In the name of God Amen, the twentith nineth day of December in the year of our Lord God one thousand seven hundred & fourteen &c I William Lewis of ye pishe of Landenny in the County of Mon’th & Dioces of Landaffe, yeoman, being sicke in body, but of sound & perfect minde & memorie (Praysed be given to Allmighty God) doe make & ordaine this my last will & testamt in manner & forme following. First & principally I commend my soule into ye hands of Allmighty God my maker and Jesus Christ my Saviour & onely redeem’r hopeing through His meritorious death & passion to receive pardon & forgivenesse for all my sins. And my body to the earth to bee buried in Christian buriall accordinge to ye discression of my execut’rs hereaft’r named. Item I give, leave & bequeath unto my grandsone William Williams the sone of Peter William the sume of ten pounds of good & lawfull Brittish money to bee paid by my execut’rs hereaft’r named & for & towards his educacon & settleinge of him an apprentice to some convenient trade. Item I give, leave & bequeath unto my lo: daught’r Joanne, the wife of Phillip Powell, and unto Mary, my lo: daught’r, the wife of Peter William, the residue of all singular my goods, Chattells & cattle of all sorte & kinde whatsoev’r and all manner of househould stuffe, implem’ts of husbandry, corne thrashd & unthrashd & now groweinge be itt of what kinde whatsoev’r lyeinge & beinge in both the hamlet of Gwehellwgg & ye pishe of Landenny in ye aforesd County, equally to bee devided between my said daught’rs Joanne Powell & Mary William, and by the best discression & knowledge of my lo: neighbours John Harry of ye pishe of Landenny & John Edmonds of ye pishe of Ragland (vizt) That is to say, all as shall be over & above the payinge of all charges of my buriall, rents, taxes or paym’ts else whatsoev’r as shall or may bee due wthin one whole yeare aft’r my decease. Item my minde & meaninge is that my daught’r Mary herein named doe & will pay or cause to be payd unto my lo: daught’r Joanne Powell the sume of three pound of lawfull Brittish money out of her moyetie or share &c. Item I doe hereby nominate and appoynte my sd lo: daught’rs Joanne Powell & Mary William to bee joynte executors of this my laste will & further doe hereby renownce & revoake all & manner of will or wills heretofore wtsoev’r made at any tyme wtsoev’r. Item I doe further request, nominate & appoynte my lo: neighbours yts John Harry of Landenny & John Edmonds of Ragland to be trustees & ov’rseers in aydeinge & assistinge my herein named execut’rs &c. In witnesse hereof I the said William Lewis have hereunto sett his hand & seale even the day, month & yeare first above written.
The marke of ye testat’r.
Signed, sealed, published & deliv’ed in prsence of us John Edmunds, John Harry, the marke of Howel Waters, Hen: Probert
Item Memorandu’ that ye herein ye named testato’r doe further & as it beinge ye request of late his wife Joanne, late deceased, have bequeathd unto the wthin named Willam Williams the sone of ye wthin named Peter William, one fether bed & boulster one pillow one rugg, one blanckett, a payre of sheets, wherein the said William Lewis lyeth thereupin, before the ensealing & delivered of these prsents. The marke of the testato’r
Signed, sealed & delivered before ye ensealeinge thereof in prsents of us John Edmunds, John Harry, the marke of Howel Waters, Hen Probert
(Latin) 12 Oct 1715 Proved by Joanna Powell & Mary William, daughters & executors named in the testament. Before me Franc: Davies, Surrogate
(Latin) Proved at Uske 12 Oct 1715 before Rev Francis Davies, Surrogate, by Joanna Powell & Mary William daughters & executors
A true and perfect inventory of all the goods, catle and chattells of William Lewis late of Landenny, yeom’, deceased, made this second day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fifteen by us whose names are here under written as followeth
£ s d
Imprimis The dendants wearing apparell 0 15 0
Item Eight small cows valued att 16 0 0
Item Five small bullocks valued att 8 5 0
Item Four two year old young catle valued att 4 0 0
Item Four yearling catle valued att 2 0 0
Item Two weaning calves valued att 0 10 0
Item Two small horses, two old mares and a sucking colt valued att 4 10 0
Item 13 sheep and eight lambs valued att 1 14 0
Item Pigs both greate and small valued at 1 2 6
Item Poultryes of all sort valued at 0 3 4
Item All manner of implements of husbandry valued at 0 16 8
Item All manner of houshold stuffe and trumperies there valued att 3 2 6
Item All provision in the house valued at 0 18 0
Item About ten covers of hard corne growing valued at 2 10 0
Item About ten covers of lenten grain growing valued at 1 5 0
Item Moneys both sperate and desperate 35 5 0
72 17 0
Appraysed by us Walter Evans, Richard Powell
Transcribed from a photocopy by Dave Woolven, 2 Aspen Way, Malpas Park, Newport, South Wales
NP20 6LB Tel 01633 858 359 18 August 2000