In the Name of God Amen I Thomas Cooper of Rushden in the County of Northampton yeoman feeling the decays of Nature and expecting sooner or later a certain dissolution being minded to settle my worldly affairs whilst I enjoy a perfect sound and disposing mind and memory (which Bless God I now do) do make this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following that is to say principally I recommend my Soul into the hands of Almighty God hoping for Eternall Happiness through the Merritts of Jesus Christ my Saviour and my Body I resign to the Earth to be there deposited with decency but without any pomp at the discretion of my Wife and Executors hereinafter named and as for my Worldly Estate both real and personal I give devise bequeath and dispose thereof as followeth (that is to say) I give and devise All my Customary Bondhold and Copyhold Messuages Cottages Closes Lands Tenements and Hereditaments with their and every of their appurtenances situate standing lying and being in Rushden aforesaid to my Loving Wife Mary for and during the term of her Natural Life and from and after her Decease then to and for such uses Behoofes intents and purposes the Behoofe intent and purpose as my Loving Daughter Mary shall by any surrender or surrenders to be by her duly made and passed according to the custom of the Manor of Rushden aforesaid nominate declare direct or appoint and for want of such surrender or surrenders nomination declaration direction or appointment then to and for such uses Behoofes intent and purposes the Behoof intent and purpose as she my said Daughter Mary shall by her last Will and Testament in writing to be by her signed sealed published and Declared in the presence of three or more credible Witnesses Nominate direct Declare and appoint and for want of such Nomination Direction Declaration and Appointment and until such Nomination Direction Declaration and Appointment To the use and Behoofe of my said Daughter Mary for and during the term of her Natural life and from and after her Decease then To the use and Behoofe of the Heirs of the Body of her my said Daughter Mary lawfully to be Begotten and for Default of such Issue then to the use and Behoofe of my Loving Brother Henry Cooper his Heirs and Assigns for ever Charged and Chargeable with the payment of the sum of fifty pounds apiece to my two Sisters Mary:x:x:x: the Wife of Robert Stevens of Rushden aforesaid Yeoman and Elizabeth Cooper Spinster within one year after my said Brother Henry Cooper or his heirs or assigns shall be in possession of or legally entitled to the premises with their appurtenances and in case my said Sisters or either of them shall be then dead Then I will that the Legacy or money of her or them so dying shall be paid to their or her children in equal parts shares and proportions And I doe hereby give devise and confirm to my said Loving Wife Mary her Heirs and Assigns for ever All my freehold Lands Tenements and Hereditaments whatsoever with their and every of their Appurtenances lying within the Parish fields and Bounds of Rushden aforesaid To have and to hold the same to my said Wife Mary her Heirs and Assigns for ever And I give and Bequeath to my said Wife All my Goods Chattells cattle and personal estate whatsoever and wheresoever She paying and discharging the cost my Funerall Expenses and Debts except such Debtors Debts as is are or shall be secured by surrender or otherwise upon my said Customary Bondhold and copyhold Messuages Cottages Closes Land Tenements and hereditaments with their and every of their Appurtenances And I do hereby Nominate Constitute and Appoint my said Wife Mary and my trusty and wellbeloved friends John Gobby of Rushden aforesaid Yeoman and Peter Sanders of Rushden aforesaid Mason Guardians and Trustees for my said Daughter Mary until she attains her age of one and twenty years and also Executors of this my last Will and Testament hereby revoking all former Wills by me made In Witness whereof I the said Thomas Cooper the Testator to this my last Will and Testament have set my hand and seal the sixteenth day of June in the Twentyeth year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Second by the Grace of God of Great Britain France and Ireland King Defender of the faith and so forth and in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and forty six

Tho: Cooper

Signed Sealed Published and Declared by
the above named Thomas Cooper the
Testator as and for the last Will and
Testament [etc. Much of rest of witness declaration not legible]

Signed- Sawy Parris
Signed- Wm. Plumpton