May 19th Anno Dom (1640)

In the name of God amen I John Huntington the elder of Lower Bebington in the countie of Chester husbandman weake in bodie but of good and perfect memorie God be praised doe make & ordaine this my last will & testament in manner and forme as followeth. Ffirst I commend my soule into the hands of Almightie God my creator hopeing assuredly by the meritts of Jesus Christ my saviour to be saved and I commend my bodie to the earth whereof it was made and to be buried in the parish church of Bebington.

And as for such wordlie goods as it hath pleased God to endow me withall my minde and will is that they shall be given and distributed in such a maner as followeth.

Ffirst my will is that all such legacies and duties as I owe of right or of conscience or bequeath to my children or to any other person or persons be well and truelie payd by my executors hereafter named or else ordaine soe for to be payd without any contradiction; and after my debts & legacies payd and my funerall expences performed I will that all my goods cattells and chattells shalbe divided into two equall parts,whereof I will that Anne my wife shall have one equall parte to her owne proper use in the name of her purpartie and reasonable part to her of my sayd goods cattells and chattells, and the other equall part of my sayd goods cattells and chattells I bequeath unto Hughe Huntington my natural sonne; and my will is that the surviver of them enjoy the Holland Croft;

Item I leave and bequeath unto John Huntington my natural sonne twentie pounds of lawful english money & one heifer which is with William Wilcocke of Bromborough if he returne home alive, but if he die my will is that the sayd twentie pounds be divided equallie betweene Anne my wife and Jane my daughter & Jane likewise to have the sayd heifer.

Item I leave and bequeath unto Ellen my daughter twentie pounds of lawfull english money to goe forward for her benefitte and she to be kept at house with meate drink and apparell during the life of her mother and if she die my will is that is shall be divided betweene Anne my wife Jane my daughter and Hughe my sonne equallie amongst them;

Item I leave and bequeath unto Jane my daughter tenne pounds besides that is her owne and to have a chamber at my house with her mother soe longe as she shall remaine unmarried;

Item I leave and bequeath unto Aimy my daughter ffive shillings and unto John Holme her husband ffive shillngs and to their daughter Ellen Holme I leave tenne shillings.

Item I leave and bequeath unto Margarette Huntington daughter unto Hughe Huntington tenne shillings;

Item I leave and bequeath unto Ellen Scarsbricke my sister one measure of barley and I leave unto every one of her naturall children a measure of barley to each of them; Item I leave and bequeath unto the children of Anne Pendleton namelie Bridgette, Ellen Marie & Henry Pendleton to each one of them a measure of Barley; Item I leave and bequeath unto John Englefield my brother in law a paire of breeches and gerken Which I now weare;

And of this my present testament I make and ordaine the sayd Anne my wife and Hughe my naturall sonne my executors and I doe hereby utterlie revoke and disanull all and every other former testaments, wills, legacies bequests and executors by me in any wise before this tyme named, willed and bequeathed; In wittenesse whereof I have hereunto put my hand and seale the day and yeare first written;

Sealed and delivered

in the presence of;

William Porter

Hughe Carter

James Hayes Curate

Money due ----- John Huntington—elder

Imprimis

William Hodgeson of Lower Bebington oweth unto me twentie shillings Which is due at Michaelmas day next ensueing.

Item Laurence Scarsbricke unto me doth owe ffifteene shillings for seed barley due at Michaelmas next ensueing.

Item Thomas Dunne of Tranmore oweth unto me ffifteene shillings for seed barley due to be payd at Michaelmas day next ensueing.

Item Richard Waley of Berketwood oweth unto me sixteene shillings and foure pence for seed barley due at St.John Baptist next.

Item William Watmough of Storton oweth unto me eight pounds by a bond whereof there is three pounds already payd.

Item Henry Tichette of Stanney oweth unto me seaven pounds where three pounds is already payd and discharged.

Item Henry Lewis of Stanney oweth unto me ffourteene shillings.

The Invetorie of the goods and chattells of John Huntington the elder of Lower Bebington in the countie of Chester, husbandman, deceased, made and proved by Robert Ball, William Porter,Henry Carter and John Rimmer the second day of June in the sixteene yeare of the raigne of our soveraigne Lord King Charles annos dom (1640).

Imprimis;