The last Will and Testament of Thomas Elkyn

1 In the name of God Amen the Thirde day of March Anno Do[mi]ni 1639 I Thomas Elkyn of Newsteedd in the
2 Countye of Stafforde husbandman beinge sicke in bodie but of good and p[er]fect memorie Thankes be
3 geven to God for the Same doe make and ordayne this my last will and testament in manner and forme
4 ffollowinge first and principally I geve and bequeath my soule into the handes of Almightie God in a certayne
5 and full assurance of my Salvation by the meanes of my Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ who died
6 for my sinnes and rose againe to make men righteous. Secondlye my will is that my bodie shall be buried in the
7 p[ar]ishe church or church yard of Trentham Thirdly concerninge suche worldly goodes as it hath
8 pleased God to indewe mee withall I geve dispose and bequeath in manner and forme ffollowinge. ffirst I
9 geve and bequeath unto my sonne Thomas Elkyn one Cubborde and presse and all the tables formes and
10 Shilfes and bedsteeds within my howse and one great brass panne two arkes or whiches standinge
11 in the backe house soe that Elizabeth my wyffe shall have the occupation and use of them untill my
12 sayd son Thomas shall accomplishe and come to the age of Twentie years mentayninge and keepinge them
13 in good and sufficient preparation and when my sayd sonne Thomas shall come to the age of Twentie
14 yeares then my sayd sonne Thomas shall have the moytie or one halfe of them and the other moytie
15 Elizabeth my sayd wiffe shall have duringe her naturall lyffe yf she shall keepe her selfe sole and
16 unmaried Item I geve and bequeath unto my sayd sonne Thomas Elkyn the moytie or one halfe of
17 the house messuage and tenement wherein I nowe inhabite and dwell and the moytie or one halfe
18 of all the howses edifices and buildinge gardens orchards backe sydes leasowes pastures meadowes 
19 arrable grounde waies waters Com[m]ons and all and singular the appurten[e]nces to the sayd messuage
20 and tenement belonginge to the same situate and beinge in Newsteedd aforesayd during the lease
21 by vertue whereof I enjoye and possesse the same after the death and decease of Roger Elkyn
22 my Father and Margaret Elkyn my mother paying unto my Three Children
23 George Alice and Jane ev[er]ye one of them Ten poundes of lawfull money of England when they
24 Shall accomplishe and Come to the age of one and Twentie yeares yf anye of them shall depart
25 This mortall lyffe before the receive the sayde Sum[m]e of Tenne poundes then the sayd Ten
26 Poundes to be and remaine to the rest of my Children then surviinge and liveinge equally to be
27 Devided amongest them Item I geve and bequeath unto my sayd sonne Thomas Elkyn after the death
28 and decease of the sayd Elizabeth my wyffe the other moytie or one halfe of the sayd howse messuage
29 and tenement houses edifices and buildings orchards gardens leasowes pastures meadowes
30 arrable grounde Com[m]ons and all and singular the appurten[e]nces to the sayd messuage and tenem[en]t
31 belonginge yf the said lease of the sayd messuage shall soe longe indure Item all the rest of my
32 goodes quicke and dead moveable and unmoveable unqueathed my debtes payd and my funerall
33 expences discharged I geve and bequeath to the sayd Elizabeth my wyffe I doe ordayne constitute and
34 make the sayd Elizabeth my wyffe my true and lawfull executrix of this my last will
35 and testament to see the same executed accordingly as my full trust is in her and my overseers Thomas
36 Townsend and Stephen Elkyn
37 Moreover my will is that yf it fortune my sayd sonne Thomas to depart this
38 Mortall lyffe before my sayd father Roger Elkyn and my s[ay]d mother
39 Margaret Elkyn I geve and bequeath the sayd moytie of the sayd howse
40 messuage tenem[en]t to my sonne George w[i]th all thatforesayd
41 rescited p[re]myses And also yf it fortune my s[ay]d sonne Thomas to
42 depart this mortall lyffe before the sayd Elizabeth my wyffe having noe issue It[e]m my
43 will is and I geve and bequeath unto my sayd sonne George the other 
44 moytie or halfe of the sayd howse messuage or tenem[en]t w[i]th all the
45 afore resyted named p[re]misses
46
47 Witnesse to the same
48 
49 Thomas Townsend
50
51 Stephen Elkin
52
53 Roger Elkyn
Last updated: 8th Aug 2002