CS 71 
 .W585 
 1901 
 Copy 1 
 
 ■J*--, 
 
CS 71 
 .W585 
 1901 
 Copy 1 
 
 THE CHILDREN OF ROBERT WHITE OF MESSING, 
 
 CO. ESSEX, ENGLAND, WHO SETTLED 
 
 IN HARTFORD AND WINDSOR. 
 
 BY A DESCENDANT. 
 
 [Reprinted from Ne-vv-Eng. Historical and Genealogical Register for Jan., 1901.] 
 
 BOSTON: 
 
 PRINTED BY DAVID CLAPP & SON, 
 
 1901. 
 
V 
 
 ^ ^ 
 
THE CHILDREN OF EGBERT WHITE OF MESSING, CO, 
 
 ESSEX, ENGLAND, WHO SETTLED IN 
 
 HARTFORD AND WINDSOR. 
 
 Robert White of Messing, yeoman, died in 1617. He was a ricli man. 
 He seems to have lived in Shalford in Essex most of the time from June 
 24th, 1585, the date of his marriage to Bridget Allgar, until a few months 
 Lefore his death. The baptisms of neai'ly all his children are there recorded, 
 and also the marriage of his daughters — Mary in 1614 and Elizabeth in 
 1616. It was the home of his wife, where she was baptized March 11, 
 1562, and where her father, William Allgar the elder, was buried Aug. 2, 
 1575. Shalford is about two miles south of Wethersfield. 
 
 His bequest of 40 shillings to " Mr. Richard Rogers, preacher of God's 
 word at Withersfield in Essex," renders it probable that he was friendly to 
 non-conformists, and that he had often listened to this awakening preacher ; 
 while a like bequest to Bartholomew Scrivener, minister of the Church of 
 . God in Messing, imj:)lies his continued interest in the established church. 
 His bequest of forty shillings to the poor peojjle of Messing, without giving 
 anything to the poor of Shalford, where it is supposed that he lived for many 
 years, creates the suspicion that perhaps Messing was his birthplace. -3fe^ 
 Alice White anda*. Will White were buried there in 1591 and 1593 respect- 
 ively, but it is not known that Robert White was related to either of them. 
 
 According to his will, hereinafter given, he left surviving a wife Bridget ; 
 tliree sons — Daniel, Nathaniel and John who was his j^oungest child ; three 
 married daughters — Sarah, Mary and Elizabeth ; and two unmarried daugh- 
 ters — Bridget and Anna. As he makes his son Daniel joint executor with 
 his wife, it may be inferred he was his eldest son, and possibly by a former 
 wife. His wife Bridget was the mother of his other children, of whom 
 Sarah, wife of .James Bowtell of Little Sailinge in Essex, was the first born. 
 
 It is believed that three of his daughters came with their husbands to New 
 England, namely : Mary White, wife of Joseph Loomis of Braintree ; Eliza- 
 beth White, wife of William Goodwin of Bocking ; and Anna Wliite, wife 
 of John Porter of Felsted. 
 
 Matthew Grant's Old Church Record (in Stiles's Ancient Windsor) records 
 the death in 1647 of "John Porter, Sen's wife," and also the death in 1652 
 of " Joseph Loomis, Sen. his wife." This is valuable information, but it 
 would have been more satisfactory had the record contained the Christian 
 names of these wives. Nor does the entry in the Windsor Town Records* 
 of the birth of John Porter's two childi'en, Nathaniel in 1640 and Hauua 
 
 * Reg., Vol. 5, page 359. 
 
 i 
 
in 1642, give the mother's name. In the same town records is this entry r 
 '"John Porter, Sr., came from England and settled in Windsor in 1639." 
 Mr. Porter was present as a member of the " Committee " of the General 
 Court in Hartford, August 8th, 1639, He died in Windsor 21st April, 
 1648, leaving a will, an abstract of which is hereinafter given, and it is to 
 be noticed that two of the beloved friends made supervisors of his will were 
 " Mr. William Goodwin of Hartford and Goodman "Wliite of Hartford." 
 
