In the Name of God Amen
I JOHN HOUSE of Moulsford in the County of Berks Gentleman being in good Health of Body and of Sound and Perfect Mind Memory and Understanding Praised be God for the same Calling to Mind the Uncertainty of this Life and the Certainty of Death do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in Writing in manner and form following (that is to say) First and Principally I comend my Soul into the Hands of Almighty God hoping for Eternall Bliss thro’ the alone Meritts and Intercession of my Blessed Saviour and Redeemer Jesus Christ and my Body I comitt to this Earth its first Originall to be decently buried at the Discretion of my Executor hereinafter named And as to such Wordly Estate as the Lord in Mercy hath bestowed upon me I give and dispose thereof in manner following
Imprimis I give devise and bequeath unto my Loving Brother HENRY HOUSE All my Freehold Messuages Lands Tenements Hereditaments and Premises in Mackney in the said County of Berks To hold unto my said Brother HENRY HOUSE and his Assigns from and Imediately after my Decease for and during the Term of his Naturall Life And from and Imediately after his Decease I give devise and bequeath all and singular the said Premises with the Appurts unto my Nephew EDWARD HENDERSON To hold unto my said Nephew EDWARD HENDERSON his Heirs and Assigns for ever
Item I give devise and bequeath unto my Niece JANE HOUSE All my Copyhold Messuages Lands Tenements Hereditaments and Premises in Brightwell in the said County of Berks now in the Possession of FRANCIS OAKLY To hold unto my said Niece JANE HOUSE and her Assigns from and Imediately after my Decease for and during the Term of her Naturall Life And from and Imediately after her Decease I give and bequeath all and singular the said Premises with the Appurts unto my said Nephew EDWARD HENDERSON To hold unto my said Nephew EDWARD HENDERSON and his Heirs for ever
Item I give and bequeath unto my Nephew HARRY HOUSE and to my Niece MARY HOUSE the Son and Daughter of my said Brother HENRY HOUSE the Legacy or Sum of One Hundred Pounds a Piece of Lawfull Money of Great Britain to be paid unto them respectively by my Executor hereinafter named within one year next after my Decease
Item I do hereby Order and Direct that my Executor hereinafter Named shall at the End of One Year next after my Decease or as soon after as conveniently may be put and place out at Interest with the Approbation of my Niece ANNE HOUSE the Sum of One Hundred Pounds of like Lawfull Money and so from time to time continue the same out at Interest during her Naturall Life And the Interest thereof from time to time shall pay unto my said Niece for her own Separate Use so that her Present or any future Husband that she may have shall not Intermeddle or have any thing to do therewith And that her Receipt from time to time shall be a Sufficient Discharge unto the Person or Persons paying the same And from and Imediately after the Decease of my said Niece Then I do give and bequeath the said Principal Sum and all Interest due from the same unto ROBERT HOUSE Son of my said Niece But if he shall happen to dye before the said Legacy shall become payable by this my Will Then I do hereby Order the same after the Death of his Mother to cease and not be paid
Item I give and bequeath unto my Niece SARAH PARFET Wife of BERNARD PARFET the Legacy or Sum of One Hundred Pounds of like Lawfull Money to be paid unto her by my Executor hereinafter named within One Year next after my Decease
Item I give and bequeath unto my Nephew HENRY HENDERSON the Legacy or Sum of Two Hundred Pounds of like Lawfull Money to be paid unto him by my Executor hereinafter Named within One Year next after my Decease
Item I give and bequeath unto my Nieces FRANCES DAVENPORT and HANNAH HENDERSON the Legacy or Sum of Sixty Pounds a Piece of like Lawfull Money to be paid unto them respectively by my Executor hereinafter Named within one Year next after my Decease
Item I give and bequeath unto my Nieces MARY TOOVEY SARAH CAWTHORN and MARY BAKER the Legacy or Sum of Ten Pounds a Piece of like Lawfull Money to be paid unto them respectively by my Executor hereinafter Named within one Year next after my Decease
