In the name of God Amen I John Perkins of More End in the parish of Potterspury on the county of Northampton being very ill and weak in body but of perfect mind and memory thanks be given to Almighty God for the same and calling to mind the uncertainty of this life do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner following That is to say first and principally I commit my soul into the hands of Almighty God who gave it hoping and believing through the death merits and mediation of my blessed saviour and redeemer Jesus Christ to receive the forgiveness of my sins and the salvation thereof And my body to the earth to be decently interred at the discretion of my executrix herein hereafter mentioned and named And as to such worldly goods wherewith it has pleased God to bless me I give and devise the same as follows. I give and devise to my loving wife Sarah Perkins my two houses and closes and all my two yard land of arable and pasture ground with the appurtenances situate standing and being in the parish of Drayton Parslow in the county of Bucks to have and to hold all those two houses and close and two yard land of arable and pasture ground to my wife until my son John Perkins shall attain the age of one and twenty years to her own use and benefit provided notwithstanding and upon condition that my said wife shall pay and discharge all my debts within justice and equally I shall owe at my death to any persons whatsoever And also maintain bring up and educate my three children according to their degree and quality at her own cost and charge putting my son John Perkins apprentice to such trade calling as he is most inclinable to if he be willing to be an apprentice or else to bring him up to such business and employment as he has most desire to learn And also from and after my said son John Perkins shall attain the age of one and twenty years I give and devise all the said two houses (except the least of them and the orchard thereunto belonging) And all the two yard land pasture ground close and appurtenances whatsoever (except before expressed) unto my said son to have and to hold the same to him and his heirs for ever And also I give and devise to my said loving wife all the little house and orchard above excepted to have and to hold the same to her for and during her natural life and from and after her decease I give and devise the same to my said son and heirs for ever.
I give and devise unto my loving wife (after my son shall attain the age of one and twenty years one third part of all the aforementioned premises (not heretofore given to her for her life) for and during her natural life.
I give and devise to my loving wife my mortgage of the land at Lillingstone Dayrel in the county of Bucks known by the name of Holdbar.s Closes to have and to hold the same to her my said wife till the younger of my two daughters shall attain the age of one and twenty years And from and after my said youngest daughter shall attain the said age of one and twenty years then I give and devise the said mortgage to my said two daughters Elizabeth and Sarah to have and to hold the same jointly to them two their executors and administrators to their own use and benefit But if it happen that either of my said daughter shall die before she shall attain the age of one and twenty years Then my will is that th[e] [part] and share of her so dying shall go and descend to the survivor of them upon condition notwithstanding that if my said son shall tender and pay to my said daughters one hundred pounds a piece of lawful money of Great Britain or two hundred pounds of like lawful money to the survivor of them if one of them shall happen to die before her share shall become due to her That then they or the survivor of them upon such tender and payment shall yield and deliver up all the said mortgage into the hands and possession of my said son to his own use and benefit I constitute and appoint my loving wife Sarah Perkins sole executrix of this my last Will and Testament In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the first day of September Anno Dom 1714