1630 Thomas Godfrey

11-0158-239_ThomasGodfrey-mercer_1630

In the name of God Amen; I THOMAS GODFREY of Maidenhead in the county of Berks mercer  being of good and perfect memory and remembrance praise be given to Almighty God and considering with myself the uncertainty of this life and the hour of death do make and ordain this my present testament and last will in manner and form following that is to say: First I give and surrender up my soul into the hands of Almighty God my Maker Saviour and Redeemer not doubting but that he will receive the same into his Glory; and my body to be buried in such place as it shall please my executrix and friends; and after my body buried I will that all such debts that I shall owe to any person or persons shall be first satisfied and paid and after my debts satisfied and paid and my funeral expenses borne I do give and devise unto my son EDWARD GODFREY and his heirs for ever all that messuage or tenement called Newmans and commonly known by the name of the ancor [‘The Anchor’] situate lying and being in Maidenhead in the Parish of Cookham in the county of Berks and one garden one orchard and all houses and edifices with the appurtenances thereunto belonging which I lately purchased of one Roger Papworth.  ITEM; I give and devise unto my son SIMON GODFREY and his heirs for ever all that messuage or tenement called and known by the name of The Swan situate lying and being in Maidenhead in the Parish of Cookham in the said county of Berks now in the occupation of William Robinson with a backside and all barns stables edifices and garden plot with the appurtenances thereunto belonging with free ingress egress and regress at all convenient times for the said Simon Godfrey his heirs and assigns for cart horses or otherwise; and also one plot of meadow containing by estimation one acre more or less situate lying and being in the Parish of Cookham in the said county of Berks adjoining to a meadow of Garrett Hankinson on the north.  ITEM; I give to my daughter SARA GODFREY and her heirs for ever all that tenement one orchard one garden and all backsides barns stables houses and other hereditaments with the appurtenances thereunto belonging and therewith all now used and enjoyed situate lying and being in North town in the said Parish of Cookham in the said county of Berks which said tenement is now or late in the occupation of Walter Drake and also one enclosed ground called Felldust whereupon the tenement stands.  ITEM; I give will devise and bequeath and my true meaning is that concerning the tenement and garden with the appurtenances now or late in the occupation of Thomas Cherry situate lying and being in Maidenhead aforesaid in the Parish of Bray in the said county of Berks together also with one acre of arable land now in the occupation of me the said Thomas Godfrey situate lying and being in the Parish of Bray aforesaid abutting upon a hedge called Hassell Hedge upon the west and lately purchased by me the said Thomas Godfrey of Roger Papworth; and also concerning one other tenement and garden with the appurtenances now or late in the occupation of Mathewe Medwyn situate and being in Maidenhead aforesaid in the said Parish of Bray in the said county of Berks; and also concerning those two tenements and [shoppes] with the appurtenances called Coppedhall situate and being in Maidenhead in the Parish of Bray aforesaid, one of them being now in the occupation of Robert [Broxton] and the other now or lately in the occupation of John Jeames that my executrix or overseers hereafter in these presents named or any two of them or the survivor or survivors of them shall within convenient time after my decease sell the same at and for the best rates they can for and towards the payment of my debts; and the surplus thereof if any be shall come and [re…] to my said executrix.  ITEM; I give and devise unto my son THOMAS GODFREY and his heirs for ever all that acre of meadow by estimation lying in Holman Leaze in the Parish of Cookham aforesaid abutting upon a field called Cookham Ray on the East and upon a field called Holman Leaze Furlong on the west.  ITEM; I also give and devise unto my said son Thomas Godfrey and his heirs for ever all that messuage or [chark] garden barns stables houses and edifices thereunto belonging wherein I now dwell and also all those two tenements backsides and garden with the appurtenances wherein Thomas Spratley and Anne Bastard widow lately dwelt situate and being in Maindenhead in the Parish of Cookham aforesaid in the said county of Berks.  ITEM; I give and devise unto the said Sara Godfrey and her heirs for ever all those three acres of arable land lying in the common fields of Cookham vizt. one of them in Cookham Ray another in the middle field called Holman Lease Furlong and the other in the upper field called Langdon Bottom.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto the poor of the town of Maidenhead on both sides of the said town to be distributed amongst them twenty shillings.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto the poor of the Parish of Cookham only dwelling out of Maidenhead twenty shillings.  ITEM; I give to JOHN GODFREY my brother dwelling at Cookham twenty shillings to be paid unto him within three months next after my decease.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto my sister PARNELL CHILBERRYwife of JOHN CHILBERRY of Temple to be paid unto her within three months next after my decease.  ITEM; I do freely give and remit unto Silvester Cookeof Hedsworth forty shillings which he owes me.  The residue of all my goods chattels household stuff wares plate jewels ready money and debts (after my said debts funeral expenses and legacies paid discharged and performed) I give and bequeath unto the said Sara Godfrey my daughter whom I make full executrix of this my last will and testament charging her as she will answer before Almighty God to see it truly executed and performed to her best power and ability.  And I do appoint and nominate overseers of the same my loving friends Carew Sanders citizen and merchant of London and Edward Rudge citizen and salter of London and I do give unto them twenty shillings apiece to buy each of them a ring for remembrance of my love unto them desiring them to see this my last will performed as my trust is in them.  And I do revoke and disannul all former wills by me at any time heretofore made or […] and that this my present will shall stand for my last will and in witness whereof I the said Thomas Godfrey have hereunto set my hand and seal the thirtieth day of August 1630 in the sixth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord Charles by the Grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the Faith etc. – Thomas Godfrey – signed sealed published and declared in the presence of us William Turbill John Rockhall John Gardiner

 

Proved 16th October 1630 by Sara Godfrey natural daughter and executrix

 

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