JOHN GIFFARD 1621

John Giffard of Brightleigh in Devon
Will dated 1 April 1621


In the name of god Amen: And in the first daie of Aprill in the yeare of our Lord god one thousand six hundred twenty one
I John Giffard of Brightleigh in the P[ar]ishe of Chittlehampton in the Countie of Devon Esquire revoking all former wills I doe make this my last Will and Testament in manner & forme ffollowing Ffirst I give upp my soule unto Almightie god my Creator & Redeemer with assured hope & belieffe to be saved & to be made & taken to his heveanlie kingdome above by the merritts & passion of his sonne Jesus Christ & committing my bodie to a Christian buriall Item I give to the poore of the P[ar]ishe of Chittlehampton ffive poundes Item I give to the poore of the P[ar]ishe of High Bickington ffive poundes Item I give to the poore of the P[ar]ishe of Atherington fifty shillinges Item I give to the poore of the P[ar]ishe of Westleigh three poundes two shillings eight pence Item I give and bequeath unto John Giffard my sonne And unto Arthur Giffard and George Giffard my grand children formed of Arthur Giffard deceased all my estate terme and interest which I have after the death of Maria Luxton and George Luxton of & in all that Capitall messuage Barton & Demesne & of and in all landes meadowes & pastures belonging to the same comonly talked or known by the name of Winkleigh also Winkleigh Keines lying & being in the P[ar]ishe of Winkleigh [in] ye Countie of Devon and nowe or late in the terme & possession of the fforesaid Maria Luxton and George Luxton their assigns or assigned provided alwaies that if the foresaid John Giffard my sonne doe or shall happen to dye duringe the fforesaid terme then my Will is and I give all his p[ar]te and propertie of and in the fforesaid Barton viz otherwise p[ar]te of the whole in three p[ar]tes to be divided unto John Giffard my grandchilde formed of Arthur Giffard deceased during all the residue of my tearme then formed & unexpired of & in the same Provided likewise that if the foresaid Arthur Giffard my grandchilde doe or shall happen to dye within the tearme aforesaid Then my Will is and I give all his p[ar]te and propertie of and in the foresaid Barton viz one third of the whole in three p[ar]tes to be divided unto my foresaid grandchild John Giffard formed of Arthur Giffard deceased during the residue of my terme then to come and unexpired of and in the same Provided likewise that if the foresaid George Giffard my grandchild doe or shall happen to dye within the tearme aforesaid then my Will is and I give all his p[ar]te & propertie of and in the foresaid Barton viz one third p[ar]te of the whole in three p[ar]tes be divided unto my foresaid grandchilde John Giffard formed of Arthur Giffard deceased during all of the residue of my tearme then to come and unexpired of & in the foresaid Barton with its Appurtenance then the said John Giffard my sonne And Arthur Giffard and George Giffard my grandchildren Respectively and proportionately payinge & p[e]rforming during their lives all such Rentes Covenantes and conditiones as by my lease of or for or concerning the premisses I or my executors are bound to yield [e]xsacte & pay of or for the same Item I give unto my sonne John Giffard, and unto the foresaid Arthur Giffard and George Giffard my grandchildren and to every of them during their lives and the life of either of them the fforesaid Maria Luxton and George Luxton ten poundes a piece of lawfull English money the said overall somes to be paid yearely att the ffouer most usuall seasons of the yeare by the Executor of this my last Will and testam[en]t Provided likewise & my intent & meaning is that the gifted and bequeathed said before given and bequeathed unto Arthur Giffard & George Giffard my grandchildren I give & bequeath unto them upon this condition that they the said Arthur & George and each of them do acquite and upon request release and discharge my cosen William Leigh of Northam of & for the severall sums of ffiftie poundes apiece heretofore given by their grandfather Leigh in his will and testament which I likewise acknowledge to have received Item I give unto Lewis Giffard my grandchild uppon condition that he likewise uppon request made when he shall be able doe acquite & likewise discharge my foresaid cosen William Leigh of & for one other ffiftie poundes given him likewise by his grandfather Leigh [by] his will inherit of & acknowledge the receipt I then give unto him during his life the revenue of all that tenement called Lowham also Lowham