In the name of God Amen The Third daie of Aprill in the yeare of our Lord God one thousand six hundred ffortie and nyne I Michael Coles of Laighton bussard in the countie of Bedford yeoman being sicke in bodie but in good and perfect remembrance laud and praise be unto allmightie God doe make and ordeyne ……herein my last will in manner and forme as followeth ffirst and principally I doe commend my soule into the mercifull handes of Allmightie God my maker and redeemer stedfastly trusting in him and that through the merits bitter death and passion of his deerely beloved sonne Jesus Christ mine onelie Saviour I shall obtaine pardon and forgiveness of all my sins and life everlasting in the kingdome of heaven And my bodie I doe commit to the earth in hope of a joyfull resurrection And as touchinge my worldlie and temporall estate which God hath lent mee in this world I dispose of it as followeth
Imprimis I give and bequeath unto my sonne Edmund five poundes of good and lawfull money of England to be paid unto him by my executrix hereafter named towards the paiement of his ffyne when hee shall take up his Coppiehould land
Item I give & bequeath unto my sonne John twentie poundes of good and lawfull money of England to be paid unto him by my executrix when he shall accomplishe and come to the age of one and twentie yeares
Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Anne One hundred and twentie poundes of good and lawfull money of England to be paid unto her by my said executrix within three whole yeares next after my decease
Item my will is that if my said daughter Anne doe die and decease before the time that I have by this my will appointed for her to receive her aforesaid portion without lawfull issue of her bodie That then my will is and I doe hereby give and bequeath all her said portion of one hundred and twenty poundes unto my two sons Edmund and John to be equallie devided betweene them
Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Marie twenty shillinges
Item I give and bequeath unto my two kinswomen Thomason and Winifrede Coles ffiftie shillinges apeece
Item my will is that Phillippa my nowe wife shall surrender and yeild up unto my sonne John and his heires for ever All her estate right title and interest which shee now hath in and to one Cottage standinge in the midle rowe in Laighton bowesard called the Hornes and wherein one William Wilson now dwelleth with the appurtenances when he shall accomplishe and come to the age of one and twentie yeares which if shee the said Phillippa my nowe wife shall refuse soe to doe and not release That then my will is that shee the said Phillippa shall paie unto my said sonne John eightscore poundes at the age aforesaid All the rest and residue of all my goods & cattells and chattells whatsoever I have unbequeathed my bodie being buried my ffunerall expences performed my debts and legacies paid I doe …..give and bequeath unto Phillippa my loveinge wife for and towards her maintenance and to educate and bring upp my children carefully and in the feare of God until they come to age and receive their portions And I doe make and ordaine her the said Philippa my loveinge wife to be my sole and whole executrix of this my present Testament And further my will is That if my said executrix shall happen to marrie again That then my said executrix shall paie unto my three children vizt Edmund John and Anne to each of them Twentie poundes a peece of lawfull English money over and above the portion that I have before in this my will bequeathed unto them to be paid into the handes of Marke Wilkes Gent Edward Elliott and Joseph Coles my Brother at or upon the daie that shee my said executrix shall be married to another man And the said money to be by them put out to the best use and benefit of my said three children until they shall accomplishe and come to the age of one and twentie yeares And I doe nominate and appointe the said Marke Wilkes gent Edward Elliott and Joseph Coles my Brother to bee my overseers of this my last will and testament Witness my hand and seale the daie and yeare first above written The marke of Michael Coles
Sealed signed and acknowledged in the presence of
Stephen Martin his marke William Stapp his marke
 
Proved 4 May 1649
PCC
Prob11/208