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In the name of God, Amen.
The eighteenth
day of September in the year of our LordGod one thousand six
hundred fifty and four, I, Thomas Harrison of Little Crakehall
in the County of York, yeoman, sick in body but of good and
perfect memory (praised be God) do make and ordain this my last
will and testament in manner and form following.
First I give
and bequeath my soul to Almighty God my creator hopeing through
the merits, mercies and death of Jesus Christ my redeemer to
obtain pardon of all my sins, and after this life ended, life
eternal. And my body to be buried in decent sort in the parish
church of Bedale. And for the temporal estate wherewith it hath
pleased God to bless me I dispose of in manner and form
following.
First, for the discharge of my conscience and the
speedy satisfaction of all my ....... debts whatsoever I give
and bequeath unto my executor John Johnson of Newton in the
Willows in the said County of York, yeoman, all my lands lying
and being in Little Crakehall, and also all my lands in Great
Crakehall, for the payment and discharge of my debts. And in
case my personal estate will not arise or amount to such a sum
as will clearly and truly satisfy my said debts then my mind and
will is ..... doth hereby give and bequeath unto the said John
Johnson my messuage, tenement and farm in Little Crakehall which
I hold of the manor or Lordship of Middleham during the term of
six years after my decease. Item my mind and will is that
Margaret my now wife shall have my grey gelt nag, who as a
testimony of her true affection to me and out of her earnest
desire that my real debts should be satisfied and paid, is
contented and doth now declare to ...... accept thereof in barr
of her thirds till my personal and real estate fully discharge
them. And after their payment that she shall enjoy her thirds of
my said estate.
And the rest of my goods and chattels moveable
and imoveable of what nature quality or kind whatsoever I give
and bequeath unto the said John Johnson my nephew, whom I make
sole executor of this my last will and testament. Provided
always that if John Johnson my nephew shall not accept of my
executorship within fourteen days after my decease and declare
the same unto John Hags of West Brunton, clerk, and Joseph
Chapman of Great Crakehall, yeoman, that then my mind is that
William Plews of Thornton Watlass, yeoman, shall be my executor
if he declare the same unto the said Hag and Chapman upon the
said John Johnsons refusal within the next fourteen days. That
then my mind and will is that' William Clapon of Great Crakehall
shall be my executor upon the said William Plews refusal
provided always that upon the accepting of the said executorship
the said party so accepting shall secure or pay all my just
debts whatsoever.
And my mind is that this shall not charge my
executor to pay any notes or writing which I have really and
fully discharged whereof some notes lyeth in Richard Raper' s
hands of Langthorne upon the borrowing of fifty pounds which I
received in several sums and upon each receipt gave a note under
my hand for the same after which I entered bond for the whole,
which moneys I have justly repaid to the said Richard Raper but
have not received my said notes.
Lastly my mind and will is
that what is given or granted and bequeathed unto John Johnson
as abovesaid for the payment of my debts, which if the said John
Johnson shall refuse as above expressed, that then all the gifts
grants and bequests to the said John Johnson shall be void and
nill, but shall stand in force and be in ..... to the said
William Plews or William Clapon upon the acceptance of their
executorship as is above limited and expressed, anything
contained to the contrary hereof not withstanding.
In witness whereof:
W.Metcalfe,
John Lucas,
James Jagar,
William Clarke.
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