 The marriage of John Porter of Felsted to Anna White of Messing, 18th 
 October, 1620, is found in the Parish Register of Messing. The baptisms 
 of their children, beginning with Anna, September 21, 1621, their first born, 
 down to Mary, October 1st, 1637, the last one there baptized, are recorded 
 in the Parish Register of Felsted. They probably went to Messing soon 
 after this date, as the baptism of their daughter Anna (who is supposed to 
 have died in infancy), November 4, 1638, is there recorded. These facts, 
 taken in connection with the information concerning his family contained 
 in the will of John Porter, dated April 20th, 1648, and also in the Town 
 Records of Windsor, are regarded as good and sufiicient authority for the 
 statement that this John Porter of Felsted and John Porter of Windsor, 
 Conn., were the same person. The names of his children in his will 
 (omitting his two eldest daughters) are the same and in the same order of 
 seniority as the baptisms in Felsted, except that in his will he names first 
 all his sons, and then all his daughters. Two of his children, as akeady 
 stated, were born in Windsor, Nathaniel in 1640 and Hanna (Anna) in 
 1642. His two eldest daughters were not mentioned in his wUl because 
 he had given them their portions at their marriage, as appears from the 
 report hereinafter given of the Committee to the Coui't in Hartford in 1650, 
 recommending that their portions be made equal to the portions given to 
 their younger sisters. 
 
 These two eldest daughters were Anna, who married Februarv 24, 1644- 
 5, William Gaylord ; and Sarah, who married October 24, 1644, Joseph 
 Judson. Matthew Grant's Old Church Record gives the death in 1648 of 
 Rose Porter, who was buried 12th of May, 1648, doubtless that one of the 
 younger daughters whose death is referred to in the report of the Com- 
 mittee. The burial of their first Samuel is recorded in the Parish Register 
 of Felsted. 
 
 In the Loomis Genealogy, jiages 9-11, evidence is given proving that 
 Joseph Loomis, of Braintree in England, came to Boston in 1638, and 
 settled in Windsor in 1639. It is believed that this Joseph Loomis is the 
 Joseph Loomis whose marriage, June 30th, 1614, to Mary White, is re- 
 corded in the Parish Register of Shalford, and this theory is sujiported by 
 the bequest in 1617 of Robert White to my " daughter Marie, the wife of 
 Joseph Lummis of Branctree." 
 
 The home lots of Joseph Loomis and John Porter in Windsor were 
 adjacent, and these two sisters, Mary (White) Loomis and Anna (White) 
 Porter, began in 1639 new homes side by side, in which they lived the rest 
 of then- days. Three years before, in 1 G3.6^Lh.eir litpther John White, and 
 their sister Elizabeth (White) GoodwiUj-had settled ih^Ja^tford. 
 
 The baptism of Elizabeih White, 5th March, 1591, is recorded in the 
 Parish Register of Shalford, as is also her marriage, 7th November, 1616, 
 then a singlewoman of that parish, to William Goodwin of Becking, then a 
 singleman. There is a bequest to her in her father's will, which is dated 
 May 27, 1617, and she was probably present at her father's burial, 17th Jtine, 
 1617. No mention of her has been found later than June, 1632. "■ «'* 
 
John Tallcott and "William Goodwin came over in the ship " Lion," which 
 sailed June 22d, 1632, from London for Boston. A few days before she 
 sailed John Tallcott and his wife Dorothy, and William Goodwin and his 
 wife Elizabeth, join in a conveyance of messuages, land, etc., in Braintree 
 and Booking, to Martin Holbeach, gentleman, Adrian Mott, Richard 
 Skynner, Robert Aylett and Robert Morrys. John Tallcott was of kin to 
 Richard Skynner, and his wife Dorothy Mott was related to Adrain Mott. 
 Whether William Goodwin and his wife Elizabeth were related to or con- 
 nected with any of the parties does not appear ; but it may be remembered 
 that Elder William Goodwin's nephew, William, son of his brother Osias, 
 mentions in his will in 1689 "land in Hartford which formerly belonged to 
 his uncle John Morrice." 
 
