In the name of God Amen I John West the elder of Horton in the County of Bucks Gent bin infirm of body but of sound and perfect mind and memory thanks be therefore given to almighty God Doe make and ordaine this my last Will and Testament in manner following Impris I give and bequeath my Soul into the hands of Almighty God my most merciful Creator trusting assuredly through the merits of Jesus Christ my most gracious Redeemer to enjoy everlasting life And my body to the earth to be decently interred according to the discretion of my Executor herein after named And as for the world estate wherewith it hath pleased Almighty God to bless me I give and bequeath in manner following Imperis I give and devise all that my Messuage Tenement or Inne Standing and being in Colebrooke in the parish of Horton aforesaid commonly called or known by the name or sign of the Estridge otherwise the Ostridge [Ostrich] now in the occupation of Samuel Goade Innholder and all and every the arable Lands meadow grounds pasture grounds tenements hereditaments and appurtenances whatsoever to my said Messuage Tenement or Inn belonging used or appertaining lying and being in the parishes of Horton Iver and Langley Marish or some of them in the said County of Bucks and now in the tenure or occupation of the said Samuel Goade his assignee Undertenants or Assignes unto my Nephew William West sonne of my late Brother William West deceased and to the heirs and Assignes of him my said Nephew William West forever Item I give and bequeath unto my said Nephew William West sone sonne of my late Brother William West deceased all that my Mortgage made to me by Robert Aldridge the elder of Woodlands in the parish of Becconsfield in the said County of Bucks Gent of certain wood grounds commonly called Hodds alias Hodgemore lying in the Parish of Taplowe in the said County of Bucks and all and every same and sumes of money due to me upon the said mortgage and also all the state interest term and number of years which I have of and in Hodds alias Hodgemore aforesaid And I doe hereby will and desire my Nephew John West the younger of Horton aforesaid Papermaker eldest sonne of my said late Brother William West deceased to be Guardian unto his Brother my said Nephew William West until he shall attain his age of one and twenty years Item I give and devise all that Messuage Tenement or Inne situate and being in Colebrooke in the parish of Langley Marish in the County of Bucks commonly called or known by the name or sign of the Greyhound now in the occupation of Anne Elkington widow and all the buildings meadows grounds pasture grounds tenements hereditaments and appurtenances whatsoever to the same messuage Tenement or Inne belonging used or appertaining situate lying and being in the parishes of Langley Marish and Iver in the said County of Bucks now in the tenure or occupation of the said Anne Elkington her Undertenants Assignee or Assignes unto my Nephew Thomas West sonne of my Brother Richard West and to the Heirs of the body of my said Nephew Thomas West lawfully to be begotten And for default of such Issue then I give and devise the same Messuage Tenement or Inne called the Greyhound and the said buildings meadow grounds pasture grounds tenements and hereditaments there unto belonging used or appertaining unto my Nephew Richard West sonne of my said Brother Richard West and to the heirs and Assignes of him by said Nephew Richard West forever But my mind and will is that the said Anne Elkington should continue Tenant for the said Inne called the Greyhound and of all the meadow grounds and pasture grounds thereunto belonging at the yearly rent she doth now pay for the same with an interest only of four pounds per Annum rent for every hundred pounds I have laid out in building in and about the same Inne and soe according to that proportion of increase of rent for a greater of smaller some then one hundred pounds soe laid out as aforesaid Item I give and bequeath unto my Brother Richard West the sume of one hundred pounds lawful English money to be paid within the space of six months next after my decease Item I do give and bequeath unto my Niece Anne West daughter of my said Brother Richard West the sum of twenty pounds lawful English money to be paid within the space of six months next after my decease And also I give and bequeath unto my said Niece Anne West one feather bed and bolster there unto belonging and one broad two and twenty shillings piece of gold Item I give and bequeath unto my Niece Susanne West daughter of my said Brother Richard West the summer of twenty pounds lawful English money to be paid in the space of six months next after my decease Also I give and bequeath unto my Niece Susanne West one feather bed and bolster thereunto belonging and one broad two and twenty shillings apiece of gold Item I give and bequeath unto my Nephews Richard Pigge John Pigge and Ralph Pigge sones of my Brother in Law Richard Pigge to every one of them my said Nephews the sume of twenty pounds lawful English money to be paid within the space of six months next after my decease Item I give and bequeath unto Elizabeth Mastin wife of William Mastin of Horton aforesaid papermaker all my coyned gold other than the two pieces of gold herein before bequeathed Item I give and bequeath unto the said William Martin all my Lynien Pewter and wearing apparell Item I give and bequeath unto my Nephew John West sonne of my Brother Richard West the debit of fifty pounds principall money oweing to be from my Cozen Lewis widow living at the Kings Bye Inne in Bramford and all Interest money due to me son the same debt Item I give and bequeath unto my cozen John Holdernesse of Colebrooke the sum of twenty pounds lawfull English money to be paid within the space of six months next after my decease Item I give and bequeath unto my loving friends Edward Umsecvile Esq, and Samuel Aldridge Gent to each of them a Ring of the value of twelve shillings to we are in remembrance of me Item I give and bequeath the sume of tenne pounds of lawfull English money to be distributed amongst the poor Persons of the parish of Horton aforesaid according to the discretion of my executor Item I give and bequeath unto my Cozen Henry West sonne of William West of Byflett in the County of Surrey the sume of tenne pounds lawfull English money to be paid within the space of six months next after my decease And all the rest and residue of my goods chattels and personal estate herein before not bequeathed I give and bequeath unto my said Nephew John West the younger Papermaker eldest sonne of my said late Brother William West deceased And I doe hereby make and ordain him my said Nephew John West the younger of Horton sole executor of this my last Will and Testament And I do order and appoint my said executor to lay a Marble Stone upon my grave and another Marble stone upon the grave of my late Brother Timothie West deceased Item I give and bequeath unto my Niece Anne West Daughter of my late brother Thomas West Deceased the sume of twenty pounds lawfull English money t one paid at her age of one and twenty years or her day of marriage which shall first happen Item I give and bequeath unto Anne West daughter of my said late brother William West deceased the sume of twenty pounds lawfull English money to be paid within the space of six months next after my decease And lastly I doe give and bequeath unto Richard West sonne of of my said late Brother William West deceased the sume of Twenty pounds lawfull English Money to be paid within the space of one year next after my decease All which said three legacies hast here in before bequeathed I doe hereby order and appoint my said Executor to pay out of my personal estate not withstanding any bequest herein before to him made of the rest and residue of my personall estate In witness whereof I the said John West the Elder have unto this my last Will and Testament written in three sheets of paper affixed together sett my hand and seale this twentieth day of December in the four and thirtieth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord Charles the second by the grace of God of England Scotland France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith etc. Ann Due One Thousand Six Hundred Eighty Two John West.
Signed sealed published and declared by the above named John West the elder as his last Will and Testament in the presence of Edw Umfrvile Thomas Balldwin William Ayres
The National Archives; Kew, Surrey, England; Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Series PROB 11; Class: PROB 11; Piece: 389: Foot, Quire Numbers 133-172 (1687)