In the name of God Amen. I William Jones of Tregeirog in the parish of Lanishen in the county of Monmouth, gent, being of perfect memory (blessed be Almighty God) do make and ordain my last will and testament this sixteenth day of April in the year of our Lord God one thousand six hundred fifty and one in manner and form following. First I commend my soul unto Almighty God my Creator trusting to obtain ever lasting life through the merits of Jesus Christ my savior and I commit my body to the earth to be buried in the parish church of Landenny at the discretion of my executors towards which I do appoint and give forty pounds. Item I give, devise and bequeath all my lands, tenements and hereditaments situate in the parish of Penyclauth in the said County of Monmouth to my nephew John Edmonds and his heirs and assignees forever. And whereas I have formerly? surrendered all my customary lands and tenements which I hold within the Mannor of Uske (according to the custome of the said Mannor) to such use and uses as I should declare in my last will and testament as by the said surrender may more fully appeare In pursuance whereof I do now hereby declare the use of all that my customary or copyhold lands called Glangwenthur being part and parcell of the said Mannor together with all the houses , buildings, lands, meadows, pastures, woods & underwoods thereto belonging or to or with the same usually occupied and enjoyed and by me purchased of my brother David Jones, Thomas Sternhold, John Sternhold, Henry Hall, John Anderson gent. Phillip Griffith, George Griffith and others shall be and remain. And I do hereby accordingly devise. limit and bequeath the same to my kinsman William Prichard the sonne of my nephew Walter Prichard and to his heirs and assignees for ever And I do hereby expressly declare that my will is that my freehold in the said surrender named shall stand and be --? Of all that my said customary or copyhold lands and tenements called Glangwenthur immediately from and after my decease in the use of the said William Prichard and his heirs and assigned forever according to the custom of the said Manor. Item I do hereby give, devise and bequeath all my freehold lands and tenements that are part or parcell or reputed to be part or parcell of my said tenement and lands culled Glangwenthur to my said kinsman William Prichard and to his heirs and assignes forever. Item I give, devise and bequeath all that my tenement and lands lying in l.angovan in the said County of Monmouth now in the tenure of Edward Howell to my nephews Walter Prichard, John Edmonds, William Jones (sonne to my brother Walter Jones) and to my cousin Thomas Beavan of Gwernythigg (being executors of this my last will and testament) and to their heirs and unto the heirs of the survivor of them for and towards the relief and better maintenance of the poor and impotent people of the parish of Landenny forevermore. Item I give, devise and bequeath to my said executors Walter Prichard, John Edmonds, William Jones and Thomas Beavan and to their heirs and to the heirs of the survivor of them all that my tenement and lands lying in the parish of Lanishen now in the tenure of Lewis Lawrence for and towards the relief of the poor and impotent people of the said parishes of Lanishen and Penyclauth in manner and form following (that is to say) To the poore of Penyclauth forty shillings per annum and the residue with the rents, issues and profits thereof towards the relief of the poor people of Lanishen forevermore. Item I give, devise and bequeath all my tenement and lands with the appurtenances lying in Langoven aforesaid now in the tenure of Maud Richard (alias Maud of the Keven) together with my tenement and lands in the parish of Lanishen and now in the tenure of William Symon to my said executors Walter Prichard & John Edmonds, William Jones and Thomas Beavan and unto their heirs and unto the heirs of the survivor of them for and towards the relief and better maintenance of the poore and impotent people of the parish of Langoven aforesaid forevermore. Item I give, devise and bequeath all that parcel of arable and pasture ground lying in the parish of Lansoy in the said County of Monmouth called Tir y gwrgageth now in the tenure of Elinor Lewis, widow, unto my said executors Walter Prichard. John Edmonds. William Jones and Thomas Beavan and unto their heirs and unto the heirs of the survivors of them for and towards the relief and better maintenance of the poor amid impotent people of the said parish of lansoy forevermore Amid I do hereby declare it to be my true intent and meaning that the rents, issues and profits of all and singular the said lands and tenements so hereby formerly bequeathed towards the relief of the poore and impotent people of the said respective parishes of Landenny, Lanishen, Lansoy, Langoven and Penyclauth be faithfully distributed from time to time by my said executors and overseers hereafter named to such of the said poor as they or the major part of them shall think fill but my true meaning is that in all and every such distribution a special care he had that my