The Will of Henry Skudder, Yeoman of Horton Kirby, Kent
Dated 29 September 1594; probated 5 November 1595,”[1]
Reprint from ©Scudder Searches, v. IV, no. 3, (Summer 1992),
The 29th daye of September beinge the Feast of St. Micaell the archangell in the yeere of our Lorde God one thousand fyve hundreth fourscore and fowre[teen] and the Sixxe and thirtith yeere of the Raigne of our Soveraigne Lady Elizabeth, by the grace of God Queene of England etc.
In Dei nomine Amen!
I, Henry Skudder of Horton Kirbie in the County of Kent, yeoman, beinge of sounde and perfect memorie (Thanks be gyven to God) do ordayne and make this my last will and testament in manner and forme folowinge.
First I bequeath my Soule into the handes of Almightye God my creator and redeemer, and my bodie to be buried in the Churchyarde of Horton aforesaid.
Item I give and bequeath unto my poore neighbors of Horton the somme of forty shillings to be distributed amongst them within one month next after my deceasse at the discretion of the mnister and churchwardens of Horton aforesaid.
Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Elizabeth one Angele? to be delivered her presently after my decease. [2]
Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Bridgett fyve pounds of good and lawfull monny of England to be paid her within two yeares next after my deceasse. [3]
Item I give and bequeath unto Alice my daughter tenne poundes of like lawfull monny to be paid her at the daye of her marriage or when she all accomplish twentye yeres of age, whichever shall first happen.
And in like manner I gyve and bequeath unto Martha my daughter other tenne poundes of like lawefull monny to be paid unto her as to her sister Alice. [Marginal note: which paid to her at her day of her marriage in handes.][Crossed out:} Item I give and bequeath unto Jane; my daughter other tenne poundes of like lawfull monny to be paid unto her when she shall accomplish twentye yeres of age, or at the day of her marriage, whichever shall first happen. [4]
And yf yt shall happen that any of my said daughters Alice Jane and Martha shall departe this liffe before the tyme aforesaid wherein they ought to receave theire portions, then my will is that theire said portions shall remayne to be equally devided amongst them or so many of them which shalbe lyvinge then.
And yf yt shall so happen that all my said daughters Jane Alice and Martha shall departe this liffe before the tyme when theire portions ought by this my will to be paid them, then my will is that theire said portions shall be equally devided amongst my sonnes Henry, Thomas, and John, or so many of them shalbe lyvinge.
All residewe of my goodes, chattells and moveables, [K]nowen or hereafter to be [K]nowen, and unbequeathed, my debtes paid and my legacyes perfourmed, and my funeralls discharged, I give and bequeath unto Elizabeth my wiffe, whom I do ordayne and make the sole Executrix of this my last will and testament.
This is also the last will of me the said Henry Skudder concerninge all my landes and tenementes lying and being within the parish of Horton Kirbie aforesaid and Sutton at Hone or elsewhere within the County of Kent.
First I give and bequeath unto Henry my sonne the mansion house wherein I nowe dwell, with all the lands, houses and eddyfices whatsoever thereunto belonginge, together with the house in the Chalkdale, and all theire appurtenances whatsoever excepting only one acre and certain days worthe of land lying in my feeld called North feeld, which boundeth Joyce west, To him and to the heyres of his body lawefully begotten for ever.
And yf yt shall happen that my said sonne Henry shall depart this liffe without any such lawfull issue, then my will is the said premisses whatsoever shalbe and remayne to my sonne Thomas and to the heyres of his body lawefully begotten for ever.
And yf yt shall happen the said Thomas to depart this naturall liffe without any such lawfull issue, then my will is that all those said premisses shalbe and remayne to my youngest sonne John and to the heyres of his body lawfully begotten for ever.
And yf yt shall happen that all my three sonnes shall depart this natural liffe without any such issue, then yt is my will that all the premisses shalbe and remayne to my daughters and the heyres of their bodyes lawefully begotten to be equally devyded amongst them.
