A FINAL CONCORD was made between Richard Grene, quer., and William Convers, deforc., about three acres of arable land with the appurtenances in Navestock, the consideration being forty pounds sterling.

Feet of Fines, Co. of Essex, Easter Term, 36th Elizth.

Will of THOMAS CONVERS, of Westmersey, Co. Essex, yeoman, 9 May 1599, proved 11 January 1599. To my sons Thomas and Edward Convers all my lands and tenements, whatsoever they be in this realm of England, towards the education and bringing up of my children &c. To my son John Convers ten score pounds out of the lands &c. in two years after he shall accomplish the full age of twenty one years, provided if my said son shall happen to enjoy by inheritance one cottage and orchard (copyhold) in Chessen (Cheshunt?) in Co. Herts, then he to have but nine score pounds. To my daughters Lettes, Katren and Frances Convers fifty pounds each in one year after marriage or at the age of twenty four years. My son Thomas Convers to be executor and son Edward to be supervisor. Commissary Court, Essex and Herts.

WILLIAM CONVERS of Layndon, Essex, husbandman, 15 June 1607, proved 17 July 1607. To my son William ten pounds at the age of twen ty one years. To my daughters Agnes and Joane Convers thirty pounds each at the age of eighteen years. To my mother Joane Convers three pounds if she will depart from my wife and not be at her keeping. To the poor of Layndon ten shillings, and to the poor of Ramsden Bellhouse three shillings and four pence. To my wife Agnes Convers all my goods and chattels &c. and she to be executrix. My brother John Couvers to be overseer and I give to him ten shillings. Com. Court, Essex and Herts.

JOHN CONVERS of Basildon, Essex, yeoman, 5 May 1614, proved 6 June, 1614. He mentions wife Elizabeth, three daughters Joane, Elizabeth and Lydia Convers, son in law William Pullen (and his brother Thomas Pullen), sister Ruth, and cousin Robert Vyncēt.

Com. Court, Essex and Herts.

ALLEN CONVERS of Southweald in the County of Essex, yeoman, 3 January 1636, proved at Brentwood 28 June 1639. To the poor of the upland of Southweald the sum of twenty shillings, to be paid to the overseers of the said parish &c. within one month next after my decease. To Elizabeth my wife all my house and land in Navestock and Stanford Ryvers, for the term of her natural life, and after her decease to my son Gabriel Convers and to his heirs forever. To Elizabeth, my wife, all my house & land in Fyfield alias Fyfed for term of her natural life, and after her decease to my son Daniel and to his heirs forever according to a deed of feoffment. To my son Andrew the sum of four pounds a year for the term of five years, to be paid unto him by my son Daniel, the first payment to begin at the second feast of St Michael the Archangel next after my decease, and so from year to year until the said term of five years be expired. I give and bequeath to Richard Convers, my son, other four pounds a year, &c., to be paid unto him by my son Daniel in manner & form as aforesaid. To Anne Shelton, my daughter, the sum of forty shillings a year &c. &c. To Hester Skynner my daughter other forty shillings a year &c. Item I give & bequeath to Edward my son the sum of five shillings to be paid unto him by my executrix. To my son Gabriel the sum of five shillings &c. To my son Daniel five shillings. To my son Andrew five pounds, to be paid him within two years after my decease. To Rich

ard my son the sum of ten pounds, to be paid within one year after my decease. To Anne Shelton my daughter five pounds within two years &c. To Richard & Gabriel my sons one great brass pot and one caldron between them and to take them after the decease of Elizabeth my wife. Other personal property to daughter Hester Skynner. All the rest of my said goods, not bequeathed nor given away, to Elizabeth my wife whom I make executrix &c., to pay such legacies as I have bequeathed and given away and to see my body buried in a decent and comely manner. Wit: Samuel Luckin, Thomas Osborne.

Whitehead, 56. [Registry of Archdeaconry of Essex.]