 It is plain that John Talcott and William Goodwin were disposing of 
 their property in England because they were going to find new homes 
 across the ocean. 
 
 That John Talcott came from Braintree, England, and that his wife 
 Dorothy Mott came with him to Hartford, are facts well known and long 
 ago established. 
 
 This sale or " Fine," an abstract of which is given below, was sent some 
 time ago to Mr. James Junius Goodwin of Hartford, who has very kindly 
 permitted its jjresent use. It is of great genealogical value. Before the 
 finding by Mr. Waters of Robert White's will, which is printed in Mr. 
 Goodwin's book, the " Goodwins of Hai'tfoi'd, Conn.," page 68, there was 
 no reason for believing that William Goodwin's wife Susanna was his 
 second wife. But this will, with a bequest to " my daughter Elizabeth, wife 
 of William Goodinge of Booking," and the discovery afterwards of the record 
 in the Parish Register in Shalford of their marriage in 1616, and the con- 
 veyance of land in Braintree and Booking by John Talcott and wife Dorothy, 
 and William Goodwin and wife Elizabeth, made in June, 1632 (just as the 
 " Lion " was about to sail, in which these men are known to have been 
 fellow passengers), make it highly probable that William Goodwin's wife 
 Elizabeth came with him to Hartford, and lead irresistibly to the conclusion 
 that Robert White's son-m-law, William Goodwin of Booking, and Elder 
 William Goodwin of Hartford, were the same person. 
 
 The date of the decease of William Goodwin's wife Elizabeth has not 
 been ascertained, but it must have been before January, 1669-70, for at this 
 date William Goodwin sold land in Hadley, Mass., and the name of his wife 
 who then joined in the deed of it is Susanna — ''the first and only record of 
 his wife yet discovered in America." 
 
 William Goodwin and his wife Elizabeth left but one child, a daughter 
 Elizabeth, who married John Crow, an early settler of Hartford. The date 
 of her birth is not known, but it could not have been earlier than 1617, nor 
 has the date of her mai*riage been found. 
 
 "»■■ 
 
 It is very plausibly supposed that the John White who came over in the 
 "Lion" in 1632 and settled first in Newtown, now Cambridge, in Massa- 
 chusetts, and then came with the Rev. Thomas Hooker and his church to 
 Hartford in 1636, was the son of Robert White of Messing. The record of 
 his baptism has not been found. He was not of age in 1617, when his 
 father made his will, in which it was provided that if he should marry with- 
 out the approbation and consent of his mother, and of Joseph Loomis of 
 Braintree and William Goodwin of Booking, his legacy of 200 pounds should 
 be reduced to 100 pounds. In the list of thirty-three of the passengers of 
 
4 
 
 the " Lion,"* given in Drake's Founders of New England, page 12, his? 
 name follows next after the name of William Goodwin. His wife's name 
 was Mary, as ap^iears from an unexecuted lease in the handwriting of his 
 son, Nathaniel White (now in the possession of one of his descendants), 
 dated March 28, 1666, the lessors being John White and Mary his wife, the 
 lessee their son Nathaniel ; the premises, his house and garden, etc., in 
 Hartford, reserving the use of two rooms therein for the term of the lives of 
 said John and Mary, and of the longest liver, whether said John or said 
 Mary. 
 
 The Parish Register of Messing gives the marriage, December 26, 1622,. 
 of John White and Mary (Lev)it. A fac simile of a tracing made by Mr. 
 William Brigg of this entry is here given. 
 
 loA^ ^-mA^ t^r^ 
 
 qf -3. 
 
