(John was the husband of Sybilla BECON, a cousin 10 times removed of mine)

Many people appear not to have written their wills until they were sick, although it is not usually possible to know if the will written then was replacing an earlier one made in good health. It is even said to have been considered badluck to write a will, causing an earlier death.

John wrote his while well; possibly he was prompted to start this task by the death of the last surviving of his 6 children a couple of months earlier. Two had survived the most risky time of babyhood, but the last to die was aged just 9, surely a reminder to John of his own mortality.

Of course another reason for writing this will soon after the death of his last child may be that an earlier will with his child or children as the main beneficiaries was not longer appropriate. Sybilla appears to have had no children, despite she and John having been married about 6 years when he started writing the will, and now being aged 43 it must have seemed probable he would leave no heires. John did still think of the possibility of an heir; a little strangely he allows for the possibility of Sybilla being with child when he died, but not that she might have given birth to a child between him writing the will and dying; I guess he would have rewritten the will or added a codicil PDQ if that had happened.

As is often the case with a childless testator, John’s will is a particularly long one, with very many people receiving bequests. However, all the relations seem to be relations of his, not his wife Sybilla’s, as far as I have looked; two relations of Sybilla’s are mentioned, her late brother Anthony and her cousin’s husband George Yonge, who is asked to help adminster a bequest in Anthony’s will, if necessary.

Some of John’s relations were amongst the early settlers seeking religious freedom in New England and John himself had land there. The puritan connection is obvious not only in the references to New England but also in some of the names: Hopestill, Thankful, Smallhope.

[Names highlighted in blue indicates also mentioned in his brother Smallhope’s will so where they are relations they appear to be on John’s side, not his wife Sybilla’s; line breaks and page numbers to aid referring to / from images of the register copy.]

