Will of Thomas CAMPION, dated 22^nd Feb 1747

In the name of God Amen I Thomas CAMPION of Rushden in the County of Northampton yeoman being (thanks be to God) of a sound and Disposeing Mind and Memory But considering the Mortality of my Body and the uncertainty of the Time of my Death do this twenty second day of february in the year of our Lord One thousand seven Hundred and fourty seven make Constitute and appoint this my last Will and Testament in manner following (that is to say) First and principally I commend my soul to the mercy of Almighty God hopeing in and through the merritts of my only Saviour Jesus Christ to receive free pardon and forgiveness of my sins and my Body I commend to the Earth to be decently interred at the discretion of my Executor hereinafter named and as for this Worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me I give and dispose thereof as follows First my Will is and I do hereby direct that all my Just Debts and Funerall Expenses be Justly paid and discharged Also I give and Bequeath unto my two nieces Susannah the Wife of Samuel CHURCH of Wimmington in the County of Bedford Butcher and Hannah the Wife of Robert COOKE of Nurston in the parish of Irchester in the said County of Northampton Husbandman (daughters of my late brother William CAMPION deceased) the sum of Forty pounds a piece to be paid to them within Twelve Months next after my Decease by and out of my Reall Estate hereinafter mentioned But my Will is and I do hereby direct that in Case both or either of my Said Neices Susannah CHURCH and Hannah COOKE shall depart this life before the Said Legacys shall become due and payable as aforesaid and shall leave Issue of her or their Body or Bodys that then and in such Case or Cases the Legacy of such of them as shall so depart this life leaveing issue as aforesaid shall be paid unto and Equally Divided amongst all the Issue male and female of my said Nieces as shall so depart this life at such time as the mother of such Issue would have been intitled to the said Legacy but if either of them my said Nieces shall depart this life without issue before the Legacy of her so departing shall become due and payable as aforesaid that then the said Legacy of such of my said Nieces as shall so depart this life without issue as aforesaid shall be paid unto the survivor of them my said Nieces But if both of my said Nieces shall depart this life without Issue of either of their Bodys before the Legacys shall become due and payable as aforesaid that then and in such Case the Said Legacys shall not be paid at all but shall go and be to my Executor Also I give and Bequeath unto my Nephew George GOODES the sum of Ten pounds to be paid unto him Twelve Months next after the decease of the Survivor of me and my said Wife Alice But my Will is and I do hereby direct that if my said Nephew George GOODES shall depart this life before the said Legacy shall become due and payable to him as aforesaid and shall leave Issue male or female of his Body that then the said Legacy of Ten pounds shall be paid unto and Equally Divided between the Issue of the said George GOODES Male and female share and share alike But in case the said George GOODES shall depart this life before the said Legacy shall become due and payable to him as aforesaid and without Issue male or female that then and in such Case the said Legacy of Ten pounds shall not be paid at all but shall go and be to my Executor anything hereincontained to the contrary notwithstanding Also (from and after the decease of my loveing Wife Alice) I give and devise unto my said Nephew George GOODES for and dureing the term of his Natural life and from and after his Decease then unto the Heires of his Body lawfully begotten or to be begotten and for so out of such Issue then unto the said William BLOSSOM his Heires and Assignes for ever All that my Messuage Cottage or Tenement wherein I now dwell in Rushden aforesaid with the Orchard & Garden thereunto adjoyning and belonging being all Bondhold and also all those my five acres and one Rood & an half or thereabouts of Arable Land and Ley Ground lying in Rushden aforesaid being part Bondhold and part Copyhold together with the rights members hereditaments & Appurtenances to the same or any part thereof belonging and which said Messuage Cottage or Tenement and Orchard and Garden and five Acres and one Rood and an half or thereabouts of Arable Land or Ley Ground with their Appurtenances I purchased or had of and from one William WAPLES or was formerly or reputed to have been Sometime formerly the Estate of the said William WAPLES or called Waples Estate and is with other Lands settled on my said Wife Also (from and after the Death of my said Wife Alice) I give and Devise all that my Close of pasture or enclosed piece of Ground conteyning by Estimation about three Roods & lying in Rushden aforesaid and called or known by the name of Cheesecake Close & now in my own possession with the rights members and Appurtenances thereto belonging unto the said George GOODES for and dureing the Term of his Naturall life and from and after his decease then unto the Heires of his Body lawfully begotten or to be begotten and for want of such issue then unto the Said William BLOSSOM his heirs and Assignes forever Also I give and devise unto my said Wife for and dureing the term of her Naturall life (over and above what is Settled on her or she is initiled to) One Annuity or Yearly rent Charge of Ten pounds Issueing out of and Charged & Chargeable upon all those my severall peices and parcells of Arable Land and Ley Ground conteyning