Will of Charles Bowler, 1723/4 (proved 1735)

Herts RO 172 AW1

In the Name of God Amen  I Charles Bowler the Elder of the Parish of Winslowe in the County of Bucks Cordwainer being in good health of Body and of Sound and Perfect minde and memory  Praised be Almighty God therefore and Calling to minde the Certainety of death and the Uncertaine tyme thereof do this Eighteenth day of March Anno Dni 1723 make and Ordayne this my last Will and Testament in manner and forme following (that is to Say)  First and Principally I commend my Soule into the hands of Almighty God my Maker hopeing through the Merritts death and Passion of Jesus Christ my Saviour to be made Partaker of Everlasting life and my Body I Commit to the Earth to be decently Buried att the discretion of my Executrix herein after named  And as for Such Temporall Estate as itt hath Pleased Almighty God to Bestowe upon me I Give and dispose thereof as followeth  Impri(mi)s I Give Will Devise and Bequeath unto Charles Bowler my Sonn (I haveing already Settled on him what I thought proper) but the Summe of One Shilling of lawfull mony of Greate Brittaine to be paid unto him by my Executrix herein after named within One month next after my death  Item I Give Will Devise and Bequeath All those my Four acres of land lyeing in the Common Feildes of Shipton in the Parish of Winslowe aforesaid (Viz.) One land lyeing in Lice Hill Feild in a Furlong there called Outfurlong the land of Mr. Lowndes lyeing on the South and North partes thereof  One land more lyeing in the Same Feild and Furlong the land of Mr. Lowndes lyeing on the South and North partes thereof  Six Ridges more thereof lyeing in the Redd Feild att a place there called Shuffells Hedge the land of Francis Spooner lyeing on the East parte thereof   One Ley more lyeing under the Hedge next to Blackgrove Feild and the Foreshooter and Fellow lyeing in Blackgrove Feild in a Furlong there called Short Blackgrove the land of Mr. Lowndes lyeing on the East parte thereof Together with the Hades Baulks Furrowes Freeboards Commons Proffitts and Appertenances whatsoever thereto belonging or in any wise Apperteyneing unto John Bowler my Sonn his Heires and Assignes forever To the only proper Use and Behoofe of the said John Bowler my Sonn and of his Heires and Assignes forever  Item I Give Will Devise and Bequeath All these my Four Acres of land lyeing in the Common Feildes of Shipton in the Parish of Winslowe aforesaid (Viz.) One Ley lyeing in Lice-Hill Feild att a place there called Dry Mead next to the Close of Frances Elliotts One land more lyeing in the Same Feild att a place there called Lice-hill the land of Mr. Lowndes lyeing on the East and West partes thereof One Acre more lyeing in the Redd Feild att a place there called Stonny-Stitch the land of Henry Townsend lyeing on the North parte and the land of Mr. Lowndes lyeing on the South parte thereof  One Acre more lyeing in Blackgrove Feild att a place there called Dirtland the land of Frances Elliott lyeing on the West parte thereof and Two Leyes more lyeing in the Same Field att a place there called Liddenton Shooteing against the said acre att Dirtland the land of Mr. Lowndes lyeing on the West part thereof Together with the Hades Baulks Furrowes Freeboards Commons Proffitts and Appurtenances whatsoever thereto belonging or in any wise Apperteyneing unto Thomas Bowler my Sonn his Heires and Assignes forever To the only proper Use and Behoofe of the said Thomas Bowler and of his Heires and Assignes forever  Item I Give Will Devise and Bequeath All these my Four Acres of land lyeing in the Common Feildes of Shipton in the Parish of Winslowe aforesaid (Viz.) One Acre lyeing in Licehill field att a place there called Snouthale the land of Mr. Lowndes lyeing on the East parte and the land of William Elliott lyeing on the West part thereof One acre more lyeing in the Redd Field att a place there called the Slow

