Mede, John

Will (Transcript), Transcription by Vance Mead (Reliability: 3).
[first page missing] ...at two terms usual in the year, that is to say at the feast of Saint Michael the archangel and at the feast of the annunciation of saint Mary, by even portions in the hand of George Meade my son, his heirs, executors or assigns and so to continue the term of six and twenty years next and immediately following, when the said Robert Meade the son of Robert Meade my son shall come to the full age of XXI years. Item I will that if so fortune that the said Robert to die at any time before he has lawful heirs of his body begotten, then my will and mind is and I give and bequeath the aforesaid six pounds thirteen shillings and four pence fully to remain and to be paid as is aforesaid unto Robert Meade the son of John Meade of Debden my son and to his heirs of his body lawfully begotten, and for lack of such heirs I give and bequeath the aforesaid six pounds thirteen shillings and four pence unto the youngest son of the said John Meade my son. Item I give and bequeath unto Robert Meade the son of Robert Meade my sonll that certain piece of ground and pasture called Little Bushwood, set, lying and being within the parish of Easton aforesaid which I bought and purchased of Gyles Bourne gentleman to have and to hold all the said the certain piece of ground and pasture called Little Bushwood with all and singular the appurtenances unto the said Robert Meade and to his heirs male of his body lawfully begotten when the said Robert shall come to the age of four and twenty years. And if the said Robert shall happen to die without heirs male of his body as is aforesaid, then I will the said piece of ground or pasture with all and singular the appurtenances thereof to remain unto George Meade my son and to his heirs male of his body lawfully begotten, and for lack of such issue I will the said piece of ground and pasture to remain wholly unto John Meade the second son of John Meade of Debden my son and to his heirs as is aforesaid and for lack of such issue to remain wholly unto the next heirs of the said John Meade forever. Iemmy will and mind is that George Meade my son his executors or assigns shall have the using of the said piece of ground or pasture from the time of my decease until such time as the said young Robert Meade shall come to his age of four and twenty years as is aforesaid, paying therefore yearly four pounds of lawful money of England after this manner as hereafter follows, that is to say four nobles of lawful money of England to the maintenance of a school within the parish of Easton aforesaid for the space of five years to be paid and delivered at such time as when the gift of one Robert Newman shall be given for the maintenance of the said school and another four nobles of the said four pounds I give and bequeath to Katherine Reador my daughter to be paid unto her yearly next after my decease until such time as young Robert Meade the son of Robert Meade my son shall come to his age of XXIIII years as is aforesaid and the other four nobles of the said four pounds to be distributed yearly among the poor marrigesthat shall happen to be within the parish of Easton aforesaid by the discretion of my executors unto such time as the aforesaid young Robert Meade shall come to his age of ten years and then the said four nobles to cease from that year and from that time forth to go to the schooling and other ______ of the said young Robert. Item whereas I have given and bequeathed four nobles yearly to the maintenance of a school for the space of five years as is aforesaid my will and mind is that when the said five years be expired that then the said four nobles to be distributed to the poor marriages and other deeds of charity yearly within the said parish of Easton aforesaid likewise by the discretion of my executors, where most need shall appear until the said younger Robert Meade shall come to his full age of four and twenty years as is aforesaid. Item I give and bequeath unto every one of my children''s children five shillings and eight pence apiece to be paid unto them immediately after my decease by the hand of my excutor. Item I give and bequeath unto every godchild that I have twelve pence. And furthermore, whereas Robert Meade my son late of Easton aforesaid deceased has in his last will and testament willed and bequeathed unto me the said John Meade all such moveables and goods as were remaining and being in and upon the said farm called Easton Hall where I the said John Meade dwell now, I will which was the said Robert''s at the time of his decease which goods and moveables specified in a pair of inventories thereof made whereof one of them does remain with me, the second with the Ordinary and the third with the executor of the said Robert, all which goods the said Robert did give and bequeath unto me as is aforesaid, desiring me to distribute and give unto his children what that it shall please me to give at such days and times as are declared in the said will of the said Robert as therein does more plainly does appear, my will and mind is that all such debts as the said Robert did owe at the time of his and all suh legacies as are given and bequeathed out of these said goods by the said Robert and all other reasonable charges concerning the said Robert and his said last will and testament first deducted out of these said goods, the residue of all those said goods remaining I give and bequeath all the balance thereof as then are priced in the same inventories to the children of the said Robert equally to be distributed an divided among them all by even portions at their several ages of XXI years or at the days of their several marriages if they or any of them shall happen to marry before their several ages by the hand of my executor, and if it fortune any of the said children do die before their said legacies be due as is aforesaid, then I will that his, her or their part so deceased be equally divided among them that then be living at such days or times as the partiy or paries so deceased should have received the same legacies if they had lived. And if it happen that all those said children do die before their said lgacies are due as is aforesaid then I give and bequeath all those said goods unto all my children and my children''s children then living, to be equally divided among them by the hand of my executor, provided always that my will and mind is that all such brass or pewter ______ that was the said Robert''s which is contained & specified in the said inventories I will that my executors shall the said stuff in keeping ____ nor break any parcel thereof but shall deliver all the said stuff even as it is in the same kind unto all the children of the said Robert at such days as it shall be due unto them to be equally divided among them. Item the residue of all my goods unbequeathed, my funeral expenses performed and these my legacies in this my testament fulfilled I give and bequeath them equally unto my four children that is to say John Meade, George Meade, Julian Brown and Katherine Reador to be equally divided and distributed. I make and ordain John Meade and George Meade my two sons and Thomas Brown my son in law y executors and they to have for their labours and pains taking about this my said will and present testament every one of them ten shillings over and above their charges and I utterly revoke and annul all my other former testaments and wills, legacies, bequests, executors and overseers be me in any ay before this time made, named or bequeathed. In witness whereof I have to this my present testament and last will put my hand and seal in the day and year above said, they being witnesses Thomas Cotton, clerk, Nicholas Robert, and William Stroling with others.