by Estimation about Twenty One Acres and lying and being in Rushden aforesaid being part Copyhold and part Bondhold and was given unto me by my father William CAMPION deceased and now or late in the tenure or occupation of the said William BLOSSOM his Assignee or Assignes Undertenant or Undertenants And also all that my Farmhouse Yards Barns Stables Buildings and Orchard and Garden and two Closes of pasture or pightells to the said Farmhouse Adjoyning and belonging & containing by Estimation about Two Acres situate standing lying & being in Rushden aforesaid and now or late also in the tenure or occupation of the said William BLOSSOM his Assignee or Assignes Undertenant or Undertenants and being Copyhold And also all those my Copyhold peices and parcells of Arable Land & Ley Ground conteyning about Twenty seven acres & six swathes of Meadow Ground and now or late also in the tenure or occupation of the said William BLOSSOM his Assignee or Assignes Undertenant or Undertenants & lying & being in Rushden aforesaid And also all that little Close of pasture or enclosed Ground containing by Estimation about One Rood & lying in Rushden aforesaid & now or late also in the tenure or occupation of the said William BLOSSOM his Assignee or Assignes Undertenant or Undertenants And which said Farmhouse Yards Barns Stables Buildings Orchard and Garden and two Closes of pasture or pightells the same peices & parcells of Arable Land and Ley Ground and six swaths of Meadow Ground & little Close of pasture or enclosed Ground were formerly or reputed to have been sometime formerly the Estate of one John GORY or called Gorys Estate and also all other my Copyhold and Bondhold Messuages Cottages Closes Lands Tenements & hereditaments in Rushden aforesaid Together with all the rights members hereditaments & Appurtenances to the same Premisses or any of them belonging and to be paid unto her my Said Wife Alice Yearly & every year Dureing her Naturall life on two usual feast days or days of payment in every year (that is to say) the feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the feast of the said Saint Micahel the Archangell by even and equall portions and the first payment thereof to be made on the first of the same feasts or days of payment as shall next happen after three months next after my Decease and my Will is and I do hereby direct that all the same annuity or rent charge and every part thereof shall be as aforesaid paid without any manner of deduction or abatement thereof or thereout to be made of or for any Taxes Charges aids payments or thing or things whatsoever And my Will further is and I do hereby direct that in case all or any part of the said annuity or yearly rent charge Shall be behind and unpaid by the space of fourty days next after any of the said feasts or days of payment whereon the same ought to be paid the same being by her or her attorney lawfully demanded Then and in every or any such case or cases it shall and may be lawfull to and for my said wife Alice by herself or her Attorney into & upon all or any of the same peices and parcells of Arable Land and Ley Ground the same Farmhouse Yards Barns Stables Buildings & Orchard or Garden Two Closes of pasture or pightells the same peices and parcells of Arable Land and Ley Ground the same six swathes of Meadow Ground the Same little Close of pasture or enclosed Ground and the said other Copyhold and Bondhold Messuages Cottages Closes Lands Tenements and hereditaments with their appurtenances to enter and the same to hold and Enjoy and receive and take the Rents Issues and Profitts thereof untill therewith & thereby all such of the said Annuity or yearly rent charge of Ten pounds as shall be so behind and unpaid and all such charges and Expences as shall be concerning the same or concerning such entering holding and Enjoying receiving and takeing shall be fully paid and discharged Also my said Copyhold and Bondhold peices and parcells of Arable Land and Ley Ground the said Farmhouse Yards Barns Stables Buildings and Orchard or Garden two Closes of pasture or pightells the said pieces and parcells of Arable Land and Ley Ground the said six swathes of Meadow Ground the said little Close of pasture or enclosed Ground and the said other Copyhold and Bondhold Messuages Cottages Closes Lands Tenements and hereditaments with their Appurtenances (being so Charged and Chargeable and subject and lyable as aforesaid) I give and Devise the same unto the said William BLOSSOM his Heirs and Assignes forever he paying thereout the said fourty pounds a peice to my Said two Nieces in manner as aforesaid and the said sum of Ten pounds to the said George GOODES in manner as aforesaid And I do hereby charge my same last mentioned premisses and whatever I have hereinbefore given unto the said William BLOSSOM and his Heirs Executors Administrators and Assignes with the payment of the said fourty pounds apeice unto my said two Nieces in manner as aforesaid and the said Ten pounds to the said George GOODES in manner as aforesaid any thing herein Contained to the Contrary notwithstanding Also all the rest and residue of my Goods and Chattells Personal and real Estates of what kind or Nature soever I give Devise and Bequeath the same unto the said William BLOSSOM his Heirs Executors Administrators and Assignes Also I do hereby make Constitute and Appoint the said William BLOSSOM Sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament and I do hereby revoake all former Wills by me made IN WITNESS whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and Year first abovewritten.