In the name of God Amen, I Walter Nicholas of the parish of Cumcarvan in the County of Monmouth, yeoman, being sick and weak in body but of sound mind, memory and understanding (thanks be given to Almighty God) yet considering the uncertainty of this mortal life do think it necessary to make and ordain this my last will and testament in manner and form following. I do first of all resign myself soul and body to the mercy of god in Christ Jesus, and as to such worldly estate and effects as it hath pleas’d God to bless me with I give and bequeath the same in the following manner and forn. Item I give and bequeath unto my nephew John Nicholas my estate in the parish of Cumcarvan commonly known and call’d by the name of Ty bry subject to a legacy of twenty pounds, ten pounds thereof to be paid to John Devell the younger of the Town of Monmouth and the other ten pounds to be paid to Elizabeth Turner, sister of the afores’d John Devell of Monmouth the sd ten pounds bequeath’d to her the sd Elizabeth Turner to be pd to her by executor at the end of one year after my decease and the other ten pounds to be pd to John Devell afores’d at the end of two years after my decease by my sd executor. I give and bequeath likewise to my nephew John Nicholas the house, out houses together with all the lands thereunto belonging (excepting three meadows in the parish of Lanvair in the afores’d County, now in the possession of William Gregory, tenant, subject to a legacy of twenty pounds to be pd to Anne Nicholas at the end of two whole years after my decease, and also the sum of five pounds pr? Ann: to be pd to her the sd Anne Nicholas yearly and every year during the term of her natural life, arising out of the rents and profits of the lands in Lanvair afores’d. I give and bequeath the three meadows before excepted, which are in the possession of William Gregory, tenant, afores’d to my nephew William Nicholas and his heirs lawfully begotten or to be begotten, and in default of such issue, to John Nicholas and his heirs, subject to the several legacies herein after mention’d Vizt two pounds to Wm Poskin son of Thomas Poskin of Ragland, two pounds to Catherine the wife of John Giles of Gwernesney, two pounds to Susanna Nicholas sister of Wm Nicholas, three pounds to Elizabeth Charles widow of Mitcheltroy: the three pounds bequeath’d to Elizabeth Charles to be pd to her at the end of one year after my decease and the rest to be pd at the end of two years after my decease I give to my niece Elizabeth Philips the sum of five pounds to be pd to her by my executor at the end of one month after my decease: I give and bequeath to John the son of James Edmonds of the parish of Dingistow the sum of two pounds to be pd to him likewise by my executor at the end of two years after my decease. I give and bequeath to my brother John Nicholas and my sister in law Anne Nicholas the sum of ten pounds to be pd to them or the surviver of them at the end of one year by my executor after my decease: I give and bequeath to the poor the sum of three pounds to be distributed among them by my executor upon the day of my funeral; and I do hereby nominate and appoint my sd nephew John Nicholas only and sole executor of this my last will and testament, hereby revoking all former wills by me heretofore made. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this twenty eighth day of January in the year of our Lord 1760. Walter Nicholas
Signed, sealed, publish’d and declar’d by the sd testator as his last will and testament in the presence of us who have subscrib’d our names as witnesses Thos Williams; Mary Edwards; R? Davies, Clk
April the 27th 1762. John Nicholas the nephew and sole executor in this will named was sworn well and faithfully to execute the same and to the truth of the inventory &c and to render an account &c before me. Nath Wells, Surrogate
This will was proved at Abergavenny on the twenty seventh day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and sixty two before the Reverend Mr Nathaniel Wells, Clerk, Master of Arts, the Chancellor’s Surrogate, by John Nicholas, the nephew and sole executor in this will named who was first on the holy Evangelists personally sworn well and faithfully to execute and to the truth of the inventory by him exhibited and to render a just account of his administration thereof when thereunto lawfully required
Transcribed from a photocopy by Dave Woolven, 2 Aspen Way, Malpas Park, Newport, South Wales
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