Item I give and bequeath unto Thomas my sonne my other three tenenenentes scytuar, lying and beinge upon Chappell Green in the parish of Horton aforesaid, that is to saye, the house nowe in the tenure or occupation of Tymothye Skudder, with appurtenances, and the house nowe in the tenure or occupation of Michaell Pickwell, with an acre of lande adjoyning thereunto, lately bought of John Mayehewe, with sempe [swamp?] landes orchards gardens and appurtenances whatsoever thereunto belonging, and the house nowe in the tenure or occupation of Christopher Harris, with one acre of land adjoyning to the hightwaye that leadeth from Fawkham to St. Mary Craye south, and the landes of Thomas Walter east, and my owne landes north and west, together with all other the appurtenances thereunto, or to any of them belonging whatsoever. To him and to the heyres of his bodye lawefully begotten for ever.
And yf yt shall fortune my said sonne Thomas to depart this liffe without any such lawefull issue, then my will is the said landes and tenementes, with all other the appurtenances shalbe and remayne to John my said sonne and to the heyres of his bodye lawefully begotten for ever.
And yf yt shall happen that my sonne John to depart his liffe, then my will is that the last said premises shalbe and remayne to my sonne Henry and to the heyres ofhis bodye lawfully begotten for ever.
And yf yt shall happen that all my said sonnes shall depart this liffe without such issue, then yt is my will the said premisses shalbe and remayne to my daughters and to the heyres of theire bodyes lawefully begotten to be equally devyded amongst them.
Item I give and bequeath unto John my sonne the tenement and landes lately purchased of Francis Reeve, nowe in the tenure or occupation of Thomas Adames with all the appurtenances whatsoever thereunto belonging, together with one acre and certain daye worthes of lande lying in my feeld called North Feeld, which boundeth on Joyce west, to him and to the heyres of his bodye lawefully begotten for ever.
And yf yt shall fortune that my said sonne John to depart this liffe without such issue, than my will is those landes and tenementes shalbe and remayne to my sonne Thomas and to the heyres of his bodye lawefully begotten.
And yf my said sonne Thomas shall depart this liffe without such issue, then my will is the said landes and tenementes shalbe and remayne to my sonne Henrye and to the heyres of his bodye lawefully begotten for ever. Any yf yt shall happen that all my said sonnes shall depart this life without such issue, then my will isthat the said premisses shalbe and remayne to my daughters and to the heires of theire bodyes lawefully begotten for ever, to be equally devyded amongst them.
Item yt is my last will and testament that Elizabeth my wiffe and full executrix shall possess, have, and enjoy all the profittes of all my said landes and tenementes whatsoever with all the pastures, woodes, and underwoodes, and meadowes and profittes whatsoever excepting tymber to be felled for the necessary reparations of my said tenementes and landes, until such tyme as my sonnes shall accomplish eighteen yeeres of age, upon this condition: that the said Elizabeth my wiffe shall bring up my children or cause them to be decently and orderly brought up according to law and consyence.
Furthermore my will is that the said Elizabeth my wiffe shall keepe all manner of reparations [repairs] which shall be needful upon the premisses during the tyme that she shall occupye the same and paying all manner of dutyes issuinge out of the premisses, further to lorde or king.
Lastly my will and testament is that yf my said wiffe deceasse before any of my sonnes accomplishe eighteene yeares of age, then my will is that John Humfry, the elder, my brother William Skudder, and Anthony Comfor (?), shall have the use of my landes and my childrens portions which shalbe then unpaid for the bringing of then up well, and for their profytte as shall seem to them requisite.
With us in witness: John Swarland, Vicar of Horton Kirbie abovesaid; John Foster; Christopher Hacock.
The within written will was proved on the 5th November AD 1595 before Master Walter Haite, clerk, surrogate, etc by the oath of Richard Dale, notary public, proctor of Elizabeth Scudder, widow and executrix etc to whom administration was granted in the person of the said proctor, well etc. Sworn etc. Saving all rights whatsoever etc.
[Transcribed by B F Westcott, Lancashire, July 1992]
Return to: Henry Skudder (Scudder) Yeoman
[1] Reprinted from Scudder Searches, The Scudder Association, Inc., v. IV, no. 3, (Summer 1992): 8–9. Henry Skudder’s will was proven 5 November 1595 in the Archdeaconry Court of Rochester, ref. DRb/Pw 17.
[2] Wording that states Elizabeth is to receive her legacy “presently after my decease” implies Elizabeth was “of age” meaning at least age twenty.
[3] For Bridget to be given her legacy “2 years after my decease” implies that she was no more than 2 years away from being “of age.”
[4] Wherever Jane’s name appears in the will made 29 September 1594 is crossed out by the time of probate 5 November 1595.
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