 6"^^ ./© 
 
 At the request of Mr. Frank F. Starr, of Middletown, Mr. William Brigg, 
 editor of the Herts Genealogist and Antiquary, very kindly made a careful 
 examination of this entry. His great experience and skill in deci^^hering 
 old records make his suggestions and conclusions on difficult words in such 
 records of great value. He writes to Mr. Starr as follows : 
 
 " In reference to this entry : all I need say is that it is a most difficult 
 one to read so far as the surname of the wife is concerned. In the tracing 
 you will notice two faint lines where the initial letter of the name ought to 
 appear. These lines were only visible under a very strong magnifying 
 glass, and the letters following are totally illegible until we come to the last 
 two, viz. ' it,' which are clear enough. It struck me at once that the initial 
 letter was ' L,' and I immediately searched the portions of the register in 
 the same handwriting for a capital L, but failed to tiud one. Then I 
 searched through the baptisms to see if there was any name ending in ' it,* 
 during the period in which it might be supposed she was born, and again I 
 failed to find anything satisfactory. Later on in the register, however, in 
 the years 1633 and 1635 respectively, I came across the baptism of two 
 children of Isaac Levit and Mary his wife, and I have very little hesitation 
 in suggesting that the name of John White's wife was Levit. On my re- 
 turn home I looked again at the will of Robert White, printed in Mr. 
 Goodwin's book, and found that a certain William Levett was one of the 
 witnesses. I think you will agree v/ith me that my suggestion is a very 
 2:)robable one." 
 
 Mr. Brigg found among the Filed Wills, Archdeaconry of Colchester, 
 the will of William Levett, yeoman of Messing, dated 9th October, 1626, 
 proved 15th December, 1626, at Fering. He left an estate of about five 
 hundred pounds. Mentions wife Margaret, sons Isaac, Richard and John. 
 Mr. Brigg also found the nuncupative will of his widow Margaret, dated 
 February 16, 1633, proved 9 March, 1633, Mentions sons Isaac, John 
 and Richard, also a son William not mentioned in her husband's will. No 
 daughter is mentioned in either will. William Levett's will is valuable 
 because the name of ane of the witnesses is " John Whit." The followinor 
 
 o 
 
 * We know the name of the vessel from Gov, Winthi-op's Hist. N. E., vol. 1, p. 107. 
 
is a fac simile of a tracing made by Mr. Brigg of this signature, and under 
 it is a fac simile of the signature of Elder John White of Hartford, to the re- 
 commendation of the Council in 1677, of which he was a member, called to 
 heal the difficulty which had long troubled the ancient church in Windsor. 
 
 Witness to the will of Wm. Levett of Messing: 
 
 O O 
 
 in 1626. 
 
 /Y^-f'^^' "*^P 'Ax^ Signature Elder John White of Hartford in 1677^ 
 
 The variation in the spelling of these names is not considered important. 
 Autograj)h signatures of the same person are often found where the spelling 
 is not precisely the same, especially when the difference consists of the final 
 *' e." Persons familiar with the handwriting of those times have examined 
 these fac similes, and considering that one signature was written in 1626 
 and the other fifty-one years afterwards, when the writer was about 76 years 
 old, have expressed the opinion that they are sufficiently alike to have been 
 written by the same hand. 
 
 Of Elder John White's children, Mary and Nathaniel were born in Eng- 
 land, but only the baptism, July 16, 1626, of Mary has been found. The 
 rest of his children named in his will were born here. 
 
 There was a James Bowtell of Salem and Lynn, 1635, freeman 14 March, 
 1639. His will, dated ^i August, proved 26 November, 1651, mentions 
 1vife Alice, sons James and John and daughter Sarah. See Essex Ins. 
 Hist. Coll., Vol. I., page 9, for abstract of this will. No connection has 
 been discovered between this testator and Robert White's son-in-law, James 
 Bowtell. 
 
 The will of Nathaniel White of Fering, dated 9 June, 1623, proved 31 
 July, 1623, mentions his mother Bridget White, and gives her an annuity 
 of ten pounds. Fering is four or five miles from jMessing. 
 
 It deserves to be mentioned that family genealogies have been printed 
 of all the members of Robert White's familv who are known to have emi- 
 grated to New England, namely : 
 
 Elder John White and his descendants, in 1860. 
 
 The Loomis Genealogy, " 1875. 
 
