Proved at the Prerogative Court of Canterbury
 










In the Name of God Amen
The seven and twentieth day of December in the year of our Lord God One thousand seven hundred and six I ROBERT HOUSE the Elder of the Parish of Streatley in the County of Berks Maltster being weak in body but of sound mind and memory praised be Almighty God therefore And considering the certainty of death and the uncertainty of the time thereof Doe make and declare my last Will and Testament in manner following (that is to say) my Soule I commend to God who gave it and my body to the Earth to be decently buried according to the discretion of my Executors hereafter named And as to my temporall Estate I dispose the same in manner following Imprimis I give devise and bequeath to my Son ROBERT HOUSE and to his heirs and Assigns forever All and Every my freehold Messuages Lands Tenements and Hereditaments whatsoever situate lying and being in the Parish of Sullhampstead Banisex in the said County of Berkshire and in the Parish of Streatly aforesaid and in the Parish of Goring in the County of Oxon or in any or either of them or elsewhere within this Realm of England with their and every of their Appurtanences Subject nevertheless And I doe hereby charge all and every my said Messuages Lands Tenements and Hereditaments with their and every of their appurtenances with the payment of all and every my debts And also with the payment of all and every the Legacies Annuities and Sums of money hereinafter given devised or bequeathed  Item  I give devise and bequeath to FRANCES my dear and loving Wife the summes of one hundred and fifty pounds to be paid unto her by my said Son ROBERT HOUSE his Heirs or Assigns within two years next after my death  Item I give devise and bequeath to my Son JOHN HOUSE the summe of fifty pounds to be paid unto him by said Son ROBERT his heirs or Assigns within the space of two years next after my death  Item I give devise and bequeath to my Son HENRY HOUSE the summe of two hundred pounds to be paid unto him by my said Son ROBERT his heirs or Assigns at his age of One and twenty years And my will is that untill his said Legacy shall become payable that my said Son ROBERT his heirs or Assigns doe pay unto him my said Son HENRY the Summe of ten pounds yearly and each year without any abatement for Taxes at the four most usuall feasts or dayes of payment in the year (that is to say) the Feasts of the Annunciation of the blessed Virgin Mary the Nativity of St John the Baptist St Michael the Archangel and St Thomas the Apostle by even and equall portions for the finding him apparrell and in lieu and Satisfaction of the contract or Bond I entered into for that purpose when I put him forth Apprentice and also in lieu of interest for his said Legacy the first of the said quarterly payments to begin and be made on such of the said Feasts as shall first come and be after my death  Item I give devise and bequeath to my three Daughters FRANCES MARY and HANNAH the Summe of two hundred pounds a piece to be paid unto them by my Son ROBERT his heirs or Assigns as they shall severally attain the age of one and twenty years or day of marriage which first shall happen And my will is that untill their said respective Legacies shall become respectively payable as aforesaid my said Son ROBERT his heirs and Assigns shall and doe yearly and each yeare pay unto my said Daughters respectively the yearly Summe of ten pounds a piece in lieu of interest for their maintenance and Education without any abatement for Taxes at the foure feasts or days of payment in the yeare beforementioned by equall portions The first of the said payments thereof to be made on such of the said Feasts as shall first come and be after my death And my will and meaning is that if any or either of my said five Children JOHN HENRY FRANCES MARY and HANNAH shall depart this life before their said Legacies shall become respectively payable That then the Legacy or Legacies of any or either of them soe dying shall remaine and be paid equally to the Survivours of my said five children Share and Share alike And to the Intent my said Daughters or either of them may not unadvisedly marry during their Minorities Therefore my will is That if any or either of my said Daughters shall marry before they attain their respective age of one and twenty years without the consent of my Wife and Son ROBERT or of the Survivour of them first obtained That then the Legacy or Legacies of such Daughter or Daughters soe marrying shall not be paid till She or they soe marrying shall attain the age of one and twenty years And that from and after such marriage the Annuity or Annuities before ordered to be paid to such Daughter or Daughters soe marrying shall cease and be void any thing aforesaid to the contrary notwithstanding  Item I give devise and bequeath to my said Son JOHN HOUSE all my parte Share and Interest in the Cattell Corne Graine hay Straw Dung Utensills of husbandry and Stock whatsoever which at the time of my death shall be upon or in anywise belonging to the Farm and lands called Streatley Farme which are held by me and my Brother FORD from THOMAS HARWOOD Esq. And that the same shall not be in anywise subject to the payment of my debts  Also I give devise and bequeath to my said Son JOHN my parte Share [           ] and Interest in the Lease granted to me and my brother FORD in the said Farme and Lands from the said THOMAS HARWOOD the said Lease to be in noe wise subject to the payment of my debts (he my said Son JOHN paying the Rent and performing the Covenants which after my death shall [arise] due for the same soe far as his Share in the said Farme and Lands requires and indemnifying my said Son ROBERT his heirs Executors and Assigns of and from the same)  Item my will is that all my household goods be soe soone as conveniently may be after my death sett out and divided into Six equall parts And that my Son ROBERT have and take to himselfe such one of the said Six partes as he best liketh And the other five partes in Six of my said household goods I give to my said Wife to be freely enjoyed by her and not to be in any wise subject to the payment of my debts  Nevertheless my will is That all my brewing vessells and Standards about my now dwelling house remain to and be enjoyed by my said Son ROBERT  Item I give to my Overseers hereinafter mentioned the Summe of Twenty Shillings a piece as a Token of my Love  Item all and singular the Rest and Residue of my Monies Goods Chattells and Estate whatsoever unbequeathed as [       ] as personall I give devise and bequeath to my said Son ROBERT HOUSE his heirs and Assigns Subject nevertheless to and alsoe chargeable with the payments of my Debts and of the Legacies Summes of money and Annuities above mentioned and alsoe to the payment of my funerall charges And I doe make and ordaine my said Son ROBERT HOUSE full and sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament And I doe desire and appoint my loving Brothers in Law JOHN FORD and JOHN PARFITT to be Overseers of this my last Will and Testament Desiring them to be aiding and assisting in the due Execution thereof And my desire is That my Wifes Right of Dower by the Common Law of this Realme out of my freehold Estate be from time to time paid unto her during her life without Suit or Trouble And I doe hereby revoke all former Wills and Testaments and doe publish and declare this to be my last Will and Testament and have hereunder sett my hand and Seale the day and year first above written - X - The marke of the said ROBERT HOUSE Sen Signed Sealed published pronounced and declared by the said ROBERT HOUSE the Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who subscribed our names as Witnesses hereto in the presence of the said Testator JOHN MERRICK - EDWARD HINDERSON - JOHN FORD - [ROB] GUISE