I Robert Leaver of Wallingford in the County of Berks Gentleman being of sound mind and memory praised be Almighty God for the same Do make publish and declare my last Will and Testament in Writing concerning my Worldly Estate and Effects in manner following ffirst I desire my body may be decently interred in the Parish Church of Nuffield in the County of Oxford And I give devise and bequeath unto my Son and Heir Apparent Charles Leaver only the Sum of One Shilling of lawful Money of Great Britain and no more to be paid unto him within one month next after my decease by my Executor hereinafter named And I give devise and bequeath unto my Younger Son Robert Leaver his Heirs and Assigns All those Messuages Land Tenements and Hereditaments with the Appurtenances heretofore the Estate of Edward Leaver deceased and afterwards of ffrancis Justice and Elizabeth his Wife or of one of them and which I purchased from the said  ffrancis Justice and the said Elizabeth and the Assignees under the Commission of Bankruptcy which was issued and awarded against the said ffrancis or from some or one of them  or from others all which Premises are situate lying and being in South Moreton in the said County of Berks And all that other Messuage Cottage or Tenement with the Orchard Garden Land Commons Hereditaments and Appurtenances situate lying and being in South Moreton aforesaid which I purchased from William Corderoy or from some other Person or Persons All which Premises hereby before devised are now in the Tenure or Occupation of Richard Tyrrell John Johnson and Richard Parsons or some or one of them their some or one of their Undertenants or Undertenant And also all and singular other my Land Tenements and Hereditaments whatsoever in South Moreton aforesaid and every other place Except such Lands Tenements Hereditaments and Estate which were settled in Jointure upon my Marriage with my late Wife To have and to hold all and singular the Premises hereby before given devised and bequeathed unto my said Son Robert Leaver his Heirs and Assigns To the only proper use and behoof of my said Son Robert his Heirs and Assigns for ever charged and chargeable nevertheless with the Payment of the Annuity or Yearly Rent of twenty five pounds of lawful Money of Great Britain unto my Housekeeper Sarah Arthur Spinster during her natural Life in such manner as is hereinafter mentioned  And I do give devise and bequeath unto the said Sarah Arthur who now lives with me the said Annuity or Yearly Rent of twenty five pounds of lawful Money of Great Britain to be yearly issuing out of all and every the Messuages Land Tenements Hereditaments and Premises hereby by me given devised and bequeathed to be paid by equal Quarterly Paymts at the ffeasts of the Annunciation of the blessed Virgin Mary Saint john the Baptist and Saint Michael the Archangel and Saint Thomas the Apostle and the first quarterly Payment to begin and be made on such of the said ffeasts which shall first happen next after my decease to be had received and taken by the said Sarah Arthur and her Assigns during her natural Life And if the said yearly Rent of twenty five Pounds or any part thereof shall be unpaid on either of the said days of payment whereon the same ought to be paid as aforesaid being lawfully demanded That then and so often it shall and may be lawful for the said Sarah Arthur and her Executors Administrators and Assigns  into and upon the said Premises or any part thereof to enter and distrain for the said yearly Rent and all Arrears thereof and for every quarterly Payment thereof And the distress and distresses then and there found to take drive load and carry away and the same to detain and keep until the same yearly Rent and all Arrears and all and every quarterly Payments thereof and all Costs Charges and Expences occasioned by such distress and distresses shall be fully paid and discharged or otherwise it shall be lawful for her and her Executors Administrators and Assigns  to sell such Distress and Distresses for such Payment as aforesaid And I hereby charge all and singular the said Messuages Land Tenements Hereditaments and Premises and make them chargeable with the Payment of the said Annuity of twenty five Pounds and with the Remedies hereby given for Payment thereof And I hereby declare that the said Rent charge is by me intended to be in full Satisfation and discharge of all Debts dues and demands that the said Sarah Arthur can or may have claim or demand on me at the time of my decease for Wages and all other Accounts and demands And I do direct and order that she shall at the Request Costs and Charges of my Executor at any time after my decease well and sufficiently release him from all and every such Debts Dues demands and Accounts And I also give devise and bequeath unto my said Son Robert Leaver his Heirs and Assigns All and singular my ffee ffarm Rents Rents of Assize Chief Rents Quit Rents and other Rents issuing coming arising or payable out of or from certain Lands Tenements and Messuages in South Moreton aforesaid To have and to hold unto and to the use of my said Son Robert Leaver his Heirs and Assigns for ever I give and bequeath unto Rachel Arthur who is the Sister to the said Sarah Arthur the Legacy or Sum of twenty one Pounds of like lawful Money to be paid by my Executor within twelve Calendar months next after my decease Also I give and bequeath unto the poor Inhabitants of South Moreton aforesaid the Sum of ffive Pounds of like Money Also I give and bequeath unto the poor Inhabitants of Nuffield aforesaid the like Sum of ffive Pounds of like Money And I do hereby direct that the said two several Sums of ffive Pounds shall be distributed and paid to the said poor Inhabitants respectively within one Year next after my decease by my Executor in such Proportion as he shall think proper And I hereby give devise and bequeath unto my said Son Robert all and singular other my Real Estate and all and singular my Household goods and ffurniture Stock Implements and Utensils in Malting and Husbandry Plate Linnen Cattle Corn Grain Hay Malt ready Money Money owing and Securities for Money  Leases Terms of Years and all my Personal Estate To hold unto my said Son Robert his Heirs Executors Administrators and Assigns to and for his and their own Use benefit and behoof but subject to the Payment of the said Annuity to the said Sarah Arthur as a Collateral Security if the Estate before charged therewith shall happen to prove insufficient And I do hereby make and appoint my said Son Robert Leaver full and sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament And Lastly I hereby revoke all former Wills by me made and declare this Paper Writing only to be my last Will and Testament In Witness whereof I have to this my last Will and Testament contained in three sheets of Paper set my hand and Seal top each of the said sheets this third day of April in the Year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and seventy five

 

Robt Leaver

 

John Simson

John Cox

Wm Matthews

 

Codicil dated 4th December 1775 leaving further twenty nine pounds to Rachel Arthur

Witnessed by R.Hunter   John  Scoolt    Wm Matthews

 

Proved: 26th January 1776

PCC

Prob11/1015