FILM 187630 BOOK O  THIRD SERIES fol. 45   1686

WILL OF JOHN WATTS OF PAULERSPURY 1686

In the name of God Amen the ninth day of March Anno Dom 1686 and in the third year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord James the Second by the grace of God King of England, etc.,

I John Watts of Paulerspury in the county of Northampton, Yeoman, being sick and weak in body but of sound and perfect memory, praise be given unto God for the same,

And knowing the uncertainty of this life on earth and being desirous to settle things in order do make this my last will and testament in manner and form following, that is to say,

First and principally I commend my soul to Almighty God my creator assuredly believing that I shall receive full pardon and free remission of my sins and be saved by the precious death and merits of my blessed Saviour and Redeemer Christ Jesus and my body to the earth from whence it was taken to be buried in such decent and Christian manner as to my Executors hereafter named shall be thought meet and convenient,

And as touching such worldly estate as the Lord in mercy hath lent me my will and meaning is the same shall be employed and bestowed as hereafter by this my will is expressed and I do revoke frustrate and make void all wills by me formerly made,

And declare and appoint this my last will and testament.

And first I give and bequeath unto Anthony Watts my son the sum of fifty pounds of lawful money of England to be paid unto him when he shall come to the age of one and twenty years by my Executors hereunto name.

Item I give and bequeath unto my son Thomas Watts the like sum of fifty pounds of lawful money of England to be paid unto him when he shall come to the age of one and twenty years.

Item I give and bequeath unto my son Joseph Watts the like sum of fifty pounds of lawful money of England to be paid unto him when he shall come to the age of one and twenty years.

And my will and meaning is that if my sons Anthony, Thomas or Joseph or any of them shall happen to die before their legacies so given unto them shall be due and payable as aforesaid, then my will is that his or their legacy so dying shall be equally delivered between the survivors or to the survivor of them.

Item I give and bequeath unto my loving brother Anthony Watts and to my loving brother-in-law John Brocklis and John Browne of Paulerspury aforesaid yeoman and to the survivors or survivor of them and to the heirs and assigns of the survivor of them all my lands tenements and hereditaments whatsoever in Paulerspury aforesaid or elsewhere (except the messuage lands and hereditaments which was my late wife's jointure) to be by them sold for the best benefit and advantage they can and out of the money that shall be raised out of the sale of the same to pay to my three sons above mentioned their several legacies of fifty pounds apiece in manner as aforesaid,

But my will and meaning is that if my son John Watts do pay the legacies as above mentioned then he shall have the same lands with the appurtenances to him and his heirs forever.

Item I give unto my son John Watts my garner and malt mill in the hay barn my furnace and two hovels and the table in my hall.

All the rest of my household stuff my will is shall be equally divided between my four sons John, Anthony, Thomas and Joseph by my Executors hereafter mentioned.

All the rest of my goods and chattels undisposed of I give unto my said brother Anthony Watts, John Brocklis and John Browne whom I make Executors of this my last will upon trust and confidence that they or the survivor or survivors of them shall out of the same, maintain and keep my three sons (viz) Anthony, Thomas and Joseph and put them to trades and the overplus if any happen to be, to be equally divided between my three youngest sons or to the survivors or survivor of them when my son Joseph shall come to the age of one & twenty years.

And I give to my said Executors forty shillings of lawful money of England to be equally divided amongst them for their pains herein to be taken.

In witness whereof I have to this my last will & testament set my hand and seal and published the same, the day and year first above written. John Watts

Signed, sealed and published in the presence of