In the Name of God Amen William Dean the Elder of Leighton Bussard in the County of Bedford Bricklayer being in good health of body & of sound & disposeing mind memory & Understanding (Thanks be to God) Do make & ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner & form following (that is to say) First and Principally I Comend my soul into the hands of Almighty God my Maker hopeing thro’ the sole Meritts of Jesus Christ my Redeemer to have my sins remitted and to be made Partaker of Eternal Life And my Body I Comitt to the Earth to be decently buried at the Discretion of my Executor hereafter named And as for that worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased Almighty God to bless me I give & Dispose thereof as followeth Imprimis Whereas I have surrendered all & every my Messuages Cotages Lands Tenements & Hereditaments whatsoever holden of the Mannor of Leighton Bussard otherwise Grovebury in the said County of Bedford to the use of my last Will & Testament Now I Do hereby Give Devise & bequeath unto Elizabeth my wife her Heirs & Assigns forever All that my Coppyhold Cotage or Tenement situate & being in Grovebury field in Leighton Bussard aforesaid near the Bridge there called Lock Bridge & the Orchard thereunto belonging on the South part thereof late in the occupation of Edward Trulove since of Nathaniel Miller & now of me the said William Dean next the Land called the Town Land on the east part which I purchased of the said Edward Trulove And also All those two other Coppyhold Cotages or Tenements situate and being together in the Lock end of Leighton Bussard aforesaid on the East side & fronting west into the street there & now in the occupation of Bartholomew Dunkley & Thomas Peacock and which I formerly Purchased of Charles Capon And also All houses Outhouses Edifices Buildings Barns Stables Yards Gardens Orchards Backsides Hedges Ditches Trees Mounds Fences Comons Profitts & Appurtenances whatsoever to the same belonging To hold the said Three Cotages or Tenements & Premises with their Appurtenances unto the said Elizabeth Dean my wife her Heirs and Assigns for ever Also I give devise & bequeath All those my Three Roods of freehold furzen Land (more or less) lying together on Broomhill in the fields of Leighton Bussard aforesaid the Land of the Widow Worrall on the north on the north & of Mr Plumer on the south part thereof Two Roods whereof I purchased of Richard & James Leach & the Third of Thomas Theed Esq To Hold unto the said Elizabeth my wife & her Assigns for & during the term of her naturall life & from & after her decease Then I give will devise & bequeath the same To hold unto Elizabeth Dean my Neice Daughter of Samuel Dean my Brother & her Heirs & Assigns for ever Also I give Devise & Bequeath All that my freehold Cotage now divided into two Tenements or Dwellings with the Barns & Appurtenances thereunto belonging situate & being in the Northend of Leighton Bussard aforesaid which I lately bought of William Dickerson & late in the occupation of John Sanders & now of Nathaniel Yates &     Gilbert To hold the same unto the said Elizabeth Dean my wife & her Assigns for & during the term of her naturall Life & from & after her Decease Then I Give Will Devise & Bequeath All that the said One Cotage or Tenement with the Barn now used & Enjoyed therewith & in the occupation of         Gilbert being the Southermost Tenement of the two last mentioned Cotages To hold unto William Dean the younger my Nephew Son of the said Samuel Dean my Brother & to the Heirs & Assigns of the said William Dean the younger for ever And from & after the Death & Decease of Elizabeth my wife Then I Do give Devise & bequeath All that the said other Cotage or Tenement with the Barn now used therewith & late in the occupation of John Sanders & now of Nathaniel Yates being the Northermost Tenement of the said two last mentioned Cotages To hold unto Sarah Dean of Leighton Bussard aforesaid Spinster Daughter of John Dean of London Gardner my Brother deced & her Heirs & Assigns for ever Also I Give Devise & Bequeath All & every my household Goods Stock in Trade & other Utensills moneys Goods Debts Chattells & personall Estate whatsoever unto the said Elizabeth Dean my wife her Exors Admors & Assigns she paying thereout all my Debts & funeral Expences And I Do make and ordain the said Elizabeth Dean my wife full & whole Executrix thereof In Wittness Whereof I the said William Dean the Elder the Testator have to this my last Will & Testament contained in one sheet of Paper sett my hand and Seal the Thirty first Day of May in the Ninth year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the second by the Grace of God of Great Britain France & Ireland King Defender of the Faith and so forth And in the year of our Lord One Thousand Seaven hundred & Thirty Six   The Mark of William X Dean the Elder   (Attestation Clause)   James Leach    Robt Baskerfeild     Chas Pyne   Proved 4 May 1738      Bedfordshire Record Office