Rev Edward ELLISTON [35438]

  General Notes:

THE WILL OF EDWARD ELLISTON, VICAR OF ACTON, 25^th APRIL 1635

In the name of God Amen, the five and twentieth day of April Anno Domini one thousand six hundred thirty five and in the eleventh year of the reign of our most gracious Sovereign Lord Charles, by the grace of God, King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith &c. I Edward Ellistone of Acton in the County of Suffolk, Clerk, being of good and perfect memory (God be praised) do make, ordain and declare this my last will and Testament in writing in manner and form following, revoking thereby both in deed and law all other former Wills and Testaments. First, I commend my soul into the hands of Almighty God, hoping assuredly through the merits of Jesus Christ my only Saviour and Redeemer to be made partaker of life everlasting. And I commend my body to the earth whereof it came, to be buried in Christian burial by the discretion and appointment of mine executrix hereafter named. And as for that portion of worldly estate which the Lord hath lent me in this life, I give and dispose as followeth; vizt, First I do give and bequeath unto Grace Ellistone my loving wife for and during the term of her natural life, the better to enable her to pay all my debts and legacies wherewith I am justly charged of what kind soever, as also to perform this my last will in manner and form hereafter expressed, all my lands, houses and tenements, rentaries, butcherstalls, goods, chattels moveable and immove-able, in Sudbury, Acton, Lavenham and elsewheresoever. And if all my goods, corn and cattle shall not be sufficient thereunto then my will and devise is, and it shall be lawful to and for the said Grace my wife and for her assigns to sell to the best advantage my two butcher's stalls in Sudbury aforesaid, and my house and tenement wherein Isaac Sudbury the barber dwelleth, and my right, title and interest in the house where Gabriell Gates the cooper did dwell, together with my stable in Duckpit Lane in Sudbury aforesaid, so much the better to enable her to perform this my will, and for her maintenance and the bringing up of my two youngest children and towards the preferment of such of my daughters unmarried as then shall be least provided for. And moreover my devise and will is, and I do hereby give power and authority unto the said Grace my wife to devise and dispose by her execut[ors], of all my lands, messuages and tenements wheresoever as aforesaid for the term and continuance of six years or less, if she the said Grace my wife can obtain licence of the Lord thereunto, at her own discretion to give power and authority unto her executors after her decease, within the time of six years or less after her decease as aforesaid, out of the profits arising of the said lands, messuages and tenements, to perform and fulfil this my will if the same shall not be performed and fulfilled accordingly before the departure of the said Grace my wife out of this present life; excepting only my houses, messuages and tenements abutting upon Acton Green in Acton aforesaid, together with the lease of ground on the backside thereof now in the occupation and manu-rance [cultivation] of me the said Edward Elliston, which said houses, messuages and tenements, together with the said lease and all and singular the appurtenances, I give and bequeath unto John Elliston my eldest son, he the said John my son discharging the rent thereof during the term of the said lease, to have and to hold the same within six weeks after the decease of the said Grace my wife, during which term of six weeks my will is that the executors of the said Grace shall hold the same, to take and carry away such goods as shall be by the appointment of the said Grace my wife, After which said six weeks my will is that the said houses, messuages and tenements shall be unto the said John Elliston my eldest son, and to his heirs and assigns forever.

