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In the Name of God so be it the last day of October the
year of the incarnation of our Lord God 1497. I Christina
Emtiach the widow of Michael Emtiach of the parish of Saint
Peter in the Isle of Thanet of whole and perfect mind thus making
my testament and last will. First I bequeath my soul to Almighty
God and to our Lady Saint Mary and to all the holy company of heaven
and my body to be buried in the churchyard there. Also I bequeath to the high
altar there 8d to each light which I am sister of one bushell
of barley also I bequeath to Michael Emtiach my son 2 kettles the
more and the less 1 little brasier 1 skillet 1 little pan of a gallon
or a half 1 chest 1 ‘showte’ 1 quern 1 pipe cooker 1 table 1
form 1 chair 1 pair [of] sheets 1 coverlet 1 pair [of] blankets some
transfer and 2 small pillows The residue of my brass to be
divided equally between Thomas and Richard my sons and all the
residue of my pewter to be divided equally between my said
3 sons Thomas, Richard and Michael. Also I bequeath to the said Thomas
my son my great kettle and the said Thomas shall pay to my
executors for it 12d. Also I bequeath to Alice the wife of
the said Thomas my son my violet kirtle 1 green gown and my
worst hood. Also I bequeath to Alice the wife of the said Richard
my son my russet gown. Also I bequeath to Jone Austen
my hook. Also I bequeath to each of the children of George
Emtiach 1 lamb. The residue truly of all my goods
and chattels after my debts and bequests [are] paid and content
I give and bequeath to the said Thomas and Richard my said sons that they
thereof ordain dispose[al] for the health of my soul god to please and my
soul to prevail which Thomas and Richard I make and ordain
my executors. Furthermore of all my lands
in which lands Nicholas Easton senior and Robert Graunt be
enfeoffed first I will my said feoffees shall enfeoff the said Michael
my son of and in my closure lying at Solestrete one acre of land
lying there 1 acre and half acre of land lying at Pedewey
having and holding to him to his heirs and assigns forevermore.
Also I will that my said feoffees shall enfeoff the said Thomas and Richard
my sons of and in 2 acres and half acre of land lying
in Longdane and in 3 roods and half rood lying at Southway
having and holding to them to their heirs and assigns for evermore
Also I will that the said Thomas, Richard and Michael my
sons shall sell my roods of land lying at Dumpton to him
that will give most therefore the money thereof received
I will my said executors ordain and lay a chrismatory for the
said church and if [it] so be that the said Thomas, Richard & Michael
my sons will not sell the said 3 roods and lay not the said
chrismatory therein I will that my said feoffees shall sell
of the foresaid lands unto the value of the said 3 roods
to buy therewith the said chrismatory. This witness[ed] Robert Graunt
John Emtiach John Turrett John Colmer William Yorklett
and others.

Transcription of document: PRC17/6/325 held at Kent History and Library Centre, Maidstone, Kent

Notes:

1. It is very hard to decipher this will. The name of her husband in line 3 looks nothing like ‘Michael’ but (as they have both named the same children and she herself was named in her husband’s will (Michael d:1489) it’s almost certainly an abbreviation ie.’Mich’, abbreviations often being used in documents of this time.

2. Having named the wives of her two older surviving sons as beneficiaries, in also naming Jone Austen, it seems likely that Jone was the widow of George d:1494 (named in his will). Left with two young children she would probably have remarried, changing her name to ‘Austen’. Unfortunately, it was too early for such a marriage to be in the parish register.

3. Some of the people named in her will are also included in the wills of her husband Michael (d:1489)
and son George (d:1494). She, like George, also included a John Emptiache.

4. The various spellings of her name included: ‘Cresten’, ‘Christiane’, ‘Christine’, and ‘Christina’.