The Will of Richard Bolle of Louth

The Hero of Alton Church

The will is dated January 1641 (1642 by the modern calendar).

note: the sums of money given in the Will are in the form XX l where the 'l' represents the symbol for the pound sterling and the Roman numerals are the amount of the bequest.

This Will is dated Jan. 31, 1641 but at that time the New Year did not start until March so by our modern calendar this Will was actually written on Jan. 31, 1642.

“In the name of God Amen, this last day of January Anno Dom 1641 of  Richard Bolle of Louth in ye County of Lincolne Esq. being of perfect health & memory (God be praised, yet in regard I am occasioned to travell in his majesty’s present service and expedition into ye kingdome of Ireland and considering whch myself the uncertaine comeing of a certaine death to all mankinde in generall and more especially to men of more dangerous imploymente and military fortunes doe therefore make this my last will & testamt  in forme following; First I comend my soule into the hands of god that gave it trusting and assuredly believing that through the merrite death and passion of his only sonne and my alone Saviour Christ Jesus the righteous my sinnes are and shalbe forgiven. My body when by death it shalbe destroyed I comitt to the earth from whence it came there to rest as in a Comon Treasury amongst the bodyes of his Saints till my Saviour his second coming in a Christtian & comfortable assurance that it shall then be raysed upp wth my [soul] to meete my Redeemer in the cloudes. And as concerning that temporall estate whch god hath blessed me wthall I thus dispose thereof: First I bequeath to the poore of Louth ye summe of Xl to be to them distributed and given or else imployed as a spirituall __ecke for the poore wthin six months after my decease at ye discretion of my executor herein after named & the Churchwardens and overseers of the said towne for the tyme being: Item I give to my loveing brother Capt: Jno Bolle the summ of Xl and all such arrears of payment as are due to me from his Majie being an __ . Also I give to my sister Anne the wife of ___ Hicks seventy pounds and to my brother Thomas Bolle,  if he be living, the summ of four score pounds the said legacies to be payed unto them respectively within six months next after my decease. And yf my said brother Thomas be dead, then I will his said legacie shalbe equally divided betwixt my said brother John and sister Anne Item I give to my nephew Thomas Hicks the sume of three score pounds to be paied unto him at his age of one & twenty yeares or layed out for the bindeing of him an apprentice or otherwise for his preferment at the discretion of my executor. And that in the meane tyme he shall allowe to my said sister Anne interest for the said the said LX l according to ye lawe. Item I give to my goddaughter Jane Bolle daughter of Sir Charles Bolle knight fiftie pounde And to John Anne & Katherine Bolle children of the said Sir Charles each of them ten pounde; and to Jno Mussenden eldest sonne of my cosen Francis Mussenden Esq. ten pounds. And I will the said legacie to be payed to the said last named legatees att their severall respective ages of one and twenty years Item I give for my cosen John Bolle of Burgh in the marsh ten pounds To Anne Osney of Louth widdowe sixe pounds To my cosin Elizabeth Folkingham Wife of Robert Folkingham gent, XL l to be payed unto them respectively wthin six moneths after my decease Item I give to ye Lady Elizabeth Bolle widdow, the Lady Elizabeth wife of the said Sir Charles Bolle, To my Cosens Mr Edward Bolle, Mrs Hunt, Mrs Elye, Mrs Cracroft, Mrs Bridgett Bolle, to my Oncle Mussenden, the younger children of my said Cosen Francis Mussenden To himself & his wife To John Anne Katherine Mary and Jane Bolle the children of the said Sir Charles Bolle and to my very kinde friende Sir Henry Radleigh Kt, Girvase Hollis Esq. Francis Thorndicke and Thomas Aiscoughe gent To each of them the sume of Xl wthin three moneths next after my decease to be bestowed in Rings to weare in remembrance of me Item I give to the said Sir Charles Bolle the sume of Xl to buy him a ring withall to weare likewise in ye remembrance of me The rest of all my goods Chattles debts & psonall estate whatsoever by this my will unbequeathed I give unto the said Sir Charles Bolle whome I make sole executor of this my last will and testament revoking all former wills and humbly desire him to take the charge & execucon thereof according to my said meaning herein formerly expressed and my assured trust and confidence in him is he will doe In witnes whereof I the said Richard Bolle have hereunto set my hand & seale the day and yeare first above written Rich: Bolle Sealed, signed and published to be the last will and testament of the said Richard Bolle with the i_ter_acon of these words (or otherwise for his preferment) before the sealing in the presence of we whose names are inscribed Griff. Price, the marke of Edward Price & William Waddsley.”