Office copy, Essex Record Office reference D/ABR 23/156
In the Name of God Amen I Thomas Alefounder of Weely in ye County of Essex Yeoman being somewhat indisposed as to bodily health but (God be praised) of sound mind and memory do declare my Will as follows, my Soul I resign to Almighty God, and my Body to Christian Buriall hoping in Christ for a joyful Resurrection to eternal Life; And as to my worldly Goods I dispose thereof as is hereinafter mencõned Inprs. I give and devise All my Lands and Tenements wth. their Appurteñcs in Weely and Boxted to such Child as Mary my Wife is now bigg with and to the Heirs of such Child for ever, But it's my Will and Meaning that my Wife shall and may receive and take the Rents and Profits of all my said Lands and Tenements till such Child attain the Age of one and twenty Years, If she shall so long continue my Widow and decently and suitably educate and maintain such Child and keep all the said Lands and Tenements in good husbandlike Order and Repair and not do or commit suffer or permit any Wast Spoil or Forfieture and pay the Fines of Admission as by Law shall become due without any further Accot. But if my Wife marry again I will that my Cousin Mary Crouch of Stratford shall have the Care and Education of such Child and receive and take the Rents and Profits of my said Lands and Tenements for the best Advantage of such Child Item I will that on the death of the said Mary Crouch her Sisters may and shall have the Guardianship of such Child as aforesaid Item I give to my sd. Wife my Lands & Tenemts. in Dedham for her Life in Lieu of her Thirds she keeping the same in good Order and Repair, And after her Decease to the Heirs and Assigns of such Child for ever But if such our Child dies under Age and without Issue I give all my said Lands and Tenements to my Wife during her Widowhood, And after her Decease or Marriage to my Sister Oughan's Children & their Heirs for ever Item I give to my Servt. James Thurston twenty Shillings a Year for his Life to be paid out of my freehold Lands in Weely, All the Rest I give to my Wife & make her sole Executrix revoking all former I declare this my last Will & Testament Witnesse my Hand and Seal this sixth Day of February Anno Dni 1721 and eigth Year of King George &c Thomas Alefounder Signed sealed and published in the Presence of Sigid 1 Willi Legg, Signid 2 Willi Daniels, J Glascock
Proved the twenty ninth Day of June in the Year of our Lord One Thousand seven hundred and forty five Before the Reverend Philip Morant Clk A M Surrogate &c By the solemn and sincere Declaration and Affirmation of Mary Day (late the Widow of the Deced) ye sole Executrix, To whom Adcõn was granted, she having first solemnly and sincerely declared and Affirated according to the statute in that Behalf made and provided well and faithfully to administer.
Transcribed by Peter Alefounder 1994 |