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[This transcription has been made from the scanned image held at The National Archives, and is a copy of that in my Windeatts on the Web pages, where much more information is available. I have made this very rough transcription and it was difficult to read and probably contains lots of errors. Check the original for complete accuracy. I have changed the surnames to uppercase to aid family historians.]

In the Name of God Amen.
I Thomas WINDEATT now of the parish of Meavy in the County of Devon being sicke of bodie and with weakness of natural strength but sound and perfect of memory praysed be the Lord: Now calling to mynde the mutability of this world and the fraylness of mortal flesh and how necessary it is to be in continual readiness against the _____ coming of the Lord do now make and ordaine this my last wil and Testament in manner and form following Viz: First I doe give and _________ ___ my soul unto the hands and possession of my God who first gave it to me believing ____ and ____ through faith in Christ Jesus . . . . exhaltation ... Eternall glories And my bodie to the Earth from which it first descended And as for those earthly blessings which the Lord ?hath ?lent me I do dispose of as follows: First to the poor of the parish of Walkhampton four shillings of lawful money to be distributed to the most needful Item I give to my Brother George WINDEATTs four Children each of them one Ewe sheep and likewise to my brother John's two children one sheep a piece; I give to my wife my dwelling ___ outhouse and yearb garden at Walkhampton Town for and during her naturall life if the lives of the ?premisses so long shall happen to live Likewise I doe give and ?___ her the Simple part of and in my Tenement at Walkhampton for and during her naturall life I do further bequeath and give unto my said Wife the some of Twenty pounds of lawfull money to be paid by my Executors one year after my two children shall attayn to the ? of discretion, I doe give and devise unto my two daughters Anne and Martha all that Estate of my lands tenement with the Appurtenances ?___ ____ lyeing within the Parish of Samford Spinie Joyntley and not severally to them and their Heirs for ever and always excepting that if the said Anne and Martha shall both dye without issue, that then the said lands with their appurtenances herein mentioned shall be returned to Richard the sonne of George WINDEATT to his ____ for ever And for want of the said Richard or any heyres by him begotten then to George WINDEATT's other three children or to as many of them as shall be living. Also I give to my two daughters all that estate both of house garden and courtlett lying with in the Towne and parish of Beere ferris for and during the whole terme of that estate I have now in ____ Likewise I doe give and bequeath unto my only two daughters Anne and Martha all the rest of my goods and Chattells moveable and ymoveable not formerly given or bequeathed whom I make and ordayne Joyntly my Sole and only Executors of this my last will and Testament. And in case any one of the said Anne or Martha sahll happen to dye in there childhood or before they shall attayne to the years of discretion thene all the said goods and chattells to ____ [?utmayne] to the longest Survivor of them. And if both of them shall dye in this estate of Childehood Then I do devise that twenty pounds of this portion to retourne back to my wife, and all the rest of what goods and chattels shall remayne to be Jointly unto George WINDEATTs Children that shall be then Living, And Likeewise I do desire my brother George WINDEATT to be a Guardian or overseer of this my two Children, and ymprove their portions too for their best benefitt, untill they shall attayn the years of discretion In witness whereof I have hereto sett my my hand and Seal. _____ the five and twentieth day of February, one Thousand six hundred fifty Eight:

Thomas WINDEATT

Sealed Signed and Delivered in the presets of The sign of Walter EDGCOMBE Edward ATTWILLE

This will was proved at London the six and Twentieth day of May in the year of our Lord God one Thousand Six Hundred fifty and nyne before the judge for probate of will and granting adminsitration lawfully Authorized by the oathes of Anne and Martha WINDEATT the daughters and Joint Executrixes therein named to whom was granted administration of all and singular the goods chatttels and debts of the decesaed they being sworn by Commission well and truely to Administer.

Last updated - Brian Randell, 10 Feb 2005