Ely wills

Thomas Meade of Whaddon, 1570

(badly damaged)

. . . bequeath unto the child that my wife goeth withal . . .

. . . at the age of twenty years. Item I will that if any of my children depart this present world ere such time as by the virtue of this will have and receive their legacies, then I will that the longer lived shall have the others' legacies so departed. Item I will that if both my children be departed this world ere they should have their legacies then I will the foresaid sum of forty marks of money which I have willed unto my two children be equally divided among the children of my brother John, my brother William, my sister Mary, and my sister Jane. Item I give to my brother William Mede xx s. Item I give to Thomas Geffery my servant v s. Item I give to the poor in Whaddon v s. Item I will to Thomas Mede the son of my brother John Mede one ewe sheep. Item I will unto Edward Webster my brother one ewe sheep. The rest of my goods unbequeathed both movable and unmovable my debts paid and funeral expenses done and this my testament fulfilled I give to Agnes my wife, whom I make sole executrix of this my last ill.

John Meade of Whaddon, 1576

In the name of God amen, the xx day of July in the year of our lord God 1576 I John Meade of Whaddon in the county of Cambridge and in the diocese of Ely being of perfect mind and memory thanks be given to God do make, ordain and dispose this my last will & testament in manner and form following. First I will my soul to almighty God and my body to be buried in the churchyard of Whaddon aforesaid. Item I give to the poor men's box there xii d. Item I will that Jane Meade my wife shall have all my house and land that I have in Whaddon with the wood and all other profit whatsoever belonging unto them until my son John shall come to the age of xxi years and then the said house & land to remain to my son John and his heirs forever. Item I will that Jane my wife repair the said house and to keep them in repair and to have them sufficiently repaired. Item I will that William Mede my brother shall have all my house and land both free and copy which he hath now in his occupation in Comberton to and for the bringing u of John Meade my son as well in learning as in (?) or labour until that the said John come to the age of xxi years reserving the wood and bushes to Jane my wife as I have had myself, yet I will that my brother William shall have bushes to make his fences as he have had in my lifetime. Item I will that if Jane my wife do enjoy my house and land in Whaddon according to my will then my brother William shall likewise have and njoy my house and land in Comberton. Item I give to John Mede my son x £. Item to William Mede my son x £. Item I will to Agnes Mede my daughter x £ to be paid to every one of them at the age of xxi years or at the day of marriage which of them shall first come. If any of them depart the world before that age then I will the legacies of them so departed remain to the survivors of them. Item I will that if my wife be with child, if that child live to the age of xxi years it the day of marriage, that it shall have x £. Item I will to John my son my cupboard and hutch that was his mother's, a brass pot, a pair of flaxen sheets & a pair of tow sheets. Item I will to Agnes my daughter a pair of flaxen sheets and a pair of tow sheets. Item the residue of my goods both moveable and unmoveable I will to Jane my wife my debts being paid and this my last will and testament in all things fulfilled, whom I do make sole executrix of this my last will and testament. These being witnesses Simon Barne vicar of Whaddon, William Wright of Bassingbourn, Thomas Dicon of Milborne, William Mede of Comberton.

Thomas Mead of Bassingbourn, 1624

(Damaged)

In the name of God amen, I Thomas Mead of Bassingbourn in the county of Cambridge, sick of body yet in perfect memory, thanks be to almighty God, do make this my last will and testament in form as followeth viz first I bequeath my soul to God my maker and my body to be buried. Item I give & bequeath to my wife Marie Meade my tenement with all the appurtenances therein belonging lying at the north end of (?) near the Fen Bridge during the term of her life. Item I bequeath to Marie Meade (?) also an acre of wheat lying at Mores close and one ten foote (?) 2 furlongs and one (?) the same sown with barley abutting against Henry Ward's close. Item I bequeath to John Meade my son the tenement that I now dwell in with all the land that I have in the (?) field of Bassingbourn except that before excepted with all the appurtenances thereto belonging. Item I give & bequeath to William Meade my son fifteen pounds of current money to be paid by my executor within five years after my decease. Item I bequeath to Mary Meade my daughter six pounds thirteen shillings and four pence to be paid within five years after my decease. Item I give Elizabeth Meade my daughter six pounds thirteen shillings and four pence to be paid within three years after my decease. Item I give to Anne Mead my daughter six pound thirteen shillings and four pence to be paid by my executor within four years after my decease. But if it please God that any of these my daughters do depart this world then her portion to be equally divided between my other daughters. Item I give Elizabeth and Anne my daughters each one of her two couples of ewes and lambs. Item I give to Elizabeth ead my daughter the biggest chest. Item I give to Anne Mead my daughter one brass pot the greatest, one great kettle. Item I give to Mary Mead my daughter the cupboard standing in the hall. Item I bequeath to John Mead my son my best cable (?) and all the boards in his shop by the cross, one pair of cart wheels with the strake that I have to furnish them. Item I bequeath to John Mead y son all the boards and other moveables in the shop excepting half my working tools which I bequeath to my son William Mead. Item I bequeath to John Mead my son the table in the hall and the (?) board with the form. Item I bequeath to Mary Mead my wife all the rest of my moveable goods unbequeathed and I do also ordain and make John Mead my son my full & whole executor of this my last will & testament to pay my debts, perform my legacies and to see my body honestly to the ground. Hereunder my hand the day & year above written. Witnesses Richard Waller, John Addams, Edward Ayton.

