Henry Rolfe's Will, 1558
The Will of Henry Rolff thelder of
Hamptworth
in the parish of Downton, co. Wylts, husbandman, 5 May 1558.
To be buried in the church lytten of St. Lawrence in Downton. To
our lady church in Sarum 2d. To the reparation of my parish
church
in Downton 8d. To Alis Whytehere, my servant, a ewe and a lamb,
my
wife's petticoat, etc. To the children of my sister Margaret
Blake
of Playtford a ewe lamb among them. To Elizabeth Blaake my wife's
black hat. To Agnes Saunders' children a bullock among
them.
To Agnes Bampton a frock. To William Hyckeman my best
"hooses."
To Dennys Husse a brass pot. To my son Richard
Rolfe my great brass pot, a cupboard, etc., and he shall have three
kine at fifteen years of age, to be delivered by Henry Rolfe the
younger*
of Hamptworth or by his assigns, he being one of my overseers for the
keeping
of my said son Richard. To Margaret Rolfe, my daughter, all my
wife's
wearing gear unbequeathed, and at the age of fifteen years two kine to
be delivered to her by John Lyght of Hamptworth, he being the other of
my overseers for the keeping of my said daughter Margaret. To my
son Richard and my daughter Margaret all my instuff of household at
fifteen
years, equally divided; if both die, reversion to the children of
Thomas
Blaake, Thomas Husse, Agnes Sawnders, John Lyght and Henry Rolff the
younger
for the perfect bringing up of my children Richard and Margaret until
the
age of fifteen. Witnesses: Willm Marks, preist, and Thomas
Husse. Proved 4 June 1558, by John Lyght and Henry Rolff Jun.
(Archdeaconry
of Sarum, vol. 3, fo. 97.)
*Is this a nephew? There was a Henry Rolfe obviously closely
connected
to Henry the elder who died in 1579 and whose will is also in these
papers.
He had a wife named Thomasyn, possibly Stride (he had a brother-in-law
named Stephen Stride), a daughter whose married name was Owery and who
apparently predeceased him, leaving one daughter named Johan (Joane); I
infer from the will's language that Mr. Owery was either also dead or
estranged,
as he is not mentioned at all. There appear to be no other
progeny,
and the daughter could easily have been born after 1558, so this is a
definite
candidate for the person named above, but his exact relationship is
never
clarified.