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The last Will and Testament of
William Iliffe
2nd Jan 1738

Beginning of the Will of William IliffeIn the Name of God Amen

I, William Iliffe, of Desborough in the County of Northampton, Farmer, being of sound mind and memory, revoking all others, Do make this my last Will and Testament.

Imprimis I give and bequeath unto my loving and beloved wife all the household Goods and plate that I at the time of my Death shall be possessedOne shilling - equates to about £7.45 in 2005 of during the term of her natural Life or so long as she shall continue a Widow and unmarried She paying thereout unto my Daughters  Mary Wyatt, Anne Brayfield and Hannah Dexter one shilling apiece within one month after my decease.

Item, I give unto my Eldest Son William Iliffe when he shall come to the age of one and twenty years, or marry with the Consent of his Mother, all the Stock upon my Farm at Desborough and one little house in the said parish, now in the tenure and occupation of Edward Biddles, and a little Orchard adjoining on the North side of the said house.

Item I give unto my three sons John, Charles and Robert Iliffe all and every my part and share of Lands, Tenements, Hereditaments and real Estate whatsoever in Broughton, Pitchley, or either of them, with all their Rights, Members, Privileges and Appurtenances whatsoever. And also all the Crop upon my Farm at Desborough at the time of my Death. And all the rest of my personal Estate whatsoever to be equally divided between my three said Sons John, Charles and Robert Iliffe.

Also if my Wife should continue a Widow till her decease it is my mind and desire that she dispose of my household Goods equally among my three Sons John, Charles and Robert Iliffe.

Moreover it is my Will that if my said Son William Iliffe shall Dye before he comes to the age of one and twenty years and leaving no lawfull Issue behind him then and in such case I give and devise my real Estate aforementioned unto my said Son John Iliffe and his heirs and all my personal Estate to my two Sons Charles and Robert Iliffe to be equally divided between them; but if my said Son John Iliffe shall Dye before he comes to the Age of one and twenty years leaving no lawfull Issue behind him then I give and devise my real Estate aforementioned unto my said Son Charles Iliffe and his heirs and all my personal Estate aforementioned unto my said Son Robert Iliffe and his heirs for ever.

And I do hereby appoint my said Wife to be Guardian unto my said Sons William, John, Charles, and Robert Iliffe until they shall attain to the Age of one and twenty years in Case she shall keep herself unmarried so long. But if my said wife shall marry again then my Will is and I do appoint Mr Thomas Wade of Clipston, Mr Francis Baker of Kettering, and Mr Benjamin Humphry of Brampton to be Guardians of my said Sons William, John, Charles, and Robert Iliffe.

And I do hereby make and appoint my said Wife Sole Executrix of this my last Ten Pounds - equates to about £1,485 in 2005Will and Testament and give unto her Ten pounds to buy her mourning and in full bar[?] and satisfaction of any Rights or Credits which she may [???] claim out of any part of my personal Estate other than what I have here before given.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this Second Day of January in the twelfth year of our sovereign Lord King George the Second, by the grace of God, of Great Britain France and Ireland King and in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and thirty eight William Iliffe. Signed sealed published and declared [the words and his heirs being first interlined] as his last Will and Testament in the presence Edwd Chapman Vicar[?] of Rothwell, Robert Hooke, William Robinson.

Sentence

Sentence for the validity of the Will of William Iliffe deceased

In the Name of God Amen.

