Benjamin Poole

Prerogative Court of Canterbury will made: 16th September 1633
Probate Date: 9th November 1633
Proved by Elizabeth Poole, widow of the testator and Benjamin Poole, son of the testator
National Archive Catalogue reference: PROB 11/164

The original document is in the custody of the National Archives

Transcript

In the name of God Amen: The Sixteenth day of September 1633. I Beniamin Poole of Leighton Bussard in the County of Bed[for]d yeoman beinge at this p[resen]te tyme though not strong of bodie yet of sound and p[er]fecte mynde and memorie praysed be god therefore callinge to mind the ...table? decree of god for sinnes? w[hi]ch is that everie man shall die but the tyme when and place where are of all thinges least knowne unto man beinge therefore desirous by godes helpe to be in readines to goe the way of all fleshe whensoev[er] it shall be his holie will and pleasure to Call for me Doe nowe manifestlie declare this my last will and Test[amen]t in manner and forme followinge First I Comend my soule to Allmightie god my Creator and to his blessed sonne Jesus Christ my Redeemer hopinge and stedfastlie beleeving that thorough the merittes of his bitter death and passion and the sheddinge of his most pretious blood for the sinns of mankinde I shalbe made p[ar]taker of his glorious kingdome amongest the number of his elect and my bodie to be decentlie buried accordinge to the discretion of my Executors hereafter named. And for my worldlie estate as god of his mercy hath blessed me w[i]thall First I give to the poore \of the Towne/ of Leighton three poundes to be distributed amongest \them/ by the Overseers of the poore for the tyme beinge or otherwise as my Executors shall thinke best for the avoydinge of trouble at the tyme of my buriall It[e]m I give to John Dadd my prentice if he serve out his tyme twentie shillinges It[e]m I give and bequeath to Jane Goodinch my daughter five poundes and to her two daughters Anne and Jane either of them twentie shillinges It[e]m I give and bequeath to [Christ]ofer Poole my eldeste sonne the some of fiftie poundes to be paid \unto him/ w[i]thin three monethes after my decease And to his five Children One hundred and thirtie poundes in manner and forme followinge that is to saie to Elizabeth twentie poundes, Johanna Thirtie poundes. To Jane Twentie poundes. To Amy Twentie poundes, and to [Christ]ofer the boy fortie poundes to be paid unto them or unto their use and behoofe w[i]thin sixe monethes after the decease of [Christ]ofer their father, and if aine of them happen to die before that tyme then the survivinge Children to have the porc[i]on or legacie of the deceased equallie amongest them And in the meane tyme from and after a full halfe yeare or sixe moneths fullie to be expired after my decease to be imployed or putt forth by my Executors and Ov[er]seers or some of them And the profitt thereof arisinge, growinge, or cominge to be paied to my saide sonne [Christ]ofer for a helpe to bringe upp his children and for his owne better maintenance duringe the terme of his lief It[e]m I give and bequeath unto the said [Christ]ofer for terme of his life Three acres of land lyinge as followeth, One acre shootinge betweene litle Huntes way, and Haywardes balkeway, one other acre beinge a thorowh out in the middle feild shootinge over Leedon way, And one thorough out acre in grovebury feild shootinge into Dunstable way It[e]m I give unto him the said [Christ]ofer One Cowe all my wearing apparrell and two of [my?] biggest silver and gilst silver spoones. Provided alwaies that if the said [Christ]ofer his heires or assignes shall at any tyme after my decease make any further Claime or title to aine of the landes or tenementes w[hi]ch I die seised of or to aine of the goodes w[hi]ch I die possessed of \yther?/ then to such as are before to him given and bequeathed by this my last will and Testament or shall refuse to seale and deliver to his brother Beniamin A sufficient release of all clayme \estate/ and demand to the aforemenc[i]ond p[re]mises or to aine part or parcell thereof w[i]thin two moneths after my decease being thereunto required by the saide Beniamyn That then all the severall legacies to him and his Children before given and bequeathed by this my said will shalbe utterlie void and of none effect anie thinge herein Conteyned to the Contrary not w[i]th standing It[e]m I give and bequeath to Beniamyn Poole my third sonne all that Messuage or Tenement wherein I nowe dwell w[i]th all other the howses and edifices orchardes gardens for yeardes and backyeardes w[i]th all and singuler thappurtenances thereunto belonging and all other my landes and tenementes meadowe and pasture as well freehould as Copiehould w[i]th all and singular th'appurtenances thereunto belonginge sett lyinge and beinge w[i]thin the p[ar]ishe of Laighton Bussard aforesaid the three severall acres before menc[i]oned and granted to the foresaid [Christ]ofer Poole for Terme of his lief onlie for the said Terme excepted and for pris...? To have and to hold the said Messuage or Tenement and all other the p[re]misses unto the said Beniamyn Poole his heires and assignes for ever It[e]m I give and bequeath unto the said Beniamyn all my horses and geldinges together w[i]th all my Cartes and Wheeles and all other furniture belonging to husbandrie It[e]m I give and bequeath unto Anthony Poole my foureth sonne three hundred poundes And to John Poole my Fifthe sonne three hundred poundes. And likewise to Thomas Poole my Sixth sonne three hundred poundes, And to Elizabeth my youngest daughter twoe hundred poundes. And to ev[er]ie one of my foure last named Children a silver spoone all w[hi]ch legasies of money to theise my foure last named Children bequeathed, my will is shalbe paid unto them at thage of one and twentye yeares. And in the meane tyme after sixe moneths fullie expired after my decease to be put forth or otherwise imployed by my said Executors and ov[er]seers of this my will for the best behoofe and benefit of my said foure Children And if aine of them happen to die before he or she come to be of age to receive his or her porc[i]on or legacie that then his or her porc[i]on or legacie soe dyinge and whatsoev[er] increase shall thereof arise shalbe equallie devided amongest my survivinge Children All the residue of my goodes and Chattells after my debtes paid and my funerall charges discharged I give to Elizabeth my wife and Beniamyn Poole my sonne who I make and ordayne Executors of this my last will and Testament And doe ordayne and appoynte my trustie and welbeloved freindes Thomas Digg Sen[ior] of ...inton? gen[tleman] and John Goodinge of Crostone? yeoman Overseers of this my said last will and testament and doe give to either of them for their paines herein to be taken a peece of twentie shillinges in gould and my two gould ringes whereof the said Thomas Digg to take his choice And this having declared this my last will I absolutely revoke and disavowe all other Testam[en]tes will or wills legacies and bequestes by me at anie tyme before this tyme made willed ordayned or bequeathed In witnes whereof I the said Beniamin have herunto sett my hand and seale the daie and yeare first above written. Beniamin Poole ./ M[emoran]d[um]? the seaventh daie of October Anno Dom[ini] 1633 This will was sealed and deliv[er]ed in the p[re]sence of Thomas Leech, Will[iam] Hogge, Thomas Poynton And aknowledged by the Testator the daie and yeare aforesaid to be his will before me John Iremonger ./