11-0139-169_JohnWake_1621
In the name of God Amen; I JOHN WAKE of Salcie Forest in the County of Northampton Esquire being of perfect memory but weak in body God be praised do make this my will and testament this twentieth day of April in the year of our Lord God one thousand six hundred twenty and one [20/4/1621] in manner and form following: first as my most humble and bounden duty is I commit and give myself both soul and body into the hands of my Lord Jesus Christ to present them so defiled being washed with his most precious blood unto his heavenly father and the father of us all through him who has bought us with his body redeemed us with his blood sanctified us by his spirit saving us by his glorious resurrection in conquering hell and obtaining heaven for us. ITEM; I will that my body be buried in Piddington Chapel as near the bodies of my father and mother as conveniently may be. ITEM; my will is and I do most earnestly desire my executor hereafter named first and principally that he do pay all my debts to every one that I do owe anything unto either by specialty or otherwise that may be proved to be my debt and for their paining and performance there of my will is that my said executor hereafter named shall sell all my goods moveables and unmoveables of what kind or sort so ever then [ ] chattels plate and jewels and my lease of Stoke Woods and Hall Wood in Rode to pay all such debts which I shall owe at my decease (if I shall die indebted) and if the money arising of my said goods moveables and unmoveables chattles plate and jewels will pay my debts without the selling of my lease of the aforesaid woods of Stoke Woods and Hall Wood in Rode then my will is that the said lease shall not be sold and that the said lease and the yearly profit arising of the wood sales of the aforesaid woods called Stokes Wood and Hall Wood in Rode (my debts being paid) shall remain in my executors hands hereafter named to the use and behoof of GEORGE WAKE my grandchild until the said George Wake shall accomplish and be of the full age of two and twenty years at which time and age my will is that my said executor shall deliver unto the said George Wake the said lease of Stoke Woods and Hall Woods in Rode; the stock of money yearly arising of the wood sales thereof together with the increase of money arising of the interest thereof from the time of my decease until the said George Wake shall be of the full age of two and twenty years (if he shall then be living) and then my will is and I do hereby devise and give unto the said George Wake the said lease of the aforesaid woods and the term of years therein granted and the money arising of the wood sales therof during all the term of this said lease if the said George Wake shall so long live; and if it shall happen the said George Wake to depart this natural life before he shall accomplish and be of the full age of two and twenty years or that the said lease of the said woods shall be expired determined and ended then my will is that the said stock of money arising of the said woods and wood sales which shall remain in my said executor’s hands at the time of the decease of the said George Wake and the said lease fo the aforesaid wood called Stoke Woods and Hall Wood in Rode shall descend and remain unto BALDWYN WAKE one other of my grandchildren in such manner and form as before to George Wake is expressed during the terms and times formerly expressed and if it shall happen both of my said grandchildren to depart this natural life within the said terms aforesaid then my will is that the benefit of the said money arising of the said woods and the said lease of the aforesaid woods shall be and remain to BALDWYN WAKE my son and to his heirs during the term of the said lease then to be unexpired my debts being first paid. ITEM; my will is and I do hereby devise and give unto my lame brother ROBERT WAKE ten pounds a year during his natural life yearly to be paid unto him by way of an annuity out of Dymock [Part] and Parson’s [Part] and to be levyed thereupon by way of distress upon the goods and cattels of the owners and occupiers of the said Parks if the same shall not be paid upon lawful demand by him or his assigns half yearly after my decease by even and equal portions. ITEM; my will is and I do hereby give and devise unto my old servant Thomas Whitley six pounds thirteen shillings and four pence a year during his natural life to be paid unto him half yearly after my decease out of Dymock Part and Parson’s Part by way of an annuity and to be levyed thereupon by way of distress upon the goods and cattles that the owners and occupiers of the said Parts if the same shall not be paid by and upon lawful demand by him or his assigns by even and equal portions. ITEM; I do give to my unfortunate daughter MARY WILLOWBY forty pounds my debts being first paid. ITEM; I do give to my daughter WAKE my son Baldwyn’s wife one hundred marks in money and my short velvet cloak with sleeves. ITEM; I do give and my will is that ABIGAIL WAKE my grandchild sahll have my best jewel and that ELIZABETH WAKE my grandchild shall have my second jewel my debts being first paid. ITEM; I do give unto Baldwin Wake my son all my plate and household stuff whatsoever my debts and legacies being first paid. ITEM; I do give unto my brother EDWARD WAKE five pounds in money. ITEM; I do give to the poor people of Piddington ten pounds to be put out to use and that the use thereof coming shall remain to the relief and maintenance of the said poor people and for and towards the ease of their assessments taxes and loans for ever. And my will that the same may be committed to the hands of some honest men of the same town that shall have care to maintain the stock and to pay the use thereof to the end the said poor people may be relieved bettered maintained and eased by my small gift unto them for ever; and my will is that no one man shall hold the said sum of ten pounds but that two or three sufficient men be bound from year to year for ever for the payment thereof so as the said poor people sustain no loss by any careless courses. ITEM; I do give to the poor people of Hackleton five pounds and my wil is that there be the like course taken for the putting out of the same to the use of the poor people there as for the poor people of Piddington is set down (my debts being first paid). ITEM; I do give to every one of my household servants in ordinary which shall be dwelling with me at my decease forty shillings over and above all such wages as shall be due unto them at my decease. ITEM; I do give to my servant Francis Traford by particular name five pounds. ITEM; I do give to Thomas Knight of Piddington my gardener forty shillings a year during his natural life for his service heretofore done and hereafter to be done during his natural life for the keeping digging dressing and ordering of the gardens orchards and hopyards now in his ordering and government under me in Piddington aforesaid; and to his wife ten shillings a year during her natural life for the weeding of the said gardens. ITEM; I do give unto Robert Harper a mourning cloak; the rest of my goods cattles and chattels not herein formerly by me given and bequeathed my debts being paid and my funeral expenses defrayed I do give and bequeath unto Baldwyn Wake my son and I do hereby make and ordain my loving brother Mr William Wake sole executor of this my last will and testament in hope he will see the same truly performed and to see my debts paid according to the trust in him reposed unto whom I do hereby give for his pains ten pounds and I do make the Right Honorable Sir JOHN DIGBIE Knight Lord Digbie and my trusty friend Francis Harvie Esq sergeant at the law the overseers of this my last will and testament and I do hereby give to each of them six pounds praying them to see the same performed; and I do hereby abrogate and disannul all former and other wills by me heretofore made whatsoever; in witness whereof I the said John Wake have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year first above written. I do give to my son Baldwyn my [curect] and that he shall continue it in my name for ever – John Wake – signed sealed and published in the presence of Robert Harper Snr, William Sellers, Francis Traforde, Francis Fisher and Gabriel Peacock.
Proved 11th February 1621-2 by Baldwin Wake (baronet and son) in place of William Wake
Marginal Note:
(Latin)
14th October 1630 (meaning untranslated)
Comments or questions are welcome.