LAST WILL & TESTAMENT
William Lawrence, Yeoman of Fordington, 1646

National Archives Reference: PROB 11/196/441

© Transcribed for the Dorset OPC Project by Kim Parker August 2018

I William Lawrence of Fordingtunn in the Countie of Dorset Yeoman being indifferent well (thankes bee to God therefore) The tenth day of Aprill in the yeare of our Lord God, One thousand six hundred fortie five, doe make this my last will and testament in manner and forme following

First I give my Soule into the hands of Almightie God my maker and Saviour and to Jesus Christ my Redeemer by whose death and merrits I hope to be saved and my Bodie to be buried in the parish Church of Fordingtunn, under the Broad Tombstone att my Seates End, unto which Church I give Twentie shillinges for my burying there.

Item I give unto the Minister that shall preach att my funerall Twentie shillinges.

Item I give unto the poore of the same parish Twentie shillinges to be equally devided amongst amongst them.

Item I give unto the poore of the parish of All Saints in Dorchester Twentie shillinges devided equally amongst them.

Item I give unto the poore of the parish of Whitchurch Twentie shillinges.

Item I give unto the poore of the parish of Miltunn Abbis Twentie shillinges.

Item I give unto my daughter Katherine Foyne fortie pounds ^(2.1).

Item I give unto her sonne Edmund Foyne thirtie pounds to be paid when he come to the age of One and Twentie yeares.

Item I give unto her daughter Fraunces Foyne fifty pounds to be paid att her day of marriage or att the age of Twentie yeares, first come first paid.

Item I give unto her daughter Mary Foyne fortie pounds to be paid att her day of marriage, or att the age of Twentie yeares, which shall first come.

Item I give unto her daughter Sarah Foyne fortie pounds to be paid att her day of marriage, or att the age of Twentie yeares, which shall first come.

Item I give unto her son John Foyne fortie pounds to be paid when he cometh to the age of one and Twentie yeares.

Item I give unto her daughter Edith Foyne fortie pounds to be paid att her day of marriage, or att the age of Twentie yeares, which shall first come.

And my will is that if eyther of theise children dyeth before the legacie bee due, Then to be equally devided amongst the rest, All which to be paid and performed by the mortgage of Wilkings of Evershott and by the monie Sir Frauncis Fulford and his sonne do owe mee, as soone as convenient the tyme doth bringe about.

Item I give unto my son in lawe John Shepheard Twentie pound which Andrew Loope oweth mee.^(2.2)

Item I give unto my Daughter Phillip[pa] Shepheard fortie pound ^(2.3).

Item I give unto her sonne Lawrence Sheepheard fortie pounds to be paid him att the age of One and Twentie yeares.

Item I give unto her daughter Elizabeth Shepheard fortie pounds to be paid att her day of marriage, or att the age of Twentie yeares first come to be paid.

Item I give unto her daughter Sarah Shepheard fortie pounds to be paid att her day of marriage, or att the age of Twentie yeares first come to be paid.

Item I give unto her daughter Jane fortie pounds, att her day of marriage, or att the age of Twentie yeares first come to be paid.

And my will is that if eyther of theise children dyeth before the legacie bee due, Then to remayne equally to the rest, The which monie to be paid from the mortgage of Stone and Whindell and the hundred pounds that John Bridill and Paetie doth owe mee, as soone as my Executors can call it in.

Item I give unto my daughter Mary Lawrence ^(2.4) one silver Bolle and ?Two hundred and fifty pounds att my freinds disposing my brother Robert Lawrence⁽³⁾, my sonne John Lawrence and Richard Lacy^(2.6) for my daughters good in the way of marriage.

Item I give unto my sonne John Lawrence my Lease of Chesomm Farme during the terme and my stocke of sheepe.

Item I give my sonne my Land in Dorchester after my wifes life to him and his heires forever And if my sonne John dyeth without issue Then to remayne to Lawrence Shepheard and his heires forever. If hee dyeth without issue Then to remayne to my brother Robert Lawrence and his heires forever.

Item I give unto Jone Baily the wife of William Baily Twentie shillinges

I give unto my kinsman Christopher Lawrence and John Lawrence, my kinswomen Sarah Lawrence and Anna Lawrence fifty pounds to be paid out of the fifty pounds that Mr Penny of Charke doth owe mee as soone as can bee brought about. Onely my will is that Christian Samwayes and her children shall have Twentie shillinges apeece out of it.

