Barth Clarke
Jn Clarke
Barth Church
in the name of god amen the
11.1.1630
I
Barth Church
of Earls Colne in the county of Essex gent and diocese of London calling to mind the certainty of death the end of every living creature and the uncertainty of the hour thereof and therefore having a special care now while my senses do perfectly serve me thanks to god therefore to dispose those temporal blessings whereof almighty god of his merciful goodness hath lent me the use in this transitory life whereby I shall have no cause to be disquieted touching the leaving of the same when my weak and feeble body shall be grievously vexed with sickness but that I may then as I ought at all times wholly call to god for mercy and forgiveness of all my sins which in number are infinite and great beyond all measure do declare and make this my last will and testament in manner and form following and I do hereby utterly renounce and revoke all former wills by me heretofore made whatsoever first and principally I surrender and bequeath my soul into the hands of almighty god and his blessed son jesus christ my only saviour and redeemer by whose precious bloodshedding upon the cross I do steadfastly believe and hope to have remission of all my sins my body to the earth from whence it was taken to be decently buried item I do give and bequeath unto
Rose Church
my mother and to her heirs forever all my reversion remainder right and title of and in all that my freehold tenements with the appurtenances called
Squires
and also all my reversion right title and interest of and in 1a of copyhold land by estimation sometime parcel of
Barecrofte
and a copyhold orchard thereto adjoining and a pond in it item I give and bequeath unto
Rose
my said mother and to her heirs forever all that my copyhold land or croft now commonly called
Stulpes
sometime parcel of
Barecrofte
containing by estimation 1a and all that my freehold land called
Spriggs March
containing by estimation 1a2r item I give and bequeath unto
Rose
my said mother and to her heirs forever all that my copy hold land called
Bearecrofte
containing by estimation 4a3r now divided into two parcels which sometime were the lands of one
Robt Knight
item I give and bequeath unto my said mother and her heirs forever all that my tenement and garden with the appurtenances called
Burtons
item I give and bequeath unto
Rose Church
my said mother during her natural life all that my freehold land and meadow called
Fabyans Meadow alias Stonebridge Meadow
all that my freehold land containing by estimation 2r lying in a copyhold field in Earls Colne aforesaid called
Ten Acres
belonging to my copy hold tenement called
Clarkes
in Earls Colne aforesaid and I do give unto her my said mother for the term of her life the said abovementioned field called
Ten Acres
it being now divided into two crofts and I do likewise give unto her for the term of her life all those my two crofts or parcels of land called
Readings
and one other croft called
Stonebridge Croft
being copyhold lands and after the decease of the said
Rose
my mother I do give all and singular the said lands and meadow unto
Mary Church
my sister and to her heirs forever and all that my copyhold tenement with the appurtenances called
Clarkes
and five crofts or parcels of copyhold land lying on the backside of the said tenement in Earls Colne aforesaid item I do give and bequeath unto my said sister
Mary
and to her heirs forever all that my copyhold croft of land called
Catts
all which said premises are now in the tenure or occupation of
Rich Kempe
all which said lands and tenements are situate in Earls Colne aforesaid item I give and bequeath unto
Rosamund Church
my sister the sum of 10s of good and lawful money of England to be paid unto her at the age of 21yr by mine executrix item I do give and bequeath unto mr
Jn Hauksbie
vicar of Earls Colne the sum of 10s to preach upon the day of my burial item my will is that my executrix shall pay unto
Rich Kempe
my tenant the sum of 10s to good and lawful money of England every half year till such time as the sum of 7li be paid him all the rest of my goods and chattels whatsoever not before by me given and bequeathed I do give unto
Rose Church
my said mother whom I do ordain and make sole executrix of this my last will and testament in witness whereof I have hereunto put my hand and seal the day and year above said sealed subscribed and acknowledged to be his last will and testament in the presence of us
Wm Adams
Barth Clarke
Jn Clarke
Barth Church