The Will of John Sandford

 

In the Name of God Amen The ? day of February anno domini one thousand six hundred five, I John Sandford of St. Leonards in the city of Bristol Merchant being sicke of body but of good and perfect memory do make this my last will and testament in manner and forme following.  First I give and bequeath my soule into the hands of Allmightie God my Creator hoping and steadfastly believing to be passed by the precious death and passion of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and by no other meanes and my body to be buryed in the churchyard of St. Warborough near to the place of the burrial of my father Robert Sandford deceased And touching my worldly goods  first I give and devise to William Sandford my eldest sonne my lease of the farm of Etower in the parish of Kainsham in the county of Somersett and also the lease of the Coppice Woods in the Clowde of Kainsham aforesaid which I hereby purchased of Sir Thomas Bridges knight  my said sonne William or he or they whichever shall be possessed of the said ffarme by virtue of this my last will. Paying yearlie out of the said ffarme of Etower unto Sibill my wellbeloved wife the somme of fiftie pounds of lawful English money during her widowhood and if it shall happen the said Sibbill  do marry after my decease then my will is that my said sonne William shall pay her only fourtie pounds yearlie and by this my last will I have hereafter limited and appointed.

 

Item I do give and devise unto Sibbill my wellbeloved wife the aforesaid sum of ffiftie pounds of lawful English money to be payed unto her out of my ffarme of Etower in manner and forme following (that is to say) Twenty and five pounds at the feast of St Michael the Archangel and Twenty and five pounds at the feast of The Annunciation of the Virgin Mary during her widowhood.  And if it shall the said Sibbill do marry after my decease then my will is that the said Sibbill shall have only fortie pounds yearlie to be payd out of my said ffarme of Etower in forme following (viz) Twenty pounds at the feast of St Michael the Archangel and twenty pounds at the feast of The Annunciation of the Virgin Mary by my said sonne William or him or them of my said children whichever shall be possessed of the said ffarme by virtue of this my last.

 

Item I give and bequeath unto my wellbeloved wife Sibbill during her widowhood the use of half my Plate, Household stuff, goods and chattels wheresoeth the said Sibill giving security to the overseers of this my last will to redeliver the sum to them to whom is it shall be appointed by this my last will and testament before the time of her marriage.

 

Item I give and bequeath to the said Sibill my wellbeloved wife all her jewels and apparel to convert and dispose of them at her own will and pleasure. 

 

Item I give and devise unto Mary (Dursey)?  My wellbeloved mother the use of my house in Cornstreete in Bristol wherein Maude Thornborowe widow now dwelleth and use of the implements and household stuff therein where the use of other Household stuff and Plate hereafter following (viz) of one featherbed  two flockbeds

Where all the furniture of bedding thereunto belonging And of   ….?…. Brass and Pewter as shall be thought fit by my overseers for her estate And of six silver spoons, a gilt salve which my uncle Thomas Sandford gave me, of one white bowwle, of one stone crest covered with silver and of one silver tumme?….

 

Item I give and devise to Robert my sonne the use of my house in Cornstreete in Bristol wherein John Angell of the said city Merchant now dwelleth with all Stands, potts, glass, curtains?, bedsteads, boardes and other implements now remaining in the same house

 

Item I give and devise unto my said sonne Robert and to his heirs my Garden adjoining to the said messuage or house.

 

Item next I give unto my said sonne Robert  one hundred pounds in money to be paid him by my executor at his age of Twenty and five years.

 

Item I give and devise unto Thomas my son and his heirs the messuage or tenement situate upon the Keye of Bristol in the forme or assumption of William Atkins joyner or of his assigns.

 

Item I give and devise unto Marye my daughter the remainder of the use of my said house in Cronstreete wherein the said Mawde Thornbarowe now dwelleth after the decease of my said mother.

 

Item I give and bequeath unto my said daughter Marye the sum of two hundred pounds in money to be paid unto her by myne executor at her age of one and twenty years or day of her marriage whichever first shall happen.  And if it shall happen that the said Mary my daughter doe die before her day of marriage then my will is that the Legacy to her bequeathed shall be and remain unto my sonne Thomas.

 

Item my will is that the one half of my chattel whereof I have bequeathed the use to my wellbeloved wife Sibill during the widowhood shall be and remain and continue after her marriage or decease unto my sonne William.  And that the half of my goods plate and household stuff whereof I have bequeathed the rest to my well beloved wife during her widowhood shall remayn and continue after her marriage or decease unto my sonnes Robert, Thomas and my daughter Marye equally equally to be divided amongst them.

 

Item my will is that if it shall happen the said sonne William doe die before his marriage (not leaving lawfull issue of his body his mother surviving him that then the remainder of my said lease in the Parish of Kainsham shall and continue to Robert and  Thomas my sonnes. And if it shall happen that my said sonnes Robert and Thomas doe die before their age of one and twenty years or their days of marriage  then my will is that the remainder of the lands lease and portions of money to them bequeathed and devised by this my last will shall and remain unto the survivors of them and child or children that I shall hereafter have and that the child or children not nominated in this will shall have such portions unto of the goods left to my executor as shall be thought moore by my executors and overseers or any or three of them.

 

Item my will is that if it shall happen that I the said John Sandford do die before my said sonne William do accomplish the age of one and twenty years that then the issues and profits of my leases goods and chattels in Kainsham to him bequeathed shall be employed to his best benefit and advantage according to the discretion of my overseers and especially of my brother Henry Stratford

 

Item my will is that if it do happen my sonne William doe die without issue of his body whereby the remainder of my said leases goods and chattels during the life of my wellbeloved wife shall continue to his brothers or sisters or whither of them as before I have appointed.  That then the issues and profits of my said leases goodes and chattels in Kainsham shall be employed to the best benefit of them or either of them surviving according to the discretion of my overseers and especially of my brother Henry Stratford.

 

Item I give and bequeath unto my brother Thomas Sandford one hoope ring of gold to the value of twenty shillings and for likewise to every one of my natural sisters a ring of like value with my name written in them.

 

Item I give to my sister Abagall Stratford one of my white silver  ..?…. bowlles

 

Item I give and bequeath to Susan my sister the sum of thirty pounds to be paid unto her on her day of marriage or age of twenty and four years whichever first shall happen.

 

Item I give to my sister Johane Wood the sum of ten pounds to be paid unto her within one year next after my decease.

 

Item I give to the Right Worshipful my good friend the Lady Bridges the wife of Sir Thomas Bridges knight the sum of five pounds in token of my goodwill to buy her a ring with a diamond.

 

Item I give to my good friend Mr …?… M.?.cott of the city of Bristol thirty shillings to buy him a ring

 

Item I give to Anne Stratford  the wife of William Stratford of Bristol haberdasher the sum of three pounds.

 

All the rest of my goods unbequeathed I give and bequeath to William my sonne whom I make my full and whole executor of this my last will and Testament.  And I appoint my overseers of this my last will my loving brother Mr Henry Stratford of Hawling in the county of Gloucester gent, my loving cousin John Cutt of Clauston? in said county, gent and my loving friend John Angell of the city of Bristol Merchant and I give to either of them a Nagge worth twenty nobles or twenty in money to buy either of them a Nagge.  And I appoint my loving brother Mr. Henry Stratford my executor during the minority of my sonne.  In witness thereof I have hereunto put my hand and seale  …?…. the daye and year above written by me John Sandford.

Witnessed hereunto Robert Redwood  John Younge   Richard Winter /-/-/-

 

Probate given to William Sandford  1620   (In Latin)