The Will of John Powell, Grocer 1670
In the name of God Amen, the eight day of August in the year of our Lord God the six hundred and seventy, I John Powell of the parish of Bosbury in the county of Hereford and late of London, grocer, being in health of body and perfect mind and memory (for which I do give thanks and praise to Almighty God) But I, knowing and considering that death is certain to all persons and the times and hour is to me uncertain, I do therefore in the time of my health whilst I am in health and (by Gods blessing) in perfect and sound mind and memory dispose of and settle by this my will and testament all the real and personal estate to which it hath pleased God in his mercy to bestow upon me and for the settling and disposing thereof I do make this my last will and testament in writing in manner and form following. And first I do commit and commend my soul into the hands Almighty God my creator hoping assuredly by and through the merits of death and passion of Jesus Christ my saviour and redeemer to be made partaker of life everlasting amongst the Holy Angels and blessed saints of God in the kingdom of heaven and my body I do commit to the earth from whence it came to be decently interred and buried at the discretion of my executors herein after named.
Also as concerning all my messuages lands and tenements lying in the parishes of Bosbury and Suckley in the counties of Hereford and Worcester and in either of them I do devise and give to my only son, John Powell, and the heirs of him lawfully to be begotten forever and for default of such heirs then upon condition herein after mentioned I do give and devise my messuage or tenement and farm called Gaulthill or by what name or names soever it be called and all the lands and hereditaments with the appurtenances thereto belonging and or there with or there unto used occupied or enjoyed or accounted, accepted, reputed or taken to belong or appertain thereunto situate and lying and being in the aforesaid parish of Bosbury in the county of Hereford in Upleadon Side unto Henry Child and James Child, sons of my sister Mary Child of London, widow, Edmond Powell, son of my brother Edmond Powell, Joan Hill daughter of my sister Frances Hill, wife of William Hill and to Joan Bracey daughter of my sister Elizabeth, the wife of Joseph Bracey, and to Edmond Frewen the son of my sister Frances, late wife of Thomas Frewen, and to their heirs for ever to be equally divided betwixt them upon condition that they and their heirs do and shall yearly out of the rents, issues and profits of the said messuages and tenements called Gaulthill and the lands tenements and hereditaments thereunto belonging yearly pay to my sister, Joan Powell, if she shall be then living, five pounds per annum during her natural life and do and shall out of the rents, issues and profits of the last mentioned messuages and tenements bestow and give twelve pence weekly forever in bread on every Lord’s day in the year for the poor of the parish of Bosbury aforesaid for ever the same bread to be on every Lord’s day for ever to be distributed as the church wardens and overseers of the poor shall direct or appoint or approve (as are then in being).
And And as concerning my messuages, lands and tenements and hereditaments lying in the parish of Suckley in the county of Worcester by what name or names the same are or may be called or known, I do give and bequeath the same and every part or parcel of it to my only son, John Powell, and to his heirs lawfully to be begotten of his body for ever. And for default of such heirs if he, my said son, should die and unmarried upon the conditions herein after mentioned to William Hopkins, my late wife’s godson, son of Elizabeth, the wife of Anthony Hopkins in the parish of Ledbury to William Johncey, my godson, son to Mary the wife of William Johncey in the parish of Lye in the county of Worcester aforesaid, both daughters of my brother William Powell and to George Powell of London, grocer, my brother, and to their heirs for ever to be equally divided betwixt them upon condition that they and their heirs do and shall yearly out of the rents issues and profits of the said messuages and tenements and lands lying in the parish of Suckley pay or cause to be paid to Mary Child, widow, of London my sister and to her heirs for ever one annuity or yearly sum of five pounds of good lawful money at two days or times in the year (that is to say) on the nine and twentieth day of September and the five and twentieth day of March by every or equal portions the first payment to begin and to be made upon the first of the said days of and for payment thereof which shall first happen to come and be in the first year after my death and also upon this further condition that they and their heirs do and shall pay or cause to be paid to Mary Adkings, daughter of William Adkings, deceased youngest brother to my late wife, the sum of one hundred pounds of good and lawful money of England within the space of two years next after the decease of my son, John Powell, if she, the said Mary, be then living and upon further condition that they and their heirs or some of them shall well and truly pay or cause to be paid to John Oliver my godson, son of John Oliver of Suckley, deceased, twenty pounds of good and lawful money of England and to Joyce Powell, my late wife’s goddaughter, and to William Hopkins son of Anthony Hopkins, my late wife’s godson, ten pounds apiece of good and lawful money out of the rents, issues and profits of my said messuage, land, tenements lying in the said parish of Suckley in the county of Worcester aforesaid all which said legacies to be paid within two years next after the decease of my son, John, if he dieth without heirs lawfully begotten of his body and also upon further consideration do and shall out of the rents issues and profits thereof pay bestow and give twelve pence in bread weekly upon every Lords day in the year for ever to be distributed amongst the poor of the said parish of Suckley by the churchwardens and overseers of the poor as are then in being or are the greater number of them as they shall direct and appoint. And my will and meaning is that my messuages, lands and tenements lying in the said parish of Suckley for and after the decease of my said son, John Powell, and of his dying without heirs lawfully begotten of his body shall from thence forth for ever stand charged and be chargeable as well for the payment of several legacies before given and bequeathed. As also for the payment of the twelve pence a week to buy bread for the poor of the said parish of Suckley the which my will is shall be distributed to the poor of the same parish in manner as is therein before apprized.
