Aspects of Kentish Local History

Wills of 17th Century Chatham Shipwrights
Prerogative Court of Canterbury (P.C.C.) Wills 1603 - 1699)

Robert MOORCOCK - 1670

In the name of God amen I Robert Moorcock of Chatham in the county of Kent shipwright being att this present in good health of body and of a disposing memory (praised be God) and not knowing howe soon it may please Almighty God to take me out of this mortall life doe therefore for the quieting of my mind and setting of the estate wherewith it hath pleased the Lord of his mercy to blesse me make and declare my last will and testament in manner and forme following (that is to say) first I comend my soule into the hands of Almighty God who gave it hopeing and assuredly believing to be saved by the only meritts death and passion of Jesus Christ my blessed Saviour and Redeemer and my body I comend to the earth to be decently buried in the churchyard of the parish of Chatham aforesaid in a vault to be made and provided for that purpose by my executor hereafter named where (if it may be) I desire that my children may be afterwards buried and over the said vault and grave I desire that a faire stone may be placed to be for that purpose provided by my said executors and there continue Item I give and bequeath unto the poore inhabitants of the said parish of Chatham the sume of fifty shillings of lawfull money of England to be distributed amongst them in bread or money by my executors hereafter named upon the day of my buriall or upon the next Lord's day after Item I give and bequeath unto my sonne in law Charles Cotsworth the sume of five pounds of lawfull money of England to be paid unto him att the end of one yeare next after my decease (if he shalbe then liveing) Item I give and bequeath unto my grandchild Robert Moorcock the sonne of my eldest sonne Edward Moorcock the sume of five pounds and to my grandchild Robert Moorcock the sonne of my sonne John Moorcock the sume of five pounds and to my grandson Robert Gardner the sonne of my daughter Elizabeth Gardner the sume of five pounds and to every other of my grandchildren the sume of ten shillings apeece all which severall and respective legacies by me given and bequeathed unto my said grandchildren respectively as aforesaid I will shall be paid into the hands of the respective parents of the said severall and respective children to the use of the same children respectively within one yeare next after my death Item I give and bequeath unto Elizabeth the daughter of my late cousin John Moorcock deceased the sume of forty shillings Item I give and bequeath unto Edward Holdshipp the sonne of widow Holdshipp the sume of forty shillings to be paid unto him within three months next after my decease Item I give and bequeath to the foresaid Edward Moorcock my eldest sonne my silver watch and to my sonne William Moorcock my seale ring of gold and to my said sonne John Moorcock the sume of thirty shillings to make him a ring Item I give and bequeath to my daughter Elizabeth Gardner and to the wives of my three sonnes respectively and to my sonne in lawe Joseph Rubnett and to my daughter Frances his wife the sume of thirty shillings apeece to make each of them a ring Item I give devise and bequeath unto the foresaid John Moorcock my sonne his executors administrators and assignes my stable with the appurtenances situate and being in the parish of Chatham aforesaid and my lease thereof and all my estate and interest therein Item all my plate and household stuffe and all my ready money debts and creditts and all other my personal estate not already before bequeathed or by me conveyed or settled by deed (my debts being paid and my severall legacies before mentioned and the charges of my buriall and of the probate of this my will and all other incident charges being defrayed paid and satisfied) I give and bequeath unto my foresaid three sonnes and two daughter before named equally to be devided betweene them and of this my last will and testament I constitute and ordeine my said three sonnes (vixt) the foresaid Edward, William and John Moorcock the executors and lastly I the said Robert Moorcock doe hereby revoke all other wills and testaments by me made att any tyme before the publishing of these presents in witness whereof I the said Robert Moorcock have to this present last will and testament conteyning two sheets of paper to the first sheet thereof sett my hand and to this present second sheete sett my hand and seale this present three and twentieth day of January in the twentieth yeare of the raigne of our Soveraigne Lord King Charles the Second etc. 1668 (1669) Robert Moorcock signed sealed and published by the above named Robert Moorcock in the presence of Ri. Head John Head John Mayse whereas my late wife Elizabeth Moorcock now deceased did in her life tyme give unto my children above named or some of them respectively severall moneys and lynen and other of my goods and chattels I the above named Robert Moorcock doe hereby declare that I doe allow and approve of these guifts whatsoever they were and doe hereby ratifie and confirme the same to them my said children respectively and doe hereby desire and require my executors that they doe noe way question or trouble my said children or any of them concerning the same this is also my will signed and published by me this present 14th day of January 1669 Robert Moorcock in the presence of Ri. Head John Moyse.

Proved 2nd November 1670

Note in margin but crossed out, repeating part of the will beginning "Whereas my late wife ....." and ending "....... to them my said children".