In the name of God Amen, I Thomas James of the parish of Llanarth in the County of Monmouth being aged and feeble in body but of sound mind, memory and understanding praised be to God, do make this my last will and testament in manner following, that is to say, All my estate, messuages, houses, outhouses, buildings, gardens and orchards situate, lying and being in the said Parish of Lanarth in the said County of Monmouth commonly called and known by the name of Ty yr Caia and Monalog fawr with the lands, arrable meadow, pasture and woodland thereunto belonging, I give and devise unto Mary my dearly beloved wife to hold to her my said wife during her natural life, together with all my personal estate by her freely to be possessed and enjoyed during her natural life but she is answerable for all my incumbent debts and after her decease I give and bequeath unto my son William James the above said messuage lands and tenements commonly called and known by the name of Ty yr Caia and Manalog fawr with all its appurtenances to hold to him my said son William James and his heirs but if in case he should die without issue, I give and devise unto my other son John James the above said messuage lands and tenements commonly called and known by the name of Ty yr Caia and Monalog fawr with all its appurtenances to hold to him my said son James and his heirs, but if in case he should die without issue, I give and devise unto my grandson Edward James son of my eldest son Phillip James the said messuage lands and tenements commonly called and known by the name of Ty yr Caia and Monalog fawr to hold to my said grandson Edward James and his heirs for ever. Also I give and devise unto my eldest son Phillip James on shilling after my decease. Also I bequeath that my said son William James shall find proper maintenance and cloathing for my eldest son Phillip James during his natural life after the decease of his mother provided that my said son Phillip James do inherit and live and work according to his power and strength with my said son William James and if my said son Phillip James do not live and inherit with my son William James I do devise that my son William James shall only find my son Phillip James with proper cloathing or wearing apparel during his natural life. Also I give and bequeath unto my son Thomas James on shilling after my decease. Also I give and bequeath unto my grand son Edward James, son of Phillip James my eldest son Phillip James the sum of ten pounds of lawful money towards settling him an apprentice. Also I give and bequeath unto my well beloved daughter Anne James the sum of sixty pounds of lawful money, to hold to her my said daughter Anne James and her heirs for ever and to be paid by my said son William James within twelve months after the decease of his mother. Also I give and bequeath unto my beloved son John James the sum of ten pounds of lawful money to hold to him my said son John James and his heirs for ever and to be paid by my said son William James within twelve months after the decease of his mother, and of this my will I make, nominate and appoint my said son John James and my said daughter Anne James sole executors and hereby revoking all former wills by me made I pronounce, publish and declare this to be my last will and testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this twenty sixth day of December in the year of our Lord 1789. Thos James
Signed, sealed, published and declared by the said Thomas James the testator as and for his last will and testament in the presence of us who in his presence and in the presence of each other and at his request have here unto subscribed our names as witnesses to the due execution hereof William Edmunds of Abergavenny; Martha James, Lanarth; Phillip Powell, Lanarth
This is a Codicil to be added to and taken as part of my last will and testament in manner following. I do hereby give, devise and bequeath all those my copyhold messuages, lands, tenement and hereditaments in the parish of Lanarth in the County of Monmouth and every of them with the rents, issues and proffits thereof the same being already surrendered by William Powell of the parish of Lanarth in the said County of Monmouth to my brother James James and Ann his wife now both deceased bearing date on or about the fifth day of November 1772 unto my grandson Edward James of the parish of Lanarth in the County of Monmouth after my decease, provided nevertheless that my grandson Edward James shall and will pay the sum of twenty pounds of lawful money of Great Britain unto my son Thomas James after my decease, to hold to my said grandson Edward James and his heirs for ever after paying the aforesaid legacy. Also my son William James shall and will pay the sum of thirty pounds unto my son Thomas James of lawful money of Great Britain after my decease and my wife’s decease. And lastly I do nominate and appoint my son John James and my daughter Ann Lewis sole executors of this my will and codicil. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal 29th day of May 1802.
Thos codicil was signed, sealed, published and declared by the said testator Thomas James as and for part of his last will and testament in our presence William Edmunds, Abergavenny; Ann Jones, Abergavenny; Frances Morgan, Abergavenny
October 9th 1804 Anne Lewis, formerly James (Lanarth) natural and lawfull dau’r of the said deceased, one of the ex’ors named in the forgoing will and codicil thereunto annexed was sworn to the truth thereof and to the faithfull performance of ye same & that the ye goods &c do not account in value to ye sum of £600 (power being first reserved) for the other exor when he shall apply for the same. Benj Hall, Chancellor
Proved at Abergavenny on the 9th day of Oct 1804 before the Chancellor on the oath of Anne Lewis, natural and lawfull daughter of the said dec’d, one of the executors in the said will and codicil named
Transcribed from a photocopy by Dave Woolven, 2 Aspen Way, Malpas Park, Newport, South Wales
NP20 6LB Tel 01633 858 359 27 September 2000