Hi,
I have transliterated the Will for you and roughly translated the grant of Probate that immediately follows the Will.
There is, however, an extensive one page sentence handed down by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury at London in Latin concerning the granting of probate in this matter. That I have not translated for you.
In the transliteration that follows, I have words that contain square brackets [ ] which indicates that the word had been in a contracted form in the Will. The letters inside the square brackets are those that had been omitted. You will also see that largely I have used modern spelling in place of the archaic spelling found throughout the document.
IN THE NAME OF GOD, AMEN: on the seventeenth day of July Anno Domini 1633, I, ELIZABETH PLEDALL, of Cumnoer in the County of Berks[hire] widow being sick and weak in body yet of good and perfect memory thanks be given unto God do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following,
First and principally I give and yield my soul into the hands of Almighty God my maker and Redeemer by whose death and passion I only trust to be saved and my body to the earth from whence it came and to be buried in Cumner at the discretion of my Executor and Overseer.
Inpr[imus], I give and bequeath unto JOHN WILTON my brother forty shillings.
It[em] I give unto RICHARD WILSON my kinsman eighteen pounds that is eight pounds oweth me and ten pounds more upon this condition that he do not vex nor trouble my Executor nor cause him to be vexed, sued or troubled for any matter cause or thing whatsoever.
It[em] I give unto HENRY LANGLEY'S children that he had by my kinswoman three score pounds to every one of them twenty pounds a piece.
It[em] I give unto ANTHONY KEW twenty pounds upon this condition that he shall not vex, molest nor sue my Executor for any matter cause or thing whatsoever.
It[em] I give unto MARGARET FARNEY forty shillings and unto her children twenty shillings a piece.
It[em] I give unto MARGARET ROBERTS, ANN ROBERTS, JOANE ROBERTS, REBECCA ROBERTS and JOHN ROBERTS twenty pounds to be equally divided between them upon this condition that they nor any of them do not vex, molest nor sue my Executor for any matter, cause or thing whatsoever.
It[em] I give unto GRISSILL BOWER my maid ten pounds.
It[em] I give unto JOANE BAGNALL five pounds.
It[em] I give unto ROBERT JENNINGS ten pounds.
It[em] I give unto JOHN JENNINGS ten pounds.
It[em] I give unto ELIZABETH WERDMAN ten shillings.
It[em] I give unto RICHARD [illegible surname] ten shillings.
It[em] I give unto ELIZABETH FOWLER twenty shillings
It[em] I give unto THOMAS PEAD ten shillings.
It[em] I give unto the poor of Cumner ten pounds.
It[em], I give unto the Church of Cumner forty shillings.
It[em] I give unto ANN LANGLEY a trunk with all things that is in it.
It[em] I give more unto GRISSILL BOWER a wainscott chest, my cloke and my savegard, my hood, and a new petticote.
It[em] I give unto ROBERT JENNINGS one feather bed and boulster and two pair of sheets and a pair of blankets.
It[em] I give four pounds to make a causeway from holdings along the street by Peare poole along towards Goodman Bonds.
It[em] I give unto WILLIAM BOND five pounds.
And all other my goods and chattels moveables and unmoveables, my funeral being discharged I give unto THOMAS JENNINGS whom I make my full and sole Executor of this my last Will.
And I do nominate and appoint my wellbeloved friend WILLIAM BOND to be my Overseer of this my last Will.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF I the said ELIZABETH PLEDALL have to this my last Will and Testament set to my hand the day and year first above written.
In the presence of the mark of Elizabeth Pledall.
Mo]r[e]over the two lynes [sic: lines] and the two pieces of lynes between the sixteenth and the seventeenth lyne were blotted and put out before Elizabeth Pledall did set to her hand.
John Fuellin
The mark of Robert Goodman
Probatum ac per Sententiam diffinitivam approbatum et insinuatum fuit testamentum suprascriptum apud London coram venerabili viro domine Henrico Marten milites legum doctore curia prerogative Cantuaria magistro custode sive commissario legitime constituto septimo die mensis Maii anno domini millesimo sextentesimo triesimo quarto juramento Thomae Jennings executoris in huismodi testamento nominati cui commissa fuit administraro omnium et singulorum bonorum jurium et creditorum dicti defuncti de bene et fideliter administrando eaden ad sancta dei evangelia jurate, etc.
Probate made of the above written Will by the definitive sentence in London at the court of the venerable man Sir Henry Marten, knight, doctor of laws, Master of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury of by the duly appointed commissioner by the oath the 7th day of the month of May in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred thirty-four of Thomas Jennings named as Executor in the Will who swore by the love and to the holy Gospels of God to well and faithfully manage all and singular the goods and granted the rights of the administration of the rights of the said deceased and creditors and granted the rights of the administration, etc.
