Joshua Needham of Scalford 1701 Will and Inventory
Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland Archives PR/T/1701/70
In the name of God Amen the 22th day of March 1700 I Josuah [sic] Needham of Scalford being weak in body but in perfect Memory blessed be God for it, do make this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following
First I give and return unto God my Soul nothing doubting but that for his infinite mercies set forth in the precious blood of his son Christ Jesus my Saviour & Redeemer he will receive it into glory, and as concerning my body I comend it to the Earth from whence it came to be decently buried
And as for my Temporal Estate I first make my Wife Judith Needham my full Executrix of this my last Will & Testament, and do give and bequeath unto her for her Term of life the House that I now dwell in with the Appurtenances and all my Personall Estate & after the decease of my Wife I give and bequeath the afordsd House with the Appurtenances to my Son John Needham and his Heirs and for want of issue by him and if my Wife be not with Child then to my daughter Mary Needham and her Heirs, and for want of issue of her my daughter then to the next Heirs of me Josuah Needham to wit Joseph Needham and Jeremiah Needham to be equally devided betwixt them, but if it shall please God that my Wife should Marry again then my Will is that my Son John Needham shall when he is one and twenty yeares old have and possess the aforesd House with the Appurtenances and his Heirs after him, but if my Wife does not marry again that the my Son shall not have the House nor his Heirs untill after her decease
And also my Will is that my Son John when he is at the age of one and twenty yeares shall pay unto my daughter Mary Needham the sum of Ten pounds of good and lawfull money if my aforesd House with the Appurtenances be in my sons possession at the aforesd Age of one and Twenty, but if the House be not in his possession at the aforesd Age that then the Ten pounds shall not be payd by my son unto my daughter Mary untill the House be in his possession
And my Will is that my Wife Judith Needham shall bring up my Son John with meat drink and Apparell untill he be at the age of one & twenty and likewise that my Wife shall bring up my daughter Mary Needham with meat drink & Apparell untill she be at the age of one & twenty, also my Will is that after the decease of my wife that then what goods shall be left belonging to my Personall estate shall be equally devided betwixt my son John Needham and my daughter Mary Needham
Lastly my Will is that my Wife shall pay five Shillings twelve months after my decease unto Josuah Needham my Eldest Brothers son, and I do hereby revoke all former Wills and Testaments
In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my Name and set my Seal unto this my last Will and Testament the day and year first above written
The Mark of Josuah Needham
In the presence of
Tho: Laxton
Henery Trigge
The marke John Ryell
Probate 5 June 1701
PR/I/107/14
A True & perfect Inventory of all & singular the Goods Creditts & Chattells of Joshua Needham of Scalford lately deceased
| Imprimis his Purse & Apparell | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Item Goods in the house | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Item in the Parlour Bed & Bedding & other things | 1 | 10 | 0 |
| Item in the Chamber a Bed | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Item Stock in the yard | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | 10 | 0 |
Taken and Appraised the 5th day of May 1701 by us whose names are underwritten
Thomas Auwood
John Ryall