Item I give and bequeath unto my Nieces MARY WILLMOT JANE BLACKALL and ELIZABETH JONES and to JANE CAWTHORN and MARY CAWTHORN Daughters of my said Niece SARAH CAWTHORN the Legacy or Sum of Five Pounds a Piece of like Lawfull Money to be paid unto them respectively by my Executor hereinafter Named within One Year next after my Decease
Item I give and bequeath unto my Godson SAMPSON TOOVEY the Legacy or Sum of Ten Pounds of like Lawful Money to be paid unto him by my Executor hereinafter Named within one Year next after my Decease
Item I give and bequeath unto SARAH the Daughter of my Nephew JOHN WHICHER the Legacy or Sum of Twenty Pounds of like Lawfull Money to be paid unto her by my Executor hereinafter Named within one Year next after my Decease
Item I give and bequeath unto my Housekeeper FRANCES ASHCOMB the Legacy or Sum of Ten Pounds of like Lawfull Money to be paid unto her by my Executor hereinafter Named within One Year next after my Decease
Item I give and bequeath unto my said Nephew JOHN WHICHER the Legacy or Sum of Ten Pounds of like Lawfull Money to be paid unto him by my Executor hereinafter Named within One Year next after my decease
Item I give and bequeath unto HENRY POWELL the Legacy or Sum of Ten Pounds of like Lawfull Money to be paid unto him by my Executor hereinafter Named withon One Year next after my Decease if he shall be then Living But in case he shall happen to dye before that time Then I do give and bequeath the said Legacy or Sum of Ten Pounds unto ELIZABETH the Wife of the said HENRY POWELL if she shall be then Living And in case she shall happen to dye before that time Then I do Order the said Legacy to be paid unto ANNE the Daughter of the said HENRY POWELL and now the Wife of WILLIAM HANDS her Exors or Admons
Item all the Rest and Residue of my Goods Cattle Chatteles Ready Money Debts owing and Personall Estate whatsoever not hereinbefore by me give and diposed of my Debts Legacys and Funerall and Testamentary Expenses being first paid and discharged I give and bequeath unto my said Nephew EDWARD HENDERSON whom I do hereby make and appoint full and Sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament hereby revoking all former Wills by me made either by Word or in Writing and declaring this to be my Last Will and Testament only and no other In Witness whereof I have to this my Will containing three Sheets of Paper to each Sheet sett my Hand and Seal the Sixth Day of March in the Twenty Fifth 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 and in the Year of our Lord One Thousnad Seven Hundred and Fifty Two – JOHN HOUSE
Signed Sealed Published and Declared by the said Testator to be his last Will and Testament In the Presence of us who Subscribed our Names as Witnesses hereunto In the Presence of the said Testator and in the Presence of each other – JNO. TOOVEY – ELIZABETH TOOVEY – CHAS. STUART GRUBBY
A Codicil to the Will of JOHN HOUSE of Moulsford in the County of Berks Gentleman
Whereas I JOHN HOUSE of Moulsford aforesaid Gent have by my Will to which this Codicil is annexed given unto my Nephew HENRY HENDERSON the Legacy or Sum of Two Hundred Pounds And whereas since the making of my said Will I have Agreed to become Bound with my said Nephew to WILMOT BAKER of Moulsford aforesaid Esquire in a Bond in the Penalty of Two Hundred Pounds Conditioned for the Payment of One Hundred Pounds and Interest Now my Will is and I do hereby Declare that in Case the said One Hundred Pounds and the Interest thereof shall hereafter become a Debt upon my Executor and shall be Paid by him That then the same shall be Deducted and Allowed to my said Executor out of the said Legacy or Sum of Two Hundred Pounds so given to the said HENRY HENDERSON as aforesaid and I do Declare this to be a part of my Will and Desire the same be taken as such In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and Seal this Eighteenth Day of May in the Year of our Lord One Thousand seven Hundred and fifty two – JOHN HOUSE
Signed Sealed Published and Declared by the said Testator as and for part of his Will in the Presence of us who have hereunto set our Names In the presence and at the Request of the said Testator And in the Presence of each other – [ ] BAKER – SARAH HARWOOD
At Abingdon June 1st 1753 EDWARD HENDERSON the Executor was duly Sworn to a Will and Codicil before me