Help Reading Old Will

[JDGen]

Hi All,

I'm struggling with a will from 1621 - I wonder if anyone is able to help me fill in the missing words - the top right hand corner is very unclear, I may have to ask for another copy.  This is what I have so far:

In the name of God Amen the eighth? day of March anno domini 1621 I John Barlow of ? in the Countie of Chester yeoman being diseased in bodie and in good perfect? memorie thanks be unto God? therefore? and knowing ? man to be mortall and subject? to death and the tyme ? ? ? we...? all other wills heretofore? made do hereby ordayne I ? give my ? ? testament in manner and forme followinge that is to say first I bequeath my Soule into the hand? of almightie God my maker havinge? assuredlie? through the ? merits of Jesus Christ my Saviour, to be made ? of lyffe everlastinge and I commend my bodie to the earth ? ? made to be buried in the parish church of Great Budworth ? before the pulpitt? among my ? ? towarde the reperation of the ? church I do give and bequeath ? [amount] to ? ? concerning? all and singular my goods cattells and debts owing unto me ? it has pleased? ?.............................

Lots of question marks I'm afraid, would be very grateful for any help with this. 

Jean

[Little Nell]

Jean,

I'm looking at it now, but I need my magnifying glass in some places.  I'll get back to you, but a lot of what you have is correct.

However, the date is "xxi" I think, so 21st day of March.

Nell

[JDGen]

Thanks Nell,

I'm off out for Sunday lunch now, will log on when I get back.

Jean

[Little Nell]

I've added what I can:

In the name of God Amen the 21st day of March anno domini 1621 I John Barlow of ? in the Countie of Chester yeoman being diseased in bodie and in good perfecte memorie thanks be unto God therefore and knowing  man to be mortall and subject to death and the tyme the …..revokynge all other wills heretofore made ….. do hereby ordayne & make this my last will and testament in manner and forme followinge that is to say first I bequeath my Soule into the hande of almightie God my maker havinge assuredlie through the onelie merits of Jesus Christ my Saviour, to be made * of lyffe everlastinge and I commend my bodie to the earth ? ? made to be buried in the parish church of Great Budworth ? before the pulpitt among my ? ? towarde the reperation of the p[ar]ish church I do give and bequeath ? ** to ? ? And as concerning all and singular my goods chattells and debts owing unto me which it has pleased .............................

* the initial letter looks like the contraction “per” “par” or “por” and it definitely ends –er but the middle does not make sense –lak- or –lab- .
I’ve looked at several wills that I have for clues as to possible words and haven’t come up with anything similar yet.

** definitely an amount of money, the number of dots above tend to indicate 3 followed 4, but whether 3s 4d or a higher amount, I can’t make out.  It is very poor quality in that corner.

I can't read the place name at all - did it give it in the index?

Nell

[JDGen]

Hi Nell, and thank you for your input.

The index has Over Whitley so I suspect that the original is easier to read - I think I might ask Cheshire records office for another copy of the top right hand corner.  The contraction of per par por leads me to partaker of lyffe everlastingie - with your input I'll go through the rest of the will and hopefully fill in more of the gaps I have.  I think I will probably need to post some more over the next week or so though!! 

Thanks again,

Jean

[Little Nell]

The contraction of per par por leads me to partaker of lyffe everlastingie ...........

Of course - sometimes we just can't see beyond the obvious!

Nell