1644 Will - John Reeve the Elder

Introduction

Dated: 22 Dec 1644, High Easter, Essex
Probated: Commissary of Bishop of London, 22 Feb 1645/6

Transcript or Summary

In the name of God Amen the two and twenty day of December in the yeare of our Lord god one … thousand syxe hondred and fortie and foure I John Reeve the elder of High Easter in the county of Essex yeoman beinge att the tyme of the wrightinge and sealinge hereof weake in bodie but in ye fitt mynde and memory thankes bee to almightie god for the same doe make and ordaine this my last will and testament in maner and forme following Firste and principally I comitt my soule into the handes of almighty God my maker saviour and sanctifier and I will my Bodie to be burryed in xpian burryall and as concerninge my outward estate in maner and forme following
Item I give and bequeath unto John Reeve my sonne and to his heires forever all that my free holde mesiage or tennemt called Baylies with all the houses out houses Buyldings yards orchards and gardens and all those ffeildes cropes? or pcells of arrable land and pasture ground to the same now used and and belonging lyinge and being in Good Easter in the county aforesaid upon condicon that the said John Reeve my sonne his heires or assignees doe well and truely paye or cause to be paid unto Elizabeth my wife yearly duringe the terme of her naturall life the full some of twenty thousand pounds of good and lawfull money of England at foure feastes or termes in the yearles namely att the feaste days of thanunciacon of our blessed ladie the virgin St Marye the feaste daye of St John Baptist the feaste daie of St Michael tharch angel and the feaste daye of the nativity of our saviour Christe by even and equal portions at and in the said tennemt called Baylies, and if it shall hapen the said some of twenty poundes or any pte or pcell thereof to be behinde or not paid at the tymes and place in which the same oughte to be paid as aforesaid that then my will and mynde is that Elizabeth my said wife shall enter in and upon my said mesuage or tennemt called Baylyes and all the lands thereto belonginge and the same shall hould and injoy for and dureinge the terme of her natural life.
Item my will and mynde is that whereas Elizabeth my said wife had a joynter out of my said tennemt and landes called Baylies and if in case the same be left or cannot be founde that then she shall have the said twenty pounds yearly acording at the same it by me given and bequeathed never the lesse if it be so that the said joynter be found and broughte forth hereafter and that if she esteme? and thinke better of the Joynter thereof the twenty poundes before bequeathed that then she to have onely the joynter and the said twenty poundes before bequeathed shall be voyd and if in case she shall betake her to the third pte of my tennemt and landes aforesaid called Baylis then the foresaid gifte of twenty pounds shall be likewise voyd and of none effecte
Item I give and bequeath unto her the said Elizabeth my wife for terme of her life or so longe as she kepe her self a widow the plor att the north ende of my tennemt called Baylies and the chamber over same and sufficiente fire tools and allso a waye through the hale to the said plor and chamber
Item I give & bequeath unto Elizabeth my daughter two hundred powndes of good and lawfull money of England to bee paid unto her in maner and forme followinge that is so saye one hundred poundes thereof to be paid unto her or her heires when she shall acomplish her age of eightene yeares and the other hondred poundes to be paid unto her or her heires when she shall acomplish her age of two and twenty yeares both which said payment to be paid att and in the tennemt called Baylies and for her wante of paymente thereof of my will and mynde is that she the said Elizabeth my daughter shall enter upon all the stocke of corne and cattell and haye both att Layrence and att Baylies
Item I give and bequeath and my will is that my executor here unto named shall pay or cause to be payd unto Eliza: my said daughter yearly untill she shall come to the age of Eightene yeares the full some of eighte poundes of lawfull money of England att two feastes or termes in the yeare namely att the feaste daie of thanunciacon of our blessed ladie the virgin saint Mary and the feaste daie of Saint Michael tharchangell by even and equall porcons
Item I make and apoynte John Reeve my said sonne whole executor to this my last will and testamt. And I Desire my well beloved brother in lawe and John Smyth to be overseere to se my charges? paid and this my will pformed.
In witness whereof I the said John Reeve have hereunto sett my hand and seale the day and yeare above written
Item I will and gives all my household stuffe unto Elizabeth my wife and John Reeve my son to be equally pted betwene them
Signed John Reeve
Read sealed signed
penned and published
as the last will and
testamente of the testator
in the prsence of us
Roger Tumbridge his amrke
William Childe

Source

Essex Archives - D/ABW 58/151