William Foskett 1658
In the name of God Amen The two and twentieth day of October in the yeare of our Lord god one thousand Six hundred Fyfty and Seaven I William Foskett of north Crawley in the county of Bucks being weake in body but of perfect memory doe make and ordain this my last will and testament in manner following first and principally I give and bequeath my Soule to Allmighty god that gave it and my body to bee buried in or parcel of ground called finals neere adioininge my house item I give it to the poore people of North Crawley the Summe of three pounds to bee distributed amonge them by the overseers of my will three monthes after my decease Item I give and bequeath to my son John Foskett all my lott meadowe in South Meade to him and his heires to have and to hold the said premises hee and his heires for ever Item I give to my now wife Anne Foskett all the moveable goods which is at this present in the chamber over the new parlour and all the lynnen which shee brought with her or was given her since Shee came and my said wife shall dwell in that house wherein my sSster Harison now dwelleth if Shee please and to remaine hence within twelve monthes after my decease Item I give and bequeath to my daughter Anne Foskett two hundred pounds to bee paid unto her by my Sonne William Foskett in manner following that is to say one hundred pound shall bee paid within one month after her day of marriage and the other hundred pound one yeare after her day of marriage if she shall live soe long or if shee dye and leave a child of her body behinde her then that Childe shall have and enioy the said hundred pound which should bee paid one the year after her marriage provided that my said daughter Alice shall not to marry with out the consent liking and approbation of my overseers but if she do marry against the wills and liking of my overseers then that hundred pound which should bee paid one yeare after her day of marriage shall bee paid into the hands of my overseers for them to returne it backe againe to my executors if they shall think it fit or if otherwise they shall see good cause and reason they may and shall imploy the said hundred pounds for the benefit of my said daughter Alice all for the profitt and good of any childe of her body which waies they shall thinke it most beneficial for them Alsoe I give to my daughter Alice my gold ring which was her owne mothers and I likewise give unto her that Chest in the old parlour Item I give and bequeath to my daughter Elizabeth Foskett two hundred pound to bee paid unto her by my sonne William Foskett in manner following that is to say shee shall have the other hundred pound one yeare after her day of marriage if shee shall live so long or if shee dye and leave a Child of her body behinde her then that Childe shall have and enioy the said hundred pound which … shee paid one year after her marriage provided that my said daughter Elizabeth shall not marry with out the consent liking and approbation of my overseers but if my said daughter Elizabeth shall marry contrary to my overseers minds then that hundred pound which should bee paid one yeare after her marriage shall bee paid into the hands of my overseers for them to returne it backe againe to my executor if they shall think fit or if they shall see good cause they may and shall imploy the said hundred pound for the benefitt of my said daughter Elizabeth or for any childe which she may have of her body which waies they shall thinke most beneficial for them and that my daughter Elizabeth may have her money faithfully paid according to my true intent and meaninge as aforesaid my will is for her securitie that he if the money bee not paid and every part thereof accordinge to my minde as abovesaid that then my daughter Elizabeth shall have that one Close called new Close which is now in my occupation and alsoe the house and homestall wherein George Woodefeild nowe dwelleth and likewise the Leyes which doe ioyne to the said house now in my occupation and alsoe the pitle at the over end of the said Leyes now in the occupation of George Woodfeild to have and to hold the same premises to her and her heires forever Item I give to my two daughters Alice and Elizabeth Foskett halfe the linnen which was theire owne mothers to bee equally divided betwixt them Item my will and minde is that my sonne John Foskett shall come to his estate when hee shall bee fyfteene yeares of age Item my will is that my sonne John Foskett shall pay unto my sonne Edmond Foskett and likewise to my daughter Mary Foskett out of his lands and tenements fyfty pound a peece to bee
paid them when each of them come to Eighteene yeares of age Item my will is that my sonne William Foskett hold and enioy all those lands proffitts and Commodities which I passed over to the heires of my now wife Anne Foskett untill my sonne John come to Fifteene yeares of age and my will is that my sonne William Foskett shall pay out of the proffitts of this land tenn pound a yeare for the education and maintenance of my three Children John Edmund and Marie Foskett dureing the tyme hee holde the said lands but my sonne William is not to have or to meddle with my wives ioynture [jointure]nor any part thereof Item my minde is that my brother Robert Foskett shall bee carefully kept and provided for by my executor Item my will is that my sonne William Foskett provide house and harbour for my sister Harrison ..else hee shall give her twenty shillings by the yeare during her natural Life Item I give to my siter Harrisons three Children John Mary and Katherine Harrison tenne shillings a peece to bee paid to them at the day of theire marriage and forasmuch as some of that land and meadowe which I settled uppon my sonne William Foskett at the marriage of his mother I have since given and passed over to my sonn John Foskett my will is that if my sonne William Foskett bee not content with what I have done as concerning this thing and shall deny to lett my sonne John Foskett or his heires peaceably have and enioy what ground I have given him by will or settled on him any other waies that then my said sonne William Foskett shall have not more of my land ground or houses but long close and that which my Father William Foskett left mee Item I give to my daughter Elizabeth the newest Chest in that Chamber over the hall Item I doe give and bequeath all the rest of my goods Cattell and Chattells whatsoever unbequeathed my debts legacies funerall Charges being paid and discharged unto my Sonne William Foskett whom I make and ordaine sole executor of this my will and Testament and I doe desire my three loving friends John Gregory William Baker and John Squire to bee overseers heereof and for theire pained I give them ten shillings a peece and I doe hereby make void all wills formerly made by mee in wittnes whereof I have heereunto sett my hand and seale and published this to bee my last will and testament accordinge to the true intent and meaninge heereof the day and yeare first above written in the presence of theife witnesses whose names are heereunto subscribed William Foskett Testator witness John Squier Jonathan Burridge
This will was proved at London The fourth day of May in the yeare of our Lord one thousand and six fyfty and eight before the Judges for probate of wills and grantinge administrations lawfully authorized by the oath of William Foskett the sonne and sole executor To whom was granted administration hee being first sworne truely to administer