In the Name of God Amen The ffifteenth day of October in the Tenth yeare of the reigne of our Sovereigne Lord William thye Third by the grace of God of England Scotland ffrance and Ireland King Defender of the ffaith & Anno Domini one thousand six hundred & ninety eight
I Rebecca King of Laighton Bussard in the County of Bedford Widow being of indifferent health in body and of perfect mind and memory God be praised therefore but calling to mind the uncertainlty of this life Doe make and ordaine this my last Will and Testament in manner and forme following that is to say ffirst and principally I doe commend my soule into the hands of Almighty God my Creator My body I doe commit to the Earth decently to be buryed And for my worldly goods and estate I doe dispose of the same as followeth Imprimis I doe give will devise and bequeath unto Sarah Veere my Daughter now Wife of Thomas Veere of Laighton Bussard aforesaid gent and to her Heires and Assignes forever All my Moyety or one halfe of those three Messuages Cottages or Tenements with thier appurtenences now in the severall occupations of Anne Bradford widow Thomas Cherry and Robert Clerke now situate and being neare together in Laighton Bussard aforesaid with my Moyety or halfe of all and singular Houses Outhouses Buildings Barnes Stables Yards Gardens and Backsides rights and priviledges and appurtenances whatsoever to the said three Messuages Cottages or Tenements or either every or any of them and appertaining Alsoe all my Moyety or one halfe of all those seaven acres of Arable Land by estimation be the same more or less lying dispersedly in the ffeilds and Parish of Laighton Bussard aforesaid in the said County of Bedford and now in the tenure or occupation of John Hickman of his Assignes Also all other my Houses Lands tenements and Hereditaments whatsoever with their and avery of their appurtenances To have and to hold unto her the said Sarah Veere my Daughter and to her Heirs and Assigns forever Item I doe give unto Sarah West my Granddaughter (now Wife of Benjamin West) the sume of ffive pounds of lawfull money of England to be paid unto her by my Executors out of my personall Estate within one yeare next after my decease Item I doe give will and bequeath unto Jonathan Veere my Grandson (and son of the said Thomas Veere) the sume of Eight pounds per annum of lawfull money of England to be paid unto him by my Executors out of my personall Estate yearely and every yeare for and during the terme of his naturall life of him the said Jonathan my Grandson At or upon two of the most usuall ffeasts or dayes of payment in the yeare that is to say The ffeast dayes of St Michael the Archangell and the Annunciation of the blessed Virgin Mary by even and equall portions Item I doe give will and bequeath unto Mary Keene (Wife of Richard Keene) Elizabeth Veere Rebecca Clifton (now wife of Henry Clifton)and Agnes Woodman (now wife of Henry Woodman) my Granddaughters and daughters of the said Thomas Veere the sume of Twenty poundsd apeice of lawfull money of England To be paid to them by my Executors out of my Personall Estate within one yeare next after my decease if my said respective granddaughters shall be then living But if the said Mary Keene Elizabeth Veere Rebecca Clifton and Agnes Woodman my Granddaughters or any of them shall happen to dye and departe this life before her or their said legacie or legacies shall become due to be paid as aforesaid Then I doe give the respective legacie or legacies of her or them soe dying unto Jonathan Veere my Grandson and Son of the said Thomas Veere Item if William Hornby my Son in Law and John Glover and Constance his Wife (Daughter of the said William Hornby) doe and shall upon the request of the said Thomas Veere and Sarah his Wife and their heires surrender into the hands of the Lord of the Manor of Laighton Bussard als Groveberry (and the said Constance be examined thereon and give her assent thereto) according to the Custom of the said Mannor all that their or some or one of their moyety or one halfe of one Customary Orchard and out Yard with their appurtenances lying together in Laighton Bussard aforesaid on the backside of the now dwelling house of him Thomas Veere and next the ground in the tenure of Robert Clarke the elder on the West parte and abutting North upon ffryday lane To the useand behoofe of the said Thomas Veere and Sarah his Wife their Heires and Assignes forever Then my will is that they the said Thomas Veere and Sarah his Wife shall out of my personall estate pay unto the said Constance wife of the said John Glover the sume of Thirty pounds of lawfull money of England imediately upon such their passing and executing such surrender as aforesaid Provided always nevertheless and my will is That if they the said William Hornby John Glover and Constance his Wife or any of them shall neglect or refuse to make such surrender of the said guift and legacie of Thirty pounds soe appointed to be paid to the said Constance aforesaid shall be utterly void and of none effect and then the said Thomas Veere and Sarah his wife shall or may detaine and keepe the said Legacie or sume of Thirty pounds to their own use and behoofe and anything herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding Item I doe give to the said William Hornby my in Law Twenty shillings Item I doe give to Rebecca Wife of James Buckmaster and Henry King twenty shillings apiece Item I doe give to the poore people of the Towne of Laighton Bussard aforesaid ffive pounds Item all the rest residue and remainder of my moneys goods chattells bills bonds mortgages and personall estate whatsoever unbequeathed I doe give and bequeath unto them the said Thomas Veere and Sarah his Wife And I doe ordaine and make them the said Thomas Veere and Sarah his wife the sole and whole Executors of this my last Will and Testament And I doe hereby revoke and annihilate all former and other Wills by me made or spoken and doe pronounce and declare this present to be my last Will and Testament In witness whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seale the day and yeare first above written
Rebecca King her mark
 
John Knight
James Kingham
Jno Ashwell jnr
 
Proved: 21 March 1700
PCC
Prob11/454