own poor kindred (if any he) may and shall have a greater proportion of the said dividend then any of the other poor in those respective parishes and my further will is that a inst.? and true account of such distribution from time to time may be given by my executors and by the survivor of them to my said overseers and to the survivor of them on every sixth day of January yearly and that after my said overseers and the survivor of them have approved of the same by subscribing their name or names thereunto the same shall be adjudged? a perfect account to all intents whatsoever and my further will and meaning is that after time decease's of my said executors and overseers and the decease of time survivor of them that the two next Justices of the Peace that shall be from time to time forever may and are hereby desired to take care that the rents, issues and profits of the said lands and tenements by me so devised for the relieve of the said respective poor people be forever distributed according to my will and meaning hereby formerly expressed and not in any other manner and as for and concerning all the rest and residue of my lands and tenements lying in Langoven aforesaid and hereby not formerly devised or bequeathed the same being customary or copyhold land and part and parcell of the said Mannor of Uske I do hereby declare the use thereof to be and remain (and I do hereby accordingly give, devise and bequeath the said last rented premises) unto my said nephew William Jones sonne of my brother Walter Jones and to his heirs and assignees forever And I do hereby declare that it is my will and meaning that my freeholds in the said surrender named shall stand and be seized of the same to the use of my said nephew William Jones sonne of my said brother Walter Jones and of his heirs and assignees forever according to the custom of the said Mannor of Uske. Item I give, devise and bequeath to my kinsman William Harries sonne of George Harries late of Lansoy and to his heirs all that my tenement and lands in Lansoy and now in the tenure of Elinor Lewis, widow, excepting that parcell of pasture ground called Tir y Gwrgageth which I have formerly given towards the relief of the poore of the said parish of Lansoy. Also I give, devise and bequeath to my said kinsman William Harries (sonne of the said George Harries and to his heirs forever one parcell of arable lands lying in the said parish of Lansoy containing by estimation twelve acres being now in my owne possession and next adjoining to the yard and orchard now in the tenure of the said Elinor Lewis together also with so much of the meadow lying in Lansoy aforesaid called Gwyrlod Vawre as lyeth above the row of fruit trees towards the land containing by estimation about three acres and adjoining to the said close of arable land by me devised to the said William Harries as aforesaid on the one side and the said lane on the other side and whereas I have devised tenement with the appurtenances in Lansoy to my servant Phillip David for one and twenty years at the rent of ten pounds thirteene shillings and foure pence per annum. Now my will is that the said Phillip David his executors or administrators shall pay more then eight pounds per annum during the said tenure the residue I remit unto him the said Phillip David towards the payment of all taxation's incident to the same Also I give and devise the said tenement with the appurtenances unto my godson William Jones son of my nephew David Jones late of Uske and to his heirs forever Also I give, devise and bequeath to my nephew Thomas Jones of Kencoed and his heirs my tenement with the appurtenances in the tenure of Nicholas Dunkerton? in the parish of Landenny. Also I give, devise and bequeath unto my nephew John Jones of Kevencoed and his heirs my tenement with the appurtenances in the tenure of Edmond Waters in Landenny aforesaid. Also I give and devise unto my nephew William Jones of Dingestow and to his heirs all my lands and tenements with the appurtenances in Landenny now in the tenure of John Thomas, William Phillip the butcher, David Jones and Evan David yet nevertheless my will is that the said William Jones and heires shall of the rents and profitts of the said lands pay foure pounds yearly to the said Thomas Jones and to his heires forever And also pay foure pounds yearly to the said John Jones and his heires forever upon the first day of May and first day of November yearly by equally portions. The first payment to begin upon such of those dayes as shall first happen after my decease And if it shall happen that the said William Jones or his heirs shall fail in payment of any part of the said annuities or rent charges that then it shall be lawfull for the said Thomas Jones and John Jones and their heirs to distreyne upon the premises as for a rent charge to all intents and purposes. Item I give and bequeath to my niece Anne Edmonds and her heirs forever one annuity or rent charge of five pounds. Also I give and bequeath unto my niece Cecil Fortune and her heirs forever one annuity or rent charge of five pounds. Item I give and bequeath five pounds