Date Written: 26 May 1610
Date Proved: 8 September 1610 Prerogative Court of Canterbury
Family Members Named: Margery SWIFT, wife; Joan SWIFT, daughter; Anthony and Edward MADEN, nephews, Jane MADEN, sister; Robert and Godfrey SWIFT, brothers; Godfrey SWIFT, nephew; John and Henry WOLSTENHOLME, cousins
Other bequests: Andrewe TURNER; Richard SOWTER; Elizabeth SEARLE; Sabeth NORMAN and the poor of the parish of St George
Overseers: John and Henry WOLSTENHOLME
Executrix: Joan SWIFT
Witnesses: Andrew TURNER, notary; James GOODYERE, servant to notary
In the name of God Amen the Sixe and twenti{th} Daye of Maye Anno Domini one thousand sixe hundred and tenne and in the eighte Yere of the raigne of oure soveraigne Lorde James 6 by the grace of god Kinge of England Frannce and Ireland Defender of the faithe &c and of Scotland the three and fortithe I James Swifte of Southwarke in the Countie of Surrey Yeoman whole in bodye and of good and perfect memorye thankes be therfore given to Almi{ghtie} god Do make and ordeyne this my present testament and last will in manner and forme folowinge that is to saye
First I Command my soule into the handes of Almightie god my Creator most assuredlie trusting and beleving to be saved only by the Death & passion of Jesus [Chr]iste and by no other meanes And I will my Bodye to be buryed in the parishe churche of Saint Gorge the Martir in Southwarke afore sayed or where yt shall please god to appoynte for yt at the Discretion of my overseers hereafter named
Item I give to the poore people of the saied parishe of Sainte George tenne poundes to be distributed amongst them where my overseers shall thinke most neede
Item I give to Anthony Maden my sisters sonne fortie poundes in money yf he shalbe living at the tyme of my deathe {...} and to be paied to hym within sixe monthes next after my deathe Neverthelesse my will and meaninge ys that my Cosens Mr John Wolstenholme and Mr Henry Wolsteholme and the Survivor of them and theire assignes shall have the custodye of the saied somme of Fortie poundes untill the full age of one and twentie yeres of the saied Anthonye and then the sayed money to be Delivered to hym and not before
Item I give to Edward Madon my sisters sonne twenty poundes to be paied and Delivered unto hym as the saied somme before given to his brother Anthony ys appoynted to be paied Allso I give to every of the children of my sister Jane which shalbe alive at my deathe Except the saied Anthony and Edward whoe I have before remembred Tenne poundes a peece to be paied to them within sixe monthes next after they shall severallie atteyene and come to the full age of one and twentie yeres Allso I give to my saied Sister Tenne pounds yf she shalbe living at my deathe
Item I give to my Brother Robert Swifte tenne poundes to be payed to hym yf he shalbe living at my Deathe
Item I give to Godfrey Swyfte my brother Godfrey Swyftes sonne Tenne poundes to be paied to hym within sixe monthes next after his full age of one and twentie yeres yf he shall then be living Allso I give to the saied Godfrey my Brother Tenne poundes to be paied to hym within sixe monthes next after my deathe yf he shall then ^be^ livinge And I forgive hym all suche Debtes as he shall owe me at the tyme of my Deathe
Item I give to Margery my Wife the Lease of the house I Dwell in in Southwarke aforesayed called the redd Crosse and the moytie or one full halfe of all my moveable goodes And allso two hundred poundes in money
The Residue of all & singuler my goodes Chattells & Debtes and other thinges whatsoever not by herein bequeathed my debts Funeralls and Legarcys paied and discharged and this my present testament in all things performed I wholly give and bequeathe unto Johane my Daughter And I name and appoynte the sayed Johane Executrix of this my last willl and testament
Neverthelesse my Will and meaning ys and I do hereby entreate and Desire that my saied Cosins Mr John Wolstenholme and Henry Wolstenholme and the Survivor of them will take into theire tuition and government my saied Daughter and all suche money and other thinges whatsoever which shall growe Due to her by this my testament and to see her vertuouslie broughte up untill she shalbe of the age of one and twentie yeres or be marryed And then the saied money and all proffittes to come thereof in the meanetyme to be Delivered to her yf they shall not thinke good to leave her with her mother as my desire ys they should not And for theire paynes herein to be taken I give to either of them fyve poundes
Allso I give to my freind Andrewe Turnor No[tory] five poundes And to my freind Richard Sowter al[ia]s Salter fyve poundes I give to Elizabeth Searle fiftie shillinges And to Sabeth Norman fiftie shillinges And I appoynt my saied two cosins overseers of this my testament
In witnesse whereof I have hereunto put my hande and seale the Daye and yeres above written Signum Jacobi Swyfte This present testament conteyning allsoe three sheetes of paper was subscribed sealed and Delivered by the above named James Swifte the daye and yere above remembred in the presence of Andrewe Turnor No[tary] and of me James Goodyere Servant to the sayed No[tary]