doe giue vnto my daughter Bridget other threescore and six poundes thirtiene shillings and fower pence whiche is also in the handes of the saide Willyam, deliured to hym by my wief, as also yt doth appere by his bill obligatorie; whiche saide some I will yt be payed to the saide Alice and Bridget at the daye of theire marriage, or at theire seuerall age of xxiij yeres, yf they be not married before. Item I doe giue vnto my ij daughters Mary and Susan to eache of them fiftie poundes a peece, to be payed to them by my executors at the daye of theire marriages or at theire seuerall age of xxjti yeres, yf they be not married before. And yf any of my fower daughters doe departe this worlde before theire legacies be payable by this my will, That then I will that her or theire parte and parts of suche as shall departe be equally devided emonge the residue that ouerlive of the saide iiijor daughters. Item I doe giue vnto Thomas Hen all and singular suche leace and terme of yeres as he hath 21of me by indenture, accordinge to the purporte and tennure of the same Indenture: And I will hym also to haue yerely other fower lodes wood towards his fuell ouer and besides that which is alreddie graunted to him in his saide lease. Item I giue vnto John Wyntropp my sonne all such Implements and moveable household stuf as hereafter followeth. Fyrst the Seeling in the hawle of wainscote rounde aboute the hall in my mancion house, The wyndowes, portalls and skreenes, a frame and a longe table in the saide hawle. Item a fetherbed with a bedsteede in the parlour wholye furnisshed, the Cupboorde there, all the shelves in the Kitchen Buttrie and backhouse, the leade in the back house with all the necessaries there groundefast and nayldfast, the presse in the storehouse and in the chamber, all which premisses I will them to John Wyntrop my sonne and to his heires. Nevertheless I will them to remayne still there, and that Agnes my wief to haue th’ use and occupieng of every of them during her lyef tyme. Item I doe giue vnto Willyam Wyntropp all my Implements and householde stuf whatsoeuer they be, now being within my house in Sainte Michaells in Cornehill in London, excepted and reseruid to the saide Agnes my wief, the vse hauing and occupieng of them during her naturall lief, with a Chamber in yt my saide house at all tymes whensoeuer she the saide Agnes shall come to my saide house in London, with also her deputie or servants with her freely, withoute any let or interrupcion of the said Willyam hys heires or assignes, frely and withoute eny monney or charge payeng for them during her lief, And also the best chamber, with all the pewter, Brasse, bedding and other necessaries and ymplements there, to be at th’ use and occupieng of the saide Agnes freely at all tymes at her coming to London, with all the other commodities of the saide house to her also as freely as is aforesaide. Furthermore I will that yf Willyam Wyntropp my sonne his heires executors or assigners, John Wyntropp or Adam Wyntropp my sonnes, or any of them, or theire heires executors or assignors of any of them, or any other for them, or for either of them, or in eny of their names of either of them, or by any by or of theire procurement doe molest or troble Agnes my wief her executors or assignes, or doe attempte or otherwyse goe aboute to disproue or adnichillate or disanull this my will, in all or eny parte thereof, That then I will that the parte and parte gifts and bequests, as well of houses lands and tenements both free and coppie with th’appurtenances as other moveables and bequests, made and giuen to them, and to them and theire heires, and to the heires of eyther of them that soe shall molest or troble Agnes my wief, or attempte or otherwise goe aboute to disprove adnichillate or disannul 22this my saide will, in all or in eny parte therof as is aforesaide, to be frustrate and voyde and of none effecte and to haue no benifite of this my laste will, but then I doe giue all the parte and parts gifts and bequests of hym and them, or made to hym and them and theire heires of hym and them that soe shall molest or troble Agnes my wief, her executors or assigners, or attempte or otherwise goe about to disprove adnichillate or disanull this my will, in all or in eny parte thereof as ys aforesaide, vnto Agnes my wief to her heires, executors or assigners, eny thing or things contayned in this my will to the contrary notwithstanding. Provided alwayes and I will, that yf there be any Article, Worde, clause or sentence in this my laste will that is not or be not made perfecte and formall according to the lawe, That then I will that Agnes my wife her executors and assignes shall take lerned councell in the lawe, from tyme to tyme to make them perfecte and formall according to the law, and as the said Agnes my wief her executors and assigners and her lerned councell in the lawe shall make them; not altering my legaces and bequests I will to be my will and to stande as my laste will and testamente. All the residue of my goods Cattalle, Chattells, debtes householde stuf, plate, Juells and all other moveables and vnmoveables whatsoeuer they be vnbequeathed I doe giue them wholy vnto Agnes my wief, whome I doe ordayne and make my whole executrix of this my will. And I will that Richarde Burde of Ipswiche to be Supervisor of this my will. And I doe giue hym for his paynes xl s. And to my syster his wief11 xx s. to make her a Ringe. And to my sister Whiting other xx s. Witnesses hereunto Thomas Gale, John Spencer, Thomas Osborne, Richard Bronde, and John Warde. Furthermore I will that Agnes my wief her executors or assignes shall saue sue and recouer by the vertue of this my will; and my mynde is yf the saide Willyam will not and doe not paye at any tyme after this present date of this my will, yf he refuse or denie, or doe not paye yt to my saide wief the money of bothe the within written billes which is CC marks, he be by the saide Agnes her heires executors or assigners required to paye yt. And after the recouerie of yt the saide Agnes her executors or assigners to repaye yt agayne to my saide children, according as is mencioned in this my will. Witnesses G. for Thomas Gale: by me John Spencer. H. by me Thomas Osborne a witness. for John Warde a witness. R|L by Richarde Bronde: By me Adam Wyntropp.

Probatum fuit hoc Testamentum coram Magistro Waltero Haddon legum Doctore, Curie prerogatiue Cant. Commissario apud London Decimo 22