Last Will and Testament of John Buckner, (Prob. 11,334) Prerogative Court of Canterbury

[I have made every effort to copy this document exactly as I read it]

In the name of God Amen. I, John Buckner, of the Parish of St. Sepulchers, London, Cittizen and salter of London, being sicke and weake in body but of sound and perfect memory doe make this my last will and testament in manner and forme following:

Inprimus: I comitt my soule into the hands of Almighty God, my creator, in hope of a blessed resurrection through the merits of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And as for such worldly goods, chattels, lands, tenements and estate, whatsoever with which God has blessed me, I dispose of the same in manner and forme following: (that is to say)

Inpremus: I give and bequeath unto my sonne, John Buckner and unto his heirs forever, all and singular, my lands and tenements with their appurtences, situate and being in Royden and in Hitchin the the county of Suffolk or in either of these, together with all houses, barnes, or other edifices to the same belonging.

Item: I give unto my said sonne John Buckner, the sume of one hundred pounds of lawfull money of England. Fifty Pounds whereof shalbe paid unto him att the end of three months next after my decease, and the other fifty pounds thereof shall be paid unto him att the end of three months next, after he, my said son shall have sufficiently discharged my executor of our bond which I entered in with him, my said sonne and for his debt, I bid unto our ............ clerke for payment of thirty pounds wither by his delivering up of the said bond to my said executor, cancelled or by a good and sufficient release of the same bond under the hand and seal of the said his executors or administrators.

Item: I give and bequeath unto Frances Chew, my goddaughter, fifteen pounds of lawfull money of England to be paid unto her att the end of six months next after my decease, in case she shalbe then living.

ALSO: I give and bequeath to Deborah Chew, sister of the said Ffrances ten pounds of like lawfull money, also to be paid her att the said end of six months if she shalbe than living.

AND: I give to Debora Chew, mother of the said Ffrances and Debora ffive pounds of like lawful money to be paid her att the end of six months next after my decease, if she shalbe than living

ITEM: I give to my sister Stephens, ffive pounds of lawful English money, to be paid att the end of six months next after my decease if she shalbe then living.

ITEM: I give to my sister Bell ffive pounds of like money to be paid her likewise att the end of six months after my decease in case she shalbe then living.

ITEM: I doe give and bequeath unto my son in lawe, Timothy Browne and unto Elizabeth his wife, my daughter, my two streets houses with their appurtences, situate upon SNOWEHILL without NEWGATE, London, ffor and during the residue and remaining of the tenant of yeares and which shalbe to remain unexpired att the time of my decease of the lease and estate I have thereupon.

ITEM: I give and bequeath all those fininall tenements, situate in Mayys-Alley, upon SNOWEHILL, aforesaid within the said Alley together with the wast ground there being, unto the three children of my sonne in lawe, Henry Mit[c]hell, which he had by my daughter Debora Mit[c]hill, deceased to the intent that the same may be for and towards the raising of ........... for his said three children; and be paid and delivered unto them and devided between thm equally together with the rents and proffitts thereof by my executor hereunder named, att the ages of one and twenty yeares, or days of marriage of the said children (which shall ffirst happen); and in case any of the said three children shall happen to dye before they shall attaine unto their said age, or else by married, then and in such case I give and bequeath the legatee of legatees of the such deceased, unto the survivior or survivors of them to paid att the tyme of payment of their said legatie or legaties by unto them given as aforesaid but in case all the said three children shall happen to dye before they shall attain unto their said ages of one and twenty or shalbe married, then I give and bequeath my said tenements and wast ground and the rents and proffitts thereof unto my said sonne in lawe, Timothy Browne, and my said daughter Eliabeth, his wife, their executor and overseers, now and forever, all my houses therein

ITEM: I give and bequeath unto my cousin William Sheppard tenn pounds of lawfull money of England.

ITEM: I give and bequeath my lands in SOLEBERRY in the county of Bucks, in the tenant of Thomas Stephens with the Appurtences unto my said daughter Elizabeth Browne and her heirs forever.

ITEM: I give to the poore of the said parish of St. Sepulchure ....... the sume of tenn pounds to be dispersed by the Church Wardens of the said parish for ye tyme being.

ALSO: I give to the poore sicke people of St. Barthemeow Hospital, whereof I am a Governer, the sume of Ffifty pounds and to the poore of Soleberry aforesaid where I was borne, the sume of ffive pounds, to be disposed by the Church Wardens thereof for the tyme being.

ITEM: I give unto my louving ffriend Mr. Thomas Gough, twenty shillings to buy him a ring.

ALSO: I give unto my louving ffriend Mr. Thomas Hunt, the like sume of twenty Shillings to buy him a ring.

ITEM: I doe give unto my niese Ann Hodges, the sume of ffive pounds.

ITEM: I doe give, order and appoint that the rent of twenty pounds per annum, payable by and for my said ............ or tenements on SNOWEHILL and in MAYYS-ALLEY, shalbe paid as followeth, (viz:) one halfe part whereof by the said Thimothy Browne and Elizabeth his wife, and the other halfe part thereof by the said Henry Mit[c]hell for and on the part and behalfe of the said children, wile and until they shall attain unto their said age of one and twenty yeares, or be married, which shall ffirst happen, and that from and afore the said age or marriage, the said three children shall ......... to their ........... interest in the premises pay the said one halfe part of the land, twenty per annum equally between their part and – part off; and I doe order and appoint that the sume of one hundred pounds or for with men as my executors hereunder named shalbe expended and paid out, in and abour my detent and finally, I give and bequeath all the rest and residue or my estate, both reall and personal, unto my said sonnes in lawes, Timothy Browne and Henry Mit[c]hell, equally between them, and doe make and ordaine them full executors of this my last will and testaments, sett my hand and seale the last day of October in the yeare of our Lord God, one thousand six hundred and seventy. John Buckner, signed, sealed and published on this day of the yere in the presents of........... Handley, Jasper Weare, ............ ,A. Stephens, .......... Mirah Mit[c]hill, Sire on SNOWEHILL.