Will of William Norman, plumber & glazier, 1728 (proved 1730)
Herts RO 167AW12
In the Name of God Amen I William Norman the Elder of Winslow in the County of Bucks Plumber and Glazier being weak in body but of Sound and perfect Mind and Memory for which I bless God Doe make this my last Will in manner following I Give to my Eldest Sonn John Norman the Sum of Twenty Shillings I Give to my Sonn Samuel Norman the Sume of Twenty Shillings I Give to my Daughter Sarah the Wife of Thomas Edlin the Sume of Twenty Shillings I Give to my Sonn Michael Norman the Sume of Five pounds and likewise I Give to my Daughter Frances Norman the Sume of Five Pounds I do hereby Give unto my Sonn William Norman the Sume of Ten Pounds to be paid them severaly by my Executrix her Executors or administrators att the time of her Death in Case She shall have Soe much Money then to Spare I likewise give to my Sonn William Norman all my Stock of Lead Glass Tradeing and Working Tools whatsoever used about my Trade of a Plummer and Glazier; All the rest residue and remainder of my Goods Chattells and personall Estate I GIve unto my Loving wife Sarah Norman and Doe hereby Make her full and Sole Executrix of this my last Will and Testament hereby revoking All former Wills by me heretofore Made and Doe Declare this only to be my last In Witness whereof I have to this my last Will sett my Hand and Seal this two and twentyth Day of November in the Second Year of the Reigne of King George the Second over Great Brittaine et Annoq(ue) D(omi)ni 1728
[signed] William Norman
Signed sealed Published and declared to be my last Will and Testament In the presence of us who have hereunto sett our hands as witnesses In the p(r)esence of the Testator and of each other
[signed] Deborah Croft
????
Maynard Purcell
Letter from the Archdeacon
Herts RO A25/5018
[translated from Latin]
On Thursday 19 November 1730 before the venerable and distinguished man George Paul LLD in his chamber etc., Thomas Gyles notary public being present.
We granted (and) approved the business in common form of the will of William Norman late of Winslow in Bucks deceased in the name of Sarah Norman widow of the said deceased and executrix named in the said will.
On which day Pinfold exhibited his proxy for the said Sarah Norman, and made himself etc., and alleged that the said William Norman while he lived being of sound mind and in his healthy and perfect memory duly and legitimately made and appointed his will in writing, and in the same he called the said Sarah Norman his wife and appointed her executrix and afterwards within two years gone by departed from this light. Therefore (she) sought and the lord at (her) petition ordered the said will in common form in the name of the said Sarah Norman dwelling at Winslow to be proved and a commission made to the parties for the receipt of the oath of the said Sarah Norman, directing jointly and severally to James Edmonds vicar of Winslow aforesaid and Samuel Foster vicar of Harwood in the said county respectively clerks.
Oath to be administered to the executrix: [English] Your Oath is that the Paper Writing hereunto annexed contains the true last Will and Testament of William Norman your late husband deceased as far as you know and believe and that you will truly perform the same [ - - - ]
Sarah Norman sworn 30 Dec 1730 before me Sam: Foster
[Another Latin document is illegible on the microfilm]
Notes
William Norman was buried on 3 Dec 1728. He was bap. 8 June 1660, the son of John Norman (d.1684) and his wife Dorothy. William and his mother sold their house in Sheep Street (bought in 1682) to William Lowndes in 1695. He inherited a half-acre of land from his sister Elizabeth (1665-1696) in 1696. It's not clear how he was related to his contemporary, the Baptist Samuel Norman (d.1735).
See the will of William's widow Sarah (d.1734) for more about the children. Frances, who is mentioned in William's will but not Sarah's, was bap. 28 June 1692; no burial recorded at Winslow.