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In
the name of God Amen the
last day of the month of
June in the year of our
sovereign Lord Edward
the VI by the grace of
god of England and
Ireland King defender of
the faith and the Church
of England and Ireland
in earth supreme head I
Thomas Lede of Benenden
in the County of Kent
being whole of mind and
perfect memory lauded be
God make my present
testament and last will
in manner and form
following.
Firstly I bequeath my
soul to Almighty God and
my body to be buried in
the churchyard of
Benenden.
Item. I will and
bequeath to Parnell my
wife all my movable
goods and chattels at
her discretion to the
paying of my debts and
bequeaths and to the
keeping of my young
children also to the
forty pounds which is
due unto me at the feast
of Michaelmas next
coming I will that my
wife by the advice of my
cousin Gregory Lede and
Robert Everenden
ofGraunchehill shall
have it upon such land
or quitte rents and she
shall to take the profit
of it for term of her
natural life and after
her decease to be
divided equally to my
men children and if it
fortune any of my sons
to die before they be 24
years of age the others
to have the parts of
them so d3eceased
equally divided among
them and furthermore if
so be it fortune my wife
to die or ever my sons
come all to 24 years
then I will that they
that be 24 years old
shall forthwith have
their parts if it may be
conveniently done within
one half year next
ensuing with the farm
that shall be due for
his or their parts. And
I will that Gregory Lede
and Robert Everenden
shall have the receipt
of all if it fortune my
wife so to die and to
pay my sons as they come
of age as aforementioned
also I will that John
Lede my son shall have
one twelvemonthing
bullock and Gervyce one
other twelvemonthing and
Anthony a weaning calf
the best among five and
Edward another weaning
calf also I will that my
three daughters Alice
Joan and Philipa shall
have every one of them 4
marks to be paid at the
day of their marriage or
else if they marry not
before they be 24 years
of age and if they die
before that age
unmarried the parts of
her or them so deceased
shall equally divided to
her or them that live of
the same three.
Item. I will that my
wife shall have all my
leases and dyngeldey of
the house and lands
during all the term of
my lease yet to come.
Item. I will that if it
fortune any to marry
before xiiii years of
age and also to die
before that age leaving
a child or children of
his body lawfully
begotten then I will his
child or children of his
body lawfully begotten
shall have that part
that should have
fortuned unto their
father if he had lived
to the age of xiiii
years.
Item. I bequeath unto
Anne my daughter xxd.
Item. I bequeath unto
Agnes my daughter xxd.
Item. I will & ordain
and make Parnell my wife
to be my sole executrix
of this my last will and
testament. Witness of
this last testament and
will is Thomas Everenden
Thomas Chittenden John
Lede Clerk and John
Ylden
Proved 23rd
September 4 Edward VI
(1550) on the oath of
John Lede and John Ylden
PRC 17/27f 62v |
