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Thanks both.

Sister would make sense of the line of inheritance.

There are some odd aspects to the case.
 
The Lord of the manor of Tollerton was Sir William Fountain, whose steward presided over the Court Manor which recognised Elizabeth Fountain as next in blood (Sir William's sister in law perhaps).

Robert the claimant at first said he was son of the original Robert but then solicitors for both parties agreed that he was the son of Henry, Robert's eldest brother. His move to Essex from North Yorkshire is unexplained, although in 1571 a Robert from Carlton Husthwaite admitted to fornication.

This case follows an earlier one in the Common Pleas which you both helped me with the Latin https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=892924.msg7671094#msg7671094. Robert won that one. Not sure how this one turned out.

Excellent

Thank you Bookbox.

George and John appear to have reconciled. George took on John's son as an apprentice a few years later and left loving brother John 20s for a ring in his 1659 will.

There are two register copies of the will of Clement Kitchingman, draper of Norwich in the National Archives, which I have been able to transcribe save the odd name. The copies of the will are in different hands but identical.

I would be grateful if someone could help me with the probate wording which follows the wills, which differ significantly

The second one dated 28 January 1627 appears to be standard, granting administration to Clement's son and executor John. PROB 11/153/79 https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D888969

The first one dated 3 December  1627 is much longer than usual. It mentions George Kitchingman in addition to his brother John. As well as my usual difficulty with Latin, the film seems somewhat blurry.
PROB 11/152/779   https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D890590

I have attached a limited screenshot to avoid copyright infringement but hopefully you will be able to download the full document from the National Archive.

Thank you again for your help.





By way of context, in his will Clement paid off George's debts to other relatives and left him an annuity. However, he evidently anticipated difficulties with George, as his legacy  was to be null and void if he troubled or sued his mother or brother John.

I think the question you should ask is how many C17 Stonemasons could read, and of those how many could afford to buy a book.

The article below suggests that 30% of adult men were fully literate. As people learnt to read before they could write, more would have been able to read.

Put it another way, would you have engaged a highly skilled craftsman to carve a Latin inscription on an expensive piece of marble if they were illiterate?

https://manyheadedmonster.com/2014/10/13/the-rabble-that-cannot-read-ordinary-peoples-literacy-in-seventeenth-century-england/