Wills (PROB11/366/85 Thos Bowes 1671 1671)

26.5.1671 (Friday 26 May 1671)

document 4700367

(first part from transcript) Thos Bowes of Earls Colne esq of perfect strength made 26.5.1671 warned by the eternal decree of heaven to set my house in order to discharge double duty incumbent upon me to my true friend and dear relation (whose great charity assisted me in my low condition) my creditors and to myself their debtor remembering psalm thirty seven verse twenty one (the ungodly borroweth and payeth not again but the righteous is merciful and liberal) my soul to god trusting to be saved by the resurrection etc. (rest verbatim) to the kingdom of heaven prepared for his elect and chosen and my body to be buried by my executors hereafter named and appointed decently without pomp or vanity by torchlight and according to the rites of burial prescribed by the church of England in aisle belonging to our family in the church of Great Bromley in Essex the charge not exceeding 50li and for what temporal estate god in his great mercy has yet left me I do order give and dispose the same in manner and form following that is to say first I will that all those debts and duties as I owe in right or conscience to any man or person or persons whatsoever shall be well and truly contented and paid item I give unto my most virtuous loving and dear wife all my plate rings and jewels with my coach and pair of best horses with all my furniture in my lodgings in Colne and all my gold with all mantles and childbed accommodations all which I desire my wife at pleasure to distribute to my children when she shall have done with the m as they shall in duty to her deserve I am only sorry in my bequests that when I name that most deserving person whom god out of out of the abundance of his mercy lent me to sweeten my pilgrimage here my choice partner the pattern of women and the just pride and best of wives my sphere is too narrow and all that I can say or do much too short to express that I would be expressed item I give unto my dear father sir Thos Bowes mourning for himself and man item I give unto my loving father Harlakenden mourning for himself and man item I give unto my loving mother Harlakenden mourning for herself and maid item I give unto all my brothers and sisters one ring and a piece of gold of 20s price item I give unto my very good friends and kinsmen mr Thos Salter and mr Geo Salter each of them a gold ring of 12s price apiece item I give unto the poor of Great Bromly 5li item I give unto the poor of Earls Colne 5li item I give unto Martha Clarke my servant if she shall live with me at the time of my decease mourning and one ring of 1noble price if she shall be gone out of my service I only give her the ring aforesaid item I give unto Steph Thompson if he shall serve me at the time of my decease mourning item I give unto my executors hereafter named 50li apiece item I give unto my executors hereafter named all my messuages lands tenements hereditaments and all the leases which any person have in trust for me for the term of one and twenty years to be accomplished from the time of my death upon this trust and confidence that out of the profits of the same the sum of 2000li be raised for the portion of Mary Bowes my daughter by my executors and the survivors or survivor of them and the executors of the survivor of them the same 2000li to be paid to her my said daughter at her age of 21yr or day of marriage which shall first happen in case she attain the said age of 21yr or be married always provided that in the first place all my debts if any shall be at the time of my decease to any person or persons whatsoever be duly and fully satisfied and discharged and my will is that after the said debts and portion be raised that then the said lease for twenty and one year and my said leases hereby bequeathed shall be for the benefit of my son Harlakenden Bowes and his heirs and that my trustees do surrender assign and yield up the same accordingly if this my said will be short or defective in anything I intended or shall intend to dispose by it I reserve liberty to correct amend alter or enlarge the same via codicil to be annexed to this my said will under my hand and seal attested by the witnesses to this will lastly I constitute and appoint mine most dearest and most assured friends Eliz my most dear wife mr Rich Bowes executors of this my last will and testament witness my hand and seal the day and year above said Thos Bowes signed sealed in presence of us Jn Wenden Steph Thompson