William Francis of Scalford 1646 Will and Inventory
Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland Archives PR/T/1646/33
In the name of God Amen I William Francis the Elder of Scallford in the County of Leicester yeoman being sicke and weake in body but of sound and perfect memory (praised be God therefore) doe make and ordaine this my last will and testament in manner and forme following vizt
First I bequeath my soule into the hands of Allmighty God my Creator trusting to be saved through his mercy and the alone meritts of Christ Jesus my onely saviour and redeemer And my body I give to the earth from whence it came and was taken to be buried in Christian buriall in the Church of Scallford according to the discretion of my Executrix hereafter named
And for the worldly goods which God hath blessed me withall I give and bequeath as followeth
Imprimis for the sixe hides more or less which are merely and solely my wives goodes I doe therefore leave them unbequeathed for her to inioy and doe earnestly desire Roger Francis my sonn not to trouble or molest her for them but to suffer her to enioy them and at all tymes hereafter to suffer her to dispose of them and to make the best benefite she can of them without the molestation of him my said sonn Roger Francis
Item I give to Roger Francis my sonn ten shillinges and to Ann his now wife ten shillinges And to Mary the daughter of Roger and Ann Francis and to that child that is now within my daughter Anns body the sum of ten pownds to be equally divided between them by even and equal porcons now if it should happen that either of the two children shall depart this life before his or her porcon be payd then my will is that the survivour of them shall have all the said sum of ten pownds to his or her owne proper use and behoofe (provided always and it is my will that if my sonn Roger shall permit and suffer Alice my wife his owne Mother to have hold and inioy to her owne use benefite and behoofe for ever the bed she and I now lie usually upon, with the featherbed upon or thereunto used two blanquets one coverled one paire of hempen sheets one paire of flaxen sheets, two little pillowes two pillow beares and one bolster
Item I give and bequeath to Elinor Gilson my daughter twenty shillinges a yeare to be payd yearely for the space of five yeares at every twelmonethes end after my decease twenty shillings to be payd to the said Elinor till the said Summe of five pownds be all payd In consideracon whereof and that I would have my sonn Roger to performe this my will I doe give unto my said Sonn Roger Francis the summe of eight pownds in hand to pay it yearely to the aforesaid Elinor Gilson by and out of the bond of Richard Franke and Bartholomew Bret both of Broughton Sulne in the County of Nottingham due about Christmas 1642 or thereabouts with the use and arrearages due for the same
Itm I give to Mary Collishaw the wife of Robert Collishaw my daughter twelpense in full satisfaction of her childes parte or porcon
Item I give unto Elinor Gilson her children to all that shee now hath and to all that shee may hereafter have thirty powndes to be equally divided amongst them when they shall severally accomplish the age of one and twenty yeares and if it shall soe happen that any of the said children shall depart this life before he or shee shall accomplish the age of one and twenty yeares then my will is that the said defuncts porcon shall be equally divided amongst the survivors then living
Item my will is that if the said Elinor Gilson shall depart this life before the sum of Five pownds above menconed be payd to her by twenty shillinge’s a yeare as aforesaid then my will is that the remainder of the said five pownds that is unpaid at her death shall after be payd and equally be divided amongst all her children then liveing by even and equal porcons
Lastly I doe ordaine and make Alice Francis my loveing wife Sole Executrix of this my last will and testament my debts funerall charges being first defrayed and payd I doe give all the rest of my goods chattels and bonds properly belonging to me to my Executrix aforesaid and thus revoaking all former wills and testament I doe constitue and appoint this to be my last will & testament
In witnes whereof I have hereunto set to my hand and seale the 27th day of July in the yeare of the Raigne of our Soveraigne Lord Charles by the grace of God of England Scotland France & Ireland King defender of the faith &c the 22th Anno Dom 1646
Memorand that Roger Francis my sonn did promise faithfully to let his mother have one cheste to her owne use benefite and behoof before the ensealing of this my will
The marke and seale of William Francis
Sealed and delivered in the presence of
Tho. Bents
The marke of Thomas Howit
John Teate
The marke of Edward Bree
PR/I/48/60
A trew & perfect Inventory of all and singular the Goodes Creditts and Chattles of Willyam Francis late of Scalford in the County of Leic deceased as the same is given in by Roger Francis his sole and nrall sonne and administrator of all and singular the Goods Creditts and Chattles of the said defunct
| £ | s | d | |
| Imprimis his purse and apparell | 06 | 13 | 4 |
| It debts due upon bond | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| It Divers other Goods amounting to the valew of | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| Summa total | 46 | 13 | 4 |
Exhibited 9 October 1646