 Loomis Genealogy, female branches, " 1880. 
 
 The Goodwin's of Hartford, Conn., " 1891. 
 
 John Porter and his descendants, " 1893, 
 
 Memorials of Roderick White and descendants, " 1892. 
 
 From these books some of the preceding facts have been taken, and to 
 these genealogies the reader is referred for full and interesting memorials of 
 these families. 
 
 Essex \ 
 
 to wit : j This is the final asrreement made in the court of the lord king at 
 Westminster, iu three weel^s from the day of the Holy Trinity, in the year of 
 the reign of Charles by the Grace of God of England, Scotland, France and 
 Ireland, King, defender of the faith, etc., from his accession the eighth, before 
 Robert Heath, Richard Hntton, Francis Harvey and George Vernon, justices, 
 then and there present, between Martin Holbeach, gentleman, Adrian Mott, 
 Richard Stcynner, Robert Aylett and Robert Morrys, complainants, and John 
 Tailcott and Dorothy his wife, and William Goodwyu and Elizabeth his wife, 
 deforciants, of three messuages, one barn, three gardens, two orchards, two 
 
6 
 
 acres of meadow and three acres of pasture with the5r appurtenances in Brayn- 
 
 tree and Bocliing And for tliis flue and agreement the said Martin, 
 
 Adraiu, Richard, Roljert and Robert have given to the aforesaid John and Doro- 
 thy and William and Elizabeth a hundred pounds sterling. 
 (Feet of tines twenty (seven) 8, Charles I. (1632) Essex.) 
 
 Trinity term began the Friday after Trinity Sunday, and ended the 
 Wednesday fortnight after. Trinity Sunday in 1632 was May 27. The 
 Trinity term in 1632 began Friday, June 1st, and closed Wednesday, June 
 20th. As ah'eady stated the ship Lyon sailed June 22, 1632. 
 
 Abstract of the Will of John Porter, dated April 20, 1648, proved 7 June, 
 
 164.9.. 
 
 I give to my eldest son John Porter 100 pounds, and to my second son Jearaes 
 Porter I give three score pounds, and to my other six children, to wit : Samuel 
 Porter, Nathaniel Porter, Rebecca Porter, Rose Porter, Mary Porter, Anna 
 Porter, I give to each of them thirty pounds apiece .... My son Joseph 
 Judson is to take twenty shillings of Thomas Thornton the next winter. Also 
 I give fifty shillings to the poor of Wyndsor church. 
 
 My desire is that these my beloved friends would be the overseers of this my 
 last Will and testament. Mr. Warhani of Wyndsor, Mr. Goodwin of Hartford, 
 Goodman White of Hartford, Matthew Grauut of Wyndsor. 
 
 Witnesses. Henry Clarke, John Porter. 
 
 Abigaill Branker. 
 
 His two eldest daughters Anna and Sarah thought the portions given them 
 by their father at their marriage should be made the same as their younger 
 sisters, as appears from the following report of the committee appointed to 
 consider the matter. 
 
 March 7th, 1650. 
 
 Upon the consideration of the business referred to our consideration 
 touching the children of John Porter of Wyndsor, deceased, We tiuding some 
 expressions of his that he would make the portions of his two eldest daughters 
 as good as his younger ; also we conceive the eldest were helpful to the estate 
 and that the Lord hath takeu away one the younger daughters and that the rest 
 of the children are disposed of without damage to tlieir portion; our apprehen- 
 sions are (if the Court see meet) that the two eldest daughters portions be made 
 up thirty pounds apiece. 
 
 John Taillcott, William Westwood. 
 Conn. Col. Rec, Vol. 1, pp. 475-6. 
 
 From the Parish Register of Felsted, Co. Essex, England. 
 
 Baptisms. 
 
 Anna, daughter of John and Anna Porter. 
 John, son of John and Anna Porter. 
 Sara, daughter of John and Anna Porter. 
 James, son of John and Anna Porter. 
 Rebecca, daughter of John and Anna Poi'ter, 
 Samuel, son of John and Anna Porter. 
 Rose, daughter of John and Anna Porter. 
 Samuel, son of John and Anna Porter. 
 Mary, daughter of John and Anna Porter. 
 
