In the name of God Amen the 6th day of January Ad 1576, I Robert WHITE of Fordington, in the peculiar jurisdiction there, do make this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following:

First: I bequeath my soul unto Almighty God my creator and redeemer and my body to be buried in the churchyard of Fordington aforesaid.

Item: I give unto the poor people of Fordington 2 shillings, To the church of Fordington 2 shillings.

Item: To the Lady Church of Sarum 4 shillings;

Item: I give to my daughter Katherine £5 in money 6 platters, 2 pottingers, 2 saucers my second best pan, my kettle, my second best candlestick, a coffer, a bolster, the best pillow, a coverlett, a pair of sheets, and a tester to be delivered unto her at the age of twenty one years

Item: I give to my daughter Betteris [Beatrix] £5 in money, my best pan, and my least kettle, 6 platters, 2 pottingers, 2 saucers, a candlestick, a pair of sheets, a tester, a pillow, a bolster, a coverlett, & a coffer to be delivered unto her at the age of twenty one years.

Item: I give unto William my son my cupboard, my tableboard, my second best brass pot, the best kettle, 2 platters & one pottinger, Also I give unto William my son a steer bullock & the worst heffer bullock, Also I give unto the same William 2 acres and half of wheat lying at six barrows and 3 acres of barley 2 lying in cacharme? & one lying on the east side of Collins stone

Item: I give unto Thomas TAPPE Clerke 3 shillings 4 pence

Item: I give Robert WHITE 11 shillings which he oweth unto me

Item: I give 4 chilve sheep to be distributed among his children.

The Residue: of my goods moveable and unmoveable I give and bequest unto my eldest sonne John whom I make my full and lawful executor of this my Last Will and Testament :

In witness whereof I have appointed and chosen my wellbeloved in Christ Roger COSSEN and Thomas BISHOP to be my overseers of this my last will and testament. These being also witnesses to these presents Thomas TAPPE Clerk ; Peter GOODFELLOW and William COSSEN

PROBATE: of this written testament of Robert WHITE deceased of the parish of Fordington Impremis:- ----- 22nd Day of the month of May 1576.

A line written across the foot of the Will written in Latin [which I am not proficient enough to fully translate] seems to refer to the following Letter of Administration. See Genealogical Note (1) below.

Dicto [said] Johes W[HITE] Fordington [-----] Henr^y CHOUNT [-----] of Roger SEGAR Husband[man] [----] Katherine et {and] Beatris

1st part writen in Latin needs a proper translation but very approx states ----------------we John WHITE, Henry CHOUNT and Roger SEGAR of Fordington in the County of Dorset Husbandman are held and firmly bound to John James --official of the peculiar jurisdiction of Fordington? for twenty pounds of legal money of England- --- ---22nd day of May in the reign one and eight Elizabeth Queen of England France, ---- Defender of the Faith --18 [Note:- the 18th year of the reign of Elizabeth I ran from 17th Nov 1575 to 16th Nov 1576 - date therefore 22nd May 1576]

The condition of this obligation is such that if the within bound John WHITE executor of the Last Will and testament of Robert WHITE late of Fordington deceased uphold his proper costs and charges do honestly & sincerely bring up Katherine and Beatrix the daughters of the so said Robt [Robert] WHITE deceased funding to them and both of them sufficient and necessary abode lodging and apparel until they and both of them shall come and be of lawful age or to be married and then without all collusion do pay unto them and both of them all such goods cattle and ready money as is willed and bequested unto them and both of them from by the last Will and Testament of their father the said Robert WHITE deceased that then this present obligation to be bound & held be void or else to stand in full effect & virtue.

Impremis [In the first place] : iij [3] score sheep the price -----xiij^li [£13]
Itm: [Item:] v [5] horses the price ------vi^li [£6]
Itm: iij [3] keyne [cows] -----iiij^li [£4]
Itm: iij [3] yearling bullocks -----ii^li [£2]
Itm: a swine [female pig] -----xiij^s iiij^d [13s.4d or 1 mark]
Itm: xiij [13] akers [acres] of wheat in bladinge xi^li [£9]
Itm: the barley in the barn v^li [£5]
Itm: the wheat in the barn v^li [£5]
Itm: the cart with harness iiij [4] horses with the sidens of the plough gear ----- x^li [£10]
Itm: the wood -----iij^s [3s]
Itm: ij [2] brass pots ----- xiii^s iiij^d [13s.4d or 1 mark]
Itm: iij[3] brass pans, ij [2] ketles,iij [3] candlesticks and a basen ----- xxvj ^s viij^d [26s. 8d or 2 marks]
Itm: the pewter -----xiij^siiij^d [13s.4d or 1 mark]
Itm: cobart [cupboard]. ij [2] tableboards and a forme ----- xiii^s iiij^d [13s.4d or 1 mark]
Itm: a featherbed ij [2] bolsters and ij[2] pillows-----xx^s [20 shillings]
Itm: iij [3] coverlets and ij [2] payer [pair] of sheits [sheets] xj^s [11 shillings]
Itm: a cheast [chest] ij [2] coffers -----vj^s. Viii^d [6s 8d]
Itm: iiij [4] bedsteads -----iiij^s [4s]
Itm: the vat and barrels -----iij^s [3s]
Itm: the spit pothock [pothook] & a folde bar.----- j^s.iiii^d [1s.4d]

Sum Total £60-9s.0d

Debts that the said Robert WHITE owed at his death

To Robert COSEN xvj^s [16s.]

Exhibited

Genealogical Notes:-

(1). Robert WHITE's will makes it clear that in 1576 he had four surviving children, John WHITE the eldest his executor, Katherine, Betteris (Beatrix) and William. Robert bequeaths a legacy to each of his daughters of £5 and some household goods which is not to be paid until they reach the age of 21. The court clearly felt that there should also be a specific obligation placed upon the executor to raise the daughters providing sufficient funds for their lodging and apparel until their legacies fell due and John WHITE therefore had to provide a bond of £20 (See Letter of Administration) to that effect with Henry CHOUNT and Roger SEGAR also legally responsible to the Court to ensure this was correctly carried out.

Robert's son William by contrast comes immediately into his inheritance and this includes two and a half acres of wheat at Long Barrow and 3 other acres in Fordington Fields. These are close to or adjoining the holdings of Agnes WHITE (d.1576).

Robert WHITE died in January 1576 (See inventory of his goods taken after his death) but his will is not approved until 22nd May, the day after the approval of Agnes and her daughrer Eleanor's wills on the 21st May 1576. I think this is significant in showing that they were all closely related. Robert might well have been an elder son of Agnes as at least his two daughters were still under age. Follow link to Agnes Will for more information.

(2) We also have the nuncupative Will of Robert's son William who died in 1595. He left his estate to his two children George and Eme who were then still under age. The Court appointed his elder brother John WHITE as administrator during their minority and also attached is an account of his administration.. Follow link for more information.