Wills

In the name of God Amen I Edmund Bedle of Colebrooke in the parish of Horton in the County 

of Bucks Cooper being sick in body but of p[er]fect memory the Lord betherefore

praised doe make this my last will and Testament thus p[re]sent third day of February

in the year of o[u]r Lord God one Thousand six hundred twenty six and in the second year of 

the reigne of our soveraigne Lord Charles King of England Scotland France and Ireland 

defender of the faith in manner and form following Imprimmius I bequeath my soul into the 

hands of my maker and redeemer and my body to the earth to be buried at the discretion of myne 

Executors hereinafter named And as touching my worldly goods w[it]ch god hath heere blessed me I

all to avoid controversie amongst my wyfe and children I dispose as here followeth Impremmis I give 

and bequeath to my oldest son the Thomas the full summe of tenne pounds of lawfull English

money to be paid him w[i]thin the space of one whole year after the decease of my now wyfe Gillian Item

I give and bequeath unto Joane my daughter the summe of Twenty pounds of like lawfull money to be

paid to her likewise w[i]thin the space of one whole yeare after the decease of my said wife and forcsmuch

as my said wyfe is now very old and unable to traiaile in the world by labour for her living I doe here

by commit her to the keeping of my sonne Robert my youngest and doe ecieine?? my said sonne by these

pr[e]sents to finde unto my said wyfe meate drinke and apparell lodging washing and all other necessaryes fit 

and decent for her during the terme of her naturall lofe in such sort as shalbe indyed and thought fit and 

reasonable by my overseers of this my last will hereafter named unto whom doyning the …

of our towne that then shalbe I commit trust and considered of the looking to the fit and decent keeping of my

said wyfe who I make indges in the same, W[hi]ch provision honest and decent or want not being amended unto her by my

said sonne Robert he being by then my said overseers and the minister a some said admonshed of the same that the

my will is that my said wife shall presently upon such conplaint made by the said overseers and minister under

their or the most of their handes unto any Justice of peace w[i]thin this county seise and take unto her owne

proper use and behoofe halfe of all and every parcel of my goods chattels moveables and money whatsoever 

is not above given but lest to my said sonne Robert But if such decent provision as above said by my said

Sonne Robert be made as I make no doubt at all but it shall Ithen give and bequeath unto my said sonne

Robert not only the one half of my goods money and chattels whatsoever w[it]ch my intent is he shall have whether the 

said covenant of provision for his mother be kept or not but also my debts an funerall charges paid the

other halfe of my said goods chattels or money whatsoever And I hereby make my said sonne Robert

full whole and dole executor of this my will and Testament and of the same I nominate and chuse my

well beloved friends Thomas Pitt of Colebrook in the parish of Horton above said mercer and Thomas Burcombe

of Colebrooke in the parish of Langley in the county of Bucks Mercer my overseers and Such uisers of this my

will and testament unto every of whome upon confidence of the came they shall have in the trust heerein repos…d

do dye befoe the tyme of the payment of his said tenne poundes above given that then my sonne Robert shall not

be bound to pay the sane to any but to keepe it to his owne use and behoofe In witness whereof I the said

Edmund Bedle doe hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year first above written

Sealed in the p[re]sence of 

Robert Winckes Sen

the mark of 

Robert X England

John Shorter 

The mark of Edmund Bedle

Buckinghamshire Archives DAWf: 26/235