MRP: Bence Parker will

Bence Parker will

PROB 11/292 Pell 300-349 Will of Bence Parker, Mariner and Commander of the Good Ship Three Brothers now on the Coast of Cormandell of Limehouse, Middlesex 09 June 1659

Editorial history

09/12/11, CSG: Created page

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Abstract & context

Captain Bence Parker (b. ca. 1639, d. ?1656 (by 1659)) was the son of William Parker and Rose Bence. He was possibly the grandson of Alexander Bence of Aldeburghe, and was therefore possibly the cousin of Alexander Bence the elder. His father predeceased him and his mother remarried Captain William Maynard.

At the time of Bence Parker's death he was the commander of the Three Brothers, a ship in which Alexander Bence the elder and Captain William Maynard were part-owners.

Bence Parker mentions a number of mariners in his will associated with Alexander Bence the elder. These include Captain Walter Maynard, who speculatively may have been related to Bence Parker's step father Captain William Maynard, and Master John Winn, who was probably a former captain of the Three Brothers. Of the two witnesses of the will out on the Coromandel Coast, Arnold Browne may have been Captain Arnold Browne, with whom Sir George Oxenden corresponded in the 1660s, and Bence Johnson, described as a kinsman, who was presumably related to the Bence family. The Bence Johnson mentioned by Bence Parker may be the London merchant whose own will was proved a year after Parker's.

For reasons which are not clear the will transcribed below was not found not be valid, and Bence Parker was judged to have died intestate, with letters of administration being granted to his widow, Jane Parker.

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Suggested links

See Alexander Bence the elder will
See Bence Johnson will

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To do

(1) Check the transcription

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Transcription

IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN

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I Bence Parker of Lymehouse in the Countie of Middlesex Marriner and Commander of the Good shipp Three Brothers now on the Coast of Cormandell and being sicke and weake in bodie but of perfect minde and memorie praised be God doe constitute and ordaine this my last will and testament in manner and forme followinh (that is to say)

IMPRIMIS I recommend my Soule into the hands of God that gave it and my bodie to the Earth decently to be buried as tyme and place shall permitt

ITEM I give and bequeath unto my deare Mother Mistris Rose Maynard the wife of Captaine Walter Maynard of Lymehouse aforesaid the full summe of one hundred pounds sterling And to my Loving Sister Humiliation ?Heaman the summe of Thirtie pounds

ITEM I will and bequeath unto the Three children of my Uncle Robert Parker deceased the summe of ffiftie pounds a peece to be paid unto each of them respectively as they shall attaine unto the yeares of Twentie and one not before

ITEM I give and bequeath unto my Two kinsmen Bence Johnson and Ewing Johnson the summe of ffiftie pounds a peece

ITEM I give and bequeath to my loving kinsman James Parker and lately Boatswaine with mee in this shipp the summe of ffiftie pounds to be paid him within three moneths after his arrivall in England provided his arrivall be within Three yeares after the date hereof and in case of his decease and not coming home within the tyme above limited Then my will is that tenn pounds of the said ffiftie shall be paid unto his wife ??Eayter [???Easter] Parker

ITEM I give unto Anne Warner the wife of Thomas Warner the summe of Tenn pounds

ITEM I give and bequeath unto James ?Monger the summe of Twentie pounds

ITEM I give and bequeath unto Roger Smith the summe of tenne pounds

ITEM I give and bequeath into my loving ffreinds Captaine Walter Maynard and Master John Winn the summe of tenn pounds a peece desiring them in all things to be aiding unto my well beloved wife Jane Parker whome I nominate and appoynte to be the sole and onlie Executrix of this my last will and Testament and unto whome I here alsoe will and bequeath the whole Remainder of my Estate whether in readie monie Leases Bonds (the debts of mee oweing my ffunerall charges and the Legacies bequeathed as abovesaid being first paid

IN WITNESSE whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seale This ffourteenth of October One Thousand six hundred ffiftie six

A CODICILL ANNEXED

ITEM I give and bequeath unto my servant John sanderson the full summe of Tenn pounds and his tyme of service to the disposall of my Executrix aforesaid

ITEM I will and desire my loveing freinds Master William Curtesse and James Monger to order and dispose of all things concerning myselfe or Estate in this Countrie or concerning the good and advancement of this our present homeward bound Voyage as much as if I my selfe were to act in it and they thesaid Mast:r William Curtesse and James Monger to give a true and juste accompt of such theire necessarie and extraordinarie disburesemts to my Executrix aforementioned

In the presence of Arnold Browne Joseph Thompson John Gurney Bence Johnson James Monger

THIS WILL was proved att LONDON the Nynth day of JUNE in the yeare of our Lord God One Thousand six hundred ffiftie and nyne before the Judges for probate of Wills and graunting Administrations lawfully authorized by the oath of Jane Parker the Relict and sole and only Executrix named in the abovewritten last will and testament of the deceased To whome Administration of all and singular the
GOODS

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GOODS chattells and debts of the said deceased were grannted and committed she being forst legallie sworne trulie and faythfullie to administer the same The Letter of Administration of the Goods Chattells an ddebts of the said deceased dying intestate formerly grannted to the said Jane the Relict being by her brought into the Court and 'renewed [??renounced] as by the Acts of Court may appeare x:r

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Notes

IGI Records

"Rose Bents: Christening, 25 Mar 1607 Saint Dunstan, Stepney; Father: Allexander Bents"
- Mother of Bence Parker. Rose Bence was widowed and remarried Captain William Maynard of Lymehouse (See Bence Parker's will, written in 1659)

"Bence Parker: Christening: 02 Dec 1629 Saint Dunstan, Stepney Father; William Parker; Mother: Rose"
- Bence Parker was son to William Parker and Rose Bence, the daughter of Alexander Bence. Bence Parker was therefore possibly the cousin of Alexander Bence the elder, who was one of the owners of the Three Brothers, of which Bence Parker was commander at the time of his death on the Coromandel Coast in 1659.

"Bence Parker: Marriage: 12th July 1653, Saint Benet Pauls Wharf, London; Spouse: Jane Best"

"Humilliation Heamon: Spouse: Alexander Prescott; Marriage: 14th May 1661, Saint Stephen Walbrook And Saint Benet Sherehog, London"

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East Indies

British Library, Asia, Pacific and Africa Collections: E/3/84 ff 157v-58 31 Jan 1655
- Commission and instructions to William Curtis and John Chambers for their voyage to the Coromandel Coast in the Three Brothers

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Possible primary sources

Essex Record Office

ERO: D/AEW 31/55: Archdeaconry of Essex: Will of Humiliation Prescott, Mountnessing, widow, 13th February 1711/12

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TNA

PROB 11/170 Pile 1-42 Will of William Parker, Mariner of Stepney, Middlesex 15 February 1636
PROB 11/175 Goare 119-168 Will of Bence Johnson, Mariner of Limehouse, Middlesex 21 November 1637
PROB 11/292 Pell 300-349 Will of Bence Parker, Mariner and Commander of the Good Ship Three Brothers now on the Coast of Cormandell of Limehouse, Middlesex 09 June 1659
PROB 11/297 Nabbs 1-51 Will of Bence Johnson, Merchant of London 19 April 1660

PROB 11/332 Penn 1-66 Will of William Curtis, Gentleman of Stepney, Middlesex 15 February 1670