The Will of Robert Roobard

In the Name of God Amen I Robert Roobard of Wooburn in the County of Bedford Grocer being sick and weak in Body but of sound and disposing Mind and Memory (praised be God for it) And Considering the Certainty of Death and the uncertainty of the time thereof, And to the end I may be the better prepared to Leave this World whenever it shall please God to call me hence Do therefore make and Declare this my last Will and Testament in manner following (that is to say) First and Principally I commend my Soul into the Hands of Almighty God my Creator hopeing for free pardon and Remission of all my Sins and to enjoy everlasting happiness in his Heavenly Kingdom through the Sole merits of Jesus Christ my Saviour my Body I commit to the Earth at the discretion of my Executrix hereafter named And as for Touching and concerning such Temporal Goods Chattles and Personal Estate as God in his Goodness has been pleased to bestow upon me I dispose of the same as follows First I will that all my Just Debts as shall be by me Owing at my Death Together with my Funeral Expences and all Charges Touching the Proveing of or otherwise concerning this my Will shall in the first place out of my Personal Estate and Effects be fully paid and Satisfied And from and after payment thereof and Subject thereunto Then I give and bequeath all the residue of my Goods Stock in Trade and all other my Personal Estate To my Dear and Loving Wife Mary Roobard and To my Two Sons Jeremiah and Robert Roobard and such child or children as my said Wife shall or may happen to be Ensient or with Child at the time of my decease Share and Share alike And my Mind and Will is that the Share and Shares that my said Children shall and will be respectively Intitled by Virtue of this my Will shall be paid to them as and when they shall Attain their respective ages of Twentyone Years And that the Interest Proceed and Profitt of the said Several and respective Shares shall during their respective Minorities be respectively apply'd for their Maintenance and bringing up And my will and meaning is that in Case either of my said Sons or such after born Child or Children as my said Wife shall or may happen to be ensient and with Child of at the time of my decease shall depart this Life before such time as the part or portion of him her or them so dying shall become payable Then and in such Casethe part or portion of him her or them so dyeing shall go and be equally divided amongst the Survivours or Survivour Share and Share alike if more than one and To be paid to such Survivours or Survivour at the time aforesaid And in case all my said Children shall die before they will be Intitled to their said respective Shares or Proportions of my said Personal Estate and Effects unmarried Then I give all their said respective Shares and Proportions of my said Estate and Effects unto my said Dear and Loving Wife Mary To and for her use and benefit Item my Will is and I do hereby Appoint that my said Dear Wife have the Guardianship and Tuition of my said Children so long as She shall continue to be Sole and my Widow And in Case of her Death or Marriage during the Minority of my said Children Then I Will and Appoint my Father in Law Robert Tomkins and my Worthy Friend Henry Rock of Wooburn aforesaid Farrier shall have the Tuition and Guardianship of my said Children during their Minorities And I do hereby Appoint my said Father in Law Robert Tomkins and the said Henry Rock Trustees and Overseers of this my Will for the benefit of my said Children and do Desire that they will be Aiding and Assisting to my said Wife Mary as much as in their Power And I do hereby Order and Direct that my said Wife Mary shall and do cause an Inventory to be made and taken of my Effects immediately after my decease in Order to Satisfy them the said Robert Tomkins and Henry Rock what each of my said Children's part and Share of my said Personal Estate and Effects will Amount unto Item I do direct that my said Trustees shall be from time to time Allowed all their necessary Costs and Charges in their Acting under this my Will Item I do hereby make Constitute and Appoint my said Dear and Loving Wife Sole Executrix of this my last Will and Testament and Hereby revoking and declaring Void all former and other Wills and Testaments by me at any time heretofore made I do publish and Declare this only to be my last Will contained in this and the preceeding Sheet of paper In Witness whereof I the said Robert Roobards the Testator to this my last Will and Testament contained in this and the preceeding Sheet of Paper and Fixed together at the Top have set my hand and Seal This Twenty fifth day of January in the Year of Our Lord One thousand Seven hundred and Fifty Seven And in the Thirtieth Year of the Reign of Our Sovereign Lord George the Second by the Grace of God of Great Britain France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith and so forth

Robert Roobards

Thomas Pettit
Jno Rotherham Clk to Mr Redall

Proved 3 Augt 1758
Archdeaconry Of Bedford

ABP/W1758/30