annuity or rent charge to my servant Elizabeth Thomas daughter of Thomas David the smith and her heirs forever. Item I give and bequeath three pounds annuity or rent charge to the said Thomas David and Tacy his wife during their lives and the longest liver of and after their decease I give and bequeath the said annuity of three pounds to Phillip Thomas their sonne and to his heirs forever. Also I give and bequeath to my said nephew Thomas Jones and his heirs forever four pounds yearly. Item I give and bequeath to my nephew John Jones and his heir's forever foure pounds yearly. Item I give and bequeath five pounds yearly to my niece Anne Jones of Monmouth and her heirs forever. Item I give five pounds yearly to Mary Williams wife of Evan Williams and her heirs forever to be issuing out of part of the lands which I purchased of her father Mr. Phillip Williams. Item I give and bequeath eight pounds yearly to my servant Anne Tannte? during her life which said several annuities shall be payable and charged out of the rents, issues and profits of my demeasne lands and tenements lying in the premises of Lanishen and Lansoy aforesaid called Tregeyriog and other lands in my possession and not hereby formerly disposed of and my further will and meaning is that the said sums or annuities shall be yearly paid on the first day of May and the first day of November by equal portions the first payment to beginne upon either of those days which shall first happen after my decease and that if it shall happen that any part of the said annuities be unpaid upon any of the said days that then it shall be lawfull for the said persons and their heirs to distreyne on the premises as for a rent charge to all intents and purposes.

Item I give and bequeath unto the two daughters of Mr Edmond Williams of Rydymaine tenn pounds. Item I give and bequeath to my godson William Kynvin twenty pounds, which his father owes me. Item I give and bequeath to my nephew David Charles fifty shillings. Item I give and bequeath to Cecill David daughter of David Evan ten pounds. Item I give and bequeath to Johan Jones daughter to my nephew William Jones son of my brother Walter Jones five pounds. To Elizabeth Woolfe wife of Mathew Woolfe twenty shillings. To my servants Thomas Parker, William James, Lewis Rosser and Elizabeth

{BLANK} forty shillings apiece. Also I give and bequeath twenty pounds to build a faire bridge in Landenny and to make a good passage unto it, which my executors are to see performed according to their discretion. Also I give and bequeath twenty pounds towards the reparacon of the Churches of Landenny, Lansoy, Lanishen, Langovan and Penyclauth (vizt) to Landenny six pounds, to Lansoy three pounds, to Lanishen foure pounds, to Langoven foure pounds and to Penyclauth three pounds the said monye to be disposed by my executors to the uses aforesaid within three yeares next after my decease or sooner if they see it necessary.

Also I give to Captaine Jones of Bergavenny forty shillings, Mary Harries, Elizabeth Harries and Katheryne Harries (daughters of George Harries of Lansoy fortie shillings a piece, to Edmond Phillip forty shillings, to Elizabeth the wife of David Jones of Dingestow forty shillings which her husband owes me by bond. Also I give towards amending the bridge called Pontyr don and the way about it forty shillings. Also I give towards amending the highway from Croft y lloy to the stone bridge and a little beyond the bridge where the way is most faulty foure pounds, also towards mending of Lloydarth cawsey forty shilling over and above foure pounds which my sonne Walter Jones hath given, and my wilt is that the said bridges be made and the wages and cawseys mended and the said legacies payd within one yeare next after my decease. Item I give and bequeath the land called Tirlucas which I hold by lease from the Earle of Pembrooke unto my servant David Thomas during the terme yet unexpired in the same. Item I give to Mrs Jane Jones daughter of Sir Charles Jones, Knight the summe of twenty pounds which I bestow upon her for her paynes with me in the tyme of my sicknes. Item I give and bequeath to my cosen Walter Morgan of Bernards Inn of London forty shillings, to John David Thomas of Treleck and John Jones of Ragland forty shillings a piece. And for and towards the payment of those several annuities and rent charges to the several persons before named I do hereby give, devise and bequeath unto my said executors Walter Prichard, John Edmonds, William Jones and Thomas Beavan and to their heires and to the heirs of the survivor of them all my lands and tenements whatsoever tying in Lanisen and Lansoy and not hereby formerly disposed of. Upon this speciall trust and confidence that they my said executors and their heirs and the heirs of the survivor of them shall well and truly pay the said several annuities to the said several persons in manner and form before expressed and I do hereby declare that the use of all my copyhold lands lying in the said parishes of Lanishen and Lansoy and not hereby formerly by me bequeathed or disposed of shall be and remain to my said executors