Thomas Rouse of Stathern 1580 Will
Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland Archives PR/T/1580/69
In the name of god Amen the xxith of February in the yeare of our lord god one thousande fyve hundreth seventy & nyne I Thomas Rowse of Statherne sicke in bodye & of perfect mynd & memory for deede of naturall death yt ys uncartayne doe ordayne & make my last will & testament in maner & forme followinge
First I geve and beqeath my soule to almighty god my maker savioures & redemer trusting through the merits of his passion to be one of the number of his elect
Also I comit my body to the grounde frome which it came
Also I geve unto the mother church of Lincoulne iiiid
It I geve & bequeath unto my two daughters viz Mary & Luc & unto theire heires for ever yf god shall so provide all that my lande which I bought of Mr Sheparde lyinge & beynge within the towneshipp of Statherne And to have & eioye [should be “enioye”] yt when the yonger of them shall come to the age of xxi yeares
Moreover yf yt shall pleac god to call ether of my daughters to his mercy before she shall come to the age of syxtyne yeares That then the parcall of land of the deseased shall remayne to the other of my daughters
Lastly yf yt shall pleac god to call boeth my daughters to his mercy without heires of theire body lawfully begotten Then I geve & bequeath the sayd Land unto my two brotheren That ys unto Rychard Rowse & to George Rowse & to theire heires for ever
Also yt ys my wyll that Joyes my wyffe shall have occupye & enioye the sayd land for the behoofe & bringing up of mye children untyll they shall come to the yeares above specyfyed
It yt ys my will that when my debts & legacs beyng discharged my body honestly brought to the grounde That then all my sayd goods which remayne over to be equally devyded amonge my wyffe & two children Savinge that yt ys my will that Joyes my wyffe shall have v li to her aporcion more than ether of my daughters
Also I geve unto Cassander my mayde one stryke of Barlye
It I geve unto Alexander Jervic my servant one quarter of barley to be payd hym when the croppe shall come into my barne
It I geve unto my iiii godchildren evry of them iiiid
It I geven unto my syster Alis one busshell of wheate
It I geve unto Thomas Rowse sonne unto my syster An one stryke of wheate
It I geve unto the poore of Statherne iii stryke of corne to be payd them at the inning of my next croppe
It I geve unto my syster Joyes Halfe a quarter of barley
It I geve unto James Whittell ii lands one to receve a stryke of barley & an other to receve a stryke of pease & to enioye them for the two yeares nexte ensuing
It I geve unto the sayd James Whittell one lande to receave halfe a stryke of wheate & to enioye it for one yeare
Lastly I make Joyes my wyffe my full & lawfull Executor & also I make Robert Rowse my father in lawe my overseer to see that this my last will & testament be performed
Theis beynge Witnesses Thomas Davenport George Rowse & James Whittell
Probate 16 June 1579