1641 Frances Winch

11-0186-66_FrancesWinch_1641

In the name of God Amen, I FRANCES WINCH of the Borough of Cheping Wicombe in the county of Buck widow being sick and weak of body but of a sound and disposing memory thanks be to Almighty God do make and ordain this my last will and testament in regard I knowing the frailty of our lives and how suddenly death seizes on us and for that we are born to die; first I do with free heart and mind render up and commend my soul into the hands of my Lord God and Creator most humbly beseeching him to receive it in and by his son my alone Saviour and redeemer Jesus Christ and to receive it into the arms of his mercies and place it amongst the number of his heavenly angels and most blessed saints; and as for my body I commit and commend it to the earth from whence it came to be decently buried according to the discretion of my executor hereafter named; and as for such worldly goods and transitory estate as God of his infinite goodness has endowed me withal (which I acknowledge is far beyond my deserts) I give bequeath and dispose of as follows vizt.: I do forgive and release unto my son EDWARD WINCH the sum of ten pounds which he owes me upon bond requiring hereby my executor never to call him to account for the same.  ITEM; whereas my cousin PROBY of London has the putting forth and disposing of fifty pounds for me and to my use (if the same be paid in as I doubt not bit it shall) I give and bequeath ten pounds thereof unto my granddaughter ELIZABETH FREER to be paid unto her so soon as the same shall be conveniently obtained and had; also I give unto her my best flock bed and bolster one feather bolster striped with blue two feather pillows one pair of white blankets my red and blue coverlet and my trunk with all things in it nothing to be diminished my little brass pot and my kettle next to the best my walnut tree chest with all the brass and pewter in it.  ITEM; I give unto my granddaughter ALICE WINCH the sum of forty shillings of lawful money of England to be paid unto her so soon as the said fifty pounds shall be paid in to my executor.  ITEM; I give unto my grandson JOHN WINCH son of my son Edward Winch my long chest with all that is in it nothing to be diminished and my brass pan with my little kettle my biggest dripping pan with my gridiron; and for the rest and residue of all and singular my goods and chattels (my debts being paid and my funeral expenses discharged and this my last will in all things performed) I wholly give and bequeath unto my loving grandson EDWARD WINCH Junior, tanner (whom I beseech the Lord to bless) and I do hereby also ordain and make him my full and whole executor of this my present last will; and I do hereby entreat my loving friends William Gibbons tanner and William Davenport maltman to be overseers of this my will; and I do hereby make void all other former wills and bequests by me made whatsoever and do declare and publish this to be my last will.   In witness whereof I the said Frances Winch have hereunto set my hand and seal this thirtieth day of March AD 1641 and in the seventeenth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord King Charles over England etc. – (the mark of ) Frances Winch – signed sealed published and declared as my last will and testament in the presence of James Bigg, William Gibbins, William Davenport

Proved 6th May 1641 by Edward Winch

 

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