Item I give unto my unckle Bastum Stand his children fortie shillinges.

Item I give unto Richard Harding fortie shillinges.

Item I doe make my Executors of this my last Will and Testament my wife Christian Lawrence and my sonne John Lawrence my full and whole Executors to see this my will performed

And my will and desire is that they would use their best indeavours honestlie for my childrens children for the increase of it for them, untill it shall come to be due unto them

And I do desire my welbeloved freindes, my brother Robert Lawrence, Robert Seager, William Collins of Morden and Richard Lacie of Dorchester to see this performed And for their paines I give them five shillinges apiece to buy them a Ringe apeece.

All formerly wills I utterlie renounce and make voide and this to stand.

William Lawrence
[no witnesses’ names given]

Proved at the PCC in London by Christian Lawrence, widow, and John Lawrence, son of the deceased,19 June 1646.

Genealogical Notes: (by Michael Russell OPC for Fordington):-

(1). William LAWRENCE [LAURENS, LAURENCE] (d.1646) of Fordington was a yeoman who also held property at Winterborne Whitchurch. His Will transcribed above names his brother Robert LAWRENCE as one of the overseers of his Will, but he had an elder brother John LAWRENCE who pre-deceased him in 1640/1 from which we know their mothers name was Agnes.

William's name appears in a number of surviving documents.

On the 21st April 1620, referred to as a husbandman of Fordington, he appeared before Sir Frances Ashley JP (1569-1635) and was fined £5. The reason recorded was "Typler supprest". Robert Rascar also of Fordington was fined £10 and John Rascar of Dorchester £5 for the same reason at the same hearing. The following day Ambrose White of Fordington a husbandman was also fined £10 for tippling along with £5 for William Barnes junior also of Fordington. On the 24th of April yet two more husbandmen were fined for tippling at nearby Broadmayne so it is clear there had been a purge on unlicensed providers of ale.

William Lawrence was among the very first members to be admitted to the Company of Freemen in Dorchester on 25th Oct 1621 when he was recorded as a brewer. There is a further entry about evidence being submitted regarding him (and others) not having a tiplers licence in Sir Francis Ashley's casebook on 27th Dec 1625 although does not give the outcome so may have been dismissed. He was a close friend of Edward Johnson a Gentleman of Fordington and was appointed overseer of his will which he also witnessed on 27th Jan 1624/5.

William Lawrence clearly gained in respectability as his will written in 1645 refers to him as a yeoman rather than a husbandman and asks for his body to be buried within the church 'under the broad tombstone att my seates end'. He actually served as churchwarden of St Georges Church in 1627 as he signed the Bishop's Transcript return for baptisms and burials for the previous year (1626/7). The vicar then was the Revd. Edward Pele who avidly supported the preaching's of the Rev John White. The role of churchwarden often rotated amongst the senior members of the congregation and his place was taken the following year by Anthony Eames, and in 1633 and 1639 by his friend and overseer of his Will Robert Seager.

William Lawrence was also sworn in as constable of Fordington Liberty at the Quarter Sessions held at Sherborne between 18th and 20th April 1626. He was sworn in for a further year as constable during the Sessions at Sherborne held between 3rd and 5th April 1627 but replaced in April 1628 by his friend Robert Seager.

After his death :- 1650 Survey of Fordington Manor recorded as 'Christian the relict of Wiliiam LAWRENCE (d.1646) is shown as holding in her widowood a tenement and a half place in Fordington Fields by copyhold grant dated in 1632 for the lives of the said William (deceased) and of John their son aged 24.

(2.1) Katherine LAWRENCE (c1609- ) was probably baptised at Fordington between 1609 and 1613 when records have not survived. She married James Fownes (aka Foyne and Fawne) at St Georges Church in Fordington on 1st June 1630. Katherine and 6 of her children are beneficiaries under her father's will in 1646 (see transcription above). She had died prior to her brother John's will dated 31 Jan 1666/7 when he left her daughter Edith an additional £40.

