Thomas Wright of Long Clawson 1676 Will
Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland Archives, Leicestershire Wills and Probate Records 1676/80
In the name of God Amen, I Thomas Wright of Claxton als Long Clawson in the county of Leicester Shepheard being sicke & weake in body but of sound & perfect mind & memory (all praise bee therefore given to Allmighty God) doe make & ordaine this my last Will & Testamt in manner & forme following (that is to say)
First & principally I comend my soule into the hands of Allmighty God my creator & of Jesus Christ my onely Saviour & Redeemer by whose mercy & merits I hope to obtaine free pardon & remission for all my sins & offences & to inheritt (among the elect) the joyes & fruition of eternall life; my body I comitt to the Earth from whence it was extracted to bee decently buried at the discretion of my Executrix hereafter named in expectation of a joyfull resurrection at the last day And of the things of this present mortall life I order & dispose thereof in manner & forme following (that is to say)
Imprimis I give & bequeath unto Richard my youngest sonne the full & just sume of fourty pounds of good & Lawfull money of England to bee paid him at the age of one & Twenty yeares if he shall soe long live which sd sume of fourty pounds my Will & meaning is shall be paid him by Thomas my Eldest sonne out of that half oxgange of Land which I lately purchased of Edward Pike of Leake in the county of Nottingham And for default of paymt of the sd sume of fourty pounds aforesd then my Will is that my sd sonne Richd shall enter upon the sd halfe oxegange of Land & the same to have hould occupy & enjoy to his owne use until the sd sume of fourty pounds shalbee justly paid him
Item I give unto my sd sonne Thomas all that my Messuage Tenemt or cottage & lands and all other my Lands in Claxton or elsewhere (excepting two little Closes which I lately purchased of John Moore of Claxton aforesd) which two Closes my Will is that my overseers of this my Last Will hereafter named should sell for the paymt of my debts & education of my wife & children
Item I give unto my loving wife Dorothy Wright all my goods cattell & chatells whatsoever together with the profitt of all my Lands until my sd child Thomas Wright shall have accomplished the full age of one & Twenty yeares (if she shall soe long live) except shee shall happen to bee married with any other man, & then my will is that my sd wife shall pay thereout the sume of Twenty pounds in manner following (that is to say) to my sd Eldest sonne Thomas Wright & youngest sonne Richard Ten pounds apeice upon the day of her marriage
Item I doe hereby nominate & appoint my sd loving wife whole & sole executrix of this my last will
Item I Doe desire my brother in Lawe Thomas Marriott & loving brother John Wright to see to the performance of this my last will & to give unto my sonne in Law Joseph Lee one of my best Ewes with her lambe after lambing time
Finally I doe hereby annihilate null make voyd frustrate & of none effect all former & other wills by mee ordained & made & doe declare this present Testamt to bee my last Will
In witnesse whereof I have hereunto sett my hand & Seale this Eleaventh Day of January in the Three & Twentieth yeare of the Raigne of our Soveraigne Lord Charles the Second by the grace of God of England Scotland France & Ireland King Defender of the faith &c Anno Dom 1671
Thomas Wright
Sealed subscribed published & declared in the presence of
The marke of Thomas Hall
Lyonell Miller
Probate 20 September 1676