within the parish of High Bickington [in] ye Countie of Devon now or late in the tennure of one John Ffriend his assigns or assigned And untill the said tenement shall come unto him I give unto the said Lewis Giffard ten poundes of lawfull English money to be paid yearly att the ffouer most usuall seasons by my Executor Item I give unto Thomas Giffard my grandchild during his life the revenue of all that tenem[en]t & of all landes belonging to the same called or commonly known by the name of - [blank in original document] - lying & being in the p[ar]ishe of Ch[ul]mleigh [in] ye Countie of Devon being now or late in the tenure of one John Cortram his assigns or assigned And untill the said tenement shall come unto him and the said Thomas Giffard shall have lawfull possession of the same I give unto the said Thomas Giffard ten poundes of lawfull English money to be paid yearly att the ffouer most usuall seasons by the Executor likewise of this of my last Will and testament Item I give unto Maria Giffard my sonne Arthur Giffard’s daughter ffouer hundred poundes of lawfull English money to be paid at her daie of marriage or att her age of one and twentie yeares which shall first happen Item I give unto Honor Giffard my grandchilde my sonne Arthur Giffard’s daughter ffouer hundred poundes of lawfull English money to be paid her att her daie of marriage or att her age of one and twentie yeares which shall first happen but upon this condition that she do acquite discharge or otherwise cause permition to be given to acquite and discharge my cosen William Leigh of Northam and his executors for the some of ffiftie poundes excess of a greater some heretofore given unto her by her grandfather Leigh [by] his Will which heretofore I have received Item I give unto Ffrances Giffard & Elizabeth Giffard two other daughters of my sonne Arthur Giffard ffouer hundred poundes apiece of lawfull English money to be paid likewise unto them att their severall daies of marriage or at their severall ages of one and twentie yeares which shall first happen Item I give unto the fforesaid Maria Giffard Honor Giffard Ffrances Giffard and Elizabeth Giffard ten poundes apiece to be yearly paid unto them at the ffouer most usuall seasons by the executor of this my last Will and Testament untill the day of their several marriages or untill they shall attaine unto their several ages of one and twentie yeares which shall first happen Item I give unto my brother Mr Roger Giffard thirteen poundes five shillings & eight pence to be paid unto him within one month after my decease Item I give unto my sister Ffrances Giffard ten poundes of lawfull English money Item I give unto my cosen John Giffard sonne of the foresaid Ffrances Giffard the some of thirtie poundes to be paid within two monthes after my death Item I give unto every of my Servantes tenn shillings apiece All the rest of my goodes leases & Chattells as well moveable and unmoveable not before given nor bequeathed I only & wholly give & bequeath unto my grandchilde John Giffard sonne of Arthur Giffard deceased whome I make my whole and sole executor of this my last Will and Testam[en]t And touching the establishing of my Mannors landes Tenem[en]ts & hereditaments I do give & bequeath all my Mannors landes tenem[en]ts Rentes Rev[er]sions & hereditaments whatsoever in the Countie of Devon or elsewhere within the Realme of England where I have any estate of inheritance unto my said grandchild John Giffard eldest sonne of Arthur Giffard deceased and to his heires males of the bodie of the same John Giffard lawfully begotten and for default of first issue to remaine to the right heires males of the bodie of the said Arthur Giffard And for default of first issue to remaine to the right heires of me the said John Giffard forever charged with such grantes & estates as are this my last Will & Testament before declared and expressed And I request my good ffriends John Giffard of Lightburne Esqr Ralph Barrie of Eastleigh Esqr my sonne in law Thomas Addington Esqr my cosen William Leigh of Northam Esqr and my sonne in law John Garland of Whitfill [Whitfield] Esqr to be ayding and assisting my executor concerning the execution of this my last Will and testam[en]t In witness whereat I the said John Giffard doe publishe and acknowledge this to be my last Will and testament And have hereunto putt my hand and seale on the day and yeare first above written

[Signed:] John Giffard

Witnesses hereunto

WILLIAM LEIGH
JOHN GIFFARD
BARTHO[LOMEW] SHAPTON


[Transcribed by Jane Sercombe Lewis]