Will of Ellen Bickham

In the name of God Amen The Foure and Twentith day of June in the yeare of our Lord Christ One thousand six hundred fortie and two I Ellen Bickham of Oldcleeve in the countie of Somersett Widdow within the dyoces of Bath and Wells beinge in reasonable health of bodie and perfect memorie (thankes be to God) and seeinge nothinge more certaine than deathe but the houre and time uncertaine have thought fitt to ordaine and make this my last Will & Testament in manner and forme following First comendinge my soule into the hands of Allmighty God, hopeinge assuredly to attaine pardone and omission of my sins by the death and passion of Christ Jesus, my Saviour and to rest with him in love in heaven for ever, and my bodie I leave to bee buried by the discretion and appointment of my Executor as the overseers of this my Will. As touching the disposall of my temporall goods and estate wherewith it hath pleased Allmighty God to endue mee First I give and devise unto my Sister Anne Ashe my best petticoate and best wastcoate, my best cloake my best hatt my best wifle band, my best Apron, my best Kercheife, my best smocke, best stockins and shooes. Item I give and devise unto Charitie Slocombe my daughter Twentie pounds, my greatest brasse pann, my third biggest crocke, one little brasse pann of the six suteable, six of my silver spoones, the featherbedd, boulster and bedstead in the parlor chamber performed, six bowles of pewter, Vizt. three platters, three potingers & halfe my wearing apparrell both Lynen and Woollen over and besides the apparrell bequeathed unto my Sister Ashe as aforesaid. Item I give and devise unto Joane Studdier my other daughter Twentie pounds, my second best brasse pann, my foureth biggest crocke, one small brasse pann of six that are suiteable, six pewter Vessells That is three potingers and three platters, the other halfondeale of my wearing apparrell both Lynnen and Woolen not formerly given and I give to John Studdier her husband Three pounds to buy him a silver boule. Item I give and devise unto Ellen daughter unto my sonne Aldred my best crocke, my best chest and one of my best brasse panns of the best suiteable. Item I give and devise unto the poorest people of the parrishes of Spaxton and Bishopes Liddierd Twenty shillings to each parrishe to bee distributed by my Executor by the advice of the Overseers of the poore in each parrishe for the time beinge. Item I give and devise to bee added to the Stocks for the poore of Old Cleeve Five pounds to bee employed by the Overseers and their Successors, and the increase to bee bestowed yearely uppon the poore of the parrishe Item I give to bee bestowed to ye poore people at my funerall Three pounds, Item I give and deviseth my couzen Nicholas Colles Twentie shillings, To his sonne John Twentie shillings, To my couzen Roger Colles Twentie shillings and to his now wife Tenn shillings, To my couzen William Colles Twentie shillings and to my Uncle John Colles his Widdow Tenn shillings. Item I give and deviseth unto everyone of my Godchildren Twelve pence, And it is my will and intent that all the former Legacies and gifts bee paid within one yeare and ahalfe next after my decease. The residue of all my goods and chattles of what nature or quallitie whatsoever aswell the chattle left unto mee by way of Executrixshipp by my sonne William Bickham called Soerchalfelax in the parrishe of Spaxton and one other chattle called Easelake in the parrishe of St Deacumans the Inheritance of George Trevelyan Esquire, with all appurtances within go & deede touching the same chattles I give assigne devise and bequeath unto my said sonne Aldred Bickham and him I make sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament And finally I ordaine and appointe my well beloved Francis Cridland and Humphrey Hooper Overseers of this my last Will and Testament desireinge them to see the same truly performed. And in consideration of their love and paines I give to every one of them five shillings. The signe of Ellen Bickham. Witnesses to the acknowledginge hereof John Jenkins Cler; Francis Cridland, Andrew Ian

Md [Memorandum] that whereas by a former Will I did give diverse Legacies (Vizt) unto five children of my daughter Joan Studdier five pounde a peice, unto Giles Slocombe the sonne of my daughter Charitie Slocombe Tenn pounds, And unto Nine children of my sonne Aldred Bickham five pounds apeace; All which severall sumes I have already paid in manner followinge; Vizt unto John Studdier my said daughter Joans husband Twenty five pounds and unto my said daughter Charitie the said Tenn pounds and unto my said sonne Aldred Bickham fortie five pounds for the use and benefitt of the severall children and therefore in this last Will omitted Neverthelesse I doe devise that their parents should employ the said sumes of monie in the best manner that they may for their said childrens good untill they shall thinke fitt to devise it unto them to bee used by their owne discretions.