Mary Mead of Bassingbourn, 1638

In the name of God amen, I Mary Meade widow of Bassingbourn, sick of body but of perfect mind and memory, do make this my last will & testament in manner & form following. Imprimis I bequeath my soul into the hands of almighty God my saviour & redeemer who hath shed his most precious blood for all purified sinners. Item I will that my body be interred in burial in Bassingbourn churchyard in a decent manner as Christians ought to be. Item I give to my daughter Mary Stallabrasse two pairs of sheets, a coverlet, a bolster, a pillow & a mattress, my wearing gown, a petticoat, a waistcoat, 3 smocks or shifts & all the rest of my wearing apparel, & my old hat. Item I give to my daughter Elizabeth Smith my best hat & to her child Robert Smith 20 s which is in his father's hand. Item I give to my daughter Agnes Kanthrax x s & to her 2 children George Kanthrax & Joan half crown apiece. Item I give to my son William Meade a white blanket & to his 2 children Thomas & William ten shillings apiece which remains in their ather's hand. Item I give to Thomas Meade the son of William Meade my son my best chest. Item I give to my son John Meade my other chest & to his 5 children John, Margaret, Mary, Ann & Elizabeth 50 s equally to be divided among them, which is in their father's hands. And if there be anything else I give it to my son John Mead whom I make my sole executor. As concerning the funeral charges it is agreed that John Mead, William Mead & Robert Smith will contribute. Witness John Lawson minister.

John Mead of Bassingbourn, 1643

In the name of God, Amen, I John Mead of Bassingbourn, carpenter, being sick of body and of perfect mind and memory, do make this my last will and testament in manner and form following. Imprimus I bequeath my soul into the hands of almighty God, my merciful saviour and redeemer who died for me and sent his most precious blood to save my soul. Item I will that my body be interred & buried in the churchyard of Bassingbourn in decent manner fit for a Christian. Item I give unto my son John Meade my eldest son my two tenements and all my lands both free and copy in Bassingbourn, giving unto his four sisters Margaret, Mary, Ann & Elizabeth Meade ten pounds apiece to be paid unto them severally when they shall come to the age of one & twenty years, provided always for want of payment of these sums my will is that all my free ground, tenements or land shall fall to my four daughters formerly named. Item I give unto my son John a chest which stands in the chamber next the street. Item I give unto my daughter Margar my biggest chest, the bed and bedding in the best chamber and the biggest trunk. Item I give unto my daughter Mary the biggest chest but one. Item I give unto my daughter Ann a chest and a little box. Item I give unto my daughter Elizabeth a trunk and a little box within it.

Witnesses hereof are John Lawson, clerk, & William Blowe.

Further the said John Meade deceased did declare unto it, that it was his will that his son John should have all his tools and that his goods, chattels and moveables should be sold to bring up his children and the rents of all his houses and lands to go to the maintenance of his children. We the witnesses formerly named can testify these things to be true.

Christopher Mead of Gamlingay, Cams, 1639, proved 1648

In the name of God, amen, the 14^th day of November 1639, I Christopher Mead do pronounce & make my last will & testament committing myself to the holy trinity & my body to be buried in the churchyard of Gamlingay right over against the cross on the south side near to my father's grave, above all my children that are already buried. Item I will & bequeath unto Nicholas Mead my son & his heirs my acre of land with the appurtenances called Swerly (?) lying near unto Holly Way, provided always that if Henry Mead or his heirs shall at any time within two years next after the decease of Marie now my wife pay unto the said Nicholas or his assigns the sum of ten pounds of lawful money of England, then that devise by me made shall be void, the payment to be made in the south porch of the parish church of Gamlingay aforesaid. Item I give and bequeath unto Marie my wife during her natural life, so she keep herself sole & unmarried, all my lands, tenements & hereditaments whatsoever. Item I will and bequeath unto Nicholas Thatcher my grandchild & to Mare Mead my daughter & their heirs forever all that my messuage wherein Lawrence Mead my son now dwelleth together with all barns, stables & all other houses therein built & the croft or close thereunto adjoining to have & to hold to them & thei heirs forever after the decease of Marie now my wife. Item my will & meaning is that Lawrence my son shall have the same premises for two years next after my decease, he paying to the said Nicholas & Marie & their heirs forty shillings by the year. Item I give & bequeath unto Henry Mead my grandson & the heirs of his body all that my messuage wherein I now dwell with the appurtenances & all those my twenty acres of land & one rod & a half of meadow which I late had & purchased of William Fox, provided always that the said Henry or the heirs of his body shall pay or cause to be paid unto James Mead, Marie Mead & Katherine Mead his brother & sisters to every of them the sum of five pounds of lawful money of England within two years next after he shall come to enjoy the sme & also forty shillings of like money to Lawrence Mead my grandchild within the same time, the payment to be made in the south porch aforesaid, otherwise I will the premises shall be & remain unto James Mead my grandchild & the heirs of hisbody in form aforesaid, otherwise the same premises shall be & remain to Lawrence Mead my son & the heirs of his body, he or they performing & paying the portion aforesaid according to the true intent & meaning of this my last will & testament, & my will & meaning is that my daughter Marie shall have, take & enjoy the said messuage & premises with the appurtenances until the said Nicholas Thatcher shall come to the age of fourteen years, she paying and allowing unto Anne Thatcher his mother forty shillings a year towards his bringing up. Item I give & bequeath unto any of my grandchildren of my own & of Marie my wife her grandchildren the sum of five shillings apiece to be paid unto them at their several ages of one & twenty years or day of marriage, which shall first hapen. Item I give & bequeath unto Lawrence Mead my son, James Mead my son & Elizabeth Hodson to any of them one bushel of wheat. The rest of my goods unbequeathed my debts being paid I give unto Nicholas Thatcher & Marie Mead my daughter whomI make my executors of this my last will & testament & I make (unclear) my supervisor to see the same performed, revoking all former wills by me made, written with my own hand & subscribed with my name & I give my supervisor iii s 4 d for his pains. Christopher Mead