Individual Details

Will

Will on file at Birmingham England
In the name of God amen. the seaventh day of december in the yeare of our lord god one thousand Sixe hundred Twenty and Seaven I Thomas Wheler sen of Cranfield in the County of Bedf. yeoman weake in bodie but of good and pfecte remembrance Gods holie name be praised doe make and ordayne this my last will and testament in manner and forme followinge That is to say ffirst I give and bequeath my soule unto allmightie god my Creator hoping assuredly through the merittes of Jesus Christ to be made ptaker of life everlastinge And my bodie to the Earth whereof it is made

Item - I give and bequeath unto 'Rebecca my wife' [for and during the terme of her life if she keepe herself a widow] all that Capitall messuage or tenement with the apptenances lying and being in the Towne end of Cranfield aforesaid wch I lately purchased of 'John Vause' Esquire And after the decease of the said Rebecca my wife or day of her marriage with any person whatsoever I give and bequeath the said Capitol messuage or tenements with all houses edifices buildings yards and gardens grounds commons pfitts and apptenances thereto belonging to 'Joseph Wheler my sonne' and his heirs for ever upon theese condicons followings viz:
- that he the said 'Joseph my sonne' shall well and truly pay or cause to be payd out of my said messuage and pmisses the full sume of Thirtye pounds of lawfull money of England to my executor or executrix hereafter named or to such other pson or psons as my said executor or executrix shall nominate and appoynte of of debts where I owe
- And also pay or cause to be payd out of my said Messuage with the apputenances unto 'Thomas Wheler my youngest son ' the full sume of Twenty pounds of lawfull money of England wch sumes of Thirty pounds and twenty pounds are to be payd by the said Joseph when he cometh to the full age of one and twenty years within one yeare after my decease
- And for the better payment of the said sumes by him the said Joseph I have surrendered to his use Twelve acres of Coppie hold land Provided allwaies and my will and minde absolutly is that if the said 'Joseph my sonne' or his assigns doe not pay the said sumes of Thirty and twenty pounds in such manner and forme at such dayes and to such pson or psons as afore is expressed then the gift and bequest of the said Messuage or tenement with the apptenances shalbe voyd and of none effect to all intents and purposes whatsoever And I give and bequeath the said Messuage wth the appetenances commons and pfitts whatsoever to the said 'Thomas Wheler my youngest sonne' and his heirs for ever and for default of such issue the remaynder thereof to 'Efraim Wheler' my sonne and his heirs for ever aniething herein to the contrarie hereof in anie wise notwithstanding
- Item I give and bequeath to 'Thomas Wheler of Warley my eldest sonne' the sume of Twelve pence
- Item I give to 'Prisila Cockes' my daughter twelve pence
- Item I give to 'John Wheler' my sonne twelve pence
- Item I give to 'Elizabeth Broad' my daughter twelve pence
- Item I give to 'Suzana Wheler' my daughter one ewe lamb a table and fframe standinge in the plor at Borne end house.
- Item I give to 'Abiah Wheler' my daughter one whyte weanings calfe and Two table clootes
- Item I give to 'Marie Wheler' my daughter one standingse bedsted and Two Table Clootes
- Item I give to the said 'Joseph my sonne' one fframe scovell standing in the yard at my messuage at the towne end the old carte and ould wheels and a dung carte
- Item I give to the said 'Efraim Wheler' my sonne one frame scovell at the ould Barne end ffower principall postes for a house And all the longe timber under the little scovelles in the close yard at Borne end and one weaning calfe.
- And my will is that 'Thomas Tomkins' shall lawfully convey and assure That ffrehold I bought of him to the said 'Efraim my sonne' and his heires for ever.
- Item I give to the said 'Thomas Wheler my youngest son' one pott one Tegg and ffive pounds of lawful money of England to be payd him by my executor and executrix at the age of 24 years.
- Item I give to 'Allin Broad my sonne in law' one carte Bodie lying behind the stoles in the ould barn and 2 broad ristes.
- Item I give and bequeath to the said 'Rebecca my wife' all my movable goodes wthin my two dwelling houses at Borne end and the towne end [unbequeathed] and two heffers the one a red the other a little browne one and one ewe sheepe.
- And also my will is that 'Timothie Wheler my sonne' shall have halfe of my messuage closes lands and meadows at Borne end aforesaid and half the benefitt and pfitt thereof for three yeares next after my decease [for an ease or helpe towards the payment of my debts].
- All the rest of my goods and cattelles as well reales as psonales unbequeathed I give and bequeath to the said 'Timothie my sonne' whome I make my full and sole executor of this my last will and testament. And if he the said Timothie refuse to be executor of this my will then I make 'Rebecka my wife' executrix of this my last will and I doe hereby utterly revoke and annull in deed and in law all former wills testamentes legaces bequests and executors by me formely made.
- And lastly my will is that the legacy of xx pounds shall be payd by the said 'Joseph' to the said 'Thomas my youngest sonne' out of my said messuage with the appurtenances when he cometh to the age of xxi years.
In witness whereof I the said Thomas Wheler the elder have to this my last will and testament sett my hand and seale the day and yeare first above writ.
signed Thomas Wheler the elder
tracing of his autograph from 1627 will
TAG XIV p1 - July 1937
Postscript the 18 daie of June 1633
Itm I give and bequeath unto 'Efraim Wheeler my sonne' one little pshtle late Tomas Tomkins containing one rood and halfe with the appurtenances to the heires and assignes of the said Efraim for ever signed Thomas Wheler the elder
signed and delivered in the psence of Tho: Arnald, Richard Arnald, Thomas Baker. No inventory. Probate 24 Feb 1634 granted to the executors named at the Archdeaconry Court of Bedford.
from the Trevor-Wingfield Collection: Roll of Arrears of payment of Ship-Money 1637, County of Bedford, Parish of Cranfield: "Thomas Wheeler gone into New England 01-05-00."
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