Robert Brookes 1657

In the name of God Amen I Robert Brookes of Grafton Regis in the County of Northton Innholder being crasie and weake and sicke in body but of perfect maind and rememberance Thanks be given to Allmighty God for the same Doe this seven and twentith day of May in the year of our Lord God onethousand sixhundred fiftie and seven make and ordaine this my last will and Testament in manner and forme followinge First I bequeath my soule to Allmighty god my maker and Creator who gave it mee hoping to be saved through the merritts of Jesus Christ my blessed Saviour his death and passion who shed his most pretious bloud for my redemption And my body to be buried in Christian manner Imprimis I give to my sonne Robert five pounds And to his sonne my grandchild named Robert twenty shillings to bee paid within one yeare next after my decease whensoever it shall be. Item I give unto my sonne Samuell Brookes the cottage house wherein hee now liveth with the appurtenances thereto belonginge to him and to his wife Jane during their naturall lives And after their decease unto Robert Brookes my grandchilde & sonne to the said Samuell Brookes my said sonne and Jane his wife to him and to his heires but if the said Robert shall dye without heires then my will is that the said cottage house shall desend to his brother Samuell Brookes my grandchilde and to his heires But if hee alsoe shall dye or decease without heires then to desend to the use and behoofe of the rest of his Brothers and Sisters equally amongst them Item I give unto my sonne Samuell Brookes my Trappes and all my tooles as axe hammers augers and anie othere whatsoever that are fitt for a Carpenter Item I give to my sonne in lawe William Foster my Iron Crowe and five Iron wedges and the Ladle and the spit to dig post holes and alsoe one gaun to him and another gaun to his sonne William my grandsonne Item I give to Elizabeth Foster my grandchilde one chest standing in Samuell Brookes house my sonne. Item I give unto Frances Brookes daughter to my sonne & Samuell Brookes one chest beinge in my parlour chamber Item I give unto the use of my grandchildren the children of my sonne Samuell Brookes the sume of tenn pounds to bond them to be apprentices to fitt trades or occupation when they shalbe growne up of a fitt age the money beinge now in the hands of John Buckston of Paulerspurde and in the handes of Samuell Goodman of Grafton aforesaid And my will is that the said tenne pounds shalbe continued and kept in the hands of those that shalbe sufficient men to pay the use for the makinge of the said poore children fitt to go to be apprentices be givinge of them some learning as to write and read english All which I leave to be ordered by my said executor and my said sonne on law William Foster and the rest of their friends Item I give to my welbeloved wife Frances Brookes my house and homestall wherein I now live in Grafton aforesaid with all the houses and outhouses thereunto & belonging with the backside Closes and all the appurtenances whatsoever beinge antiently called the Swan Inne To have and to hold the same to her owne proper use and behoofe duringe the Lease I have of the same And to be at her disposinge as she shall thinke good And Alsoe I give and bequeath unto her all my cattell and all my household stuffe and goods both with doores and without doores whatsoever except goods I have already given and bequeathed in this my last will and Testament before sett downe. And alsoe I make her Executor of this my last will and Testament t pay all those legarice and bequeathes my debtes and funeral expenses And lastly I revoke all former wills by mee made making this my last will And I make my kinsman John Bland of Alderton and my sonne in law William Foster of Grafton aforesaid Overseers of this my last Will and Testament In witness whereof I have sette my hand and seal The day and yeare as above written.

The mark of Robert Brookes Sealed and delivered in the presence of William Paine Richard Chapman Richard Lee

The Will was proved at London the three and twentieth day of the month of July in the yeare of our Lord god one thousand six hundred fifty and seven. Before the Judges for probate of wills and grantinge Administration lawfully authorized by the oath of Frances Brookes the relict of the said deceased and sole executrix named in the said will To whom was committed administration of all and singular the goods chattels and debtes of the said deceased shee the said Frances Brookes being first sworn in due forme of lawe by vertue of a commission well and truly to Administer the same

Note: gaun a gallon measure Halliwells Dictionary of Archaic Words Second Edition 1850