The Will of Margaret Chamber
1590
Consistory Court of Ely
CCE VC
20:15; Microfilm in Cambridge County Records Office
In the name of God amen the XXth day of
September in the year of our Lord 1591. I Margaret Chamber of Reach in the
dyoces of Ely widowe being of whole minde and perfect remembrance laud be unto
Almightie God ordaine and make this my testament and last will in manner forme
following Ffirst I give my soule to god almightie and my bodye to be buryed in
the church yarde of St Maries in Swaffam pryorie ITEM I will that my house with
all that belongs to yt be ? accordinge to my husbandes will and equallie to be
divided among his children ITEM I give to George my sonne my goode cowe and
XLd ITEM I give to Robert my sonne my goode hereford and XXd ITEM I give to
Elizabeth my daughter garlyd herfford and my apparell I give to William my sonne
my black garled cowe and my balde calfe ITEM I give to Richard my sonne my ? cowe
ITEM I give to John my sonne my bayr yelomy and my mare with her
coltes All the rest
of my goodes not bequeathed I put to the discresion of my executors my debts
paid to be equallie devided amonge all my children whome I make John ? and
Robert my executors forsaid
Debtes:
ITEM to
Richard Drewrie....................IIIIs
ITEM to
Martin Ffookes.....................IIIs
ITEM to
Mr. Williamsonne...................IIs
Debtes Paid
ITEM to
Richard Drewrie....................XXs
ITEM to
Sybley.............................XLs
ITEM to the
draper.........................XIIs
ITEM to one of
well .......................XIs VIIId
ITEM Mr
Meakander..........................XIs
ITEM to
Mr Manning.........................Xs
ITEM to
Ffookes............................XIs
VIId
ITEM to
Meyre Choffos......................XIs
VIId
ITEM to ?
of Coly .........................IIl XIIs VIId
Summ VXl IIIIs IIIId
PROBATUM
- Proved 4th August 1590 - executors are
Richard Chambers de Reache, Robert Chambers de Reache the
other son [John] having
died.
Margaret Chamber (nee Grange) was the second wife of William Chamber whose will was proved in 1551. We know this for a number of reasons. The first is that the will here refers to the settlement made in her husband's will which splits the goods equally between the children. The second, and more important reason, is that both William and Margaret occur in several of the subsidy rolls. Prior to 1551 only William is listed. Afterwards Margaret is listed but as a widow. See William Chamber's will for further details.
Records of William and Margaret's many children occur in the parish registers and it is from this point onwards that the Chambers' lineage can be traced with fine detail from within the parish. Indeed, if the parish registers are to be believed, the off-spring of William and Margaret are the only Chambers descendents to be living within Swaffham Prior from the start of the 17th century onwards.
Margaret's will is a useful, listing as it does all her siblings and also several of her paid and outstanding debts. Her willing of various farmyard animals also shows that the farm is still central to the Chambers' livlihood.