Cousins mentioned in wills?

[benny1982]

I have found quite a few 1500s and 1600s wills where the testator mentions cousins. Have any others found lots of instances of testators of wills mentioning cousins?

Well my ancestor was Thomas Jollye (c1540-1599), who was a vicar, he died in Thundersley, Essex, and his 1599 will he mentions "my cosen Henry Wright of Bury in Suffolk" and "my cosen Thomas Skinner of St Martin, London, and his wife Mary". I have a feeling the cousin Thomas Skinner may have been Sir Thomas Skinner, a knight, who died in 1626 at St Martin In The Fields. Further research says he was the son of Thomas Skinner Lord Mayor of London who died in 1597.

 

[ptjw7]

I have had a relative that left a will that went on for several pages listing what should happen if one or other children had died - talk about control from the grave.
Made for very heavy reading - very 'wordy' - mind you he had some money to leave!!

 

[benny1982]

It is good when they left legacies to extended family as it can really open up more rellies, and help you get back further, especially if they were quite well off.

Sadly many left a mere administration bond or mere probate inventory with no known evidence of an actual will.