By Joan Whipple’s death in 1612, only Anne and Margaret had married so Matthew had daughters Jane, 24, Johane (?), Elizabeth, 18, and Mary 13, to help manage their household and raise 6-year-old Amy.  He was a widower for his final seven years with four grandchildren to enjoy – Margaret’s two preteens, Hercules, 8, and Margaret, 6, Arthur, and Jane’s two toddlers, Henry and Ande Caldam.

The will indicates he was successful and had achieved financial independence.  His home with its great chamber, little chamber, lodging chamber, old parlor, and loft is evidence of his success.  He bequeathed more than £200 (£425,896.49 today) to family members, some to be distributed within one month following his death, indicating he had liquid assets.  Other bequeaths of silver spoons, high latten candlesticks, brass pots, pewter dishes, a table, stools, three different of chests, five beds, fine linen, bolster, blankets, etc. confirms his station in life.  Matthew, Jr. was named sole executor of the estate.

It was written 19 January 1616 in Old English and proved in the Superior Probate Court, the Prerogative Court of Canterbury in 1618.  The probate was in Latin.  I acquired a copy in London in 1962 when I was doing research in England.  Two language professors at Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, Iowa translated it for me. [Following is the will.  I inserted the boldface, italics, and underline to help in interpretation.]

In the name of God amen the nineteenth day of December anno domini one-thousand-six-hundred-sixteen and in the fourteenth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord James by the Grace of God King of England, France, and Ireland and the fiftieth of Scotland, defender of the faith, etc.  I Matthew Whipple the elder of Bocking in the county of Essex, Clothier, and of the diocese of Canterbury, being at this present of good and perfect memory, thanks be given to God, and calling to my mind the uncertainty of the continuance of man’s transitory life in this present world, and the certainty of death when it shall please God to appoint the time, and being willing and desirous to devise and set in order such goods, chattels, and tenements as God of his mercy and goodness hath blessed me withall, do therefore make and declare this my present testament and last will in manner and form following (renouncing and revoking all former wills by me heretofore made), first and principally, I commend my soul to Almighty God my Creator and to Jesus Christ my only Savior and Redeemer by and through whose death merits and passion I trust assuredly to have free pardon for all my sins.  And my body to the earth to be decently buried by my executors when it shall please God to take my life from me.

• Item.  My meaning is that my messuage or tenement with the yard and garden and orchards, members and appurtenances whatsoever, to the same capital messuage belonging or appertaining, situate in Bradford street in Bocking aforesaid, now in the occupation of me the said Matthew, from and after my decease shall remain to Matthew Whipple, mine oldest son, and to the heirs of his body lawfully begotten, upon this condition nevertheless that he, the said Matthew my son, his heirs or assigns, shall will and truly satisfy and pay or cause to be paid to my son John Whipple, four score pounds [£80] of lawful money of England within three months next and immediately following my decease.  (Matthew was abt. 26 and had been married to Anne Hawkins for six years.  John was abt. 20 and married Susnna Clark five years later.)

And also that he, the said Matthew, my son, his heirs or assigns, shall likewise satisfy and pay or cause to be paid to my daughter Jane, thirty pounds of like lawful money of England within two months next after my death.  (Jane was abt 29 in 1616 and was married to Henry Caldam.)

And likewise shall satisfy and pay or cause to be paid to my daughter Elizabeth, thirty pounds of like money within twelve months next after my decease (Elizabeth was abt 22, marriage status unknown) and likewise to my daughter Mary, thirty pounds of like money at her age of twenty or at the day of her marriage which shall first happen (Mary was abt. 17 and married Richard Baker in 1625).

And likewise to my daughter Amye, thirty pounds of like money at her age of one and twenty or at the day of her marriage, which shall first happen (Amye was abt. 11 and married William Hoston in 1626), upon reasonable demand made by the said Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, and Amye and provided always that if my son Matthew do refuse and do not pay to my son John Whipple the four score pounds as aforesaid and thirty pounds apiece to my four daughters aforesaid; at the several days and times limited and appointed as is afore rehearsed, then I do devise, give, and bequeath all my capital messuage or tenement aforesaid, with all and singular the premises members and appurtenances whatsoever, with the furnishing in and about all the rooms therein being, to my son John Whipple and to his heirs or assigns, forever.  And then that he the said John, my son, his heirs or assigns, shall discharge and pay or cause to be paid to my aforesaid four daughters their portions of the thirty pounds apiece of lawful money of England in manner and form as aforesaid.

• Item.  I give and bequeath to my daughter Ann Pepper six silver spoons of the better sort, two high latten candlesticks, my biggest brass pot, and three pounds six shilling and eight pence in money to be paid and delivered to her within one month next after my decease.  (Ann was abt. 31 and was married to John Pepper.)

• Item.  I give to my daughter Johane _____ forty shillings lawful money of England to be paid to her within one month next after my decease.

• Item.  I give to my daughter Jane two silver spoons, two pewter platters of the greater sort, one pewter candlestick, one half-headed bedstead, my best flock bed and flock bolster and coverlet and a pair of blankets.

• Item.  I give to my daughter Elizabeth two silver spoons, one pewter candlestick, two pewter platters of the greater sort, a half-headed bedstead, next the best and flock bed and flock bolster and coverlet and pair of blankets and the little chest which was her mothers.

• Item.  I give to my daughter Mary two silver spoons, two pewter platters and a pewter salt and trundle bedstead and flock bed and flock bolster and a pair of blankets.

• Item.  I give to my son John a joined table and frame standing in my old parlor with eight joined stools to it, a great joined chest standing in my great chamber, one silver spoon and another spoon silver, and my bed bedding and bedstead furnished whereon I do now lie standing in my little chamber.

• Item.  All my best linen I do give among to my children as the same hath been viewed, parted, and divided out to them.

• Item.  I give to my sister, the wife of Richard Rathbone, seventy shillings and to Hercules Stephens, ten shillings.  (Hercules may have been Matthew’s brother-in-law.)

• Item.  I give to my daughter Mary one plain chest standing in my lodging chamber.  And I give to my daughter Amye my long chest standing in the old parlor.

• Item.  I give to my grandchildren viz: Hercules Arthur, (abt. 12) Margaret Arthur, (abt. 10, the children of daughter Margaret who married Laurence Arthur and died in 1607), Henry Caldam and Ande Caldam (birth dates unknown children of Jane and Henry Caldam), to each of them six shillings eight pence apiece, to be paid to them at their several ages of one and twenty years.

• Item.  I give to my son John five curtains next the loft.

• Item.  I give to the poor people of Bocking twenty shillings to be distributed among them.

All the rest of my goods and chattels whatsoever (my debts being paid and my funeral discharged), I give to Matthew, my son.  And I do make and ordain the said Matthew, my son, sole executor of this my last will and testament.  In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year first written above.

The will was signed by Matthew and witnessed by ________Thursby and _____ Taylor.

Unfortunately, no inventory of Matthew’s estate exists.  Essex, unlike other English counties, has few surviving inventories for the seventeenth century, particularly for the decades of the great migration to New England.

Matthew’s grandson, Hercules Arthur, acquired the Manor of Fryers in Bocking 4 June 1632.  Located on Bradford Street on the Lane called Fryers, it had a court baron and several quit rents.  The mansion house was on the right side of the road leading from Bocking to Braintree.

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