And as concerning my personal estate and substance I do disperse of it as followeth (that is to say) I do give and bequeath unto my two unkind brothers, Giles Powell and James Powell, the several legacies of twelve pence apiece to be paid them within fourteen days next after my funeral (if they within that time demand it). Item I do give and bequeath to my loving brothers William Powell, Edmond Powell, George Powell forty shillings apiece to buy them rings Item I do give and bequeath to my loving sisters, Mary Childe, widow, Elizabeth Bracey, Frances Hill and Joan Powell, forty shillings apiece to buy each of them a ring to be paid them within forty days next after my funeral. Item I give and bequeath to my goddaughter Joan Hill, the daughter of my sister Frances Hill, the sum of ten pounds to be paid to her at the age of twenty and one years or day of marriage which shall first happen. Item I give and bequeath to my goddaughter, Mrs Katharine Coake, forty shillings to buy her a Bible. Item I do give and bequeath to my sister, Mary Childe, her three children the several sums of ten pounds apiece to be paid to them at their several ages of twenty and one years or days of marriage which shall first happen. I give and bequeath to my godchildren, John Oliver and William Joncey, the several sums of forty shillings apiece to buy each of them a Bible. Item I give and bequeath to Mary Adkings [Atkins], daughter of William Adkings, deceased, my late wife’ youngest brother, the sum of twenty pounds to be paid to her at the age of twenty and one years if she shall be then living or day of marriage which shall first happen.
Item I do give and bequeath to the relief of the poor of the parish of Bosbury the sum of twenty pounds for the buying and purchasing of that tenement and small parcel of land of John Allen or John Beard in the town of Bosbury for the building and erecting of Almshouses for the use of the poor of the parish of Bosbury for ever and for no other use. But if the said masters of the said parish will not suffer it to be employed for that purpose then my mind and will is that the said twenty pounds shall be and remain to my executors herein after named.
And moreover for the better relief of the poor of the said parish of Bosbury and the most indigent poor thereof, I do give and bequeath fifty and two shillings a year for ever to be paid yearly out of the rents, issues and profits of my land lying at Catley Rye in the parish of Bosbury aforesaid. And my will is that the yearly sum of fifty and two shillings shall be forever bestowed laid out and employed to buy bread in manner and form following (that is to say) twelve pence a week for ever after my decease to buy six two penny loaves. And that the same six penny loaves shall every Lord’s day in the year be given and distributed to six of the most aged poor widows or poor men in the said parish of Bosbury and not to idle rogues and bastard bearing whores. And I do hereby declare that my said lands in Catley Rye aforesaid and the owners thereof shall be forever charged and chargeable to pay the fifty two shillings yearly for ever to and for the purpose aforesaid any gift or devise by me herein before made or devised to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding.
And of this my last will and testament I do make, appoint, nominate and ordain my only son, John Powell, my whole executor of this my last will and testament and after my debts legacies be paid and my funeral expenses and charges be discharged. All the rest of my goods, cattles, chattels personal estate and substance not by me before herein given and bequeathed I do give and bequeath to my said son, executor John Powell. And I do nominate and appoint my said two loving brothers, William Powell and George Powell to be overseers of this my last will and testament and I do hereby desire than to be aiding and assisting to my said executor according to their skill and knowledge. And for their pains and care to be taken therein I do give and bequeath to each of them five pounds apiece over and besides the gifts and legacies I have herein before given and bequeathed to them. And I do here by revoke make void and disannul all former and other wills by me heretofore devised made or published and after all settlements made by me to any person or persons whatsoever. And I do hereby publish and declare this my will and testament written with my own hand and contained in four sheets of paper annexed and affixed together to be my last will and testament.
In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name at the bottom of every sheet and put my seal the day and year first above written John Powell sealed and published in the presence of us Margery Brooke her mark, William Powell, Richard Marriott, Thos. Millett
Probate granted 8 November 1670