 Burials. 
 1632 July 15, Samuel, son of John and Anna Porter. 
 
 1621 
 
 Sept. 
 
 22, 
 
 1622 
 
 Feby. 
 
 9, 
 
 1624 
 
 Mar. 
 
 15, 
 
 1627 
 
 Feb. 
 
 20, 
 
 1630 
 
 Sept. 
 
 16, 
 
 1632 
 
 May 
 
 26, 
 
 1633 
 
 June 
 
 24, 
 
 1635 
 
 June 
 
 2, 
 
 1637 
 
 Oct. 
 
 1, 
 
Extracts from Parish Registers of Shalford and Messing, 
 Co. Essex, transcribed by Mr. Frank Farnsworth Starr. 
 
 From Parish Register of Shalford. 
 Marriages. 
 Richard Bette and Alice Smytlie. 
 Henry Bette son of John the elder and Anne Allgar. 
 Ralfe Bette and Marye Allgar. 
 Robert Whighte and Brydgette Allgar. 
 Joseph Loomis and Mary ^Vhite. 
 William Goodwyn of Bocking singleman and Eliza- 
 beth White of this parish singlewoman. 
 
 Baptisms. 
 Mary Allgar daughter of William Allgar. 
 Brydgette Allgar dau. of " " 
 
 John Allgar son of " " 
 
 John Allgar son of " " 
 
 Elizabeth Allgar dau. of " " 
 
 Sara ^VTiighte dau. of Robert Whighte. 
 April, Nathaniel Wliighte son of Robert Whighte. 
 Mary Whighte dau. of Robert Whighte. 
 Elizabeth Whighte dau. of Robert Whighte. 
 Bridget Whight dau. of " " 
 
 Anne Whighte dau. of " " 
 
 Matthew Bowtell son of James Bowtell. 
 James Bowtell son of James and Sara Bowtell. 
 Nathaniel Bowtell son of James and Sara Bowtell. 
 Stephen Bowtell " " " " " 
 
 Burials. 
 John Allgar, son of William Allgar. 
 William Allgar the elder. 
 Matthew Bowtell sou of .James Bowtell. 
 John Bowtell son of James and Sara. 
 Sara Bowtell dau. of James and Sara. 
 
 From the Parish Register of Messing. 
 
 Marriages. 
 
 Bartholomew Scrivener and Margaret Morris. 
 
 John Christmas the elder widdower and Mary Porter 
 
 singlewoman. 
 John Christmas and Bridgett "Wliite. 
 John Porter of F'elsted and Anna White of Messing. 
 John White and Mary (Lev) it. 
 
 Baptisms. 
 
 Richard Christmas son of John Christmas the younger. 
 John Christmas son of John Christmas and Bridget 
 
 his wife. 
 John White son of John White and Mary his wife. 
 Mary Wliite dau. of John White and Mary his wife. 
 Philip White dau. of " " " " « '^ 
 
 1570 
 
 Nov. 
 
 11, 
 
 1575 
 
 Oct. 
 
 16, 
 
 1582 
 1585 
 
 Sept. 
 June 
 
 27, 
 24, 
 
 1614 
 
 June 
 
 30, 
 
 1616 
 
 Nov. 
 
 7, 
 
 1560 
 
 Sept. 
 
 9, 
 
 1562 
 
 Mar. 
 
 11, 
 
 1565 
 1567 
 
 April 
 Oct. 
 
 5, 
 
 1583 
 1585 
 
 May 
 Mar. 
 
 5, 
 8, 
 
 1587 
 1590 
 
 last day of 
 Aug. 24, 
 
 1591 
 
 Mar. 
 
 5, 
 
 1594 
 
 Aug. 
 
 18, 
 
 1600 
 1614 
 
 July 
 
 Nov. 
 
