John Stokes of Hose 1774 Will
Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland Archives PR/T/1774/181
In the Name of God Amen The Third Day of Febry 1774 in the year of our Lord one Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy Four I John Stokes of Hose in the County of Leicester Yeoman Being Very Sick and Weak in Body but of Perfect mind and Memory, Thanks be Given unto God Therefore, Calling into mind the Mortality of my Body and Knowing that it is Appointed for all men once to Die do Make and ordain This my Last Will and Testament, and as Touching Such Worldly Estate Wherewith it hath Pleased God to Bless me with in this Life I Give Devise and Dispose of the Same in the Following Form and Manner
Imprimis I Give and Bequeath to Esther my Dearly Beloved Wife the Sum of Forty Pounds and all her own Household Furniture which She Brought with her when She was Married to me and all those Goods which have Been Provided in the House Since She Came to it, and thirty Hundred of Coles one Quarter of Wheat One Quarter of Barley and Four Bushels of Malt to be allowed To her yearly so Long as She Continues my Widdow and to Commence At my Decease and to be Marketable Corn and to have the Tithes and to have a New Bare Cow and Two Sheep and to have the House to Live in where Now Joseph Morris Liveth in at one pound per Year and my Executor to Keep the Said House in Repairs
I Give to my son Henry Stokes The sum of Seventy Pounds
I Give to my Son Richard Stokes The Sum of Fifty Pounds
I Give to my Daughter Mary Stokes the Sum of Fifty Pounds and the Chest of Drawers Formerly Belonging in the House and all the Household Furniture Belonging to her Late Aunt Elizabeth Julian Deceased
I Give to my Son James Stokes The Heay Side Close to be Possessed by him and his Heirs for ever and Ten Pounds in money and all my Wearing Apparill and the Bedsted that he now Lyeth on But if my Executor Claim the Said Heay Side Close by Law he Shall Pay the Said James Stokes the Sum of One Hundred and Twenty Pounds and the Said James Stokes to be Possessed in the Close and the Ten Pounds Paid at my Decease
I give to my Daughter Hesther Stokes the Sum of one Hundred Pounds and to Commence Due at my Decease and if either of these Last Named James and Hesther Stokes Die Before they Come to the Age of Twenty one Years the Survivor to have the Deceaseds Fortune and if my widdow Die soon After my Decease James and Hesther Stokes to have the Coles Wheat Barley and Malt Continued as in her Life Time Till James Comes to the Age of Fourteen Years and then Half the Quantity Till Hesther Comes to the Age of Fourteen Years
And Considering all the Rest I Give to my Son John Stokes whom I Constitute make and Ordain my only and Sole Executor of this my Last will and Testament all and Singular my Lands Messuages and Tenements by him Freely to be Possessed and Enjoyed by him and his Heirs for ever
And I Do hereby Utterly Disallow Revoke and Disanull all and every Other Former Testaments Wills and Legacies Bequests and Executors by me in any ways before this Time Named Willed and Bequested Ratifying and Confirming This and no other to be my Last Will and Testament
In Witness Whereof I Have hereunto set my Hand and Seal The Day and Year above Written
John Stokes
Signed Sealed Published Pronounced and Declared by The Same John Stokes as his Last will and Testament in the Presence of Us
Witness
William Garratt
Henry Stokes
Robert Corner
On the 6th day of May 1774 John Stokes the sole Executor within named was sworn to the due Execution hereof
Before me … Hackett Surrogate