in the name of god amen the 12.2.1561 I Geo Nicholson the elder of Hedingham Sible in the diocese of London yeoman being of whole and perfect remembrance thanks be to almighty god etc do ordain and make this my testament containing my last will in manner and form following first and principally I bequeath my soul unto almighty god and my body to be buried in christian burial as it shall please almighty god in his mercy item I give to forty of the poorest householders in Hedingham Sible aforesaid to every of them 12d apiece item I give and bequeath unto Agnes my wife all that my house or tenement with all manner of lands with the appurtenances thereto belonging lying and being in the parish of Fering abutting upon Hope Green called Arynges to have and to hold to the said Agnes my wife and to her assigns during her natural life and after the decease of the said Agnes my wife I will the said house or tenement with all the lands and appurtenances thereto belonging shall remain to Thos and Jn my sons and to their heirs forever item I give and bequeath unto the said Agnes my wife all these my tenements called Drisshes with all the appurtenances thereto belonging set lying and being in Hedingham Sible aforesaid in the street called Alderford Street together with my meadow called Awyns Meadow lying between Ree Meadow and Webbs Meadow and also all those my lands called Lorchynes holden by copy of court roll of Ever Hall in Gestingthorpe in the county of Essex to have and to hold to the said tenement called Dasshes together with the said meadow called Awyns Meadow and lands called Lorchens with all the appurtenances to the said Agnes my wife during her natural life if she do keep herself so long sole and unmarried and after her decease or as soon as she shall fortune to marry I will the said tenements with the appurtenances called Dasshes and lands called Lorchens with the appurtenances shall remain to Jas my son and to his heirs forever and the said meadow called Awyns Meadowe I will shall go and remain and with my tenement and lands called Partridges in Halsted item I give and bequeath to Geo Nicholson my son all those my three tenements as well free as copy called Gardes Serles and Kytts at Myll set lying and being in the street called Alderford Street in Hedingham aforesaid together with all the lands meadows and pastures with all and singular their appurtenances thereto belonging to have and to hold to the said Geo my son and to his heirs and assigns forever item I give and bequeath to the said Jas Nicholson my son all those lands and tenements in Maplested Magna called Hopwell Polfearme and Highfields with the appurtenances holden by copy of court roll of the manor of Hosedens and Captons in Maplested aforesaid to have and to hold unto the said Jas my son and to his heirs forever item I give and bequeath unto Thos and Jn my sons all those my house or tenement called Partridges with all the lands meadows pastures and fields with all and singular the appurtenances thereto belonging set lying and being in the parish of Halsted and Goffeld in the said county of Essex and also all that my said meadow called Alwyns Meadow to have and to hold the said tenements lands and other the premises with the appurtenances called Partridges and the said pieces of meadow called Awains Meadow unto the said Thos and Jn my sons and to their heirs forever provided that is my said will that if any the said Jn or Thos my sons shall sell his part of the said tenements lands and meadows that they will one of the said Thos or Jn shall have the preferment and first offer of the bargain and sale thereof and within the price and better cheap than any other soul pay for the same and if neither of them be able to buy the other's part that then I will the said Geo my son shall have the like preference of the same and if it happen my said sons to depart this world before several (torn) or ages of 21yr without heir or heirs of their bodies lawfully begotten that then I will all such the said lands or tenements to them or any of them so deceased before bequeathed as well free as copy shall remain amongst the residue of my said sons or so many of them then living and to their heirs forever equally to be divided and if it happen all my said sons to depart this world without heirs of their bodies lawfully begotten that then I will all my said lands or tenements as well free as copy to them before bequeathed shall remain amongst Eliz and Ann and Benet my daughters and their heirs forever item I give and bequeath to the said Benet my daughter and to her heirs forever all that my tenement with the appurtenances lying in Alderford Street in Hedingham aforesaid between Grayes Garden and Hornes Tenement now in the tenure of Wm Cabbold with these parcel of rents to the same tenement belonging that is to say of the said late Hornes tenement 12d by government of mother Layes tenement 3d by year of Grays Garden 4d by year item I give and bequeath unto Ann my daughter and to her heirs for ever all that my tenement with the appurtenances called Hunts lying at Havistoke Green in Hedingham aforesaid provided and it is my said will that the said Agnes my wife shall have the issues and profits of all my said tenements and lands as well free as copy to every of my said sons before bequeathed and being under age of 21yr until they and every of them being under age shall come to his or their several ages of 21yr and likewise the issues and profits of all my said tenements and lands to my said