In the Name of god Amen: The Seaventeenth
daie of August in the yeare of our lord Christ a thousand sixed hundred and fortie I John Bigg
of Maidstone in the Countie of Kent Jurat beeinge by the mercie of god in good health of bodie and of
perfect remembrance in mind for the which I doe give thanks unto God doe make this my last will &
testament in manner and forme followinge, that is, First I committ my Soule unto the mercie of
God my Creator trustinge assuredlie thorrough the meritts of Jesus Christe my Redeemer & Saviour to
bee made partakers of life everlastinge, And my bodie to the earth to bee buried at the discretion of my
wife and mine Executor M^r. Andrew Broughton, whom I doe ordain my sole executor of this my
last will and testament, trustinge that hee wilbee carefull to performe the trust by mee committed
to him herin And now concerninge my temporall estate I dispose of it as followeth Item I do give
to the ordinarie poore of the pariishe of Maidston five poundes to bee distributed by the Overseers then
beeinge And more I give fifteene poundes towards the clothinge of fifteene poore people whom my
wife and executor shall think most fitt to bestow it upon Also I give unto Roger Ball John Bowden
William Whetston Samuell Browne and Samuell Skelton five poundes a peece And to widdowe
Clarke and Mrss Peirce widdow fiftie shillinges a peece. Also I give unto the poore of the parrishe of
Cranbrook five pounds, to bee distrubted to twentie poore godlie people by my brother Peter Masters [husband of his sister Rachel, who had previously been married to Moregift Starr] and James Holden of the same parrishes or their executors: Also I give to the poore of the parrishe of
Biddenden five poundes to be distributed to honest godlie poore to twentie poore five shillings a peece,
at the discretion of Mr. William Randolph and Mr. Robert Drayner or their executors All which
legacies my will is to bee paid within sixe monethes after my decease Item I doe give to Susan the
wife of Daniell Clarke my anncient tenant five poundes to bee paid her at twentie shillinges a yeare
except it can otherwise at discretion of my executor bee laid out for her good I give also to William
Lauraman five poundes to bee paid twentie Shillinges a yeare Item I doe give unto William
Ayerst fiftie poundes to bee paid within sixe monethes after my decease And my Mynde and will
is that hee takinge my stocke and livinge in my house at my desiris, that all the ware except
[p.2]
Happs and goods that hee shall take beeinge indifferentlie prized that hee shall paie for one halfe of
them, the other halfe so soone as may paie my debtes for them in London, or els so soone as my executor
shall want it a hundred pound per Annum. And for all my debtes that shalbee then owinge mee
to the end hee may take some paines and bee the more carefull to gett them in that hee shall have One
Shillinge per pound allowed him out of them hee doinge his best endeavour for the hastninge them in,
and acquaintinge my executor with them that will not paie without trouble, that speedie course.
bee taken with them And to all other my servants I shall have livinge with mee at the time of my
death I give fortie shillinges a peece and twentie Shillinges a yeare for so manie yeares as they
have lived above two yeares with mee, if such bee in my service to bee paid within sixe monethes after
my decease. Item I give to Richard Weller senior of Cranbrooke fortie shillinges, To [blank space]
Cheesman my Porter and fetcher in of my water fortie shillinges, and to old goodman Greensmith
of Loose fortie Shillinges and to widdow Darbey of Staplehurst fortie Shillinges. And old good=
man Humphry or his wife of Harresham [Harrietsham?] fortie shillings To M^rs. Warren widdow late of Sandwhich
five pounds and M^r. Harber Minster of Raish beside Mallinge [St. Martins Ryarsh] five pounds. And to M^r. Elmeston
Schoolemaster of Maidston give pounds desiringe him to preach at my funerall, And to M^r. Good=
acker and to M^r. Bramston brother to widdow Charleton loose [of Loose?] two poore godlie Minsters I think of Sussex
fiftie shillinges a peece, to bee paid within one yeare after my decease Item I give to the Corporation
of Maidstone of which I am a member tenn pounds toward buyinge a new Mace withall Item I give
unto Damarys Wilson now livinge with mee, to bee paid her at her date of marriage or at the yeares of
One and twentie one hundred pounds, five pound a yeare to bee paid for the hundred pound to
her father or mother, if her father dye duringe the said time it shalbee payable to her, beginninge the
time from after one whole yeare after my decease. Item I give unto Mary Tatnell they daughter of
Thomas Tatnell [‘Thomas Tadnall, late of Dover’ with wife Judith in his bro Smallhope’s will] now livinge with mee to bee paid at the daie of her marriage, or at one and twentie
yeares of age Twentie pounds. And if shee dye before the said money bee due, then I give it to her sister
Judah Tatnell to bee payable as aforesaid. Item I give to Packnam Johnson now livinge with mee
Tenn poundes to put him out apprentice to some convenient trade, when hee shall attaine the age of
fowerteene or fifteene yeares And I give to my sister Johnson his mother tenn pounds to bee paid by
twentie Shillinges a yeare. Item I give to my Cozen Milles widdow livinge at Raysh [Ryarsh] and to my Cousin
Botten widdow livinge at Brenchley [‘kinswoman … Anne Bottinge of Brenchley’ in Smallhope’s will] five pounds a peece And to my Aunt Bredger of Peckham [‘Aunt Mary Bridger of West Peckham’ in Smallhope’s will], to my
Cousin Hunts wife of Brenchley and to my Cousin Saxbeys wife of Leeds to each of them fortie shillinges
a peece And to my Cousin Gaskyne, and my cousen Betes livinge about Lengly [Langley] fortie Shillinges a peece.
These legacies to bee paid within one yeare after my decease. Now concerninge my lands in new England,
my will is, that my mother [Rachel Bigg according to web] beeinge paide twentie pound a yeare out of it, due to her by my brothers will
out of his house at Cranbrooke that then shall have twentie pound a yeare more out of it duringe her
naturall life And that my sister Foster [Patience acc to web] have twentie pound a yeare out of it duringe her naturall life
And my brother Stowe [John, husband of John’s sister Elizabeth] tenn pownd a yeare out of it, all these livinge in new England. Now if it shall
not yeild Seaventy pownds a yeare, then I will my mother to have her twentie pownds a yeare at Cra=
