Below is a transcription of the copy of will of John Dounton of Puddletown held by The National Archives. The will is dated 18th October 1646.
The eighteenth ~ ~ ~ of October Anno Domini One Thousand Six Hundred ffortie Sixe[1]
In the name of God Amen⁝
John Dounton of Puddletowne in the Countie of Dorsett yeoman being sicke of body but of good and perfect remembrance thanks be given unto Almightie God doe make and Ordaine this my last Will and Testament in mannor and fforme following that is to say ffirst I bequeathe my soule into the hands of Almightie God and Creator and redeemer And my Body to be buried in the Church or Churchyard of Puddletowne. Item I doe give unto my sonne John Dounton One Bond of One Hundred Poundes due unto me from my Brother in Lawe John Juye[2] of West Hemsworth[3] and the Goods that is in his handes of mine to be equally divided amongst all my seaven children[4]. Item I doe give unto my Sonne Edmund Dounton One Bond of ffiftie Poundes due to me from my Sister in lawe Susanna Younge of Trent in the Countie of Somersett. Item I doe Give unto the said Edmund my Sonne Thirtie Poundes due from Leonard Miller the Elder. I doe give unto the said Edmund my Sonne Tenne poundes due unto me from George Stile of Puddletowne. Item I do give unto William Dounton my Sonne One Bond of Twentie poundes due unto me from Mr John Smarte of Galton and ffortie shillings which he oweth to me more. Item I doe give unto the said William my Sonne One Chattle Lease[5] of ffrye meade and Wodsford Hames[6] during the whole Terme of the said Lease. Item I do make Katherine my now wife[7], my full and hole Executrix of this my last will and Testament to take all the rest of my Goods moveable and unmoveable after my debts paid and my funerall Expenses discharged. Item I do appoint John Hassard and Gyles Sampson both of Milborne to be Overseers of this my last Will and Testament. John Dounton. Memorando That this Being read to the Testator He did acknowledge it to be his last Will in the presence of John Mellor the marke of Henry White John Hassard his marke Gyles Sampson.
| Notes: | |
| [1] | The will was made during the English Civil War. |
| [2] | There was a John Jaye baptised in Sturminster Marshall on 4th June 1601 and a John Joye was buried in Wimborne in 1661. There were also Jays/Joys living in Turners Puddle. |
| [3] | West Hemsworth is to the north of Badbury where 4000 people met in May 1645 to listen to the reading of the Dorset and Wilts Clubmen’s declaration “The Desires and Resolutions” by Thomas Young. |
| [4] | Only three children, all sons, are named. It is probable that the remaining children were all married daughters there being no provision made for them in the will. |
| [5] | A Chattle Lease was a lease that could be bequeathed in a will. |
| [6] | Parcels of land identified as Ffrye meade and Wodsford Hames. Ffrye meade was probably at Friar Mayne, a deserted medieval village located between Warmwell and Broadmayne. Woodsford is to the south of Puddletown. I can find no reference to Hames but there was a local family by the name of Haines so maybe a piece of land associated with them. |
| [7] | “ Katherine my now wife” implies that Katherine was not his first wife. |
View a provisional family tree for the Downtons of Puddletown based upon the information contained in this will together with information extracted from Puddletown Parish records.