We John Bottesworth, Doctor of Laws, Master Keeper or Commissary of the prerogative court of Canterbury lawfully constituted, rightly and duly processing having heard, seen and understood, and fully and maturely dismissed the Merits and Circumstances of a certain Court or Business of proving by Witnesses in solemn form of Law the last Will and Testament in writing of William Iliffe, late of Desborough in the County of Northampton, deceased, which is now controverted and remains undetermined in Judgment before us, between Anne Iliffe, Widow, the Relict and sole Executrix named in the said Will, the party promoting the said Cause, or Business, on the one part, and Hannah Dexter (the Wife of Robert Dexter) the natural and lawful Daughter of the said deceased, the party against whom the said Business is promoted on the other part, and the partys aforesaid lawfully appearing before Us in Judgment by their Proctors respectively; and the Proctor for the said Anne Iliffe praying Sentence to be given for, and Justice to be done to his party, and the Proctor of the said Hannah Dexter (the Wife of Robert Dexter) also earnestly praying Justice to be to to his party; and having lawfully and diligently searched into and considered of the whole proceedings had and done before Us, and having observed all and singular Matters and things that by Law in this behalf ought to be Observed, We have thought fit, and do thus think fit, to proceed to the giving our Definitive Sentence or final Decree in manner and form following

Forasmuch as by the Acts enacted, deduced, alledged, exhibited, propounded and proved in this cause We have found and clearly discovered that the Proctor of the said Anne Iliffe hath sufficiently and fully founded and proved his Intention deduced in a certain allegation given in, exhibited and admitted on her behalf in this cause, and now remaining in the Registry of this Court which allegation, and the Past Will and Testament of the said deceased, exhibitted and admitted in this Cause, We take and will have taken as if here read and inserted for us to pronounce as is hereafter mentioned and that nothing at least effectual hath on the part and behalf of the said Hannah Dexter been deduced, exhibited, propounded, proved or confessed which may, or ought in any wise, defeat, prejudice or weaken the Intention of the said Ann Iliffe

Therefore We, John Bettesworth, Doctor of Laws, the Judge aforesaid, first calling upon God and having him alone before Our Eyes and having heard Council thereupon, do pronounce, decree and declare that the aforesaid William Iliffe, the Testator in this Cause, deceased, whilst living and of sound and perfect Mind, Memory and Understanding rightly and duly made his last Will and Testament in Writing, pleaded and exhibited in this Cause on the part and behalf of the said Anne Iliffe, bearing date the Second day of January in the year of Our Lord one thousand seven hundred and thirty eight, and thereof named and appointed her, the said Anne Iliffe, sole Executrix and did give, will, bequeath, dispose and do in all things as therein is contained and We do pronounce, decree and declare for the force and validity of the said last Will and Testament of the said deceased, and decree a probate thereof to be granted to the said Anne Iliffe by this our Definitive Sentence or final decree which We read and promulge by these presents. J Bettesworth    Chas Pinfold

This definitive Sentence was read and given and promulged for the validity of the said Will of the said deceased by the Right Worshipfull John Bettesworth, Doctor of Laws, Master Keeper or Commissary of the prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted on the thirteenth day of November in the year of Our Lord One thousand seven hundred and forty two in the Common Hall of Doctors Commons, situate in the parish of Saint Benedict, near Pauls Wharfe, London in the presence of the Witnesses mentioned and specified in the Acts of Court thereupon had and sped./.

Probate

This Will was proved at London before the Right Worshipful John Bottesworth Doctor of Laws, Master Keeper or Commissary of the prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted on the third Day of December in the year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and forty two By the Oath of Anne Iliffe, Widow, the Relict of the deceased and the Executrix named in the said Will, To whom administration was granted of all and singular the Goods, Chattels and Credits of the said deceased, being first Sworn duly to Administer the same, A Definitive Sentence being first pronounced and promulgated for the validity of the said Will as by the Acts of Court sped thereupon appear.


Notes:-

"One shilling" - in 1740 one shilling (twelve pennies, or a twentieth of a pound) had the purchasing power of about £7.45 in 2005

"Ten pounds" - this equates to about £1,485 in 2005
Value calculated from the information in Inflation: the value of the pound 1750-2005 (House of Commons Library Research Paper 06/09)

The original will has no punctuation or separate paragraphs. As this makes it hard to read I have inserted some punctuation and broken the text into separate clauses.

"[?]" following a word means that the word on the original document is unclear and the transcription may be incorrect.

" [???] " means that a whole word was illegible and could not be guessed at.

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