Will reading

[sugarfizzle]

This is an extract from the Will of Ann Barker, widow of Broadwater from 1586.

Can anybody decipher the surname of 'my brother Robert ?'

As there are no marriages recorded in Broadwater at the appropriate time, this could be very valuable information. 

Son William Barker was baptised in 1566, so would have been c 20 at the time, though his 2 sisters, mentioned in the Will, were older.

Thanks in advance, Margaret

[Bookbox]

It could be kent – the second letter has been overwritten, maybe changing a to e ?

... & she did appoynte Robert
kent hir brother ...

Any other examples of letter k in the will?

[sugarfizzle]

Partially solved by reading the other copy of the Will.

It appears to read Robert Kent ...
So the original reads 'she did appoint Robert Kent ... brother to be overseer. So what is the missing word?

Regards Margaret

[sugarfizzle]

Thanks Bookbox. Definitely Kent as I said above.
And 'hir brother'.
Fantastic.

Another problem. Ann's husband Thomas Barker died the year before. I have found the probate, mistranscribed as ever, but can't find any Will.

Any offers?

Margaret

[Bookbox]

If this is the probate you've found below, it's just a grant of administration to his widow, Ann, no will. Dated 21 April 1585.
Inventory valued at £33 11s 2d.

ADDED
If you look at other entries on the page, some begin with a capital T (for Testamentum), others with Ad^o (for Administracio). This one is an administration.

(I see that Ancestry have given many of these people the first name Honor, which is their misreading of the Latin abbreviation bonor(um) = ‘of the goods’  )

[sugarfizzle]

Thanks again.

I didn't realise the difference. So no Will, which is possibly why Ann felt she had to write or 'utter' one.

Yes, the 'Honor' is confusing. I realise that the writing is not the easiest to decipher, but Ancestry should do better than that.

Thank you once again.

Margaret