of Corny Bury, near Buntingford/Layston, Hertfordshire
Will dated 2-Apr-1649
Codicil dated 22-Apr-1649
proved 2-Dec-1654
[folio]192
John Crowch
In dei nomine Amen Secundo die Aprilis Anno Dom[ini] one Thousand Six hundred Forty and nine I John Crowch of Cornybury in the County of Hartford Gentleman doe ordaine this writinge as my Last Will and Testament beinge God bee praysed of perfect Sence and memory though of infirme health First I bequeath my Soule unto the imbraces of him who dyed for it fully assureinge my Selfe he will have mercy on it haveinge Soe dearely bought it And I desire my body Should bee bestowed in Some Conveynient place in Playston Chaunsell as my Executor shall think fittinge Concerninge my Estate my Will is That my debts bee payd out of my personall Estate (exceptinge the household stuffe of my dwelling house my Malt mill the utensills of my Dairey and brewhouse which I bequeath unto my Sonne John when the Estate falls to him And the use of them in the meane while to my Wife if Shee Soe longe Continue a widdowe And if it Shall Soe happen that my personall Estate will not pay my debts Then my Will is That my Wives Joynture beinge dischardged and my Children Conveyinently main teyned the remainder of the revenue of my Land bee imployed to the Satisfaction of them I give unto each of my younger Children at their Severall ages That is to Say my Sonnes at the age of twenty foure yeares my daughters at twenty one or day of marriage if the match with the Consent of my Execut[o]r the Some of Three hundred pounds to bee payd by my Executor And if it shall soe fall out That there Shall not bee Soe much money in his hands at Such tyme as I have made my Childrens' Legacies payable Then my Will is that hee or Shee who shall
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then bee Capable of my Legacy, doe stay without molestation of my Executor untill the full Summe bee raysed The Child or Children Soe stayeinge beinge in the meane tyme conveyniently mainteyned out of the Estate further I Will that my Sonne John at his age of twenty foure yeares have the Somme of fifty pounds per annum payd to him by equall portions for his mainteynance untill Such time as the Estate comes to him Further I Will that if my wife dye before the dischardge of my debts and legacies That then what Shee had out of my Estate bee imployed to the Satisfaction of them And if it shall please god that if any of my younger Children dye before their Legacie or portion bee due Then I Will that the portion or portions of the deceased bee equally devided amongst the Survivors of my younger Children at Such tyme as it ought to bee payd if the Child had lived to them that are of age to the other when their own Legacies are due And if my Eldest Sonne shall dye Then my Will is That he to whom my land shall descend shall have noe part of the Three hundred pounds I before gave him but it shall all bee devided amongst the other Children I give to my Sister Michell and my Sister Nodes to each of them Twenty Shillings to buy Somewhat as a memoriall of my affection toward them I give to my brother Richard Johnson twenty Shillings for the Same purpose I give to my brother Thomas Crowch my Iron Chest in my Study and all my bookes Further if any of my Children shall by Suites of lawe uniustly molest my Executor Concerninge any thinge Conteyned in this my Will Then I ordaine that hee or shee Soe doeinge shall loose a fourth part of their Legacie which Shalbe left? to the Estate And if my Eldest Sonne shall at any tyme dischardge and pay to my executor what shalbee behind of my younger Childrens portions my debts being likewise dischardged Then I will hee enter on the Estate presently And if my heire Shall at any time endeavor to undoe or make voyd either my Will or the Conveyance then I Will that my Executor have the Estate three yeares after the former legacies bee dischardged the proffitt goinge to my younger Children notwithstandinge any thinge before expressed to the Contrary Item my Will is That what necessary Chardges my Executor shalbee at in persuance of the trust I repose in him and dischardge of the imployment I have given him shalbee reputed as part of my debts and that my executor shalbee payd them before my heire enter uppon the Land of this my last Will and Testament I doe Constitute and appoint my brother Thomas Crowch my Executor In Witnes of all which I subscribe my own hand and Sett my Seale : John Crowch : Signed and published as the Last Will and Testament of the Sayd John Crowch in the pre sence of George Butt John Crowch Sarah Michell
Whereas I John Crowch of Corney bury in ye parish of Layston in ye County of Hertford gent haveing formerly made Will in writing and thereby have given certaine portions to my younger Children payable at Severall tymes therein expressed I doe hereby declare my meaning to bee yt w[ha]tsoever Somes of money shalbee disbursed by mine executor for ye advancem[en]t or preferm[en]t of any of my S[ai]d younger Children either by apprentishipp or otherwise shalbe deducted & abuted out of ye porcon or porcons w[hi]ch I have given to Such Child or Children And whereas I have given power to my eldest sonne at any tyme he payinge to my executor Such Some or Somes of money as shalbe payable by my Will imediately to enter uppon my Estate my meaninge is That my S[ai]d Sonne Shall ____ ____ any Lease w[hi]ch I have made of any part of my Lands or any Lease or Leases w[hi]ch shalbee made or granted by myne Executor of all or any part of my Sayd Lands but yf my Sonne shall enter uppon & receive ye rents only reserved uppon any Such Lease or Leases This I doe declare? as a Codicill to my Will for ye further explanaton thereof And hereunto Set my hand & seal the 22th day of Aprill An[n]o D[o]m[mini] 1649 John Crowch . Witnes hereunto John Ward? Septimus? March?
This will and Codicill was pr[o]ved at Hertford The 2d day of Decemb[e]r in ye yeare of our Lord god 1654 before ye Judges and by ye oath of Thomas Crowch ye Sole Executor named in the Will of ye s[ai]d dec[ease]d To whom was Comitted Administracon of all and Sing[u]l[a]r ye goods Chattles & debts of ye s[ai]d dec[ease]d Hee beinge first Sworne well and truely to Adm[iniste]r the same
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