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© copyright Kevin Quick

Thomas Edmonds

Prerogative Court of Canterbury will made: 2nd September 1657
Probate Date: 9th December 1657
Proved by Thomas Edmonds
National Archive Catalogue reference: PROB 11/271

The original document is in the custody of the National Archives

Transcript

In the Name of God Amen - the second day of September in the yeare of our Lord God according to the English accompt one thousand six hundred Fifty and seaven I Thomas Edmonds of reach in the parish of Laighton Bussard in the County of Bedford Weaver being aged sick and weake of body yet of good and perfect memorie praised bee God therefore doe make Constitute and Ordaine this my last Will and Testament in manner and Forme Followinge (that is to say) First of all I yeild and Willingly Submitt my Soule into the hands of Almighty God my maker hopeing to be saved by and through the merritts death and passion of Jesus Christ my Saviour and Redeemer and that my Soule w[i]th my body att the resurrecc[i]on of the just shall rise againe and Inheritt the Kingdome of heaven prepared for Christ and his elect, And my body to the Earth from whence itt came to bee buried att the discretion of my Executor herafter named and as for touching and concerning my Temporall estate w[hi]ch God of his Infinite goodnes & mercy hath binn pleased to bestow upon mee here in this life Farr above my deserts I dispose of the same as Followeth. First I will and bequeath unto the poore people of Heath and reach the sume of Forty Shillings of lawfull English money to bee paid w[i]thin one Month next after my decease, And alsoe I give and bequeath unto my Brother William Edmonds my Cottage w[i]th th'appurtenances lying and being in great Wolston in the County of Buck[ingham], To hold unto him for and dureing his Naturall life And from and after his decease then I will the same shall remaine and be to the use and behoofe of Thomas Edmonds Sonne of the said William and of his heires and assignes forever the said Thomas Edmonds his heires or assignes paying out of the said Cottage with th'appurt[ena]nces the some of Three score pounds of lawfull English mony unto the six Children of Elizabeth Dudley Sister of the said Thomas within two yeares next after the decease of the said William Edmonds my Brother (that is to say) unto each of them tenne pounds apeice, And alsoe I give and bequeath unto Thomas Edmonds the younger of little Wolston in the said County of Buck[ingham] all and singular my Lands Meadow and pasture w[hi]ch I purchased of John Binyon with th'appurt[ena]nces unto the same belonging And alsoe I give unto the Five Children of my Brother John Edmonds (That is to say) unto William, John, Sarah, Anne, and Elizabeth Edmonds the sume of Thirty pounds apeece to bee paid unto Each of them within two yeares next after my decease Alsoe I give and bequeath unto Ellen Edmonds otherwise Taylor the sume of Thirty pounds of like English money to bee equally devided betweene them to bee paid unto them when each of them shall attaine unto their severall ages of one and Twenty yeares And alsoe I will that my Executor hereafter named shall pay or cause to bee paid unto the said Ellin Edmonds otherwise Taylor Thirty shillings of like English money yearely and every yeare untill the eldest of the Children of the said Ellin shall attaine unto their Full age of one and Twenty yeares as aforesaid, And alsoe I give and bequeath unto Mary Edmonds my Servant the sume of Forty pounds of like money to bee paid unto hir within two yeares next after my decease And alsoe I give unto the said Mary one greate Chest All my wifes weareing Apparell both linin and wollen: One Joyned Bedsteed w[i]th a Featherbed and a Boulster a paire of Blancketts a Coverlett and two paire of Sheetes my Cupboard standing in the Hall my Biggest brasse kettle (except one) foure pewter platters att hir owne Choice, one pewter Candlestick one pewter Chamber pott one brasse pestell and Morter. And Alsoe I give and bequeath unto the Foure Children of Robert Michell? deceased the some of Tenne pounds to bee equally devided betweene them (that is to say) unto each of them Fiftie shillings a peece to bee paid within two yeares next after my decease And Alsoe I will and bequeath unto the Children of Mary Richardsonne the sume of Tenn pounds of like English money to bee paid unto them within two yeares next after my decease And to bee equally devided betweene them And alsoe I give unto the two Children of Anne Scott Five pounds to bee equally devided betweene them to bee paid within two yeares next after my decease And alsoe I give and bequeath unto the two Grandchildren of my Sister Fortune deceased the sume of Five pounds of like English money to bee equally devided betweene them to bee paid within two yeares next after my decease And alsoe I give and Bequeath unto the Foure Children of Thomas Edmonds of little Woolston aforesaid (That is to say) unto William, Sarah, Anne and Mary the some of Tenne pounds of like English money to bee equally devided betweene them to bee paid within two yeares next after my decease And alsoe I give and bequeath unto Bennett Mitchell one of my Sisters sonnes the sume of Five pounds of like English money to bee paid within two yeares next after my decease And alsoe I give and bequeath unto Elizabeth Dudley of great Woolston aforesaid Widdow the sume of Twenty pounds of like English money to bee paid within two yeares next after my decease which said sume of Twenty pounds my will is that the same bee ymediately laid out upon such things which shall bee most needfull for the use of hir Children And alsoe I give and bequeath unto my Nephew William Edmonds of Sandon in the County of Hertford yeoman the sume of Twentie pounds to bee paid within two yeares next after my decease And alsoe I will and bequeath unto my said Brother William Edmonds the sume of Twenty pounds of like English money to bee paid att the Feast day of S[ain]t Michaell th'archangell which shall bee in the yeare of our Lord God one thousand six hundred Fifty and Eight upon this Condic[i]on that my said Brother William shall permitt and Suffer my Executor hereafter named peaceablie lawfully and quietly to have hold and enjoy to his owne use all my Messuage or Tenement with th'appurtenances in Reach aforesaid untill the said Feast day of S[ain]t Michaell th'archangell which shall bee in the yeare of our Lord God one Thousand six hundred Fidty and Eight for the Rent of Seaven pounds But if my said Brother William shall refuse or hinder my said Executor to enjoy the s[ai]d Messuage or Tenement with th'appurtenances according to this my will then my will is that the said some of Twenty pounds given to my said Brother William shall remaine and bee to the onely use of my said Executor forever All and singular other my goods Chattells Cattell household stuffe Implements utensills of household ready money bills bonds writings and other my substance whatsoever not here by mee willed and bequeathed my debts and Legacyes paid and my Funerall expences discharged I will and bequeath unto Thomas Edmonds of Great Brickhill in the County of Buck[ingham] Bricklayer whom I doe ordaine and appoint to bee my sole Executor of this my last Testament and Will by me made utterly revokeing and makeing void and Null all former Wills and bequests whatsoever by mee made or done either by word or writing And this onely is to bee taken as my last Will and none other In Testimony whereof I have hereunto sett my hand seale the day and yeare above written in the presence of these witnesses whose names are hereunder written. Thomas Edmonds. Witnesses Thomas Eliot [his mark?] Thomas Edmonds of Woolston [his mark?] John Chapman [his signature?] .///

 
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