In the name of God Amen the first day of September 1736 according to the computation of the Church of England I William Nicholas of the parrish of Cumcarvin in the County of Monmouth, yeoman, being of perfect memory praised be God do make and ordaine this my last will and testament in manner and form following. That is to say. First I bequeath my soull into the hands of Allmighty God my maker hoping through the meritorious death and passion of Jesus Christ my redeemer to receive free pardon and forgiveness of all my sins and my body to be buried in Christian buriall att the discretion of my executrix hereafter named. Item I give and bequeath unto my son William Nicholas all my personall estate in Cumcarvan and Mamhilate in the County of Monmouth to him and his heirs for ever imeadiatly after the decese of the longest liver of my wife or my selfe upon condition that he will pay one hundred pounds of good and lawfull money of Great Britain to his five sisters in manner and form following, that is to say, twenty pounds of current money of England to my daughter Mary Nicholas and twenty pounds of the like money to my daughter Ann Nicholas and twenty pounds mor to be paid to my daughter Susanna Nicholas and twenty pounds of the like money to be paid to my daughter Catherin Nicholas and twenty pounds more of the like lawfull money to be paid to my daughter Elizabeth Nicholas, the remainder of the hundred pounds [There follows 2 lines of text that have been scribbled out. DW] Item all the rest of my goods, chattels and cattels and whatsoever else I have in this world I give to Catherin my wife for the term of her life and all my goods and cattle to be at her disposeing and after her decease to my son William and his heyrs for ever upon condition that he will pay the hundred pounds between his sisters within the term of one whole year after the death of the longest liver of William Nicolas or his wife. Item ---? ---? Catherin ---? My last will and testament revokeing all other wills and testaments
In witnesse hereof I have hereunto putt my hand and seall the day, month and year first above written. William Nicholas.
Sealled and delivered in the presents off us Walter Nicholas, John Nicholas, Phillip Harris
April the 27th 1737. Catherine Nicholas the relict and executrix herein named was sworn well and truly to execute the same to exhibit an inventory and to render an account &c before me. Wm Morgan, Surrogate
The will was proved at Uske upon the twenty seventh day of April in the year of our Lord God 1737 before the Reverend Mr William Morgan, Clerke, the Chancellor’s Surrogate by Catherine Nicholas the relict and exectrix herein named who was first upon the holy Evangelists personally sworn well and truly to execute the same to exhibite an inventory and to render a just account of her administration of the same when thereunto lawfully required.
Transcribed from a photocopy of the damaged original by Dave Woolven, 2 Aspen Way, Malpas Park, Newport, South Wales. NP20 6LB Tel 01633 858 359 16 August 2000