Austen Will Heading

[MattD30]

Hi

Is anyone able to make out the start of this will for me? I can make out the first line where it states 'In the name of God Amen....' but I am having some difficulties with the second and third lines. In particular I am having a problem with the name of the testator and the parish, it looks like "Richard Austen of ............ in the county of Kent, yeoman" but I would appreciate someone confirming this.

Many thanks in advance for any help

Matt

[horselydown86]

I believe the place is Westwell in Kent.  There are two ls crossed out mid-word.

Without them it comes out as weastewell:

...the 28^day ? march in 31 year of the Raigne of our sovferant lady

Elizabeath by the grace of god quen of England france & earland defender of the fayeth &c

I Richard austen of weastellwell in the county of kent yeaman being in good & p(er)feat

Remembrance thankes be unto allmyghty god Do make this my last will & teastement in mann(e)r &

forme foling fi^rst I bequayd my sowle,,,

Notes:

Something is odd with the date.  I'm next to certain the month is march, but there's an apparent D before it?

sovferant = sovereign

earland = Ireland

[MattD30]

I believe the place is Westwell in Kent.  There are two ls crossed out mid-word.

Without them it comes out as weastewell:

...the 28^day ? march in 31 year of the Raigne of our sovferant lady

Elizabeath by the grace of god quen of England france & earland defender of the fayeth &c

I Richard austen of weastellwell in the county of kent yeaman being in good & p(er)feat

Remembrance thankes be unto allmyghty god Do make this my last will & teastement in mann(e)r &

forme foling fi^rst I bequayd my sowle,,,

Notes:

Something is odd with the date.  I'm next to certain the month is march, but there's an apparent D before it?

sovferant = sovereign

earland = Ireland

Hi

Thanks for that. Having looked at the writing again I think you are correct in saying it looks like Westwell.

I think the D before March might stand for 'day' as in 'the 28th day of March...' what do you think?

Many thanks again

Matt

[horselydown86]

I think the D before March might stand for 'day' as in 'the 28th day of March...' what do you think?

He may have started to write Day, then realised he'd already written of.

Then he went back and inserted day as a superscript above the number, leaving the D orphaned.