Edmund Ashwell

Prerogative Court of Canterbury will made: 2nd March 1656/7
Probate Date: 20th April 1657
Proved by Elianor Ashwell, widow of the testator
National Archive Catalogue reference: PROB 11/263

The original document is in the custody of the National Archives

Transcript

In the name of God: Amen: The second day of March in the yeare of our Lord God accordinge to the computac[i]on of the Church of England One thousand sixe hundred fiftye and sixe I Edmund Ashwell the elder of Laighton Bussard in the Countye of Bedford yeoman beinge sicke and weake in bodye yet of good and perfect memorie (thankes be to God) Doe make constitute and ordaine this my Last Will and Testament in manner & forme followinge (that is to saie) First of all I yeild and submitt my Soule into the handes of Almightye God my maker hopeinge to be saved by and throughe the merrittes death and passion of Jesus Christ my Saviour and Redeemer And that my Soule with my bodie shall rise againe at the resurrection of the Just And my bodie I Comitt to the earth from whence it came to be buryed in Christian buriall accordinge to the discretion of my Executrix hereafter named And as touchinge my temporall estate which God of his infinite mercy hath beene pleased to bestowe uppon me farr above my deserts I dispose of as followeth First of all I will and bequeath unto William Stare the younger and Edmund Stare my grand children the twoe sonnes of William Stare and Jane his wife my daughter the sume of Tenne poundes of lawfull money of England (that is to saie) unto either of them Five poundes a peece when they shall attaine to their severall ages of eighteene yeares And alsoe I will and bequeath unto Jane Stare and Elianor Stare my grandchildren the twoe daughters of the said William Stare and Jane his wife the sume of Tenne poundes of like Englishe money (that is to saie) unto either of them Five poundes a peece when they shall attaine to their severall ages of eighteene yeares, And alsoe I will that the interest of the said Twentie poundes here by me willed to my said Grand children shall after the end of one whole yeare next after my decease be paid every halfe yeare unto the said William Stare and Jane his wife untill the said children shall accomplishe their severall ages of eighteene yeares as aforesaid And if it shall happen that any of my said grand children shall depart their naturall life before they shall attaine to their said age of Eighteene yeares as aforesaid That then my will is that the legacies given to the deceased shalbee equally devided betweene the rest of the children then liveinge And alsoe I will and bequeath unto William Stare my sonne in lawe and my daughter Jane his wife the sume of Tenne pounds of lawfull English money which I will shalbe paid unto them at or upon the nyne & twentieth day of September next ensueinge the date hereof whether he live or dye And alsoe I will and bequeath unto my sonne in lawe Robert Studds and Sarah his wife my daughter the sume of Tenne poundes of like English money To be paid within one whole yeare next after my decease by my sonne Edmund And alsoe I will and bequeath unto my daughter Elianor the sume of Twentye poundes of like English money To be paid unto her by my said sonne Edmund when she shall attaine to her age of twoe and twenty yeares And alsoe I will that my daughter Elianor shall have Twenty pounds more paid her at the discretion of my Executrix hereafter named And alsoe I will and bequeath unto my sonne Richard three halfe acres of arrable land lyinge dispersed in the Comon feilds of Laighton aforesaid in manner and forme followinge (to witt) One land shootinge into Clariboles the land of Beniamin Poole East there of, one halfe acre lyinge on Leekebrooke furlonge beinge every yeares land the heires of Tappinge East thereof One halfe acre on Shenley hill Beniamin Poole East And alsoe halfe the leye at Shenley hill And alsoe I will and bequeath unto my sonne Edmund my Close called Capspell Close And alsoe one Acre of arrable land shootinge into Kings mead late Whitwoorthes All the rest of my free hold landes conteyninge by estimation thirteene acres \be it/ more or lesse I will and bequeath unto my sonne William Neverthelesse my will is that all or any of my other sonnes shall have Claye for their owne uses out of the landes at Clay pitts with free liberty of ingresse egresse and egresse at all tymes dureinge their naturall lyves And alsoe I will and bequeath unto my sonne John All my Cottage or Tenement being freehold with all and singuler the appurtenances unto the same belonginge lyinge in the Lovell end of Laighton aforesaid in the occupac[i]on of Edward Bailey his Assigne or Assignes To be and continue unto my said sonne John presentlye after the Decease of my said wife Elianor to the use and behoofe of my said sonne John his heires and assignes forever And other my goodes Chattells Cattell houshold stuffe Implements and Utensills of houshold whatsoever moveable and imoveable lyve and dead of what kinde and nature soever the same are or be either in myne owne Custodye or in the handes and Custodye of any others As alsoe all my Cropp or graine whatsoever nowe standinge or growinge not here by me willed and bequeathed my Funerall expences discharged and my debtes and legacies paid I will and bequeath unto my loveinge wife Elianor whome I make constitute and ordaine sole Executrix of this my last will and Testament utterlie revokinge and makinge void and null all former wills & writinges In wittnes whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seale the day and yeare first above written In the presence of those witnesses hereunder written. Edmund Ashwell the elder his marke. Wittnesses John Ashwell the elder his m[ar]ke Edward Jenkins his marke, John Chapman /