In the name of God Amen The 15 day of Aprill 1710 in the 8 year of the Raigne of our soverant Lady Queen Anne I John Wharton of Claghton in the County of Chester yeoman being sick and weak in body but of sound and perfect memory praise be given to god for the same and knowing the unsertainty of this life on earth, and being desirous to settle things in order,doe make this my last will and testament in manner and form following:
that is to say, first and principally I Commend my soul to Allmighty God my Creator assuredly beliveing that I shall receive full pardon and free remission of all my Sins, and be saved by the precious death and merits of my blessed Saviour and Redeemer Christ Jesus, and my Body to the Earth, from whence it was taken, to be buried in such decent and Christian Maner; as to my Executors hereafter named shall be thought meet and convenant; and as touching such worldly estate as the Lord in mercey hath lent me my will and meaning is, the farme shall be employed and bestowed as hereafter by this my Will is expressed, and first, I do revoke, renounce, frustrate also void all wills by me formerly made, and declare and appoint this my last Will and testament
Item I give and bequeath to my Eldest Son Thomas Warton All my estate of Tenement in Claghton with all my household goods and Catells and all oather husbandrey geere and all oather goods in or aboute the Estate or oahter place or places what ever that I am now possessed but the same to be mainaged and ordered att the discretion of my beloved wife and the profits imployed to the use of her and her Children untill my son shall come to age giveing yearly and every year an acount to my Executors that there noe wast be made but my ......have the Estate boath wall and personall in as good order and as fully flocked as it is at this time and further..........when ever it shall happen or an oportunity fall to renew the lese of Claghton and bidstone
Item I give and bequeath to my second son John Warton all my Estate of tenement now being in Bidston to have the same freely and clearley when hee shall come to age and .....to be disposed of here after I shall direct my Executors
Item I give and bequeath to my son Edward Warton my estate of tenement now lying and being in Bebington with all the profets which shall or may arise from the same from the day of the date hereof onely paying the Lords rents with boons and heriots with the taxes and Church levys or what oather dettes may be payable for the Estate but all the cleare profits that the Estate shall make my will is that the money that arises from the same may be put out for use of my son Edward to receive the same with the Estate when he shall come of age
Item I give and bequeath to the Child that my wife is now with Child of wheather it be boy or gearle one hundred pound to be paid out of my personal Estae and secured as my Executors shall think fit
Item I give and bequeath to my wife the sume of six pound yearely and every yeare dureing her life always provided that she keeps hersealfe in my name and does not marry a second husbant but if she marries a second husbant I give and bequeath to her ten pound to be paid to her by my Executor and clearley to turne of all Estates that belong to me and lastly I order and appoynt my beloved wife Elizabeth Warton and my broather Robert Warton of Greaseby my trew and lawfull Executors of this my last Will and Testament and whatever money is found to be over.....when my son shall come to age I leave the disposing of it to the discretion of my Executors amongst my respective children as they shall think meet and convenant

John Pears (his mark)
Richard Sherlock

Cheshire Record Office