In his testament George leaves his soul to Almighty God, the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints and his body to be buried in the churchyard of St Peter-in-Thanet, Kent. He leaves a sum of 4d to the high altar there for tithes forgotten and ‘to the work of the said church’, 1 ewe.

The rest of his goods, his debts first having been paid, George leaves to Johanne [Jone], his wife, so that she may dispose of them in a manner best pleasing to God and for the profit of his soul.

George appoints his wife Joanne and Stephen Colner [Culmer] to be his executors and he leaves a payment of 20d to be given to the said Stephen for his labour.

“This is the last will of me the said George made the day and year I have rehearsed of and upon all my lands and tenements with appurtenances in the which lands and tenements Nicholas Easton the elder Robert Graunt and John Emptiache be enfeoffed.

First I will that my said feoffees shall suffer the said Johanne my wife to have hold and occupy all my said lands and tenements with appurtenances till Jeffery and Peter my sons come to the age of 18 years keeping sufficient reparation and pay the lord of the fee and then I will that my said feoffees shall enfeoff the said Jeffery and Peter of and in all the foresaid lands and tenements with the appurtenances therein those lands which my father bequeathed unto me in [my] last will if that then Christine (‘Cresten’) my mother be deceased having and holding to them to the heirs and assigns for ever more by equal portions. And if it so fortune that any of them too decease within the said age the one to be the other heir and if it so fortune that both decease within the said age then I will that my executors and feoffees aforesaid shall sell all the foresaid lands and tenements to my bretheren if they will give as much therefore as one other may well give the money thereof received I will it shall be disposed [of] in this manner and form following.

First I will that an honest priest shall sing and pray for my soul father and mother and all other souls to the space and term of a full quarter of a year in the said church of Saint Peter wherefore he shall have for his labours 33s 4d. Also I give and bequeath to each
of my bretheren of that said 6s 8d. And to the said Jone my wife if that then she be living 10s.

And the residue of the money to be done for the health of my soul as my said executors and feoffees see most expedient God to please and my soul to prevail. Also I bequeath
to each of my feoffees for their labours 8d.

This witness[ed] by Sir Harry Ase, Robert Graunt, John Emptiach, John Matthew, John Turret and others more…

Summary of Latin Testament and transcription of English Will from document PRC17/6/62 held at the Kent History and Library Centre at Maidstone.

Notes:

1. George died 5 years after his father Michael died in 1489 and 3 years before his mother Christina died in 1497. As the practice was to refer to children in age order, he was probably their second son.

2. We have the first mention of a “John Emptiach” (witness), so it would seem there was at least one other Emptage family in St Peters at that time.

It is possible that this is the John Emptiache who died in 1501; perhaps a brother or cousin of Michael who died in 1489.

3. See also the transcript of will of Christina died 1497, note 1, regarding George’s wife ‘Johanne’/Jone.

4. Some names of witnesses etc. common to the will of his father Michael, died 1489.

5. Sir Harry Ase, who witnessed this will, was a former vicar of St Peter-in-Thanet (1444-5).

6. Feoffment or enfeoffment was the transfer of land or property in return for pledges or conditions.

Mary Clark