In the name of God Amen the eighteenth day of November in the year 1596 and in the nine and thirtieth year of the reign of Our Sovereign Lady Elizabeth by the Grace of God of England France and Ireland Queen Defender of the faith
I Edith Collett of Over Slaughter in the County of Gloucester widow being sick in body but of good and perfect remembrance do ordain and make this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following
First, I do give and bequeath my soul to Almighty God my body to be buried in the church or churchyard of Over Slaughter aforesaid as it shall please my executors hereinafter named
I do give to the poor at the same town eight pence to every poor house
I do give to the Alms folk of Stow St Edwards six pence to every house
I do give to every Godchild I have four pence
I give to Joan Arcolle the daughter of Thomas Arcolle all one sort of my best apparel woollen and linen the nether parts of my best petticoat only excepted the over bodies of the same petticoat I give to the said Joan and my second best petticoat my best silver pin my best hat and one pair of sheets
I give to Alice the daughter of the said Thomas Arcolle the nether bodies of my best petticoat one sher my ring and the second best chercho
I do give to Marie the daughter of the said Thomas Arcolle my little silver pin and pillows bear and my third best chercho
I give unto Elizabeth daughter of Richard Rooke of Evenlode my fourth chercho
I give to every one of Thomas Arcolle’s sons whose names do follow viz Thomas Phares Charles and John and to every one of his daughters Joan, Alice and Mary to each of them 20 shillings apiece to be paid by Henry Arcolle and William Arcolle the sons of the said Thomas Arcolle to be delivered within three months after my decease, to which sons Henry and William I give and bequeath all my goods and chattel movable and unmovable corn or whatsoever is unbequeathed my funerals ended and legacies paid, all of which I do leave unto the said Henry and William which to accomplish which being accomplished and end as I say, I do give and bequeath all whatsoever I have left to the divided betwixt them
And I do ordain and make my beloved son Thomas Arcolle to be my executor and I do further appoint and desire my well beloved friends Thomas Collett and Thomas Carter to be my overseers of this my last Will and Testament that it be thoroughly performed according to the true meaning thereof and for their pains I do give them twelve pence apiece, those being my witnesses
The Will was drawn up by Paris Hurst in the
presence of Edith and James Major
According
to David Hartley, who kindly re-transcribed a number of
Gloucestershire Will of the early Collett family in 2023, this particular one
appears to have resulted in a case being brought by Edith’s granddaughter Joan
Arcolle in 1613, by which time she was Joan Harris.
The
Gloucestershire Archives catalogue gives summaries of some of the testimonies.
CASE:
Harris v Arcolle: Testamentary: 1 December 1613
DESCRIPTION:
Deponents acting on behalf of Harris: Henry Arcolle, aged 46, a farmer of Lower
Slaughter who lived there for three years, was born at Upper Slaughter; and
William Arcolle, aged 40, a farmer of Upper Slaughter who lived there for
fifteen years, was born there.
DEPOSITIONS
(abstract): After the death of Edith Collett, about sixteen years ago, Thomas
Arcolle gave Henry Arcolle two cows and certain corn and told him Edith had
given them to him. Thomas Arcolle had
all her goods after her death. Thomas
has always lived at Upper Slaughter. William
Arcolle had heard that Edith Collett had made Thomas Arcolle the executor of
her Will and had given diverse legacies to diverse persons. Thomas had given him two cows and some
household stuff that he said Edith had given him in her Will. He knows Thomas gave two cows to Henry Arcolle
but does not know if he paid any other legacies.
Finding
Reference GDR/121 page 242
CASE:
Harris v Arcolle: Testamentary: 10 December 1613
DESCRIPTION:
Deponent acting on behalf of Harris: Paris Hurst, aged 40, a yeoman of
Tredington who lived there twelve years, was born at Aston Blank.
DEPOSITION
(abstract): In 1596 Edith Collett, being of good mind, made her last will
making her son, Thomas Arcolle, her sole executor. Paris Hurst wrote the Will in the presence of
Edith, James Major, and Thomas Arcolle.
She gave diverse gifts and legacies, amongst which she gave Joan
Arcolle, daughter of Thomas, some of her best linen and woollen apparel, the
over bodice of her best petticoat, her second best
petticoat, her best silver pin, her best hat and one pair of sheets. She gave the several legacies mentioned in
this article in the manner and to the persons as expressed. Edith told him that she had given almost all
her goods to Thomas Arcolle's children and made him the executor because she
did not want his children to contend with each other for their legacies. Arcolle undertook the execution of her Will
and payment of her debts and legacies.
Finding
reference GDR/121 page 261