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In the Name of God Amen on the twenty second day of January in the year of our Lord God one thousand five hundred and fifty nine I Robert Collett yeoman of Westleton in the County of Suffolk being sick in body nevertheless of good and perfect remembrance first commit my body to be buried in such place as all seem good unto my executors
Item I will and bequeath unto Francis Collett my son at his age of twenty-one years all that the seat of the manor of Cleeves in Westleton with all the lands thereunto belonging with the appurtenances in Westleton as they be now in mine occupation, to have and to hold the same site of the said manor and all other the premises unto the said Francis Collett and to the heir males of the body of the said Francis lawfully begotten in such manner and form as William Collett my father gave me the same by his Last Will and Testament
Item I give and bequeath unto the said Francis my son at his said age of twenty-one years the moyte or half part of all my lands and tenements called Britains in Westleton aforesaid the which I late purchased off John Mollett and Joan his wife to have and to hold the same moyte or half part of all the said lands and tenements called Britains to the said Francis and his heirs for ever to his only use upon condition following that is to say that the same Francis shall pay unto Mathias Collett my son 10 li. and unto Alice Collett my daughter 5 li. and unto Thomasin my daughter 5 li. and unto the child that my wife is with all if it shall be male 10 li. and if it shall be female 5 li. to be paid unto every of them in manner and form following that is to say to pay thereof one year next after the said Francis entry into the said moyte or half part of the said lands called Britains, to every of them 13s. 4d. and so to pay the same 13s. 4d. unto every of the said children until the said several sums before given to them shall be paid and if any of them dies before the payment falls due then the survivors take that share
Item I will that if the said Francis my son shall refuse to pay the said money before given unto my said children and to every of them in manner and form afore, that then Mathias my son at the age of twenty-one years shall have the said moyte of the said tenement and lands called Britains to him and his heirs upon condition that he shall pay unto each of my said two daughters 5 li. and unto the child that my wife is with all, if it shall be male within 12 months after the said Mathias entry into the said moyte
Item I will that Beatrix my wife shall have the occupation and profits of all my lands and tenements in Westleton to her only use and profit until the feast of Saint Michael next after my decease so that she shall honestly fund my children until the said feast
Item I do give unto the said Beatrix my wife all such goods and chattels as I had with her at our marriage now being in my possession in an ample manner as I received them with her
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Item I do give unto the said
Beatrix all that my corn in the barn at the tenement
called Valiants in Westleton
and all the corn in my barn and houses called Cleeves
in Westleton except ten combs of barley
Item I do give unto the said
Beatrix all my horses and nete
except bullocks and all my sheep except 19 sheep and all my fowls or poultry
and swine
Item I will that mine executors shall have and receive the profits of all my said lands and tenements in Westleton during the minority of the ages of the said child and my children
Item I do give unto the said Beatrix my wife yearly every year during her natural life 3 li. to be paid to her at the Feasts of Saint Michael the archangel and the annunciation of Our Lady by even parts ought of all my lands and tenements in Westleton so that she the same Beatrix shall not from henceforth claim any dower or other right in the said lands and tenements or any parcel thereof
Item I do give to Francis my son my best feather bed and all that belong to the same and my bow and quiver and shafts and my arrows kettle
Item I do give unto Mathias my son my best brass pot and pewter dish
Item to Alice my daughter my second feather bed and a pewter plater
Item I give to Thomasin my daughter a cover and pewter platter and the residue of my goods and chattels unbequeathed I put to the disposition of mine executors whom I do ordain and make William Tillot my sole executor
These being witnesses of
this my Last Will and Testament:
Robert Coppin, Thomas Wake, John Wake, William Chasold and another
The scrawled mark of Robert Collett the testator
Will proved on
Robert Collett who was married to Beatrix and who died in February or March 1559
The children of Robert and Beatrix being:
Francis Collett, Mathias Collett, Alice Collett, Thomasin Collett
All of the children were minors probably all born during the 1550s while Beatrix was carrying Robert’s fifth child at the time of the making of his Will
Footnote:
Witness Robert Coppin was also a supervisor of the
Will of William Collett of Blythburgh in 1568