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In the Name of God Amen I William Groom of Eaton Bray in the County of Bedford Wheelwright being Infirm in Body but of sound and disposing Mind Memory and Understanding praised be God for the same, do make and Ordain this my last Will and Testament in Manner and Form following (that is to say) First I Recommend my Soul into the Hands of Almighty God that gave it, trusting to be saved through the Merits of Jesus Christ my Redeemer And my Body I Commit to the Earth to be decently Interred at the Discretion of my Executrix and Executors hereafter Appointed or Named And Touching such Worldly Goods and Estates as it hath pleased God to bless me with I do Give Demise and bequeath as follows Item I give and Demise unto William Groom my Son all that my Cottage or Tenement wherein I now Dwell standing in the green End of Eaton Bray aforesaid with Outhouses Barns and Buildings thereto belonging and Adjoining, also my one Close or Pikle of Meadow Ground Joining the Great Orchard and Called Tompkins Close and Also one Close of Ley or Meadow Ground lying on the East part of the said Orchard and Pikle and Adjoining thereto with all Hedges ditches and all other their Appurtenances unto him the said William Groom my son his heirs and Assigns for Ever Provided that he the said William Groom, his Heirs, Executors Administrators or Assigns do and shall pay or cause to be paid unto Mary Groom and unto Deborah Groom my Daughters the sum of Sixty pounds of Lawful money of Great Britain each so soon as they shall severally Attain to the age of twenty one Years, and also shall pay or cause to be paid to Mary and Deborah Groom my said Daughters each three pounds per Annum untill they arrive to the age of twenty one years as above And I will the said three pounds Each should be paid Quarterly by four Equal payments the first to be paid at three kalender months end after my Disease Provided Also that he the said William Groom my son his Heirs Execrs Admrs or Assigns do well and truly pay or cause to be paid unto Frances Groom my Daughter the sum of ten pounds of lawful Money of Great Brittain when she shall attain to the age of twenty one years But If the said William Groom my son his Heirs Executors Adms or Assigns do and shall Refuse or Neglect to pay or cause to be paid unto the said Mary, Deborah & Frances Groom my Daughters the said several Sums as above said or any part thereof for the space of three months after such sums ought to be paid as aforesaid then my Will and Mind is that the said Mary, Deborah & Frances Groom my Daughters Shall and may Seize on and Enter in and upon all and Singular the Estate which I have given to him my said Son William Groom as above and take and freely keep the Issues and Profits arising from thence to their own Use and behoof untill the two sums of Sixty pounds each and three pounds each per Annum to Mary and Deborah & ten pounds to Frances be fully satisfyed and paid Item I give and Demise unto John Groom my son all those three Cottages or Tenements in Eaton green End between the House of William Beckford Esq and the House of Edward Ashwell Esq as I bought of Mr Turais with the Orchard Adjoining and all their Apurtences and Also all these my Pieces and Parcels of Arable Land and Ley or Meadow Ground which was bought of Joseph Whinnet lying in a place called Maresade and Eaton fenn Mead and one half Acre in the upper field abutting to Dyers highway by Estimation the whole three Acres and three Roods being Coppy hold and which I have surrendered into the Hands of the Lord; unto the said John Groom my son his heirs and Assigns for Ever Item I give and Demise unto Thomas Groom my son all that my Cottage or Tenement Standing in the East Corner of Eaton Green Opposite to Whitecroft Lane Gate and part now in the Occupation of Abigail Howard with all Out houses and Buildings and Orchard thereto belonging and also one pikle of Sward ground adjoining the Orchard called Goldings Ley and Also all that my piece of Ley Ground about three Acres with the Head Ley lying in the great Comp between a Close which I have Given to William Groom my Son and Frogs Butts with all their Apurtences unto him the said Thomas Groom his heirs and Assigns for Ever Item I give and demise unto Abraham Groom my son all those my two Closes of Meadow Ground Lying and being in the East End of Eaton Bray aforesaid with all their Apurtenances Also all that my one half Acre of Meadow Ground lying and being in Eaton Fenn Mead and which was bought of Mrs Griffin and Also all those my three half Acres of Meadow Ground lying and being in Totternhoe Fenn Mead unto him the said Abraham Groom his Heirs and Assigns for Ever Also I give and Bequeath unto the said Abraham Groom My son twenty pounds of Lawful Money of Great Brittain to be paid to him at twelve months end after my Decease by my Executors and Executrix out of My Stock in husbandry Item I give and Demise unto Ann Gadsden my daughter and unto Elizabeth Groom my Daughter and unto Susanna Groom my daughter All that my Cottage or Tenement standing in the green End of Eaton Bray aforesaid opposite to William Roberts Malting and which I bought of George Brown with all Barns and Buildings Orchard Adjoining and all their Apurtences Also one piece of Arable Land Lying on the back side of the said Orchard lying dispersedly in the upper Fields of Eaton Bray aforesaid, also three Roods in Long Craft, one Acre in the west Field, three Acres and a half in the Great Comp, one rood by harts way next the Land Tompkins Item I give and Demise unto Frances Groom my Daughter all that my one Acre of arable Land Lying on north Comp Hill and also all they my two half Acres of Arable Land which I bought of William Pursell one of which Lyeth in a Place called Mareslade and the other in long land Field abutting to harts way a little below harts Hedge And all that my one Acre of Arable Land Lying on Ware Hill to her the said Frances Groom her heirs and Assigns Item I give and Bequeath unto Ann Groom my beloved Wife all my Household Goods and Furniture All the Rest Residue and Remainder my Leasehold land, Corn, hay, Stubble, Straw, Horses, Harness, Cows, Hogs Money Carts Timber Green or Dry, Tools, Implements of Husbandry, whatsoever and All my Personal Estate which I have not bequeathed as above I do give the same unto Ann my beloved Wife and unto William Groom my son (deletion follows) Share and Share alike, they paying all my Just Debts, also to Abraham Groom my son his Legacy the Expence of my Funeral, and of Proving this my last Will therefrom I Will that All my Stock (Except my Growing Crop) should be valued by three able Men and An Inventory taken on the first Quarter Day which shall next happen after my Decease likewise my growing Crop to be Valued at a Convenient time before it is fallen And further If that the said Mary Groom Deborah Groom or Frances Groom my Daughters Should happen to Dye before they attain to the Age of twenty one Years of Age and having no Child born in Wedlock; then my Will and Mind is that the Legacy or Estate which I have Demised or bequeathed to them or either of them as above shall be equally divided between my Surviving Children share and Share Alike And I do hereby Make Constitute and Ordain the said Ann Groom my Wife William Groom my Son (deletion follows) Sole and Joint Executrix and Executors of this my last Will and Testament And I do hereby utterly Disallow, Revoke and Disanull every other former Testaments and Wills by me at any time before named Willed and bequeathed Ratifying and Confirming this and no other to be my last Will and Testament contained in two Sheets of Paper In Witness whereof I have to each sheet set my Hand and to this latter Sheet my hand and Seal the twenty Eighth day of May in the Year of our Lord one Thousand seven Hundred and Ninety William Groom

John Roberts
John Mitchell X Mark
(illegible) Pursell

Proved 1793
Bedfordshire Record Office
ABP/W 1793/26

This Will was kindly  transcribed and sent in by Ros.

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