Doctor of Buntingford, Hertford
In the name of God, Amen, this seventh day of July in the year of our Lord God one thousand six hundred sixty and five I Doctor William Slatholme of Buntingford in this parish of Widiall in the county of Hertford calling to remembrance the certainty of this my temporal life being and how that I ought to be in a readyness with all joy(spelt ioye) and gladness to embrace(?) the visitation of Almighty God whersoever it shall please him to ….. …… And being now sicke and weake in body but in sound(?) memory to blesssed(?) be Almighty God therefore revoaking all previous(?) wills by me made I remake and ……this my last will and testament in mannor and formes follwing.
That is to say First and primarally(?) I commend my soul into the hands of Almighty God my maker(?) hoping(?) And assuredly(?) tonsting(!) by the merritts(?) and passion of Jesus Christ my saviour and redeemer(?) to have …..fsion(?) and forgiveness for my sins.
And for my body(?) I comitte it to the earth whereof it was made to be buried in such seemely sorts(?) as my Executrix hereafter named shall thinke fit. And for my wordly(?) estate wherewith it hath pleased Almighty god of his Infinite goodness and mercie to endow me withall I dispose of the same as followse
Item I give and bequeath unto my Ante(?) Mrs Elizabeth Soames the widow now dwelling in my brick(?) house and maintenance out of my lands during her naturall life
Item I give and bequeath to the poor people of Buntingford the summe of forty shilling to be pformed disposed of and given in breade by my Executrix hereafter named within one month next after my decease
Item I give and bequeath to my house(?) at law one shilling of lawfull money of England to be paid him by my Executrix hereafter named within one whole yeare after my decease
Item I give and bequeath unto Mr(?) Thorneton Caye(?) my Kinsman the like(?) summe of twelve pound to be paid him by my Executrix hereafter named within one whole yeare next after my decease
Item I give and bequeath unto Edward ??it?trimew of Royston in this county of Hertford Locksmyth the summe of twenty shillings of good lawfull money of England to be paid unto him by my Executrix hereafter named within on whole yeare next after my decease
Item I give and bequeath unto my servent John Stimson the summe of five pounds of good and lawfull money of England to be paid unto him by my Executrix hereafter named within one whole year next after my decease
Item I give and bequeath unto my maide servant Susan Arnoll the summe of twenty shillings of good and lawfull money of England to be paid unto her by my Executrix hereafter named within one whole yeare next after my decease
The remainder of all my estate as namely the brick(?) house I now live in, with the yards orchards gardens backsides(?) mault(?) houses barnes stables together with one little(?) small to moment standing and being at the neather ends of my yarde with their and every of their apptennes(!) I give and bequeath the same unto Mrs Anne Slatholme my loving wife and to her heires and assignes forever
Item I give and bequeath unto Mrs Anne Slatholme my loving wife lands Messuages or tenement standing adjoining(spelt aioyneing) next unto my brick House now in the sem…and occupation of the widow Tibballs(?) to her and her heires forever
Item I give and bequeath unto Mrs Anne Slatholme my loving wife all that my one and twenty acres of arable lands and meadow joined(?) lying and being nr the command(?) fields called by the name of Church(?) fields in the P(ar)ish of Layston in the County of Hertford which I bought the revowtion(?) of Mrs Thorneton(?) Cayyi to the use and behoofs of her and her heires forever, And all as all others my lands whatsoever and whoseever Item I give and bequeath unto my deare and loving wife Mrs Anne Slatholme to her and her heires forever
Item all my whole psonable estate goods and ch(at)ells whatsoever and wheresoever I give and bequeath unto Mrs Anne Slatholme my deare and loving wife whome I make my full and sole Executrix of this my last will and testament In rvities(?) whereof I the said Doctor William Slatholme have put my hand and seale dated ye day and yeare first above written.
William Slatholme signes seales publishes and declares as the last will and testament of the above named ….
William Slatholme these being witnesses
Thomas Russell, Christopher ?ellow, Jo: Burgoyne
This cop: agreeth with the
originall being faithfully
compared by Mr Chr. Tillingham
NoEipubl.(?)
The originall will being rd(?) to the Extrix by duress(?) of the judge of this court Cha:Moyne
Three unreadable lines on the right mentioning probated and original…
View scanned originals: at the Essex Archive