FILM 92317 PREROGATIVE COURT OF CANTERBURY BENCH 73 1676

WILL OF EDWARD WATTS OF BLAKESLY 1676

First and principally I commend my soul into the hands of Almighty God hoping through the merits of the death and passion of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to have full and free pardon and forgiveness of my sins and to inherit Everlasting Life and my body I commit to the earth to be decently buried in the Chancel of Blackesly aforesaid by my Executrix hereafter named.

And as touching the disposition of my personal estate as it has pleased Almighty God to bestow upon me I give dispose and bequeath the same in manner following

Imprimis I will and devise that my said Executrix herein after named shall with all convenient speed that may be after my decease out of such debts and sums of money as shall be due and owing by me to any person or persons as my own proper debts and not as surety for any other person and after all other legacies hereinafter bequeathed and all the rest residue and remainder of the said sums of money which shall be lying by me or which shall be due or owing to me at the time of my decease I give and bequeath unto and amongst all my children which I have or shall have by the said Felice my wife, equally to be divided amongst them share and share alike.

Item I give and bequeath unto Edward Watts son of Alice my former wife the sum of twenty shillings to be paid unto him within two months next after my decease in full for all his portion.

And all the rest of my goods, chattels and personal estate whatsoever, I give and bequeath unto Felice my loving wife whom I make my sole Executrix of this my last will and testament.

And I do constitute and appoint my trusty friends, Sir William Pargiter of Greatworth in the County of Northampton, Knight, Theophilus Hart of Wappenham in the County of Northampton, Clerk my loving father in law John Leaborne of Blackesly aforesaid, George Grendon of Caldecott in the parish of Towcester, in the County of Northampton, Gent., son and heir apparent of the said George Grendon, overseers of this my last will and testament.

And I do hereby give and devise the guardianship and custody of the bodies of all and every my said children and the management of the lands, moneys and estates which I have hereby and by other conveyances given or settled upon them or any of them unto the said Felice my wife until they shall severally accomplish their several and respective ages of sixteen years in case she the said Felice my wife so long live.

And in case she the said Felice my said wife shall happen to die before all my said children shall have accomplished their said respective ages of sixteen years, I do then give and devise unto the said overseers of my said will and unto the survivors and survivor of them and unto the Executors and Administrators of the survivors of them the said guardianship and custody of the bodies of such of my said children as shall be under the said age or ages of 16 years at the time of the decease of my said wife.

And the management of their lands moneys and estates from the time of my said wife's decease until they shall severally accomplish their said several and respective ages of 16 years. Provided always and I do hereby further will and devise that neither the said Felice my wife nor the said overseers of this my said will nor the survivors nor survivor of them nor the Executors or Administrators of the survivor of them to whom I have bequeathed the guardianship of my children in manner as aforesaid shall not at any time or times during their respective guardianship or the minority of my said children, fell or cut down any trees of what kind or nature soever now growing, standing or being or which shall be at any time during my life standing, growing or being in or upon the yards, orchards, gardens, housestall or closes near adjoining to the capital messuage or Manor house in Blackesly aforesaid and Woodend in the county of Northampton or in one of them wherein I the said Edward Watts do now inhabit and dwell.

And I do likewise hereby further will and devise that neither the said Felice my wife nor the said overseers of this my said will nor the survivors nor survivor of them, nor the Executors nor Administrators of the survivor of them to whom I have devised and bequeathed the guardianship of my children in manner as aforesaid shall not at any time or times during their respective guardianship or the minority of my said children, fell or cut down any trees of oak, ash or elm which shall at the time of my decease be standing, growing or being in or upon the pieces or parcels of wood ground or other ground situate and lying in Blakesly and Woodend aforesaid and in Plumpton in the said county of Northampton or in some or one of them and commonly called or known by the names of Canes Wood alias Canons Wood Hall, Wood Hall, Stebbing [?] End, Woodend Green or in or upon any other wood or woods ground whatsoever which shall at any time or times after my decease by descent, settlement or otherwise descend fall or come unto any of my children which I now have or hereafter shall have by the said Felice my now wife save only such trees which shall at the time of the cutting and felling thereof be of the thickness of four and twenty inches about at the least at four foot distance from the ground.

And I give and bequeath unto the said Sir William Pargiter the sum of five pounds and to the said Theophilus Hart, John Leaborne, George Grendon and John Grendon the sums of forty shillings apiece to buy them rings and I do hereby revoke, disannul and make void all former wills and testaments heretofore by me made. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year first above written. Edward Watts. Signed, sealed, published and declared in the presence of us, Phil: Style, Wm Style, James Simson.

Probate granted June 1676