ELIZABETH ADAMS of the parish of Rederith [Rotherhithe] in the County of Surrey, widow, late the wife of John Adams, late of Branston in the County of Northampton, yeoman, deceased, being weak and aged, 10 December, 1660, proved the last of December 1660. I give and bequeath unto my son Thomas Adams (who about twelve years ago went into Virginia) five pounds to be paid him or his assigns within six months after my decease. To my son George Adams (who about three years since went into France) twenty pounds within six months &c. To Hugh Thompson twelve pence, and no more, within six months &c. To my daughter Rebecca Brownlow, wife of Peter Brownlow, forty pounds within six months. To my daughter Sarah Adams fifty pounds within six months. My daughter Mary Adams to be sole executrix and residuary legatee.

Wit: Joane Vahun (by mark), Jane Hilles, William Barrett (by mark) and John Fuller, Scrivener. Nabbs, 260.

At Sea Latitude 24 degrees 7ber ye 9th 1662. Aboard y Restauračon. Loveinge Brother These certifie yow that wee sett sayle from New England upon the ffifth day of August since which time wee have had two exceedinge great stormes of winde insomuch that wee have lost all our mast and throwne overboard a great deale of ffish and mickrell and pipe staves as alsoe three horses drowned one of which was betwixt yourselfe and my brother Thomas soe that you have lost all as well as my brother Thomas and myselfe and Peter. I knowe not whether I have saved anything or noe till I come to some port soe much as some of my wearinge Cloathes were thrown over board it was the Lord's Grt mercy that hee did spare our lives and was more then we did expect (twice) the Lord give us hearts to bee truely thankful for his mercies wee lye like the wracke in the Sea and know not what harbour wee shall gett to and are scarce of provisions and water, but three pints of water a man a day (the Lord deliver us) I hope yow have paid the three pounds three shillings I charged to yow from Deale if yow have not pray doe. But I doe not question but it is paid long ere this I have abt fifty pounds or sixty pounds or seventy pounds of Tobacco in Captaine Thomas Carter's hande at Nancemund in Jeames River if I come not home this twelve monethes then pray looke after itt for then yow may conclude the Lord hath taken me out of this world. But I hope ere that he will fitt mee for a better world I had a servant run away in Virginia that makes mee not knowe what Quantitie of Tobacco is in Captaine Carter's hands I pray if it should please God to deale otherwise then yow expect with mee that yow would see after that and lett my brother Peter my sister Mary and William have it Captaine Jn° Whitty who uses Virginia knowes the man and if yow can speake to him hee will bring it home hee knowes the man is a very honest man and lett them three have

their shares of what is due to mee which wilbee seventy or eighty pounds apeece and seventy or eighty pounds amongst all of yow for mourninge. I am in hast the shipp being under saile-soe leavinge yow to the protection of Almighty God with my kinde Love to yourselfe and all freinds rest STEPHEN Fox.

Yo' Loveing brother

20 October, 1663 emanavit commissio Johanni Fox fratri nrali etc. Juxon, 119.

FRANCIS WILLIS of the parish of Ware River, in the County of Gloucester, in Virginia, but now resident in the parish of East Greenwich in the County of Kent, Gentleman, 6 July 1689, proved 25 April 1691. My body to be decently buried, my executor not exceeding one hundred pounds sterling at my funeral, in costs & charges. To my loving sister Grace Feilder one hundred & twenty pounds sterling to be paid in manner & form following (that is to say) fifteen pounds per annum during her life, or until the sum of one hundred & twenty pounds be fully paid, which first shall happen. To Charles Feilder, the son of my sister Grace aforesaid, one hundred pounds sterling (in payments of twenty pounds per annum until the sum of one hundred pounds be fully paid). To my cousin Elizabeth Butler and her daughter Sarah Butts ten pounds sterling apiece. To my cousins Frances and Elizabeth Willis, sisters to Hugh Willis, clerk, deceased, the sum of ten pounds sterling apiece. To Francis & Christopher Willis, the sons of the said Hugh Willis, the sum of twenty pounds sterling apiece. To the widow of Hugh Willis ten pounds sterling. To Susanna Willis, the daughter of my brother Henry Willis, ten pounds sterling. To my cousins John & Joane Lipton one hundred pounds sterling and to her two children, Henry & Mary, one hundred and thirty pounds sterling apiece. To my cousin Mary Herren, the daughter of my brother Henry Willis deceased, the sum of three hundred and fifty pounds sterling. To Alice Willis, daughter of said brother Henry, three hundred & fifty pounds sterling. To my loving cousin Elizabeth Ironmonger one hundred pounds sterling and to her two sons Charles & Matthew Ironmonger one hundred pounds sterling apiece. To William Willis, the son of my brother William Willis deceased one hundred & fifty pounds sterling. To the poor of the parish of St Fowles ats St Algate in the city of Oxford, the place of my birth, one hundred pounds sterling. And all my legacies I desire may be paid within eighteen months after my decease.

