Benges of Pembury, Kent, England--14th and 15th Centuries

researched and compiled by Pamela Ingle

Four wills have survived for Benges of Pembury, or Pepingbury, as it was often written at that time:

dated CKS: Drb/Pw Drb/Pwr

William was the son of John and Elizabeth and Elizabeth appoint him the executor of her will (see page for a reconstruction of the family). John appears to have left his daughter, Johane, the rent from one of his houses of 6s 8d a year at least until she was twenty-one (the will is not clear here) when she was to receive the sum of £6 13s 4d (10 marks). Elizabeth, his wife, who was appointed his executrix, was to dispose of the residue of his goods, etc. "as she shall think best for the health of my soul and all christian souls."

Elizabeth had an elder daughter, Parnell, and thus, presumably John was her second husband.

William had a son John who was obviously established when his father died but also a young family of four daughters and his wife, Margaret was pregnant when William wrote his will. It is thus likely that Margaret was William's second wife. He leaves all his land and tenements to her, for her natural life, provided that she brings up their children and pays his legacies to his daughters when they reach the age of twenty-one or marry. Margaret was also allowed to sell as much wood from his land as was necessary to discharge his debts. If Margaret died before his children had had their legacies, William's two brothers were to let out the land so that the profits could be used for the benefit of the children. These brothers had different surnames from William and were thus his brothers-in-law: one could have been Margaret's brother or both could have been the husbands of his sisters.

Elizabeth UNKNOWN (b. ca 1490??, d. ca 26 Mar 1559)

First Husband: Unknown CROCH (b. ca 1490??)

Children:

Parnell CROCH (b. ca 1520??)

Second Husband: John BENGE (b. ca 1490??, d. ca 25 Jul 1557)

Children:

A. William BENGE (b. ca 1530??, will 1581) md. Margaret UNKNOWN

B. Johane BENGE (b. aft 1537)


Will of John Benge, 1557

written 25th July 1557; probate 29th August 1557

transcript from probate copy

1 In the name of god Amen. The 25th day of July
2 in the year of our lord god 1557. I, John
3 Benge of the parish of Pepingbury within the
4 diocese of Rochester, but good of remembrance,
5 thanks be to god, make and ordain this
6 my last will and testament in manner and
7 form following, that is to say, First: I give
8 and bequeath my soul to Almighty god, the father,
9 to our lady Saint Mary and to all
10 the holy company of heaven. And my body
11 to be buried within the churchyard of Pepingbury
12 aforesaid. Item: I give unto the high
13 altar of Pepingbury aforesaid, for my tithes
14 negligently forgotten 4d. Item: I give and
15 bequeath to Johane, my daughter, £6 13s 4d
16 to be paid to her when she shall be of th'age
17 of 21 years. And she to have the ?? of
18 my house that John now dwelleth in. And
19 of a little meadow that on the northside
20 of the same house called the ley meadow
21 besides the said £6 13s 4d and that is to say
22 6s 8d by the year of the house and
23 mede unto such time as the said £6
24 13s 4d to my said daughter, at the age of
25 21 years, be fully satisfied and paid. And
26 also yearly after the said age of 21 years,
27 she to have the said £6 13s 4d fully
28 satisfied and paid . Item: I make Elizabeth,
29 my wife, my sole executrix to whom I
30 do give all the residue of my goods and
31 cattells, my debts and legacies paid and
32 this my last will and testament
33 fulfilled according to the tenor hereof.
34 And she to dispose them as she shall think
35 best for the health of my soul and all
36 christian souls. Item: I make mine overseer
37 William Hartridge to see this my last will and
38 testament to be fulfilled according to the tenor
39 hereof. And I give him for his pains taking
40 3s 4d. And he to have his costs born
41 when he shall take any pains herein.
42 This is the last will and testament
43 of me the above named John Benge concer
44 ning the disposition of all my lands and
45 tenements, rents, reversions and services with
46 th'appurtenances, situated, lying and being
47 within the realm of England. First: I
48 will, and my very will and mind is that
49 my son, William Benge, shall have all my
50 said lands, tenements, rents, reversions and
51 services with th'appurtenances to him and his
52 heirs for evermore, he paying to Elizabeth, my
53 wife, his mother, 26s 8d by the year yearly
54 during her natural life time. And she to have
55 the chamber ?? during all her said natural
56 life time at Pepingbury The day and year
57 above said, these witnesses William Hartridge,
58 Thomas Acroch and George Fanback.


