Meaning of "sentence" wrt Wills, Probate etc, mid C17th ? (General)

by Jefff , West London, Middlesex, Friday, August 09, 2013, 01:22 (4126 days ago)

Please can someone enlighten me ? While browsing the National Archives website tonight I searched for "Flaxley" following a recent forum thread.

Here are the various findings, I hope this link still works for others as well as me (I don't know if such links rely on cookies etc now resident in my pc ?).
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/s/res/2?_q=flaxley&_col=2&_srt=4

Of particular interest to me were the following items, purely because I suspected foul play given the use of the word "sentence". However on second thoughts and seeing the social standing of those concerned I now wonder if the word means something entirely different here, perhaps related to Wills ?? :

"Reference:PROB 11/378/4
Description:Sentence of Abraham Clarke, Gentleman of Flaxley, Gloucestershire
Date: 11 February 1684"
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=D749291

and

"Reference:PROB 11/176/477
Description:Sentence of James Hawkins, Gentleman of Flaxley, Gloucestershire
Date: 18 April 1638"

At first I wondered what problems had occurred in Flaxley at the time that "gentlemen" would be sentenced, presumably after being found guilty of a crime ?; maybe Civil War related (no my C17th History is NOT good).
However within the TNA findings were both the above men's Wills, so maybe not ??.

"Reference:PROB 11/377/6
Description:Will of Abraham Clark, Gentleman of Flaxley, Gloucestershire
Date: 08 February 1684"
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=D750244

"Reference:PROB 11/362/567
Description:Will of James Hawkins of Flaxley, Gloucestershire
Date: 10 May 1680"

My own very basic internet searching wrt this query hasn't helped, so hopefully someone can please clarify the meaning of "sentence" for me, thankyou.

-----------------------

Re Abraham Clarke, from this sites PRs:

Record_ID: 67559
Entry_Number:
Year: 1669
Month: May
Day: 26
Grooms_Surname: CLARKE
Grooms_Forenames: Abraham
Grooms_Age:
Groom_Condition:
Grooms_Occupation: Yeoman
Grooms_Residence:
Grooms_Fathers_Surname:
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames:
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation:
Brides_Surname: WISEMAN
Brides_Forenames: Ellynor
Brides_Age:
Brides_Condition:
Brides_Occupation:
Brides_Residence:
Brides_Fathers_Surname:
Brides_Fathers_Forenames:
Brides_Fathers_Occupation:
Licence_or_Banns:
Date_of_Banns:
Signature_or_Mark:
Witness_1:
Witness_2:
Other_Witnesses:
Officiating_Minister:
Event: Marriage
Memoranda: Lord of ye Manor of Flaxley
Notes:
Register_Reference: P145 IN 1/2
Page_Number: 15
Parish_Chapel: Flaxley
Soundex_Groom: C462
Soundex_Bride: W255

Record_ID: 178851
Entry_Number:
Year: 1683
Month: Dec
Day: 20
Surname: CLARK
Forenames: Abraham
Residence:
Age_at_death:
Officiating_Minister: George Ditton
Event: Burial
Cause_of_death:
Memoranda: Esq: Died 4th December 1683
Notes:
Register_Reference: P145 IN 1/2
Page_No: 20
Parish_Chapel: Flaxley
Soundex: C462

So clearly NO obvious suggestion of criminal activity by an elderly "Lord of Ye Manor Esq" !
For those with far more than my single year's Latin schooling, here is the relevant Bigland Transcript from his Flaxley Church memorial, presumably "here lies....":

"Hic dormit
ABRAHAMUS CLARK, Armiger.
beatam resurrectionem expectans,
in omni vita modestus ac fobrius,
justitiae et aequitatis cultor eximius,
summa in amicos fide,
veraque in Deum.
Egenorum fautor ac patrenus,
orpanorum pater,
liberalitatem exercere maluit
quam ostentare aliis, munificentiae
testes praetor Deum
aegre admisit.
Satis ei magnum ad virtutem
invitamentum recte factorum
conscientia. Obiit Decem.
4, anno Domini 1683,
aetatis suae 61."

Abraham is briefly mentioned in these histories of Flaxley and the Church, he left £60 to charity in his Will, a considerable amount then I think.
http://www.wosb.org.uk/flaxleychurch.asp
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=23256
http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-354086-flaxley-abbey-blaisdon-gloucestershire

On Abraham's death his home at the old Abbey, now Flaxley Manor hall, passed to his first cousin William Boevey. This detailed history of William's wife Catherina makes interesting reading, they both died at Flaxley Hall.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherina_Boevey

This beautiful engraving shows the impressive grandeur of Flaxley in 1712.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Flaxley_Abbey_Kip.jpg
The building bears comparison with the modern Hall/Abbey
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_grounds_of_Flaxley_Abbey_-_geograph.org.uk_-_2679...

PS: I see Abraham is described as an ARMIGER in his Memorial, rather appropriate given another recent forum enquiry. http://www.forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?id=41801