 13, 
 15, 
 
 1616 
 1618 
 
 Feby. 
 Jan. 
 
 25, 
 1, 
 
 1620 
 
 Jan. 
 
 2, 
 
 1565 
 
 Aug. 
 
 1, 
 
 1575 
 
 Aug. 
 
 2, 
 
 1615 
 
 May 
 
 29, 
 
 1617 
 
 Sept. 
 
 30, 
 
 1626 
 
 Aug. 
 
 15, 
 
 1607 
 1616 
 
 June 
 
 Nov. 
 
 30, 
 26, 
 
 1618 
 1620 
 1622 
 
 Sept. 
 
 Oct. 
 
 Dec. 
 
 28, 
 18, 
 26, 
 
 1619 
 1620-21 
 
 Aug. 
 Jan. 
 
 26, 
 24, 
 
 1623 
 1626 
 1628 
 
 Dec. 
 July 
 Dec. 
 
 28, 
 16, 
 21, 
 
8 
 
 1633 Dec. 1, John Levit son of Isaac Levit and Mary his wife. 
 
 1635 July 5, Sarah dau. of Isaac Levit and Mary his wife. 
 
 1638 Nov. 4, Anna Porter dau. of John Porter and Anna his wife. 
 
 Burials. 
 
 1591 Nov. 29, Alice White. 
 1593 April 14, Will Wliite. 
 
 1616 July 26, James Bowtle child and son of Bowtle of 
 
 Shalford. 
 
 1617 June 17, Robert White. 
 
 Will of Robert White of Messing, from page 68 of " The Goodwins of Hart- 
 ford, Conn" 
 
 In the name of God Amen. May the seaven and twentyeth in the fifteenth 
 yeare of the raigue of onr Soveraigne Lord James by the grace of god Kinge of 
 England ffrauce aud Ireland defender of the faith etc and of Scotland the 
 fiftyeth. In the yeare of our Lord god 1617 I Robert White of Messinge in the 
 countye of Essex yeoman, beinge of good and pfect remembrance, doe make 
 this my last will and testament, in manner and forme foUowinge. Imprimis. I 
 comend my soule unto tlie hands of god almightey my most faythfuU creator 
 redemer and sauctifier and my bodie to be bnryed in the parish church or church 
 yeard of Messinge, at the discretion of mine executors. Item I give and be- 
 fjueatli unto the poore people of Messinge fortye shillings of lawful mony of 
 England, to be distributed amongst them, at ye discretion of mine executors and 
 the minister of Messinge, within one month next after my depture from this 
 iiaturall life. Item I give and bequeath unto Mr. Richard Rogers preacher of 
 gods word at Withersfleld in Essex aforesaid ; and to Bartholomew Scrivener 
 Minister of the church of god in Messinge aforenamed to each of them the 
 severall summe of fortey shillings of like lawfull monie, to be payd unto them 
 within two monthes next after my departure. 
 
 Item I give and bequeath unto mine eldest daughter Sarah, the wife of .Tames 
 Bowtell of little Salinge, the summe of flfteene pounds of lawfull mony of Eng- 
 land, to be paid within fower years next after my depture. Item I give and be- 
 queath unto Jeames Bowtell the younger, son of my said daughter Sarah Bow- 
 tell, the summe of five pounds of good aud lawfull mony of England, to be paid 
 unto him Avhen he shall come to ye sixteenth yeare of his age. 
 
 Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Marie the wife of Joseph Lummis 
 of Branctree, one pewter platter. 
 
 Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Elizabeth the wife of Willm 
 Gooddingeof Bockinge the summe of fortye marines of like lawfull monye 
 within one yeare next after my depture, to be paid unto hir. 
 
 Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Bridgett White the sum of one 
 hundred marks of like lawfull monye, to be paid unto hir upon the day of hir 
 marriage, provided that she my said daughter Bridgett shall not bestow hir selfe 
 in marryage without the approbation and consent of my two sonnes in law 
 Joseph Lummys and Willim Goodinge formrly mentioned, and of my wife 
 Bridgett White or the consent of two of them whereof my wife to be one of the 
 twaiue. But yf it happen that shee marrye without the consent aforesaid then 
 I give hir only the summe of thirtye pounds of like lawful monie. 
 
 item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Anna White the summe of one 
 hundredth markes of like lawfull mony : to be paid unto hir upon ye day of hir 
 marriage ; yf soe be she shall bestow hir selfe in marriage, accordinge to the 
 likinge and consent of my two fornamed sonnes in law, and my wife, as is 
 aforesaid. But yf it soe fall out, as that she my said daughter Anna shall 
 marrye wthout the consent and approbation formerly mentioned, then I give 
 aud bequeath hir only the summe of thirtey pounds of like and lawfull monie. 
 
 Item I give and bequeath unto my sounne Nathaniell White the sume of fortie 
 pounds of like lawfull monye, whereof my will is that twenty pounds shalbe 
 paid wthin one yeare next after my depture, and the other tweutye pounds to 
 be paid unto him wthin two years next after my said depture oute of this 
 paturall life. 
 
9 
 
 Item I give and bequeath unto my sonne John White the summe of two hun- 
 dredtli pounds of like lawfull monie to be paid him wlien he shall come to ye 
 years of one and twentye of his age ; yett provided that my said sonne John 
 shall not bestow himselfe in marriage "without the approbation and consent of 
 my aforesaid two sonnes in law Joseph Luramys and William Goodir.ge, and my 
 wife his mother. And yf it soe fall oute that this my son John shall match him 
 selfe contrai'ye to the good likinge and consent aforesaid, then I give and be- 
 queath unto him onlye as his full portion the surame of one hundred pounds of 
 like lawfuU monye. 
 
 Item my mind and will is, that yf any of my foresaid children that are un- 
 married shall depte this naturall life before the tymes appointed for the paymt 
 of their portions ; or yf any of them shall marrye contrarye to the consent and 
 approbation mentioned, then such summe or summes of monie (as shall remaine 
 and accrew, eyther by their death or disobeydience,) shall be equally devided 
 amongste the rest of my children whither marryed or unmarried, pte and parte 
 like. 
 
 Item I give and bequeath unto my said son John White the ioyned standinge 
 bedstead wch is in the parlour, wth the featherbed, flockljed, bolster coueriuge 
 wth other furneytui'e thereunto belouginge : alsoe the presse cnpbourd the cup- 
 bourd table and newest chest, all wch are in the said ploure to be delivered him 
 after the death of ray said wife Bridgett White, or instead thereof the summe 
 of twenty marks of like lawfuU monye. 
 
 Item I constitute and ordaine my aforesaid sonnes in law Joseph Lumys 
 Willm Goodinge supuisors of this my last will and testament and doe give unto 
 each of them the severall summes of fortey shillings of like lawfull mony : 
 towards their charge and paines in seinge this my will executed according to 
 my minde. 
 
 Item I give and bequeath unto Ralph Bett the younger my kinsman and ser- 
 vant the summe of five poimds of like lawfull monye, to be paid unto him within 
 one yeare next after my depture. 
 
 Item I give and bequeath unto Joseph Digbie ray servant, twentye shillings 
 of like lawfull monye, to be paid Avithin one yeare next after my depture. 
 
 Item all the rest of my goods unbequeathed I give and bequeath unto ray wife 
 Bridgett White, and to my sonne Daniell White whome I constitute and ordayne 
 the ioynte executors of this my last will and testament, hopinge they will faith- 
 fuUye execute this my will accordinge to the trust reposed in them. 
 
 In witness whereof I have hereunto sett myue hand and scale the daye and 
 yeare first mentioned. 
 
 In presence of us 
 
 JoHX Christmas ye elders (-{-) marke =11 = 
 Wlllm Levett. ^ 1" 
 
 Probatu fuit Testamentu apud Kelvedou vicesimo Die mensis Junii 1617. 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
 lyiiiiii 
 
 I. Ill 
 
 010 834 282 1 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
 010 834 282 1 ^