Will of Elizabeth Benge, 1558/1559

written 26th March 1558/9; probate 4th December 1559

transcript from probate copy

1 In the name of god Amen. In the 26th day
2 of March and in the year of our lord god
3 1556 , I, Elizabeth Benge, the late
4 widow of John Benge of the parish of
5 Pepingbury in the diocese of Rochester,
6 being perfect of mind and memory, do
7 ordain this my last will and testament
8 in manner and form following: First: I
9 bequeath my soul to Almighty god
10 and my body to be buried in the church
11 yard of Pepingbury. Also I bequeath
12 to mine eldest daughter, Parnell Croch,
13 my best russet petticoat and my ??
14 russet petticoat and my best smock and
15 a ??. Also I bequeath to Elizabeth
16 Barbett my gown and my two red petticoats,
17 a hat and a cap. Also I bequeath to Johane,
18 my daughter , a bed and all that belongeth
19 to it and 4 pairs of sheets, a pair
20 of pillowberes and a tablecloth
21 and two chests. All the residue of my
22 moveable goods not given nor bequeathed,
23 I give and bequeath to my son William
24 Benge which I do make and ordain mine
25 executor of this my last will and testament.
26 These being witnesses: Richard Knight
27 William Hartridge with others.


Will of William Benge

written 25th December 1581

transcript from original

1 In the name of god Amen. The five and twentieth
2 day of December, Anno Do. 1581 and in the 23rd year of
3 the reign of our Sovereign Lady, Queen Elizabeth,
4 I, William Benge, of Pepingbury in the county of Kent
5 and within the diocese of Rochester, being sick in body
6 but of perfect mind and remembrance (thanks be given to god)
7 do constitute, ordain and make this my last will and testament
8 in manner and form following (that is to say) First: I bequeath
9 my soul to Almighty god, my saviour and redeemer, and my
10 body to be buried in the churchyard of Pepingbury aforesaid.
11 Item: I give and bequeath unto John Benge, my son, the sum
12 of 26s 8d of lawful english money over and above such money
13 as I do now owe unto him, to be paid within two years after my decease.

daughters: Mary, Sara, Margaret, Elizabeth (not married)
bequests include ewes and ewe tegs

- All the rest of my goods and cattels, moveable and unmoveable, my funeral discharged

to wife Margaret - executrix
- lands, tenements and hereditaments with thappurtenances, lying and being
- in the said parish of Pepingbury in the said county of Kent, that is to
- say, First: I give unto Margaret, my wife, All my said lands
- and tenements with thappurtenances, for and during her natural life upon
- this condition following: that she shall bring up my children until they
- shall accomplish years of discretion or be able to be put to service. And
- also pay unto them such sendall, legacies or portions as hereafter shalbe
- declared . .

. . daughters at age of twenty years or marriage
And further I will that
- it shall and may be lawful ?? for the said Margaret, my wife, or her
- assigns, to ?? and take in ?? my said land (before appointed unto
- her) ?? such firewood for and during her natural life. And also to
- fell and take so much of my wood as shall discharge such debts as I
- do owe at the time of my decease. Provided always, and my will
- is that the said Margaret, my wife, shall, from time to time during
- her life, repair and maintain sufficiently the houses, buildings
- and edifices now standing and being in and upon the said lands
- having sufficient timber upon the said land for the reparations of the said houses and buildings
- above assigned unto her. And if it so happen that the said Margaret,
- my wife, do decease before the legacies or portions above willed
- unto my said daughters be performed in manner and form above declared,
- that then I will and appoint that my very loving brothers,
- William Songell and Thomas Page of Pepingbury, aforesaid,
- shall have power and authority by this my last will and testament to
- let out all my said lands and tenements with th'appurtenances and the
- issues and profits of the same to provide, ?? and take to
- the performance of the legacies above mentioned and to the bringing
- up of my said children until such time as the same shalbe
- fully accomplished in manner and form above declared. And they to have
- reasonable allowance from time to time for their travel and pains
- in and above the performing of this my last will and testament.


- And further, my will and mind is that if the child
- that my wife now goeth with . .
- my said land and tenements with thappurtenances (after the decease
- of the said Margaret, my wife, and my legacies as aforesaid being well
- and truly performed according to th'intent above declared) unto that
- child (if it fortune to be a son) and to the heirs male of his
- body, I bequeath. And for lack of such issue to John
- Benge, the younger, the son of John Benge, my son, and to the
- heirs male of his body lawfully begotten. And for lack of
- such issue to the right heirs of me, the said William Benge,
- forever. These being witness Richard Robins, Richard
- Ceavor?, Thomas Baker and Richard Johnson, with others.