(Signed) Charles Bowler sen

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the land of Mr. Lowndes lyeing on the East part thereof one land more lyeing in Blackgrove Feild att a place there called Short Blackgrove the land of Mr Lowndes lyeing on the West parte  One land more lyeing in the same Feild at a place there called Dirtland the land of Mr. Lowndes lyeing on the East parte thereof  One Ley more lyeing in the Same Feild att a place there called Liddenton the land of Mr Lowndes lyeing on the West parte thereof and one ley more lyeing in the same field and at Liddenton aforesaid the land of Mr Lowndes lyeing on the East and West partes thereof Together with the Hades Baulks Furrowes Freeboards Commons Proffitts and Appurtenances whatsoever thereto belonging or in any wise Apperteyneing unto Frances Bowler my daughter her Heires and Assignes forever   Item I Give Will Devise and Bequeath All these my Four Acres of land lyeing in the Common Feildes of Shipton in the Parish of Winslowe aforesaid (Viz.) One land lyeing in Licehill Feild att a place there called Drymead the land of Mr. Lowndes lyeing on the East and West partes thereof One Ley more lyeing in the Same Feild att a place there called Outfurlong the land of Mr. Lowndes lyeing on the North and South partes thereof  One Acre more lyeing in the Redd Field att a place there called Maresladd the land of Mr. Lowndes lyeing on the East and West partes thereof  One Acre more lyeing in the Blackgrove Feild at a place there called the Steart the land of Frances Elliott lyeing on the North parte and the land of Mr. Lowndes lyeing on the South parte thereof One Headland more lyeing in the Same Feild att a place there called Dirtland the land of Mr. Lowndes lyeing on the West parte thereof and One Ley more lyeing in the Same Feild att a place there called Liddenton Shooteing against Swanbourne Feild the land of Mr. Lowndes lyeing on the South and North partes thereof Together with the Hades Baulks Furrowes Freeboards Commons Proffitts and Appurtenances whatsoever thereto belonging or in any wise Apperteyneing unto Anne Bowler my daughter her Heires and Assignes forever  Item I Give Will Devise and Bequeath All that my Acre of Furze-ground in the Common Field of Shipton aforesaid lyeing in a Field there called the Redd Feild and att a place there called Blackpitt the land of Mr. Lowndes lyeing on the East and West partes thereof  Together with the Common and Appurtenances thereto belonging unto my loveing Wife Frances Bowler her Heires and Assignes forever  Item I Give Will Devise and Bequeath All the Rest of my Goods Chattells and Personall Estate whatsoever and wheresoever unto the said Frances Bowler my loveing Wife She paying my debts and funerall Expences  And I do hereby make and Ordayne the said Frances Bowler my loveing Wife full and Sole Executrix of this my last Will and Testament   And lastly I do hereby Revoke and make Voide all former Wills by me heretofore made and doe declare this to be my last Will and Testament   In Wittnesse whereof I have to this my Will Conseyned in Two Sheets of Paper to the first Sheet Sett my hand and the last Sheet my hand and Seale this Eighteenth day of March Anno Dni 1723.

Signed Sealed Published and Declared              (Signed)           Charles Bowler
in the Presence of us who have hereunto                                                     Sen
Subscribed our Names and Wittnesses
in the Presence of the Testator.

James Budd
John Henly iunr
Peter Goldsworth


Notes

Charles was apparently the grandson of Katherine Bowler (d.1689), and son of Charles and Jane Bowler (of Fenny Stratford) who sold 20 acres of land in Shipton to Joseph Dandridge in 1692, and a messuage and 48 acres of land to William Lowndes in 1698. Charles himself seems to have retained a fairly substantial (at least for a cordwainer) holding of land. He lived in Stratton Audley at the time of his grandmother's death, but he was baptised at Winslow (28 March 1665), as were his children, starting with Charles (31 Jan 1692/3). His wife was Frances, daughter of Francis Glenister (d.1681).

Charles' will was not proved until 1735 (he was buried on 20 April).

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