The testament of John Wedon of Russden

In the name of god amen the x daye of the monethe of January the yere of our lorde god 1555 I John Wedon the elder of Rushden in the countie of Northampton husbandman beynge of wholl m ynde & in good perfitt remembrance laude & prayse be unto allmyghtie god make & ordeyn this my present testament concernynge herin my last will in maner and forme followynge that ys to seye first I bequethe & comende my sowle unto almyghtie god my maker & redeemer & my bodye to be buryed in the paryshe churche or church yarde of the paryshe of Rushden aforsayde Item I bequethe to the mother churche of Peterborow viij d Item I bequethe to the churche of Rushden aforsayd xiij s iiij d and I bequethe for the  payment towards the new bell iij s iiij d Item I bequethe to every pore copull & to every pore wydow of Rushden aforsayde iiij d a pece. Item I bequethe Agnes my wyffe six quarters of barley a quarter of whet ij quarters of peyes my second cart & iij horsys after that Elsabethe my daughter have taken iiij other beaste & x shyppp after the sayde Elsabeth have taken xxx ti (30) other shypp & a cause and the halffe of my deade tymber betwne & Margerie my daughter Item I bequethe to Elsabethe my daughter iij of my best horsys & iij of my best beasts after that my wyfe have taken tow of them & xxx ti of my best shypp my best cart, & iij other bullocks after that my daughter Margerie have taken iiij of the other beasts next after the eight other beasts be taken and my best ca(use) tow newe coverlets, a mattres, a blanket & v payre of my best shytts, tow cossyngs, iij yards of blacke & iij yards of redd, iiij yards of russet carsey & my best brass panne my best brasse pott halfe my pewter & halfe my lattyn & x quarters of barleye tow quarters of whett, tow quarters of beanes & peyce a new cart roppe & halfe my deade tymber Also I will that my horse shall not bedevyded  until that my cropp be sowne trapt & caryed in Item I bequethe to Margerie my doughter iiij of my beast other beasts nexte after the _ght takyn x shyppe next after the xl shypp takyn five quarters of barley, the best coverlet next after the other tow takyn & my olde cart & all that belonge thereunto, A peyre of new flexson shytts & payre off new harden shytts my best brasse pott savynge tow, halfe a dosyn of pewter, a new blanket & iij yards of reed. Item I bequethe to every one of my godchildren a shypp within the towne Thomas Margetts the sonne of Willm Margetts to begyne to take his first choyse & so downe the towne, Item I bequethe to Willm Dre(nell) xx s Item I bequethe to John Freman xx s his Uncle to  have it to the chyldes use, Item I will that all my woole & galley be devyded & bestowed betwyne Agnes my wyffe & Elsabethe & Margerie my doughters & also I will that all my cart geyres & all my plow geyres to be eqallye devyded betwyne Agnes my wyffe & Elsabeth & Margerie my doughters Item I bequethe the resydew of all my grein unbequethed to Elsabeth & Margerie my doughters to the seedynge of the londe & to the fyndyne & kepynge of there house betwyne this & myhelmes* Item I bequethe my house & all my londe with all the appurtenances belongynge to the same to Elsabeth and Margerie my doughters & to the hers of there bodyes lawfulile begottyn & for lacke of issue of ther bodyes lawfully begottyn to remayne to Willm Wedon the sonne of John Wedon to hym & to his heyres Also I will that Elsabeth my doughter shall not sell hur parte but unto Margerie hir syster & also I will that Margerie my doughter shall not sell hur parte but unto Elsabethe her syster Item I will yf it happen that the sayde Margerie & Elsabethe shall departe & die before theye be married that then either of them shall enioye others part Item I bequethe the resydew of my goodes & all my detts unbequethed unto Agnes my wiffe & Elsabeth and Margerie my doughters and of this present testament & this my last will I make & ordeyne Willm Margetts and Willm Lame myne executors & I bequethe to ether of them for there laboures in that behalffe x s a pece And I bequethe to John Wedon the elder x s whom I make & ordeyne to be my supervisor & overseare of this my last will & testament.

Theys witnesses

Willyam Brayfyld Curat
John Margetts
Wyllyam Margetts
Willym Curtys
Thomas Bletso
John Wedon and
John Heyward with others

Probate granted 9 May 1555.

*Possibly Michelmas, but it does not fit the context.