and to their heires and the heirs of the survivor of them towards the payment of the said annuities and rent charges and that in as ample a manner as my said freehold lands by me given and appointed for the payment of the said annuities and rent charges whereas my said nephews Thomas Jones and John Jones hath each of them encroached upon the common called Kevencoed and enclosed about the quantity of two acres of lands and have thereupon erected two cottages and certain other buildings, now my will and mind is that the said Thomas Jones and John Jones shall within one year next after they shall receive any benefit by this my will, cause the said cottages and buildings to be pulled down and lay open the said lands so encroached and enclosed? unto the said common as it was before, and my will and meaning is that they the said Thomas Jones, John Jones and William Jones (son of my nephew David Jones) and their and every and either of their heirs shall upon request made to them by my nephew William Jones (son of my brother David Jones) or by his heirs release and surrender all their right title and demand whatsoever of and unto all and every part and parcel of my customary lands and tenements that are part and parcel of the Mannor of Ragland, And if they the said Thomas Jones, John Jones and William Jones (son of my said nephew David Jones) or their heirs or the heirs of any or either of them shall after such notice given them refuse or neglect to release the same accordingly at the next Court, then to beholden for the said Mannor of Ragland, Or if they the said Thomas Jones, John Jones and William Jones (Son of my said nephew David Jones) or their or either of their heirs or any other person claiming from by or under them or any or either of them shall molest or trouble my said nephew William Jones, son of my said brother David Jones or his heirs or assignees in the quiet and peaceable enjoyment of the lands and tenements hereby by me given to my said nephew William Jones (son of my said brother David Jones) that then and not otherwise all and every the lands, tenements, annuities and rent charges by me hereby formerly given and bequeathed to my said nephews Thomas Jones, John Jones and William Jones (son of my said nephew David Jones) shall be and remain unto my said nephew William Jones (son of my said brother David Jones) and to his heirs and assignees forever and I do hereby further declare my will and meaning to be that if my said nephew William Jones (sonne of my said brother David Jones) or if my said nephews Thomas Jones. John Jones and William Jones (sonne of my said nephew David Jones or their heires or the heires of any or either of them or any other by their or either of their procurement? shall at any tyme after my decease molest. interrupt or trouble any legatee or legatees person or persons whatsoever to whom I have by this my last will and testament given and lands, annuities or other legacies whereby he or they cannot quietly enjoy the same according to this my will and meaning that then he or they so offending shall take no benefit by venue of any former gift, legacy or bequest by me hereby given to him or them so offending but that the same shall be and remain to my executors and to their heires and to the heires of the survivor of them upon this confidence that my said executors shall expose of the same to such legatee or legatees that shall receive any premdice? by any such molestacon or interupcon. Item I do hereby constitute, nominate and appoint my said nephewes Walter Prichard, John Edmonds, William Jones (sonne of my brother Walter Jones) and my said cousin Thomas Beavan of Gwernythig? to be executors of this my last will and testament. And I do hereby de--? Loving friends Mr Walter Cradock of Langome; Edmond Jones Esquire; Phillip Nicholas of Lanpilt gent to be overseers of this my last will and testament And to the said Walter Cradock I give five pounds to buy him a piece of plate, and to the said Edmond Jones and Phillip Nicholas forty shillings a piece to buy each of them a ring. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year first above written. It being my last wilt and testament containing seven sheets of paper written on the one side only. And it is hereby further declared that the legacy or legacies that I the said William Jones shall by any other Act or Acts, scaled and subscribed in the presence of two or more credible witnesses shall be as valid and effectual to all intents and purposes as any legacy or legacies hereby bequeathed or which I may lawfully bequeath, Any thing hereby formerly contained to the contrary notwithstanding. William Jones, Published, sealed and delivered in the presence of Edward James; Edmund Jones; William Jones; James Phillips?

Probate (in Latin) Proved in London 26 May 1664. Administration given to Walter Prichard, William Jones & Thomas Bevan. executors named in the said testament.

Transcribed from a photocopy by Dave Woolven, 2 Aspen Way, Malpas Park, Newport. South Wales. NP2O 6LTI Tel 01633 858359 1 July 2000

NOTE: Some parts of the will have not photocopied ver well. DW