brooke to bee paid her as the will goeth And the Rent of that in new England to bee divided betweene my
mother theire and sister Foster But if that shall yeild above Seaventie pownds a yeare my will is what=
ever it bee that it bee equallie divided between my mother and sister Foster And my mind is, that after
their decease that all my landes in new England shall goe equallie the Rent divided to Hopestill Foster,
Thomas Stowe John Stowe Nathanaell Stowe and Samuell Stowe, and my brother Stowes two
daughters one parte of sixe, And so equallie to bee divided into Sixe partes to goe to them & their
heires for ever and so the one halfe of it after my mother or Sisters decease to come presentlie to
bee divided, and my brother Stowes tenn pownd a yeare also after his decease. Now, concerninge my
landes in old England my mind is that my wife Sibella Bigg besides her Joynter shall have the remayn=
der of what my howse yeildeth that lyeth in Maidston which I now live in besides the twentie poundes a
yeare which I hope wilbee twentie poundes a yeare more, And also the Rent of my house and land in
Lynton [Linton] Besides I give unto her one hundred pownds to bee paid within one yeare after my decease if shee
bee then livinge And One hundred pownd of my platt and househould stuffe to take where shee pleaseth
after that its prized, And if Michaeltide or our ladie day fall not out within one moneth after my
decease, my will is, that within one moneth after my decease my Executor let my wife have fortie
[p.3]
Pownds shee payinge it againe the first Rents shee comes to receave. And for all my other Rents at
Cranbrooke, Wittersham Lyde which is about Fiftie pownds per Annum my legacies and debtes
beeinge first paid and that my mother and sister Foster receavinge Sixtie powndes a yeare at
least in new England out of my landes there, Then my mind and will is that Hope Foster and
my brother Stowes fower sonnes before named shall have the Rents of it equallie divided with li=
bertie to sell either of their purces beeinge of age to make good sale of the same. Alwaies provided
that if my mother and Sister Foster enjoy not the former Sume of threescore poundes a yeare in
new England they shall receave the Rents of this duringe their lives, vizt. thirtie poundes a
yeare my Mother Bigg and twentie pownds a yeare my sister Foster, and the longest liver
to have the whole fiftie powndes a yeare duringe her life and after to the uses aforesaid And
after their decease to goe as aforesaid. And for my other house and land at Horsmonden of
Tenn powne a yeare, one whole yeare after my debtes and legacies bee paid I give to Elizabeth
Stowe One hundred pownds, and to Thankfull Stowe the remaynder of it, which if my Exe=
cutor will not give hundred pownd more at her cominge to age or daie of marriage then to make
it upp a hundred out of my estate And concerninge the rest of my landes after my wifes decease
which wilbee about threescore powndes a yeare or upwards if my mother Bigg bee then livinge
and my sister Foster or either of them, my will is that they, or either of them then livinge shall
have twentie powndes a yeare out of the said landes besides what before given them duringe
their or either of their naturall lifes. And after my wives decease or either of theirs the Remayn=
der of the Rents aforesaid to bee divided, as my will is the whole shalbee after all their deceases : v
That is I give to Hopestill Foster fifteene powndes a yeare, To John Stowe fifteene pownd
a yeare, And the Remaynder to bee equallie divided betweene Thomas Stowe, Samuell Stow
and Nathanaell Stowe with libertie either of them to sell their partes when its come unto them
if they bee of age to make good sale of it And I authorise my executor either to sell or keepe the
aforenamed tenn pownd a yeare in Horsmonden hee payinge the two legacies given to Eliz=
beth and Thankfull Stowe as aforesaid. Item I give unto Elizabeth Pell dwellinge with mee
at the time of my decease. Also I give to my Cousin Beatupes wife of Tenterden Fortie
Shillinges. And to Marie Terrie [1] in new England tenn powndes to bee paid in one whole
yeare as the other Also to my Cousin Godfery Martyne five poundes and to my Cousin
Smithes wife of Ladoim [Ladonn or Ladomi?] late Saltman five powndes Item I give unto my Cousin Will[ia]m
Boyffe [? could be Boysse – looks more like Boyffe to me] fortie poundes and tenn powndes in household stuffe of that remayninge unsold in
my house at Cranbrooke. And this to bee paid him when hee discharges such bond or bonds
as I shall at the time of my decease bee ingaged for him, if anie bee, and if nowe, then to
bee paid within one whole yeare after my decease Item I give unto John Crumpe sonne
of Thomas Crumpe to bee paid him within one yeare after my decease tenn powndes to
buy him bookes with: And as concerninge one hundred pownds I receaved of guift of my
brother Beacons [3] to goe towards mayntenance of a godlie Scholler sent from Canterbury
to Cambridge for seaven yeares if hee so longe continued there, which accordinglie hath beene
performed, yet notwithstandinge, if it bee conceived it was meant for ever I will my
executor with my wife and Cousin Yonge [2] of Canterburie, that they see the said hundred
pownd setled in such way as may bee most agreeable to my brothers will. And that my
executor seeinge it soe to bee done pay the hundred pownds which I have receaved, And to
paie five pownds a yeare to the use aforesaid till he paie it in or bee setled as aforesaid. Item
I give to my brother Peeter Masters of Cranbroke tenn poundes and to his fower children
Five powndes a peece to bee paid so soone as my executor shall have money in his handes,
after my former legacies and debtes bee paid. Item I give to my Cousin James Bure of new
England of Cousin lyne of new England to each of them fortie shillinges, and to Clement
Bate and William Bachelor each of them five pownds, And to Edward Whitt, John
Compton John Moore Thomas Bridgden, Goodman Beale that went from Cranbrooke
and my Cousin Betts there, each of them twentie Shillinges a peece, and twentie pownds
more to godlie poore in new England, to bee given by the discretion of my Mother and
[p.4]
Brother Stowe or their executors. this to bee paid next after my brother Masters: Also I give
unto my executor Mr. Andrew Broughton all my parte of the hopp garden on my brother Swi=
nockes land And all my parte of that Shipp and Stocke called the London, Mr. John London
