Will of 1613

[Davedrave]

I have found a will which I would be very grateful for some help with. The writing looks awful to me and I’m afraid that the image doesn’t look very good either. Just some indication of some of the individuals mentioned would be great.

Thanks,
Dave

(Will of John Lea of Bagworth, 1613. Record Office for Leics., Leicester and Rutland)

[goldie61]

In the name of god Amen the iij die of November Anno domi 1612 I Jhon
ley of Bagworth in the co(u)ntye of leister yewman beying syke in bodye but
of p(er)fect remembrance thankes be to god doe make and ordayne thys my last
wyll  and Testament in maner and forme followyng Fyrst I bequeth my soule
to Allmyghtye god my maker and Jessus Chryst my redemmer by whosse death and
passion I hope to be saved and by no other meanes And my body to be bewried
in the church yarde of Thornton Item I geve to my fore chyldrynes chyldrerne that
is to saye to Jhon huntes vi chyldaren to every one of them iij s iiij d and to wyllym
>>and to Thomas Ad?ckes ij chyldren to everye one of them iij siiij d
leyes iiij chyldren to everye one of them iij s iiij d and to wyllyam huntes iij chyldren
to every one of them iij s iiijd and to Rychaarde hyltons iij chyldryn the which he had
by Elyzabeth hys fyrst wyffe to everye of them iij siiij d to be peayde to there
fathers with in one twelfe monyth after my decesse to be put forth to the best
youse of the sied chyldren Allso I geve to my vj god chyldren to everye one of them
iij d All the rest of of my goods unbequethed I geve to wyllyame ley my
sonne whom I make m sole Executor of thys my last wyll and testame(nt)
Allso I ordayne pears (?) ormston and Jhon hunt sup(er)vysers of the same
wyll


The added line squashed between the others halfway through is pretty difficult to see, and you have to discount it when making sense of the lines either side of it - if that makes sense!

[Davedrave]

Many thanks goldie61, you have been a great help.

Dave

[horselydown86]

I read the surname in the interlined section as:  Adcockes

Also, I'm pretty sure that it originally read I geve to my fore chyldryns chylderne but the number was subsequently altered to fyve, which matches the number mentioned after Thomas Adcock was added.

[Davedrave]

Thank you for the clarification, horsleydown86. I am assuming that children’s children means grandchildren and that John Lea had four daughters who married and left children (and daughter Elyzabeth had died) as well as a son William who had children.

I’m wondering whether “children’s children” was the normal way to refer to grandchildren before that term became widely used?

Dave

[horselydown86]

I am assuming that children’s children means grandchildren and that John Lea had four daughters who married and left children (and daughter Elyzabeth had died) as well as a son William who had children.

Yes, that is how I read it.

I’m wondering whether “children’s children” was the normal way to refer to grandchildren before that term became widely used?

In my experience, both terms were in use throughout the period.

[Davedrave]

Thanks for your answer, horsleydown86.

Dave

[horselydown86]

I’m wondering whether “children’s children” was the normal way to refer to grandchildren before that term became widely used?

In my experience, both terms were in use throughout the period.

Further on this, the Merriam-Webster Dictionary gives these first usages:

grandchild: 1569
grandson: 1573
granddaughter: 1608

So these terms were relatively new when you will was composed.

However, there's another construction common in early wills which goes something like this:

...I geve unto John Brown my sonne William Brown his sonne...

[Davedrave]

Thanks for this info, horsleydown86.

Dave