The Weald - People history and genealogy

In the name of god Amen. The twelfth day of April Anno Dm. 1619 and in the seventeenth year of the Reign of our sovereign Lord James, by the grace of God, of England, France and Ireland, king, defender of the faith, etc. And of Scotland the two and fiftieth. I, William Loker, of Penshurst in the county of Kent, gardiner, being of good health and perfect memory, thanks be given to almighty god, do make and ordain this my present testament and last will in manner and form following: That is to say, First and principally I commend my soul into the hands of almighty god, my maker and creator, and to Jesus Christ, my alone saviour and redeemer, hoping by the merits of his death and passion to have everlasting life. And my body I bequeath to the earth from whence it came, to be buried in the church yard of Penshurst aforesaid at the discretion of my executor hereafter named. Item: I give and bequeath to the poor of the parish of Penshurst aforesaid the sum of ten shillings of lawful english money to be paid, by my executor hereafter named, to the churchwardens there for the time being to the use of the said poor within one whole year next after my decease. Item: I give and bequeath to my daughter Susan, now the wife of George Terry, of Wrotham, one featherbed, three bolsters whereof two are filled with feathers, two cotton blankets, one coverlet coloured yellow and red and together with the bedstead and all other furniture thereunto belonging now standing and being in the chamber wherein I now lodge and also three great chests being in the same chamber withal the linen, woollen and other things in the same chests being, and likewise my Bible. Item: I give and bequeath unto my eldest son, Allen Loker, my table and all such other goods and household stuff as are now in my messuage or tenement in the occupation of John Woodgate. And I do make and ordain William Loker, my son, sole executor of this my last will and testament to I give and bequeath all the residue of my goods and chattels whatsoever not formerly bequeathed, my debts and legacies being paid and my funeral expenses discharged. This is the last will and testament of me the said William Loker made and declared the day and year aforesaid as touching the disposition of all my lands and tenements whatsoever within the parish of Leigh next Tonbridge in the county of Kent or else where within the realm of England. I do wholly give and bequeath the same (except one 36 little tenement in which one Walter ?? now dwelleth) unto my son Allen Loker and to his heirs and assigns for ever, paying out of the same, unto my said daughter Susan, yearly and every year during her natural life, the sum of sixteen shillings of lawful english money to be paid at two usual feasts in the year, that is to say, at the feast of Th'annunciation of the blessed virgin Mary and St. Michael Th'archangel, by even and equal portions, the first payment thereof to begin at such of the said feasts as shall first happen next after my decease. Also my will and meaning is that if the same sum of sixteen shillings shalbe unpaid at any of the same feasts unto my said daughter Susan during her natural life, that then and so often it shalbe lawful for her and her assigns to enter into and upon all or any of my said messuages, lands and tenements and there to distrain and the distress or distresses there taken to lead, drive and carry away and the same to detain and keep until the same sum of sixteen shillings, together withal the arrearages thereof, shalbe fully satisfied and paid. Item: my will and meaning further is that son Allen shall also pay unto my two grandchildren Elizabeth Lawrence and Susan Brooke, to each of them twenty shillings which I do hereby give and bequeath unto them to be paid unto them within one year next after my decease. And if the same shalbe unpaid above the space of one whole year next after my decease, then my will and meaning is that it shalbe lawful for the said Elizabeth Lawrence and Susan Brooke, either of them so unpaid and their assigns, to enter and distrain in and upon any of my said lands and tenements and the distress or distresses so found and taken to detain and keep until they shalbe fully paid the said sums of twenty shillings a piece. Item: I give and bequeath unto my daughter Ruth, now wife of Lamuell Ashen of Penshurst aforesaid the little tenement before excepted, to have and to hold the same little tenement to the said Ruth and to her assigns for and during the term of her natural life. And after the decease of the said Ruth I wholly give and bequeath the same tenement to my said son Allen Loker and his heirs and assigns for ever. In witness whereof I, the said William Loker, to every leaf of this my present testament and last will containing in all three sheets, have set my hand and to the last sheet or leaf thereof have put my hand and seal and do hereby revoke all former wills whatsoever the day and year first above written.
William Loker
Sealed, published and declared in the presence of Geor: Segars George Cristie David Willard

8^th Mar 1623/24

Buried

At St. John the Baptist Church in the Parish of Penshurst, Kent; recorded as "Old William Lockiar"

Penshurst Burial Registers