Sample Wills

Agnes Page of Ditton Priors 1587

In dei no[min]e the xxth. day of februarye the yere of o[u]r lorde god 1587 I Agnes Page of mytleton wythin the p[ar]ishe of Dytton Priores & dioces of Hereford beinge greeved in bodye but whole in mynde & of p[er]fecte memory Lawde and prayse be to almyghtie god doe order and make this my Last will and testament in mann[er] and forme followinge, first and before alother thinges I bequeth my sowle to almyghty god my maker & redemer & my body to the xpia[n] (i.e.christian) Buryall It[e]m I geve and bequeth to Edward my sonne the su[m] of £iiij wheareof I dow owe hym £iij viijs p[ar]sell of the same £iiij It[e]m I geve and bequethe to Ales my doughter the one half of all my goodes moveable & unmoveable (as well Corne in the barne as Corne & grayne growing in and upon the grounde) my debtes and funralles being first payd, and the other half I geve to Roger my sonne of the same my goodes Corne and grayne aforesaid, Also I Institute order and make the said Roger my sonne and John Jedenes my sonne in Lawe my executores to p[er]forme this my Last will and accordinge to the trew meninge thereof, haveinge thearin theare Lawfull charges , & I will Thom[a]s Raignowldes my brother to be overseear to the same

These nearing wytnesse theare unto

Wm. Ward vic[ar] of the p[ar]ishe

Thom[a]s Raignowldes w[i]t[h] oth[er] mo[r]e

Debtes owinge to me the said testatrix

Thomas Watson        xijs

Owen Abedwarte    iiijs

Edward Page of Ditton Priors 1609

the xiijth of Auguste

In the name of [God] amen in the vijth yeare of the raigne of o[u]r Sov[er]aigne kinge James &c. I Edward Page of Midleton in the p[ar]ishe of Priors Dytton beinge sicke in bodie but in good & p[er]fecte remembrance thankes be to almightie god doe make my last will & testamente in manner & forme followinge First I give & bequethe my sowle to almightie god my maker & redemer & my bodie to be buried in Christian burial It[e]m I give to the mother Churche of Hereford iiijd It[e]m I give and bequethe unto Richard Page my kinsma[n] xxs It[e]m I give and bequethe unto my Brother Roger my Cooffer It[e]m the reste of my goodes & money whatsoev[er] I give & bequethe unto Willia[m] Page thelder my Brother & unto William Page thonger my kinsman hopinge that they will see me honestlie broughte unto my restinge place & also to bestowe somewhay upo[n] the poore as they shall thinke fittinge at theyre discretion It[e]m  I make William Page thonger my kynsman my executor to see that this my laste will & testemente be p[er]formed & accomplished in manner & forme as is aforesayde / these beeinge witnes

Edward Loughton Eavan ap Thomas & Johane Page

dettes oweinge me

William Page the elder                         £iiij

John Page my brother                            xls

Willia[m] Smalma[n] of netchwood    xvs

William Taylor ali[a]s tiler                    xs

                                S[um]ma totali        £vij vs

Probatu[m] fuit testamentu[m] suprascriptu[m] coram ven[er]abili viro mag[ist]ro Jacobo Bailie legu[m] doctore officiali prin[cipa]li ap[u]d Cleburie Mortim[er] xxvij die Octobris 1609 Juramento Will[iel]mi Page ex[ecutor]is in eodem nominat[o] cui com[m]issa fuit et est administrac[i]o salvo iure cuiuscu[m]que &c. et ex[hibui]t Inv[entariu]m extenden[s] ad sum[m]am £viij ixs vjd

(The abovewritten Will was proved in the presence of the venerable gentleman Mr. James Bailie doctor of laws official principal at Cleobury Mortimer 27th. day of October 1609 by the oath of William Page the executor named in the same [Will] to whom was and is entrusted the administration (legal power [being reserved] for anyone) etc. and he exhibited an Inventory totaling in value £8 9s 6d. )