In the Name of God Amen I Staveley Staunton of Birchmore in the County of Bedford Esquire being of perfect mind and memory Praised be God doe make and declare my last Will and Testament in manner following First I commend my Soule into the hands of Almighty God I doe give and bequeath unto my sonn Staveley all my houshold Goods Plate and Jewells after my deare and loving wifes decease I give unto my sonn Francis and his heires all Stagsden Farme that Pearls Rents with the Rents and profitts from the time of my death I doe will and bequeath unto my daughter Elizabeth when at the age of Eighteene or marriage which shall first happen the sume of Fifteene hundred Pounds To be paid by my sonn Staveley within Six months after he is of age and Forty Pounds per annum for her maintenance untill the said Portion be due and afterwards full interest till the Portion be paid I doe will and appoint that my mother Phesant and my deare and loving wife if shee continues Executor shall sell the moyety of Hardwick Farm of the Revercion of it and all other my Lands in Bedford and Leicestershire that I have purchased in case my sonn Staveley should neglect within Six months after he is of age to pay the aforesaid Fyfteene hundred Pounds for and towards the raising of the said Summe But if my sonn Staveley shall pay the said Portion Then I devise all the afore mencioned Lands to him and his heires with all the Rents and profitts of the said Lands and Tenements I make my mother Phesant and my wife Executor And give unto my wife the other moyety of Hardwick Farme as an addition to her Jointure, but if shee marryes again Then my Will is that my mother Phesant should be Sole Executor and that the above mencioned moyety of Harwdick be wholy imployed to my sonn Staveleys use And if my mother should dye before my sonn Staveley is of age that then who shee shall appont by her last Will shall be Executor and desire and appoint that my Executor may receive all my Rents and profitts of my Estate and my personall Estate in trust for the sole use and benefitt of my sonn Staveley till he come of age and has paid the above mencioned Summe of Fyfteen hundred Pounds And my Will is that if my Sonn Staveley should dye before he is of age that then my sonn Francis shall be chareable withe said Legacy of Fyfteene hundred Pounds in the same manner and upon the same Condicion that my sonn Staveley is I doe will that my Executors have liberall allowances for all Charges paines and trouble they shall be putt to in the setting and receyving the same I doe appoint my mother Phesant for her life and who shee shall appoint by her last Will to be Guardian of my sonn Staveley and my wife in the same manner I appoint Guardian of my sonn Francis and daughter Elizabeth if shee continues Executor otherwise my will is that my mother Phesant may be Guardian of them If all my Children that I have or may have should dye before theire being of age or marriage Then I give and bequeath all my Lands in Bedford and Leicestershire to my Cosen Thomas Staveley of Belgrave and his heires I give Fyve Pounds a peece to all my servants that shall dwell with mee at the time of my death and Fyve Pounds to Woburne poore and Fyve Pounds to West Langton poore In witnes whereof I have sett my hand and seale the Twenty Sixth day of August 1678. Staveley Staunton In the presence of John Jennings Hugh Bateman Elizabeth Boneler
[Probate in Latin: proved at London 6 Jan 1678/9 by Mary Pheasant one of the executors, power reserved to the other executor Elizabeth Staunton]
Probatum apud London fuit huiusmodi Testamentum Coram venerabili vivo Domino Leoline Jenkins milite Legum Doctore Curia Praerogativae Cantuariensis Magistro Sexto die mensis Januarii Anno Dni (stilo Angliae) millesimo Sexcentesimo Septuagesimo Octavo Juramento Mariae Pheasant vinns Executorum in huiusmodi Testamento nominat Cui Commissa fuit adminstraio omnimum et singulorum Bonorum Jurium et Creditorum dicti defuncti de bene et fideliter administrando cadem ad sancta Dei Evangelia vigore Commissionis urat Elizabetha Staunton alter Executore in dicto Testamento nominat ex revtis Causis eam et amumam suam moden oneri Executrionis Testamenti primo renumtion proutex actis Cruiae liquet apparet &c.
