John Wigge

Prerogative Court of Canterbury will made: 6th April 1639
Probate Date: 10th July 1639
Proved by Unica Wigge, widow of the testator
National Archive Catalogue reference: PROB 11/180

Note: In addition to the probate there are three other notes added relating to the administration of the will dated 20th May 1647, 12th December 1656 and 20th September 1696. As two of these are squeezed into the margin and because of the state of the paper they are exceptionally difficult to read.

The original document is in the custody of the National Archives

Transcript

In the name of God Amen, I John Wigge of Laighton Bussard in the Countie of Bedford being sicke and weake in bodie but of good minde and perfect remembrance prayse be to God therefore I doe make and ordaine this my present Testament concerning herein my last will in manner and forme followeing That ys to saye First I give & bequeath my soule to allmightie God my Creator and to Jesus Christ his blessed sonne my onely Saviour and Redeemer trusting onely by his merritts death and passion to come to life ev[er]lasting and to have a glorius resurrecion amongst his holy Saints And for those temporall blessings whereof of his goodnes yt hath pleased \my good/ God to blesse me withall I give and bequeath as followeth Inprimis I give to the poore of the Towne of Laighton Twentie shillings Item I give to the poore of the parrish of Mentmore in the Countie of Buck[ingham] Twentie shillings Item whereas I did lately settle and convey the estate and interest I had or ought to have of in to my landes Tenements and hereditaments within the parrishe of Mentmore aforesayd with their appurtenances to certaine feoffees in trust w[hi]ch was intended to be the use of me and of my heires and assignes I doe hereby limitt appoint and desire the said feoffees that they will forthwith att the charge of my executrix hereafter named convey and assure the same premisses to and uppon Thomas Wigg my sonne and his heires and assignes forev[er] the same to be still subiect to the anuities they then were and now are soe longe as it shall please God they shall endure Item whereas William Whitworth did lately convey unto me and to John Theed my brother in lawe (by my nominac[i]on and to the heires of me one messuage or tenement in Laighton aforesayd and a Close therein to adioyning w[i]th th'appurtenances I doe give and bequeath the same premisses unto Unice my welbeloved wife and to her heires and assignes forev[er] uppon this Condic[i]on that yf the said William his heires or assignes doe paye unto my said wife the money he is to paye to me concerninge the same according to the agreementes betweene us That then my said wife shall reconvey the same premisses unto the said William Whitworth or to such other persons and his and their heires as he to that purpose shall nominate I then alsoe appoint my said brother in lawe to ioyne therein Item I give and bequeath unto my two daughters Elizabeth and Anne and to either of them five hundred poundes a peece to be payed to them when they shall accomplish their sev[er]all ages of eighteene yeares, and in the meane tyme my wife and executrix to bringe them upp provide for and educate them in a convenient manner Item my intenc[i]on is that the foresaid legacies by me before given shalbe payed by my executrix of and with lawfull money of England Item I give to Mr. Sclater viccar of Laighton Twentie shillings and desire him to preach a sermon for the instruc[i]on of the people p[re]sent at my fun[er]all And as concerning the lease I have from Ms. Staunton? and all my goods debtes Cattle and Chattles whatsoever aswell moveable and unmoveable, my debtes and legacies payed and funerall expences discharged I give & bequeath unto my said Deare wife Unica and make her sole executrix of th[i]s my present Testament. Item whereas I stand bound and ingaged on sev[er]all somes of money for my said brother in lawe John Theed to sev[er]all p[er]sons I doe hereby Declare that all & ev[er]y the somes that I am bound w[i]th him or ingaged w[i]th him for are the prop[er] debtes of the said John Theed but only Twenty poundes of the debt to Mr. Evans w[hi]ch xx^li is my proper debt, and that he the said John is not bound ...? me but only for two hundred poundes to S[i]r Thomas Hide and Fyftie poundes to Mr. Busbie and Fyftie poundes to Mr. Loake And although I have noe counter securetie from him I doubt not but out of his honestie and love to me & mine he will disingage and discharge me \& my Executrix/ Item I doe intreate Richard Dalbie, Thomas Moore and Edmond Bolsworth to be overseer of this my p[re]sent Testament desireing them as they would desire of God others should have Care of theirs in like case to see the due execuc[i]on of this my will and to be helpeing ayding and assisting to my said wife and Children And I doe give to either of them for A remembrance one ring of gould of Twentie shillings vallue And soe comitting my self and all myne with all that belongs unto me to Godes holy direcions and protecion and my bodie to be decently buried at the discrec[i]on of my executrix I publish and declare this to be my last will and Testament Wittnes my hand and seale This sixt daye of Aprill Anno D[o]m[ini] one thousand six hundred thirtie nyne Annoq[ue] regni Regis Caroli Anglie &c decimo Quinto \John Wigge/ in the presente of John Theede William Gregorie Edmond Bolsworth John Lowe.