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In
the name of God Amen,
the 27th day
of the month of May in
the year of our lord God
1504. I Richard Leede
the elder of Benenden in
my whole mind and good
remembrance thanking be
God make my testament in
this wise, first I
bequeath my soul to God
Almighty to our lady
said Mary and to all the
holy company of heaven
and my body to be buried
in the churchyard of
St.George of Benenden
foresaid. Also I
bequeath to the high
alter there for my
tithes forgotten and
negligently witholden
20d.
Item I bequeath to the
house of the frères
(Friars) of Lossingham
20d.
Item I bequeath to
Edward Lede my godson
12d.
Item I bequeath to
Richard Lede my godson
12d.
Item I bequeath to any
other of my godchildren
4d.
The residue of all my
goods and chattels my
debts bequeaths and
funeral first paid, I
bequeath to Joan my wife
the which Joan I make my
executrix forthwith
William Lede my brother
and Richard Hychcock.
This is the last will
and ordinance of me the
said Richard Lede made
at Benenden the day and
year abovesaid and in
the year of the reign of
our sovereign King
HenryVII after the
conquest of England the
19th…………………..(War
of the Roses?)
First I will that my
feoffre…………….Joan my
wife her assigns to
occupy and take profit
of all my lands and
tenenments lying and
being in Benenden for of
her life keeping
competent reparations
and paying there rent.
And after the decease of
the said Joan my wife I
will that my feoffeors
suffer Agnes my daughter
the wife of John Wyllard
and her assigns to
occupy and take profit
of all my lands and
tenements in Benenden
forsaid term of her life
keeping competent
reparations And after
the decease of the said
Agnes Wyllard I will
that the said feoffre
suffer Joan the daughter
of the said Agnes and
John Wyllard and her
assigns occupy and take
profit of my messuage
and garden which that I
now dwell in And the
land and remain to the
next heirs of the said
Agnes when the said Joan
cometh to the age of 22
years. If the said Agnes
her mother and the said
Joan my wife then be
dead and if the said
Joan will be ruled and
governed by my said
feoffres and executors.
And if the said Joan die
without heirs of her
body lawfully begotten
then I will the said
messuage and garden
remain to the next heirs
of the said Agnes
Wyllard and if all the
children of the said
Agnes Wyllard die
without heirs of their
body lawfully begotten
then I will that the
said messuage and garden
and land at Benenden be
delivered to Edward Lede
the son of William Lede
my brother in fee simple
paying to John Lede my
brother and his heirs 12
marks.
Also to pay to Thomas
Webbe 40s
Also to pay to Nicholas
Webbe 40s to be paid
within a year next after
the decease of the said
heirs of the said Agnes
Wyllard. Also I will
that the said Edward pay
to the mending of the
noyons ways (i.e. busy
highways) between
Richard Everyden’s house
and the Forstall ( i.e.
Benenden) £3 6s 8d.
Also the said Edward pay
to an honest priest to
sing in the said church
of Benenden for my soule,
my wife’s soul my
fathers and my mothers
souls and for all
Christian souls by the
space of half a year £3
6s 8d.
Also I will that each of
my feoffres have 3s 4d
for their labours
Also I will that after
the decease of the said
Joan my wife my messuage
and land called Lucas be
delivered to John
Wyllard the younger
under the condition that
the said John Wyllard
will make unto the said
Agnes his wife a
sufficient and lawful
jointure of 40s by term
of life of the said
Agnes or else a
sufficient and lawful
jointure of 40s in money
as it was covenanted and
agreed at the time of
their marriage within a
year and a day after my
decease. And if the said
John Wyllard refuse that
to do then I will after
the decease of the said
Agnes Wyllard that the
said messuage and lands
called Luca be sold and
the money thereof
received I ordain
thereof £6 13s 4d to be
in some special ornament
to fix in the said
church of Benenden by
discretion of my said
Feoffre and executor and
the residue of the said
money received be
disposed by discretion
of my said feoffre and
executor.
Also I will that my said
executors……………..after my
decease sell all my
lands in Frethynde in
the best price that they
can and the money
thereof realized by my
executor I ordain to
John Reynold my servant
3s 4d.
Item to Richard Kyt 3s
4d.
Item to Joan Bureeashe
3s. 4d.
Item to Katharine
Shorefold 3s. 4d.
Item to Alice Cobb late
my servant 3s 4d.
Item the residue of the
said money I ordain to
pay my debts bequeaths
and my funeral expences
and to be done for the
health of my soul for
all my friends souls and
for all Christian souls.
That witness William
Lede the elder John
Leede and others moo
(i.e. more).
Proved 6th
May 1505 and granted to
Joan the widow & William
Lede executors |