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Item: I give and bequeath unto Henshawe Ellistone my second son my houses, messuages and tenements in or abutting upon Gregory Croft in Sudbury aforesaid and now in the occupation of Richard Garrood, Nathaniell Garrood and others, which have commonly been called or known by the name of the dye house, to have and to hold the said houses, messuages and tenements with the orchards, gardens, barns, stables, with all and singular the appurtenances thereunto belonging, according to such forementioned devise, disposing or appointment of the said Grace my wife in her last will and testament after her decease, to him the said Henshaw Ellistone my second son, and to his heirs and assigns forever.
Item: I give and bequeath unto Edward Ellistone my youngest son all that my house and land lying and situate in the parish of Lavenham, which is now in the occupation of Henry Coe and of me, Edward Ellistone, to have and to hold the said house or tenement together with the barns, stables and all the closes of land, with all and singular the appurtenances thereunto belonging, according to such forementioned devise, disposing or appointment of the said Grace my wife in her last will and testament after her decease, to him the said Edward Ellistone my youngest son and to his heirs and assigns forever.
Item: I give unto Grace my eldest daughter, the wife of John Hix, ten shillings.
Item: I give unto Mary my second daughter, the wife of John Gilbert, ten shillings. Item: I give and bequeath unto Jane Elliston my third daughter my two messuages or tenements which are in the occupation of Anthony Barton and [blank] Carter in Sudbury aforesaid, according to the forementioned devise, disposing and appointment of the said Grace my wife in her last will and testament, To have and to hold the said two tenements or messuages, with all and singular the appurtenances, to her the said Jane Ellistone my third daughter and to her heirs and assigns forever.
Item: I give and bequeath unto Priscilla Ellistone my fourth daughter and to her heirs my piece of copyhold land situate and lying in Acton aforesaid called and commonly known by the name of Rookolds, containing by estimation eight acres, which I lately purchased to me and my heirs of Robert Newman senior, To have and to hold the same close of customary land by copy of court roll according to the custom of the manor of Acton Hall in Acton aforesaid, according to the forementioned devise, disposing and appointment of the said Grace my wife in her last will and testament, to her the said Priscilla Elliston my fourth daughter and to her [heirs] and assigns for ever.
Item: I give and bequeath unto Thamar Elliston my youngest daughter and to her heirs my two pieces of copyhold land lying, situate and being in Acton aforesaid called and commonly known by the name of Fryers Land and parcel of Bollyfields or Bullfields, which I lately purchased of John Firmen and took up to me and my heirs, containing by estimation six acres, together with the two copyhold tenements or cottages which I purchased of William Went next adjoining unto the said Fryers Land, to have and to hold the said two copyhold tenements or cottages and the said two parcels of customary land by copy of court roll, according to the custom of the manor of Acton Hall in Acton aforesaid, according to the forementioned and intended devise, disposing and appointment of the said Grace my wife in her last will and testament, to her the said Thamar Ellistone my youngest daughter and to her heirs and assigns for ever.

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Item: I give and bequeath to the use of the poorer sort of people in Acton aforesaid the sum of three pounds of good and lawful money of England, to be paid by mine execut[rix] or into the hands of the overseers for the poor of Acton aforesaid within one year next after my decease, therewith to buy, in the month of November then next following, thirty yards of self grow russet cloth to clothe the most aged and impotent as far as it will extend, according to the discretion of the overseers for the poor of Acton for the time being.
All the residue of my goods unbequeathed, moveable and immoveable, bills, bonds, plate, household stuff with implements of husbandry whatsoever, I give and bequeath unto Grace my loving wife, whom I do make, nominate and appoint to be the sole executrix of this my last will and testament. Sealed with my seal dated the day and year first above written. M[emoran]d[um], that "if the said Grace my wife can obtain licence of the Lord thereunto" were interlined before the sealing by me, Edward Ellistone. Published, sealed and delivered in the presence of these witnesses whose names are hereunder written: Roger Kerington, Peter Whison, Bettr Dawsy her mark.


The above written will was proved at London before the worshipful man Sir Henry Marten knight, Doctor of Laws, Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted, the 13^th day of the month of October in the year of our Lord 1635, by the oath of Grace Ellistone otherwise Alstone, the relict of the said deceased and executrix named in this will [to whom administration was granted of all and singular the goods, chattels and credits of the said deceased, to administer the same well and faithfully], she being first sworn on the holy gospels of God before Robert Warreyn, clerk, by force of a commission issued in that behalf.

Ref: PCC 103 Sadler. PROB 11/169, ff. 87-88


Transcription, and translation of the probate clause, (with added punctuation) by Michael J Wood & Ron Elliston - April 2008.

Edward married Grace ARCHER [35439] [MRIN: 12825] in 1604 in Acton SFK. (Grace ARCHER [35439] was born in 1581 in Acton SFK and died on 22 Nov 1670 in Acton SFK.)