daughters bequeathed until they and every of them shall come to their several age or ages of 18yr if the said Agnes my wife do so long live and keep herself sole and unmarried and finding unto them my said children so being under age sufficient meat drink and apparel and all and all things necessary and keeping the said tenements in good and sufficient reparations committing and doing no strip or waste in or upon the said tenements or lands during all the time they shall remain in her hands and if it fortune the said Agnes my wife to depart this world or to marry my said children shall come to their several ages that then I will mine executors hereunder named shall have and take the like profits and advantages of the said tenements and lands to them before bequeathed during the minority of my said children keeping the reparations and doing no strip or waste in or upon the same finding and giving up my said children with sufficient meat drink and apparel and all things necessary during until my said children so being under age shall come to his or their several age or ages abovesaid item I give and bequeath to the said Geo Nicholson my son all my utensils implements and stock belonging and appertaining to my occupation of tanners craft upon condition that the said Geo my son shall pay out of my said occupancy and stock to every of the said Jas Thos and Jn my sons 20li of lawful money of England Benet and Ann my daughters to every of them 20marks of lawful money of England when and as every of them shall come to his or their full age or ages of 21yr item I will that my executors shall receive of Wm Matresse my son in law the stock of beef which doth remain in his hands to the use of Hen Wolsley and to keep it in their hands bringing up the said Hen Wosley until he be of a covenous age and then to set him to some good occupation and at his age of 21yr to pay to the said Hen 7li of lawful money of England and if the said Hen do depart before his age of 21yr that then I will the said 7li to be paid to the said Mary his sister item I give and bequeath to the said Hen a featherbed and all things thereto belonging to be delivered at the said age item I give and bequeath unto Eliz my daughter 5marks of lawful money of England to be paid to her immediately after my decease all the residue of my goods whatsoever they be here not bequeathed willed nor assigned which all shall remain my debts paid my funeral and other charges discharged I will shall be delivered in three parts equally by three indifferent persons the one part thereof I give to the said Agnes my wife upon condition that the said Agnes my wife shall not require any third dower of and in my lands and tenements before bequeathed to my said children or of or in any part or parcel of the same nor yet to molest or trouble any my said children for the same provided and it is my said will that if the said Agnes my wife shall at any time hereafter chance or demand any third or dower of and in my said tenements and lands or any part or parcel thereof or yet to molest vex or trouble any my said children for the same that then I will the said Agnes my wife shall not have my enjoy any manner of legacy to her before bequested but that all such legacies to the said Agnes my wife bequested shall be and remain amongst all the residue of my said children equally to be divided any thing in this my present testament to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding and I will the other two parts of my said goods so being divided shall remain equally amongst my sons and Benet and Ann my daughters at their said several ages also I will that if the said Agnes my wife have the bringing up of my said children as is aforesaid that she shall have their parts of the said movables of whom she bringeth up during until their said ages she putting sufficient sureties to my supervisor hereunder named for the redelivering of them and if my executors have the bringing up of my said children so being under age that then I will my said executors shall have the parts of the said movables of whom they keep during their minority put in sufficient sureties to my said supervisor for the delivering of them at their said ages and if it fortune any of my said sons to depart this world before their said age of 21yr that they so deceased before bequested shall remain amongst the residue of my said sons then living equally to be divided and if any of my said daughters Ann and Benet do depart this world before their day of marriage or age of 21yr then I will her part so being deceased shall remain to the other of them two then living and if both my daughters do depart this world before their said ages or day of marriage that then I will all such legacies to them before bequeathed shall remain amongst all my sons or so many of them then living equally to be divided item I do ordain and make the said Geo Nicholson and Jas my sons my executors of this my present last will and testament and Rich Wigtlinge supervisor of the same and if any of my said sons refuse to take upon him to be mine executor so that they cannot well and quietly agree of in executing of the said will that then I will the said Rich Waslynge shall be executor with him that doth not refuse and do best agree also I give to every of my said executors and supervisor 10s apiece to be allowed their ordinary charges these being witnesses of this my present testament Walt Thomas clerk of Hedingham Sible Jn Grene Jn Mowle and Wm Vigerous the writer and others