In the Name of God Amen the Ninth Day of June in the year of our Lord one Thousand seven Hundred and seventy three I WILLIAM HOUSE of Bassildon in the County of Berks Yeoman being of sound Mind and Memory (praised be God) do make my last Will and Testament in manner following First I commend my Soul into the Hands of Almighty God who gave it me and my Body to the Earth from whence it was taken (in hopes of a joyful resurrection through the Merits of my Saviour Jesus Christ) to be decently Buried at the discretion of my Executors herein and hereafter named And as to my Temporal Estate wherewith it hath pleased Almighty God to Bless me I dispose thereof as follows Imprimis I give and Bequeath unto my Daughter MARY GOODMAN the Wife of THOMAS GOODMAN the sum of one Pound one Shilling Also I give and Bequeath unto my Daughter ANN HANSON the Wife of EDWARD HANSON the sum of one Pound one Shilling and do charge my Executors with the payment thereof within three Months after my Decease Also I give and Bequeath to ELIZABETH my Loving Wife all the Furniture that now is or shall be in the Chamber over the Kitchen where I now dwell at the Time of my Decease to be at her own disposing without any denial or interruption of or from any person or persons whatsoever or whomsoever And as to the rest and residue of my Stock Real or personal Estate whether Monies Goods Chattles Corn Hay or whatsoever else by me possessed or enjoyed at the Time of my Decease in Bassildon aforesaid or elsewhere within the Realm of England my debts Legacys Funeral and Testamentary expences being paid and discharged I give and Bequeath one Moiety or Half thereof to ELIZABETH my Wife to be by her possessed and enjoyed during her Life without any hindrance or interruption of or from any Person or Persons whatsoever or whomsoever And my Will further is that my Wife shall have full power and authority by from and according to the true intent and meaning of this my Will to dispose of her part or share of the Stock as aforesaid either by Will Deed of Gift or otherwise between my Son and two Daughters MARY GOODMAN and ANN HANSON as she shall think most proper and right without any revocation thereof either in Law equity or otherwise And my Will is that my said Stock and whatsoever by me possessed not herein before by me disposed of by jointly possessed and enjoyed by and between my Wife ELIZABETH and my Son THOMAS HOUSE they two carrying on the Business I now occupy between them as Partners therein one as far forth as the other without defrauding one the other of his or their share of the Issues and profits ariseing therefrom And I do intreat my Son to shew due Honour and respect to his Mother and to deal justly and truly by her in all things herein committed to his charge in a dutiful manner during her Life And I do intreat and appoint JOHN HIGGS of Bassildon aforesaid Yeoman Trustee and Overseer of this my Will in behalf and in Trust for my Wife the said ELIZABETH HOUSE for her best Benefit and not otherwise to the contrary hereof in anywise to lessen my Wifes power by this my Will given or on any pretence whatsoever or by any means to debar my Wife from the Issues or profits ariseing out of her part of the Stock herein before mentioned but as a faithful Friend to whom this charge is committed to see that this my will be fulfilled with the utmost justness and Probity according to the true intent and meaning thereof and not otherwise And I do make nominate and appoint my Wife ELIZABETH HOUSE and THOMAS HOUSE my Son joint and Sole Executors of this my Will and hereby renouncing and revoking all former Wills by me made I do declare this to be my last Will only In Witness whereof I the said WILLIAM HOUSE the Testator have to the first Sheet of this my last Will and Testament containing two Sheets of Paper set my Hand and to the last Sheet thereof set my Hand and Seal the Day and Year first above Written – WILLIAM HOUSE
Signed Sealed published and declared by the said Testator WILLIAM HOUSE as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who have subscribed our Names as Witness thereto in his presence and at his request and in the presence of each other – CHARLES CRAY – RICHD. MILLWARD X his mark – HENRY BRIMMER
This Will was proved at Oxford on the twenty fourth day of January in the year of our Lord 1778 before the Revd JOHN [COVE] Clerk Batchelor of Law Surrogate of the Revd ARTHUR DEDWELL Clerk [ ] Official Principal of the Revd Archdeacon of the Archdeaconry of Berks lawfully constituted by the Oath of THOMAS HOUSE the son of the deceased and one of the Executors therein named to whom Admon was granted being first sworn duly to administer power reserved to ELIZABETH HOUSE Widow the Relict and the other Executor when she shall apply for the same