beeinge Maister of it, besides all his expences hee shall at any time or occasion lay out about this
executor shipp by mee committed to him. Also if it shall happen my wife should bee with child
when I dye, then my minde and will is that all legacies of my lands given in old England to
bee voide and goe to my Childe whether it bee sonne or Daughter, but if it live not to the age of
One and twentie yeares or to bee married then my mind and will is, that my legacies & guifts
goe as aforementioned And if I should have anie Childe before or after my death, and this my
will not altered, And that anie of my Sisters Children in new England shall seeke by anie
meanes or device of law to trouble my executor or heire about any of my landes, that where
either my brother Biggs or mine, that then or they attemptinge anie law shall make voide all
his or their partes of landes given them in new England or other legacies in this my will And
also to my brother Robert Swinocke I give a Stone pott with a guilded lidd And also to my mother Mrs.
mother [mother-in-law by his first marriage] M^rs. Dorothie Maplisden, my brother M^r. Jervis Maplisden and his wife, my brother
M^r. Nymion Butcher and his wife M^r. Robert Swynockes [4] wife M^r. Thomas Swynocke my
brother in law also M^r. Wilson and his wife, and my brother Wildinge to everie of these fortie
Shillinges a peece to buy them a Ring or such like for a token or remembrance And to M^rs.
Marie Duke twentie Shillinges to buy a Sugar loafe All which legacies I desire to bee paid
within a yeare or sooner, if my executor have money in his handes And further my will is
that if there been besides my debtes paid and legacies given One hundred or Fiftie pounds
spare, that if the Companie doe goe on againe of buyinge in of Imprepriations that my
executor shall paie towards the furtherance of that pious worke within sixe monethes after
it comes into his handes the said hundred poundes, or if not so much then Fiftie poundes if
it been spare, out of my estate as aforesaid, And after this is performed if anie yet bee my will
is that it shalbee equallie divided, one halfe to goe to ten godlie Ministers or Ministers wid=
dowes, whereof I desire M^r. Elmeston of Cranbrooke whom I have forgotten in my will to have
one parte, And the other halfe to bee given to such godlie poore Christians as my wife my Exe=
cutor and Overseers herafter mentioned shall thinke fitt. And I intreate and appointe my
lovinge freindes James Holden of Cranbrooke, Thomas Lambe of Staplehurst for to bee Over=
seers of this my will and Testament and to bee aydinge to my executor by their advice and
Counsell for the better performance of this my will and testament. And doe herby give to
my said Overseers for their paines and trouble the sum[m]e of Five poundes a peece to bee paid
within Sixe monethes after my decease. And it is my minde and will, that if mine Execu=
tor shall die before my will bee proved, that then my two Overseers shalbee sole Executors &
enjoy to them those two guiftes of my parte of the Hoppground, and my parte of the Shipp
called the London as my aforenamed executor M^r. Broughton should have done. It is also
my will and mind that if it shall happen at anie time herafter, that anie ambiguitie
doubt or question shall growe or arise betweene anie whatsoever about the meaninge of this
my will or anie parte therof by reason of the imperfection or defecte or or in anie wordes
Clauses or Sentences in this my will, that then and for the further and better explana=
tion therof and Construction of the said ambiguitie or doubt I will and ordaine that
my lovinge freindes and Overseers aforenamed that they shall expound explaine and
Interprett the same accordinge to their wisdomes and discretions and as shall seeme to
them most agreeable to my minde and will. And the same so determined by them shall so
stand and bee whatsoever may seeme to the contrarie in this my will. And further it is
my will, that if anie whomsoever to whom I have in this my will given anie guift of
landes legacies money or of goodes or the heires executors of anie of them doe attempte
to goe about to doe anie acte or actes thinge or thinges for to aliene alter or discontinue
this my will and testament, or anie thinge therin mentioned and shall refuse to bee
ordered and not abide the awarde or order of my lovinge friends and Overseers afore=
names, or of one of them, if it shall fall out, but one of them livinge when the doubte or
[p.5]
Question shall arise or the executors of them if that they bee all dead, if anie I saie shall
refuse to bee ordered by him or them as aforesaid then it is my will and minde that the persons so
attemptinge and refusinge to bee ordered as aforesaid that then and from thenceforth his, hers
or theirs guifte or guiftes leagcie or legacies whatsoever by mee formerlie given to anie such
shalbee utterlie voide and the same guiftes so formerlie given to anie shall remaine and bee
to such person or persons in this my will mentioned, as if the person or persons so attemptinge
were dead indeede, anie thinge before in this my will declared to the contrarie. Also I will that
my executor and Overseers to see performed anie legacie or guift in my Brother Smalehope
Biggs will late of Cranbrooke which shall not bee performed by mee before my death by reason
of not beeinge due or forgotten, or also if anie thinge in my brother Beacons will which by
reason of my wife ought by mee to bee performed about either the guift of a hundred pounds
or the Remayndinge parte of a lease at Cambridge I desire them accordinglie to see it performed
in what they shall thinke fitt in their consciences or by law by mee to bee performed. Also it is
my will and minde that anie to whom I have given anie guiftes or legacies that if at time
of my death they are indebted to mee or their husbands that they shall unsett that they owe
mee, or so much as their legacie or guift comes unto. Also its my mind and will that anie
charges my executor or Overseers shalbee att, at anie time about this my will, that it shalbee
allowed them over and besides their guifte or legacie by mee given In witnes wherof I have to
this my last will and testament conteyninge three Sheetes of paper putt to my hand to everie
Sheete therof and my Seale to this last Sheete therof beeinge all written with mine owne hand
and finished these seaven and twentieth daie of March one thowsand sixe hundred fortie &
One. Per me John Bigg.