To my dear & loving wife Jane Willis, the sum of one thousand pounds sterling, to be paid her in the first place, within one year after my decease, and all the household vessels of plate, linen & bedding which she brought over with her from Virginia to England (& other personal estate).

I give unto the said William Willis, the son of my brother William Willis deceased, all that land & plantation which his father formerly lived upon & held of me, with the appurtenances, situate on the South side of Crany Creek, containing one hundred acres or thereabouts, to him & the heirs of his body lawfully begotten or to be begotten, and for want of such heirs then to the right heirs of me the said Francis Willis.

I give & devise unto the said Francis Willis, the son of my brother Henry Willis, all the rest & residue of all my other estate & estates whatsoever in lands, goods, moneye, cattle & chattells that I now at this time stand seized or possessed in Virginia and not herein already devised, also one thousand pounds, to be paid him within eighteen mouths after my decease.

I ordain & make William Willis, the son of brother Henry Willis deceased, sole executor of this my will & testament. I give unto M2 Edward Polter, of the Parish of St Peters in the East in Oxford city, milliner, and Mr George Richards of London, merchant, whom I desire & appoint to be overseers &c., the sum of ten pounds sterling apiece.

Wit: Richard Jones, Margaret Nicholson, Joseph Busfield.

Vere, 201.

[Francis Willis, the progenitor of the worthy and prominent Virginia family of the name Willis, was granted, July 3, 1642, 450 acres of land in that portion of York County from which Gloucester County was formed by act of Assembly in the same year. (Va. Land Registry, Book No. 2, p. 199.)

He represented Gloucester County in the House of Burgesses in 1652, and later. Francis (born 1685-90), son of Hugh Willis, the last presumably his brother, is said to have married Lady Ann Rich in England about the year 1716. She was interred near the chancel of Ware Church, Gloucester County. The fragments of the broken slab above her grave present the following inscription:

Here lyeth the body of Mrs. Ann Willis the wife of Col. Francis Willis, who departed this life the 10th of June, 1727, in the 32nd year of her age; Also the body of A** daughter of the above aged 7 days."

There are a number of extensive land grants of subsequent record, to Thomas, Collo Francis, William, John, Richard, Robert, Major Henry, David, Francis, Augustine and Herod Willis, to the year 1772, inclusive, located in the counties of York, Lancaster, Gloucester, Westmoreland, Middlesex, Henrico, Spotsylvania, Orange, Goochland, Albermarle, Brunswick and Pittsylvania counties. Major, subsequently Colonel Henry Willis, was one of the Trustees of the town of Fredericksburgh, Va, laid off in 1727. Col. William Byrd, visiting the town in 1732, says: Col. Willis, who is the top sunn of the place .... walked me about his town of Fredericksburg." A Henry Willis was member of the House of Burgesses from Gloucester County in 1726, and Francis Willis in 1736. Lewis Burwell married between Oct. 22-29, 1736, Mary, presumably a daughter of the last; and Rebecca, daughter of this Lewis and Mary (Willis) Burwell, of White Marsh," Gloucester County, married Jaquelin, seventh child of Richard and Elizabeth (Jaquelin) Ambler (see Genealogical Gleanings, p. 140).

Lewis Willis was one of the signers of the articles of "Association," dated Feb. 27, 1766, composed chiefly of residents of Westmoreland County, and known as the Westmoreland Association," protesting against the stamp act, and binding themselves not to use any articles imported from Great Britain subject to such tax. Representatives of the Willis family have been allied with nearly every family of prominence in Virginia.-R. A. BROCK, Richmond, Va.]

