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In the name of God, Amen.
The nineth day of February in the yeare of our Lorde one thousand sixe hundred and nyneteene, in the Seaventeenth yeare of the raigne of our Soveraigne Lorde James, by the grace of God of Great Brittaine, Kinge etc.
I, Hugh Handforde, of Denyton, within the parish of Swymbridge, in the County of Devon, gentleman, beinge of good health and memory, laude and prayse be to God, And calling to mynde the uncertainty of mans life in this world,
Doe nowe make and declare my last will and testament in manner and forme following:
First I commend my soule unto Almighty God, my maker, and Creator of Heaven and Earth, my onely Savour and Redeemer, by whom, and through the merrittes of whose precious death and passion I faithfully trust and believe to have pardon of and for all my sinnes, and to inherite everlastinge life in his eternall Kingdome.
My Bodie I commit to the Earth from whence it please God the Father first to derive it, there to be consumed to dust until that glorious and hopefull daye shall come, when all Creatures corruptilie shalbee dissolved, and the Majestie of Christ shall appeare to judge bith quicke and dead, then to be raysed and united with my soule, to live mortally and eternally in the heavenly Jerusalem.
And as for such goodes, Chattelles, Estate and substance as God hath lent me, and made me Owner of in this worlde, I doe heareby will, devise, lymitt, give and bequeath the same in manner and forme followinge:
First, to the poore of Swymbridge aforesaid I give five poundes of Currant Englishe money, within sixe monethes after my decease.
To the poore of Loxforde parishe, Twenty shillings, within the said terme of Sixe monethes.
To my welbeloved Cosen Mr Gregory Chichester Twenty poundes of Currant Englishe money, to be paid unto him, the said Gregory Chichester, within one yeare after my death, yf he shall then be livinge, and not otherwise.
Item, I give and bequeath, and assigne over, unto Abraham Herder and Henry Herder, sonnes of Henry Herder of High Brey, deceased, all those groundes called the Weeke, otherwise Mayes Close, or Mayes Groundes, part of the Mannor of Lankey in Swymbridge aforesaide, which I doe houlde of Sir Thomas Dennys, Knight, for yeares to be determined upon the severall deathes of Mary Chichester, nowe the wife of Henry Herder, gentleman, deceased, Richard May, and Walter Maye.
Item I give and bequeath unto my servant Austen Warde, the some of Tenne pounds of lawfull English money, to be paid unto the saide Austen, by William Hutchens of Swimbridge within one halfe yeare after he shalbe possessed of his reversion of Marracot nowe in the tenure or occupation of Widdowe Wilkey of Bratton, on which Condicion I acquite and free him of all such debtes as he oweth mee, and not otherwise.
Item, I give unto my servant Josias Oates alias Bener forty shillinges.
Item, I give unto Mary Shirlands my servante forty shillings.
Item, I give unto Mary Barrey twenty shillings,
To Mrs Margaret Collamore a little silver boll,
And to Judith Chichester another silver boll.
Item, I give unto Richarder Smalden, sonne of Christian Smalden widowe, Twenty shillings.
Item, I give unto John Pugsley Tenne shillings.
Will of Hugh Handford, Swymbridge, 1619, continued.

And to Edwarde Symons Tenne shillings.
Item, I give and bequeath unto my Cosen Trystram Chichester all my ploughe stuff, with Waynes and Cartes, and all the ymplementes thereto belonginge, after the death of my Wieffe Mary Handford.
Item, whereas I am now interessed, and doe stand seized of, an estate for the terme of Fowerscore yeares, or thereabouts, in the groundes called The Allorbeare, and The West Close, some tymes a parcel of the Ferme of Mersh in Swimbridge,
I doe give and bequeath soe manie yeares as shalbe unexpired at the death of my wieffe Mary Handforde, to Robert Chichester, sonne of Tristram Chichester, gentleman, deceased, yf he then be lyvinge,
And if it happen the saide Robert Chichester at that tyme be dead, and then I will the same landes to remayne to Judith Chichester, sister of the said Robert Chichester and to her Assignes.
The residue of all my goodes not given nor bequeathed, I give and bequeath unto Mary Handforde my wieffe, whom I doe ordaine and make my sole and onelie Executrix, all my debtes and Legacies being paide, of this my last will and testament.
And I ordaine and make my faythfull friends Mr Arthur Hatch, Mr William Molforde, Mr Thomas Pollard and Mr Henry Wyatt, Overseers of this my last will and testament.
In witnesse whereof I have to these presentes set my hand and seale, the daye and yeare above written, in the presence of Richard Pollard th'elder, Thomas Pollard, Richard Pollard, Junior, William Leigh.

Probate of Will of Hugh Handford, 1620.
The above written will was proved at London, before the worshipful lord John Benet, Knight, Doctor of Laws, Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, lawfully constituted,
On the tenth day of the month of October in the year of Our Lord one thousand six hundred and twenty,
By the oath of Mary Handforde, the relict of the said deceased and the Executrix named in the same will,
To whom administration of all and singular the goods, rights and credits of the said deceased was granted,
She being first sworn on God's Holy Gospel, by means of a Commission otherwise issued in that regard, well and faithfully to administer the same.
Examined.

Last updated: 25 Feb 2009 - Brian Randell