Ales Cowper

     Ales was born circa 1571 in Combs, County Suffolk, England. Ales married Edmund Lockwood on 9 March 1592 in Combs. Ales's husband, Edmund, died before 23 November 1638 in Combs, leaving her a widow. Ales made her will on 14 December 1638.

In the name of God Amen I Alice Lockwood of Combes in the countie of Suff[olk] & diocese of Norwich widdowe being sick in bodie but of good understanding & memory praise be god doe ordeyne & make my last will and testament uppon the fourteenth daie of December in the yeare of o[u]r lord god 1638 in manner & forme followeing first I bequeath my soule into the hand of the almightie god my heavenly father stedefastlie beleevyng by his infinite mercie & the infinite merit of the blood of my blessed lord & saviour Jesus Christ to obteyne remission of my sines & an inheritance among them that are sanctified through faith in hym And I comytt my bodie to the earth from whence it was in confident expectation of a ioifull & happy resurection to etemall life and for my woridlie goods w[hi]ch it hath pleased god of his goodnes to bestowe uppon me I thus dispose of them I give & bequeath to William Lockwood my sonne ten pounds. Item I give Alice Hoddy my daughter twentie shillings. Item I give to Dorothy Manwood my daughter ten pounds. Item I give to Edward Lockwood my sonne five pounds upon condicon notwithstanding that he shall suffer my executor hereafter named to p[ro]ve & execute this my saide will w[i]thout any molestacon or disturbance from hym the said Edward or any other in his name or by his p[ro]curement And if my saide sonne Edwarde therby hymselfe or any other by his p[ro]curement shall attempt & goe about to hinder my saide executor p[ro]veing or executing of this my saide will upon any p an unknown person tence whatsoever then the former bequest of the legacie offive pounds to hym made shalbe utterlie voide. Item I give to W[illia]m Lockwood my sonne my greate brasse pott upon condicon that he shall teache Josephe Sowgate my grandchilde his mystery or trade of a carpenter at such tyrne as the saide Josephe shalbe of a fitting age to learne the saide trade But if my saide sonne William shall dep[ar]te this life before the saide Joseph Sowgate shalbe fitt to learne the said trade or shall neglecte or refuse to teach hym when he is fitt to learne then I give the saide brasse pott to the saide Joseph Sowgate my grandchilde Lastly all the rest of my goods or debts unbequeathed I give to the foresaid William Lockwood my sonne whome I make & ordeyne sole exec[uto]r of this my last will and testament And in witness hereof have sett to my hand & scale the daie & yeare abovewritten. Read, signed, sealed & declared by Alice Lockwood as her last will & testam[en]t in the p an unknown person sence of us Thomas Sotheby Robert Wiles.

Ales departed this life in Combs. She was buried there in the churchyard of St. Mary's on Wednesday, 23 February 1639. Her will was probated on 27 February 1639.