Elizabeth Bird 1758

In the name of God Amen I Elizabeth Bird of Potterspury in the county of Northampton widow being weak in body but of sound mine and memory God be praised therefore Do make and publish this my last Will and Testament in manner and following (that is to say) First my will is that after my death all my household goods and effects of what sort or kind so ever shall be sold (except six cushion tops and six pewter plates) which I shall hereby dispose of herein after All which household goods so sold and valued (except before excepted) I do hereby give one half of the price of sale or valuation there of unto my cousin Elizabeth Hillyer who doth inhabit and dwell with me and the other half thereof I do hereby give unto my cousins Sarah and Anne Dickens of Pookesley Green in the county of Northampton aforesaid and my cousin Anne Hillier of Stony Stratford in the county of Bucks and my cousin Rebecca Baldwin of Paulerspury in the county of Northampton aforesaid to be by them equally shared and divided And the six cushions tops above mentioned I do hereby give my brother John Bird of Chelsea College and six pewter plates herein before mentioned I do hereby give unto my cousin Sarah Dickens above named And I do hereby constitute and appoint my above named cousin Elizabeth Hillyer sole executrix of this my last Will and Testament she paying all my just debts and funeral expenses and charges of proving this my Will And I do hereby revoke and make void all other Wills by me at any time heretofore made and I do declare this alone to be my last Will and Testament In witness whereof I the said Elizabeth Bird the testator have to this my last Will and Testament set my hand and seal the tenth day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fifty eight and in the thirty first year of the reign of his majesty King George the Second

The mark of Elizabeth Bird

Signed sealed published pronounced and declared by the said Elizabeth Bird as her last will and Testament in the presence of us the subscribers
Paul Cross
Samuell Cockerill
John Smith

On the third day of April 1758 Elizabeth Hillyer the sole executrix named in the within written Will was then sworn faithfully to fulfill the same and so forth, and that the deceased at the time of her death was not possessed of a personal estate to the amount of £20

R. Harding M.A. Surr.