Also, if you are a male Pike/Pyke (or you know one) who may be willing to do a genealogical DNA test, then please check out the Pike DNA Project for which I am a volunteer coordinator. There are several Pike/Pyke families that are not yet represented in the project, and for whom participants are wanted.
In the name of God Amen the second day of July in the yeare of our lord 1654 I Symon Pyke of Wootten Rivers in the county of Wiltes yeoman being sicke in body but of good and per- fect minde and memorie (thanks be given to Almighty God for the same) Doe make and ordeyne this my last Will and Testament in manner and forme following That is to say Inprimis I bequeath my soule into the hands of Almighty God my Creator And my body to be buried in Christian buriall hopeing as- suredly in and through the alone meritts of Christ my Saviour to attaine unto the resurrection of the iust And as touchinge such worldly estate as God hath blessed me withall I give and dispose of the same as followeth Imprimis I give and bequeath unto Katherine Pike my faithfull and loveing wife one hundred and Twentie Sheepe sch are nowe depastureinge upon my Coppyhould in Pewsy Item I give unto her Sixe of my kyne the best she can chuse to be de- -livered unto her by my Executor hereafter named when after my death she shall goe to live upon my Coppyhould in Pewsy wherein after my decease she hath an estate for her Widdowhood Item I give unto her two Heifers wth Calfe to be delivered unto her wthin Twelve monthes next after such tyme as she shall be settled at Pewsy aforesaid Item I give unto her Three hoggs to kill to be deliver- -ed to her when she goeth to live at Pewsy if she shall goe thither at our Lady day nowe next comeinge Itm I give unto her one sufficient Cart and wheeles and all things belonging to him one plowe wth a foote sullow and all things belong- -inge to it Two payre of Scarrowes to be delivered to her when she shall goe to live at Pewsy Item I give unto her the bedd I nowe lye on wth all things belonging to it And all her Boxes and Coffers that she brought with her And the one halfe of all my Pewter and brasse And alsoe thone halfe of all my Childrens Bedinge and the Bedsteeds And thone halfe of all my houshold Lynnen Item I give unto her the little Feather bedd and the Bedsteed whereon it lyeth nowe in the little Chamber And moreover my Will and desire is that my Executor hereafter named shall in good and husbandly manner Eare plow and sowe all such part of the Arrable land be- longinge to my Coppyhould in Pewsy wch shall lye fitt to be sowen this next yeare and shall find wheate and all other Grayne necessarie for the sowinge thereof And the same being soe sowen shall wholely leave unto my said wife Item I give unto my wife All my Hay growing upon and grounds att Pewsy (except Botesmeade) And alsoe that wch is already carryed thither and one load more to be carryed thither Item I give and bequeath unto my said wife The sume of Seaven pounds wch is oweing unto me by John Channdler of ???e and to be paid att Michaelmas next And my further will and meaneing is that my wife shall enter unto the two grounds at Pewsy called Broomecroft acre and sixe acres nowe sowen wth Oates assoone as the Cropp shall be taken of Item I give to Thomas Pike my second Sonne xx s Item I give and devise to Symon Pike my third sonne All my land wch I bought and have wthin the Town of Marlebrough To hould to him the said Symon and his heires forever And my true will and meaninge is that the house thereon buildings shall bee finished accordinge to the directions I have given to my workemen att the costs of my Executor hereafter named wthall convenient speede Item I give to John Pike my youngest sonne The sume of Threescore pounds to be paid unto him at his age of Tenn yeares Item I give unto my sixe Daughters One hundred pounds apeece to be payd unto them at the tyme of theire mariage If they marry wth the consent of my wife and Executor hereafter named And my Will and true meaning and desire is that untill my said Sixe daughters shall have received theire respective portions hereinbefore given unto them they and my three younger sonnes shall be maynteyned in manner follow- -inge that is All of them wholely by my Executor soe long as my wife and him shall live together But when as my said wife shall dePARte hence and settle upon her liveing at Pewsy or elsewhere Then my sonnes Thomas and John and my eldest my Eldest daughter and my Daughters Mary and Jane shallbe maynteyned by theire Mother my said wife untill they receave theire portions (if she shall live soe long) And all the residue of my said Children to be maynteyned by my Executor hereafter named untill they shall have received theire said portions And further my Will is that in case my said wife shall Dye before the said Children wch I have Comitted to her be bredd up and shall have received theire said porcons Then such Children to be maynteyned by my Executor in forme aforesd All the rest of my goods and Chattels hereinbefore not bequeathed my debts and legacies payd and funerall expences defrayed I give and bequeath unto my sonne Henry Pike whom I doe hereby make whole Executor of this my last Will and Testament And I doe entreate my deare and loveing freinds Thorpe Pike my brother Stephen Hide Henry Pike Thomas Pike and William Scott of Heddington to be Overseers of this my last will and to be aydeing and assisting to my Executor in the due performance thereof And for theire paines therein to be taken I give to each of them v s apeece In witnes whereof I have hereunto put my hand and seale and published this to be my last will and Testament the day and yeare abovesaid In the presence of Wm Tarrant Thorpe Pike the marke of Steven Hide Tho Pike Symon Pyke A Codicill to be annexed to the Will of Symon Pike beareing date the second day of July 1654 Item it is my will and true meaneinge that my Executor in the said Will named to witt Henry Pike my sonne shall in consider- -ation of the moneys by him to be layd out for the finishing of the dwelling house nowe erecting on my land in Marlebrough according to the direccons of my said will shall have and enioy the said Tenements and profitts thereof for the space of Tenn yeares from the day of my death next following to his owne proper use Witnesses hereunto Wm Tarrant Thorpe Pike The marke of Steven Hyde Thomas Pike This will was proved at Westminster the Twenteth day of November 1654 before the Judges for Probate of Wills and granting Adcons &c by the oath of Henry Pike the sonne sole Executor named in the said will to whom Adcon of the goods Chat- -tells and Debts of the said Deceased was comitted he being first by Comission Sworne truly to Admter the same
Last Modified: Sunday, 19-Apr-2020 13:09:54 NDT