2 July 1654 Will of Symon Pyke of Wootten Rivers, Wiltshire, yeoman (proved 20 November 1654)

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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