Thomas Giffard 1638
In the name of God Amen June the Seaventeenth Anno Dim, Six hundred thirty Eight I Thomas Giffard of North Crawley in the County of Bucks Esquire weake of bodie buy (praised bee God) sound and perfect in mind and memorie Doe make and ordaine this my last will and testament thereof in manner and forme following vizt First and above all things I bequeath and resigne up my Soule into the hands of God almightie my maker and preserver trustinge and confidently beleevinge it to bee saved onely by the merritts and propitiation of Jhs Cst my alone Saviour, and Redeemer, and my body to bee decently buryed in the Chancell of the Parrishe Church of North Crawley aforesaid, from thence expecting a ioyfull resurrection And of those temporall mercyes which the Lord hath Sent mee. Imprimis I Doe hereby give bequeath to my Sonne Francis Giffard the somme of Three Thousand Pounds of good and lawfull English money, to be paid unto him when hee shall accomplish the age of one and twenty yeares, In the meane tyme my will is that he shall have such sufficient education and maintenance out of it as my wife, and twoe of my Overseers shall think fit, And my wife to receive the Overplus of his portion, soe long as shee shall keepe herselfe Widowe and unmarried towards the increasing and augmentation of his portion, But in Case shee marry againe, Then my will is that before that day and tyme, either the whole three thousand pounds bee payd out in some purchase for the use of him and his heires forever And shee to receive the Rent thereof untill hee come to full age yet for his benefitt (as before) which purchase my will is shalbe made att the discretion of my wife, and anie two of my Overseers hereunder named Or In Case the moneyes bee not disbursed or layd owt in any purchase, then my Will is that two thousand pounds thereof before her marriage shalbee committed into the hands of my lovinge freinds Benjamin Tompkins of Harpoll in the County of Northton Clarke William Gilpin of Laughton in the Countie of Bucks gent and of my Bro: Richard Giffard of Olny in the Countie of Bucks Clarke , to bee by them, and the Survivor of them imployed for the use and benefitt of my sonne att their discretions, And tuther Thousand Pounds to bee disposed and imployed by my Wife likewise to his best advantage Item I Doe hereby give and bequeath to my three Daughters Elizabeth Anne and Jane Giffard three hundred Pounds a peece of lawfull English money to bee paid unto them when they shall severally accomplish the age of one. And twenty yeares., or att their respective dayes of marriage which shall first happen And in case they marry with the consent of their mother then I give them further one hundred pounds a piece, to be paid to every of them that shall soe marry with her consent. And my will is that in case any one or two of my said Daughters shall happen to Dye before the time that their portions bee Due and payable then my will is that her or their portions shall redound to the survivor or survivors of them, And in case my sonne dye then two thousand pounds of his portion shall redound to bee equallie Devided amongst his Sisters and one thousand pounds thereof shall bee disposed of att the will and pleasure of my wife. Item I give to poore people of Crawley, Two pounds, To each of my brothers and sisters ten shillings a peece To Francis Giffard my Godsonne I give twenty shillings To my mother Harding, and to her two daughters ten shillings a peece To Peter Fareen O give ten shillings Item I give to my servant Kat: Reede twentie shillings, Of this my last will and desbursment I doe hereby make my welbeloved wife Elizabeth Giffard my sole and whole exectrix, and to her I Doe hereby give, and bequeath all and Singular other my Jewells plate cattles and chattles moveable, and unmovable whatsoever unbequeathed, paying my Debts, and legacies, and seeinge my bodie decently buried And I doe hereby nominate, and intreate the above named Ben Tomkins Will: Gilpin, and my brother Richard Giffard to bee Oversees of this my Will, and Coadintors to my wife education of my children, and the payment of their portions, to each of whom I give hereby twenty shillings. In witness Whereof I have hereunto put my hand and seale the day and yeare first above written. Thomas Giffard: Sealed & published in the presence of Benjamin Tomkins: Richard Giffard: Phillip Caton.