John Daft of Hickling 1667 Will
Nottinghamshire Archives PR/NW
In the name of God Amen I John Daft of Hickling in the County of Not yeoman being weake in body but of good & perfect memory do make and ordaine this my last will and testament in manner & forme following
First I bequeath my soule to God who gave it me trusting onely to be saved by the merits of Christ my redeemer and my body to be buried in the Church of Hickling at the discretion of my executrix
Itm I give to my sonne Stephen Daft the summe of one hundred pounds to be paid him as soone as he shall accomplish the age of twenty and one yeares
Itm my will that the table in the hall and forms belonging to it shall remaine and continue to my sonne John Daft my heire as heirelooms and in full for his childs portion out of my personal estate it being my will is he shall be put forth as apprentice by my executrix
Itm I give to my nephew Stephen Daft the somme of five pounds to put him forth as an apprentice when he shall accomplish the age of sixteene yeares
Itm Whereas my now loveing wife hath a jointure of one moity of my house and of three oxgang of land my will is that my sd wife shall have & enjoy all my house & … with all the whomstead and also all other my lands … and the wind mill for and toward the bringing up of my children … John & Stephen and my nephew Stephen Daft until my sonne John shall attaine to twenty & one years of age
Itm all the rest of goods cattells & chattels moveable & immoveable I give to my loveing wife Elizabeth Daft whom I make sole executrix of this my last will and testament my debts first paid & my funeral expences discharged.
It whereas my sonne Stephen Daft is a weake child my will is that if it shall please god that he dy before his aforesd portion … that then my nephew Stephen Daft aforenamed shall have five pounds out of the aforenamed hundred pounds & my sonne John have forty & five the remainder to my executrix
Lastly in case my wife shall refuse to prove this my will and to charge her selfe with my debts and the above named Legacies then my will is that my trusty & loveing kinsman John Hurst of Holwell in the County of Leic my trusty & loveing brother Thomas Marriot of Claxton in the County aforesd shall be the executors of this my last will and Testament and shall immediately after my decease enter upon all my goods cattells & chattels and also upon that part of my house & homestead where my wife hath not her jointure & also uppon that two oxgang of land and wind mill which my wife hath not for her jointure first for the discharge of my debts & funeral expences and then for the bringing up of my three children John & Stephen [only two named] & my nephew Stephen Daft and for the raising of portions for my sd children which portions shall be according to the true value of all my goods and according to the true value of my land & wind mill … at the best advantage my sonne John not to exceed the worth of the table & forms in the hall & my nephew Stephen Daft not to exceed the summe of five pounds and all the rest to the use & benefit of my sonne Stephen Daft
In witness whereof I have put to my hand and seale the twenty & sevean day of May Anno Dom 1667
John Daft His hand and seale
Signed Sealed & published in the presence of us
Richard Robinson
Richard Smith
Thomas Daft
John Hurst jun
John’s mother was Catherine Hurst of Holwell.