JOHN WEST, late of New York but now of Boston in New England, Esquire, 29 January 1689, proved 25 November 1691. My just debts to be paid and all the rest & residue of my estate, both real & personal, and all my land & tenements, of what nature or kind soever or wheresoever they be, I give, devise & bequeath to my dear & well-beloved wife Anne West; and I make her my executrix.

Which day appeared personally Charles Lydgett of the parish of St Midreds Poultry, London, merchant, aged about thirty four years, and John Palmer of the parish of St Clement Danes in the County of Middlesex, gentleman, aged about forty two years, and, being sworn upon the Holy Evangelists to depose the truth, did generally say & depose that they did very well know John West late of Boston in New England, Esquire, deceased (who as they have been informed and do verily believe departed this life in or about the month of July last past) and so had done for the space of about seven years together before his death and these deponents do severally depose that they were and are very well acquainted with the manner and character of writing of the said John West deceased and have often seen him write, and that they were and are well assured & do believe in their

consciences that the schedule of paper hereunto annexed purporting the Will of the said John West is totally wrote by and with the proper handwriting of the said John West deceased. And further these deponents do depose that they have severally heard the said John West deceased, in his life time, say that he had made his will and that he had left the same in New England when he came away and that they really believe the schedule aforesaid to be a true copy thereof.

CHARLES LIDGET, J. PALMER. 14° Novembris 1691 Jurati fuere dicti Carolus Lydgett et Johannes Palmer super veritate præmissorum coram me Ri: Raines.

Which day appeard personally Elizabeth Hughes of the parish of S Martins Ludgate London, widow, aged about forty three years, and being sworn upon the Holy Evangelists made oath that John West Esq' lately deceased had lodged at her house in the parish aforesaid about six months before his death, which happened in or about the month of August last, and that after his death search was made for a will of the said deceased and that the copy hereunto annexed purporting the Will of the said deceased was among other writings of the said deceased in a trunk of his found by this deponent, Elizabeth Hughes.

25° Novembris 1691 Jurata fuit dicta Elizabetha Hughes super veritate præmissorum coram me. Ri: Raines.

Vere, 201.

Capt. SAMUEL STYLE, at Eastra Moss in Portugal, 21 May 1663, proved 26 April 1665 by Henry Boade, power being reserved for Symon Smith and John Midleton. To my father James Style fifteen pounds sterling, to my brother William Style fifteen pounds sterling and to brother John Style fifteen pounds sterling. To my brother Joseph Style all that money which he hath in his hands of mine. I give unto my sister Elizabeth Style, in New England, fifteen pounds sterling. To my brother William's eldest daughter ten pounds. To my brother James his eldest child ten pounds. To my brother John his eldest child ten pounds. These several legacies, amounting to the sum of ninety pounds, I desire may be paid by my brother James Style to each. And what he hath remaining in his hands after I give to himself. There is in the Consul's hands, Mr Tho: Maynyard at Lisbon, seventy two pounds in English money and six dollars and gold nine pieces, great and little; all is seventy two pounds now in the Consul's hands, of Portuguese crusadoes one hundred and fourteen, at Eastra Moss four pieces of gold thirty eight crusadoes &c. &c. &c. These several sums of money that is left in Portugal I desire that they be exactly divided betwixt my father and my brothers and my sister Elizabeth Style.

The executors to be Symon Smith, Capt. Leift. Henry Boad and Leift. John Midlton. My brother James Style he did live in Lusam* Kent &c. my brother Joseph Style did live at the sign of the Ball in Bedlam, London.

Hyde, 34.

THOMAS DEANE of London, merchant, 19 February 1683. My body to be decently buried, the charge thereof not to exceed one hundred pounds. To wife Anne the rents, issues, and profits of all my messuages &c. in the County of Sussex, and of my houses in old Fish Street Hill, London, during her natural life (and certain furniture described), one fifth of the plate, all her own rings and jewells and three hundred pounds, in case

* The town of Lewisham, Kent.