[1] Marie Terrie – Sybilla’s 1st cousin Maria, daughter of my ancestor Basil Becon, married Thomas Terrye in 1616; I did wonder if she the Marie Terrie referred to in New England in this will. However, researching her family (i.e. the family of Basil’s daughter) it clearly was not this one (Terry was quite a common surname in the area, and obviously Mary was a common Christian name)

[2] Cousin Yonge – Sybilla’s 1st cousin Rachel, daughter of my ancestor Basil Becon, married George Young in 1613. George was an apothecary and it seems clear he was the George Yonge referred to in Anthony Becon’s will. Like Anthony he had been educated at Canterbury School.

[3] John’s brother-in-law, Sybilla’s brother Anthony Becon.

[4] I can see that iv or ev could look like a w in some handwriting, but with the writer of this copy of the will I’m sure it isn’t. But did it in the original? I can’t find the name Sw(i/y)nocke anywhere, but I know there was the name Sennockes (Sevenockes) in the area, so it seems to me it could be that. Anyone come across Sw(i/y)nocke?

Unfortunately John Biggs will, together with that of his brother Smallhope, led to family disputes, between their nephews in New England. “Many and uncomfortable differences” arose between Hopestill Foster, son of their sister Patience and Thomas, Nathaniel and Samuel Stowe, sons of their sister Elizabeth. An instrument is recorded in September 1653 which had the aim of ending these differences. A few more particulars can be found in ‘Genealogical Gleanings in England’, p23.

The will was proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury and is held at the National Archives.

TNA ref: PROB 11/191/96 (more details about source on John’s page)

Because my interest in John and his will is because he married a cousin, and he was not, so far as I am aware, a relation of mine in his own right, I do not plan to add a transcription of the will I refer to, that of his brother Smallhope. An abstract of it is available online here. This can be seen on microfilm or ordered from the Canterbury Cathedral Archives or the Kent History and Library Centre in Maidstone.
References (from the East Kent wills index, now in a new section on the Canterbury Cathedral website):
Bigg, Smallhope of Cranbrook, will made: 1638, probate: 1638;
reigster copy ref: PRC32/51/115, original will ref: PRC31/108 B/1