Will of Ann Stevens, widow, 1705 (proved 1708)

Herts RO 145AW19

In the Name of God Amen I Ann Stevens of Winslowe in the County of Bucks Widd(ow) Spinster being weak of body but of sound & perfect Minde & Memory All possible Praise be given to Almighty God for the same and considering the certainty of Death and the uncertain time thereof Doe make and Ordeyne this my last Will & Testam(en)t in manner following (that is to say)  First and Principally I com(m)end my Soul into the hands of Almighty God that gave itt hopeing through the Meritts Death & Passion of Jesus Christ my only Saviour & Redeemer to be made Partaker of everlasting life and my body I Comitt to the Earth to be decently Interred att the Discretion of my Executo(r) herein afternamed  And as for such Temporall Estate as itt hath pleased Almighty God to bestowe upon me I Give and Dispose thereof as followeth Impr(im)is I Give and Bequeath unto William Bence the eld(er) of Winslowe aforesaid Wheelwright the Sum(m)e of tenn pounds to be paid him by my Execut(or) within Eighteen Moneths next after my Decease Item I Give & Bequeath unto Richard Bruden of Goddington in the County of Oxon Daryman - the Sum(m)e of Five pounds to be paid him within Eighteen Moneths next after my Decease  Item haveing made a Surrend(er) of my Copyhold Mesuage or Tenem(en)t & p(re)misses held of the Manno(r) of Winslowe cu(m) Membr(is) in the said County of Bucks  To such Uses Intents & Purposses as I should limitt Direct and appointe in and by my last Will and Testament  Now as for and concerning All that the said Mesuage or Tenem(en)t formerly in the Occupacon of William East & now of the Widd(ow) Deely her Undertenants or Assignes and the Yard comonly called by the Name of William Hogsons Close on which s(ai)d p(re)misses there hath since lately been A House erected the Crosse Lane there upon the North Surrendered unto Daniel Stevens my late husband since dec(ease)d & me the said Ann Stevens by the said Anthony Deely and Margarett his wife by Surrend(er) bearing date on or about the Seaventh \& twentieth day/ of

the m(ar)ke of                                  Ann Stevens

[f.2] Aprill which was in the Year of our Lord God 1688 Upon Condicon to pay unto the said Daniel Steevens or me the said Ann Stevens our Executo(r)s Adm(ini)strato(r)s or Assignes the full Sum(m)e of Fifty pounds & Interest on the dayes in the said Surrend(er) menconed as in and by the said recited Surrend(er) Relacon being thereunto had may more at large Appeare Which said Sum(m)e of Fifty pounds & Interest is not Yett paid  And Whereas I have Surrendered the same p(re)misses att the last Generall Co(u)rt Baron held for the s(ai)d Mannor of Winslowe to the Use of William Hall of Addington in the said County of Bucks husbandman and Margarett his Mother wife Upon Condicon that my Heires Executo(r)s or Adm(ini)strato(r)s Doe pay unto the said William Hall & Margarett his wife \Mother/ or either of them or their either Executo(r)s Adm(inistrator)s or Assignes One Moyety of the said Principall Sum(m)e of Fifty pounds after my Decease Now my Will Meaning & Desire is And I doe hereby Give and Bequeath unto my Loveing Brother in lawe William Shelton the Eld(er) of Winslowe aforesaid Shoomaker \his Heires & Assignes forever/ All my Estate Right Title and Interest Of & in the said Messuage or Tenem(en)t Close & p(re)misses with the App(er)tennc(e)s Upon Condicon in the said last recited Surrend(er)  menconed  Item  All the Rest & Residue of my Goods Chattells & Personall Estate whatsoever not herein before bequeathed I Give & Devise the same unto my said Loveing Brother William Shelton the Eld(er) whome I make full & sole Execut(o)r of this my last Will & Testam(en)t hereby revokeing All former Wills by me heretofore made  And Doe Declare this only to be my  last Willl & Testam(en)t.  In Wittnesse whereof I have to this my last Will & Testament conteyneed in two sheets of paper to the the first sett my hand & to the last my hand & Seale this Eighteenth day of March in the fifth Year of the Reigne of Queen Ann over England etc Annoq(ue) D(om)in(i) 1705

 [the mark of]                     Ann Stevens

Signed Sealed Published & Declared in the p(re)sence of us who have hereunto Subscribed o(ur) Names as Wittnesses in the p(re)sence of the Testatrix (These words (& Twentyeth / Mother / his Heires & Assignes forever) being first Interlined)

Thomas Wright  William Shelton Jun(ior)   John Markham

[reverse, Latin]
27 May 1708. William Shelton, brother and executor, sworn before me John Croft, surrogate.


Notes

Ann Stevens was buried on 1 May 1708. Daniel Stephens of Adstock, malster, was buried at Winslow on 30 July 1705; see his will.

Crosse Lane: this must mean Vicarage Road. More on Anthony Deely's property. The close mentioned is probably the Old Bowling Green, now part of the Churchyard.

Copyright 12 November, 2023