[WIL]
In the Name of God, Amen. I Thomas Benfield of the Parish of Lullington,
in the County of Derby, and Diocese of Litchfield and Coventry, Farmer
; being of good sound Mind and Memory but very weak in Body, And therefore
apprehensive that I have no long time ___ on that account I think it very
necessary for the to Settle my affairs in or ___ to dispose of what worldly
Estate God by his great goodness has been pleased ___ to bless me with
; and to this Intent and purpose I do on this present Thirteenth day of
May in the Year of our Lord God, one thousand seven hundred and nineteen,
make publish and declare this my last will and Testament in Manner and
form following := First, and principally I do bequeath my Soul to God who
gave it me, and my body to the Earth from whence it came, to be buried
in a decent, Christian manner by my Executrix hereafter named, assuredly
hoping and trusting that my sins are through the merits & mediation
of my Blessed Saviour Jesus Christ, perfectly forgiven me and that my Soul
together with my Body shall be reunited at the last day and both be made
Partakers of a Glorious Resurrection and Immortality. In the next place,
as to my Worldly and Temporal Estate, I dispossess thereof in this manner
: To wit, I give unto Mary Turner my wifes eldest daughter by the former
husband the sum of one shilling to be paid to her by my Executrix hereafter
named, within three months after my decease. Then I give to Elizabeth my
wife’s youngest daughter by the former Husband aforementioned the sum of
one Shilling to be paid by my Executrix within the ___ of three months
after my decease. And whereas I have bound my self by Bond Obligatory to
Secure and pay unto the aforenamed Mary and Elizabeth when they come of
age the sum of forty pounds (to each twenty pounds) as will more evidently
appear, Recourse being had unto the said Bond, I order and appoint my Executrix
hereafter named to pay the said sum of forty pounds without fraud or delay,
pursuant to the Obligations of the said Bond. Then I give and bequeath
unto my beloved Daughter Catherine, the sum of twenty pounds to be paid
her faithfully & without least fraud, by my Executrix, as soon as she
is arrived to the Age of one and twenty years. Then I give and bequeath
unto my only Son, Thomas, the sum of Thirty pounds to be paid him without
fraud as soon as he is come to the Age of one and twenty years, by my Executrix
hereafter named : Provided that if either of them the said Thomas and Catherine
should happen to survive the other, before they come of the age of one
and twenty years. Then the part and portion of the ___, to fall, and to
be added to the share and portion of the surviving Person of the both :
But if it happens that the said Thomas and Catherine should die, before
they become of the Age of one and Twenty years, My Will and Testament is
that then the Share, and Shares of the Said Thomas and Catherine shall
devolve to Tabitha, my beloved Wife. And whereas I am possessed of a Tenement
(the Lease ___ it nigh being expired) under the Ryh. Honrble Sr Thomas
Gr___h and Bart. My Desire is that my said son Thomas should enjo___ the
Profits and Advantages whatsoever accruing from the said ___ement in case
of the renewal of the said lease, as soon as ever he is arrived at the
age of one and twenty years, his Mother in the mean time during his minority
enjoying the said Profits and Advantages. Lastly I do hereby nominate and
appoint My well Beloved Wife Tabitha Sole Executrix of this my last Will
and Testament : to who I do give all my Personal Estate, Goods and Chattels,
not before-given, She paying without fraud or delay those Several Bequest
and Legacies before mentioned ; Reserving however Power to my Self of adding
some Bequests hereafter by way of Codicil, or of diminishing the same as
occasion shall require ; And I do hereby revoke and make void all wills
that might by me have been formerly made, and ___ God for his T___ and
Blessings confer’d on me. In Witness whereof I do hereunto Set my hand
and Seal this day and year first above written.
Sealed, published, and declared his mark
in the presence of us Thomas X Benfield
John Gamage
John Radford
Will Benfield