Godfrey Froggatt (4X1) was born in Mayfield in 1597, the son of Richard Froggatt and Barbara (née Beresdord). He married Elizabeth Bullock at Norton, Derbyshire, in 1629, and died in 1664, a gentleman of Mayfield, although almost all his children were baptised in Norton. His will, written in April 1664, is as follows:
In the Name of God Amen the twelfth day of Aprill In the yeare of o[u]r Lord God one thousand six hundred sixty & Foure I Godfre[y Frog (document torn)]at of Mathfield in the County of Stafford gent having allwayes in my thoughts the Certeynety of death & the uncerteynety of the same both for tyme & place [torn …. be]ing at this […..] weake in body but of a g[torn ….] disposing memory (thanks bee to God for it) doe make this my last Will & Testam[en]t in manner & Form [torn ….that] is to say) first I doe in all humility b[torn ….] to Almighty God that gave it & my frail body to the earth from whence it came to be disposed of [torn ….]an Buryall at the discretion of [torn ….]ing assured of a Joyfull union of body & Soule at the second coming of [torn ….t]o Judge the world And [torn ….] goodness hath afforded mee I Devise{?} the same in Manner & Form [torn (about 8 words missing …. ] Sonnes in Law [torn and copy too dark, about 30 words ….] heirs All [torn and copy too dark, about 30 words ….] of any others{?} [?] for mee or wherein I have any estate whatsoever [torn and copy too dark, about 10 words …. Roger] Newham & Thomas Burley their heirs{?} [torn ….othe]rwise disposed of to and for the use of my Sonne William and his heirs if hee shall [torn, probably one word….]e his mother And I doe give unto him the said William Fyfty pounds in money And my p[ar]te of the Lease of the p[ar]ke land in Stavely & of the stock that is meane between my Sonne Buxley & mee[.] It[e]m I give to my three daughters Alice Buckly[,] Katherin Newham and Elizabeth Burley tenn shillings apeece in Full satisfaccon of their Childs p[ar]ts I having allready paid their husbands their Full porcons[.] It[e]m I give to my daughter Barbara Bright tenn shillings I having already paid & engaged to pay her Full porcon[.] It[e]m I will that my wife have the use of halfe of all my howsehold goods during her life and power to dispose of the greatest brasse ketle to her Sonne William And one Bedd and Furniture with linnens to it for him And allsoe one silver bole for him And two other Bedds with Furniture and linnens to them for her daughters Mary and Priscilla to whom I give each of them two hundred pounds apeece to bee paid vnto them within two years after they or either of them shall be marryed and in the meane tyme I will that my said daughters Mary & Priscilla have sufficient Mainetenance of meat drink & apparell or eight pounds apeece to bee yearly paid them in leiw thereof Provided that if either of my said daughters Mary & Priscilla shall marry without the Consent of their mother brother & brothers in law aforesaid or the major p[ar]te of them I will that such porcon as is devised to her or them shall cease And in that case I doe hereby give to her or them soe marrying only one hundred pounds & noe more for her or their Full porcon[.] It[e]m I give to my Daughter Anne whim I heare is Marryed to Thomas Breilsford of Staveley [small tear, probably one word] without my knowledge privity or consent and against my expresse comand in Full Satisfaccon of her Childes p[ar]te & porcon the sume of Forty pounds [torn to b]e paid whensoever her husband shall tender an acquittance in Full for the same[.] It[e]m I will that my deare wife have the Moyty or one halfe of all my Messuages Cottages land & tenem[en]ts & heriditam[en]ts in Mathfeild in the County of Stafford aforesaid during her life for the Maintenance of herselfe & Children[.] It[e]m I will that the other Moyty of my lands tenem[en]ts & hereditam[en]ts at Mathfeild aforesaid And the Rents Issues & profits thereof I give to my Sonne John Froggatt and his heires secureing to his brother Fifty pound and to his two sisters Mary and Priscilla two hundred pounds apeece w[hi]ch I will that my said heire doe secure before he enters to my lands & personall estate[.] It[e]m I will that if either of my said daughters Mary & Priscilla or Sonne William die unmarryed then that the porcon of him or her soe dying doe goe towards the making upp of the porcons of the other two, two hundred & Fyfty pounds apeece And the residue to my heire[.] It[e]m I give to Mr. Heathcoate tenn shillings to preach my funerall Sermon And I doe give to the poore of the severall p[ar]ishes of Mathfeild Stavely & Norton each p[ar]ish Forty shillings to be distributed at the discretion of my Executors hereafter named And I doe make my said deare wife and Sonne John Frogat Executors of this my last will And I doe make my said Sonnes in Law Thomas Buckley[,] Roger Newham and Thomas Burley Supervisors thereof and I give to every of them twenty shillings to buy [torn ..] over & above all charges that they or any of them [torn ..] at in seeing the same performed w[hi]ch I trust they will [torn ..] I will that my owne proper debts if any bee and{?} funerall charges bee paid out of my whole Estate [torn .. And I] hereby Revoke all Former and other Wills In Witness whereof I have hereunto put my hand & seale & doe publish{?} the same to bee my last will & Testam[en]t in the presence [torn ..]e names are Subscribed
Signed Sealed & published in [torn ..the presence] of
John Frogat G: Frogat
Mary Frogat
Hugh Croft
William Freeman
Geo: Wood