(2.2) Sara[h] LAWRENCE(c1611- bet 1632-1646) also probably baptised at Fordington between 1609 and 1613. She is briefly mentioned as having reversion rights in the 1650 Survey of Fordington Manor, after her mother and brother John in the copyhold grant dated in 1632, but simply recorded in 1650 as being deceased. She married John Shepherd at nearby Stinsford on 26th Feb 1638/9 . She clearly died after 1632 but prior to 1645 as only her husband is a beneficiary under her father's Will in 1646.

(2.3) Phillip[pa] LAWRENCE (1614 - aft 1646) was baptised at St Georges Church in Fordington on 7th Apr 1614 and married Roger Shepherd at Winterborne Whitchurch on 11th Oct 1636. She and 4 of her children are beneficiaries under her fathers Will in 1646.

(2.4) Mary LAWRENCE (d.1699) was probably baptised at Fordington in 1616/17 when registers are again missing. She was unmarried in 1646 her father leaving her a silver bowl and £250 for her benefit. She married Nicholas Purchase during the interregnum and was left £5 and her children £12, in her mother's will in 1663. Her husband Nicholas Purchase pre-deceased her and was buried at Holy Trinity Church in Dorchester on 18th Nov 1675. A letter of administration was granted to their son Joseph Purchase (d.1681/2) a distiller by trade on the 3rd Dec 1675. Also bound with him for correct performance of the administration is his widowed mother Mary Purchase and James Manuell a maltster of Dorchester. Mary was buried at Holy Trinity Church on 14th July 1699.

(2.5) Jane LAWRENCE (d.1625/6) there is no trace of her baptism but she clearly died an infant and was buried as Jane the daughter of William Lawrence at St Georges Church 2nd Jan 1625/6

(2.6) John LAWRENCE (c.1626-1666/7) again no trace of a baptism despite parish registers surviving from 1618. His age was given as being about 24 in the - 1650 Survey of Fordington Manor making him born c1626. His father however was churchwarden of FStG in 1626. He is the main beneficiary under his father's will in 1646 and mother's in 1663. Four of his children [not named] are also beneficiaries under his mother's will. John's own will dated 31 Jan 1666 is at the National Archives (PROB 11/324) in which he states that he is of Milton Abbas but wishes to be buried at Winterborne Whitchurch 'as near my children's tombs as possible'. Known children born to him and his wife Elizabeth who is executrix of his will:-

(2.6.1) John Lawrence (a twin) of John Lawrence of Milton was baptised at Winterborne Whitchurch on 5th Sep 1649 and buried there on 5th Sep 1649,

(2.6.2) Elizabeth Lawrence (a twin) of John Lawrence of Milton was baptised at Winterborne Whitchurch on 5th Sep 1649 and buried there on 8th Aug 1652,

(2.6.3) Sarah Lawrence buried at Winterbourne Whitchurch on 3rd Sep 1650.

(2.6.4) John LAWRENCE the main beneficiary under his fathers will in 1666/7. He inherited:-
(a) The chattel lease of his farm at West Milton in the Parish of Powerstock
(b) The lease of Barrowes in the Parish of North Porton
(c) The lease of Little Broad Meade since known by the name of Little Meade lying Clement's close and Besses Close lying in Witherston a tything within the parish of Poorstock [Powerstock]
(d) Land at Rahybury in the parish of Holten
(e) Land at Dorchester now in the possession of Andrew Purchase


(2.6.5) Mary Lawrence Her and her sister Elizabeth are left £1,000 in trust with her mother and other named trustees in her fathers will

(2.6.6) Elizabeth Lawrence See comments under (2.6.5)

John Lawrence (d 1666/7) also left a bequest in his will to his sister Mary, the wife of Nicholas Purchase, of £4 per annum for life to be paid out of the profits of Chesomm Farm which he inherited from his father. He also left his sister Phillip the wife of Roger Sheppard £4 and her daughter Jane Sheppard £60 in lieu of the bequest of £40 made in his father's will. Land and tithe in the parish of Winterborne Whitchurch he made over to his loving wife Elizabeth.

John was buried at Winterborne Whitchurch on 7th Feb 1666/7 and his Will proved by his Relict Elizabeth Lawrence on 4th May 1667. She was also later buried at Winterborne Whitchurch recorded as 'Mrs Elizabeth LAURENCE widow of Milton Abbey buried in Woollen' on 23rd March 1685/6.