KATHERINE BENCHKIN'S WILL
- John Moore's evidence

(Kent Archives Office, Maidstone, PRC 39/11 f.234,
from the transcript by William Urry, in his
Christopher Marlowe and Canterbury, pp127-9)

 

super testamentum Benchkin
examinat' vltimo Septembris 1586

Johannes Moore civitatis Cant shomaker vbi habitavit per sex annos et antea in villa de Feversham per septem annos et antea in parrochia de Vlcombe vbi habitavit per xv annos oriundus ibidem aetatis circiter xxvi annos vel circiter libere condicionis testis productus iuratus et examinatus dicit et deponit vt sequitur

Quoad testamentum et allegacionem predict' iste deponens in vim iuramenti sui prestiti examinatus dicit that some what more then a twelvmonthes agon as this deponent now remembreth aliter certum diem et tempus non recolit vt dicit hee this deponent together with Thomas Arthur John Marly and Christofer Marley beeing requested by John Benchkin the testatrix her soonne came all vnto the howse of the saide testatrix scituat in St Mildredes parishe in Canterburye where at their coming they fownde the saide testatrix in a lower parlor of her saide howse in very good heath [sic] to this deponentes iudgement and ymedyatly the saide testatrix went vpp into a chamber of her said howse and brought downe her will written in such forme as is exhibited and alsoe an other will which was made beefore the will now exhibited and towlde this deponent and the rest that shee had sente for them to bee witnesses vnto her will, and to see her owlde will burned whervppon she cast her saide owlde will into the fire and burned the same in the presence of this deponent and the other parties afforenamed and then shee gave her saide will now exhibited vnto Cristofer Marley to bee redd, which he red plainely and distinktly and beeing soe red the saide testatrix acknowledge the same to bee her laste will and testament, revoking and disanulling all other wills and testamentes by her beefore made and in witnes of the same shee put thervnto her hande and seale in the presence of this deponent and the partyes afforesaide and requested this deponent and the saide partyes to sett to their handes whervppon this deponent and the saide partyes subscribed their names with their owne handes to the saide will as witnesses to the same, and this deponent saith that the saide testatnix was by all the tyme afforesaide not onely in good remembrawnce but in perfect health to this deponentes iudgement and this deponent very well knoweth that the will whervppon hee is now examined beeing viewed and red by him at his examinacion is the self same will soe acknowledged by the testatnix as is afforesaide as well for that hee seeth his name subscribed to the saide will with his owne hand as alsoe for that hee remembreth divers legacies given in the saide will and amoungest the rest that she named and appointed John Benchkin her sonne executor of the same and one Greenleafe of Cant her overseer and further willed as in the saide will executed is deduced
et aliter nescit deponere.
Repet' and recogn' coram me
Stephano Lakes officiali 30 Sept 1586.                                        John Moore


back to Home Page