transcription by Christine Normington
In the name of God Amen I Hamlett Ffetherstone of Birlinge in the countie of Kent and in the dieces of Rochester beinge in good health and good rememberance withal thanks be to God doe make my will and testament in maner and forme followinge fixtures and bequeath my sowle to allmightie god my creator & redeemer & hope one day to be saved by the redemption of my SaviorJesus Christe ITEM I give to Hester my wife ffower pounds in money to start out of ye land which Goodman Calyer[could be Colyer] houldeth of mee during his life Item I give him my bed with anon lynon with all that belongeth to it and two paier of sheets further more appointe my executors to take all my leases into theire hands & my will alsoe: and after their mothers death my chiloren also to turne it as they shall agree for their rigte prophitt all of them fower ye youngest lease at faith Item I give hand to my sonne John one acar of my house grownd at Lymge at the upper end of the foresr[?] acars I give to my daughter Elizabeth Ffetherstone and to Thomas Ffetherstone my sonne all fower acars either to divide as they themselves shall think good payinge by the are----?anorant[?] by the year for rente money give to my youngest chiloeren aforementioned all the rest of my corne and tattle [title?] and goods within my house or without it whatsoever to be equallie divided betwixt them allowing the rents to be paid out of the store & my debtes to be paide and the rest remaine to my chiloeren theirin hope to fix – bage[?] to help paie it and to my mind is not ti have ye goods & ye stock, over praise[?] is for oranginge my grownds [?] and I do appoint that they shall have one wholeyear afore they paie aney and then I wonte to have my eldest daughter paid the next year after my sonne John to be paid at his cominge out of his apprentiseshippe or at one and twentie years of his age also my minde is that if any of the youngest of them die before they reach theyer generall ages or before their marriages that then the rest shall equalie devide the share therefore the youngest I meant if my sonne John to be paid twentie shillings for his life and my sonne William goe to be apprentised hereto be paid at his cominge out of his apprentiseshippe or at one and twentie years of his age also my minde is that if any of the youngest of them die before they reach theyer generall ages or before their marriages that then the rest shall equalie devide the share therefore the youngest I meant if my sonne John beg to die his parte shall come to his children if hee have anay if not to remain to his brothers and sisters also my mind is that everyone shall beare his share endifferentlie in provinge my will and alsoe in allotter sharing as the house/Lymge or anything else also appointe my sonne Thomas Ffetherstone my executor to prove my will and to see all thigs with discharged By me Hamlett Ffetherstone written with my owne hand the last of maye and in the first yeare of the raigne soveraigne Lord King Charles I doe requre ye goodman Calyer of the paish to be my overseeor to my chiloeren and our cominge my will and legasies and to advise in theire dooinge also appointe them to be guided by them in theire character to abide by them Hamlett Ffetherstone I doe nowe upon consideration give to my sonne Thomas Ffetherstone besid and about my yonnger black coulte and my ridginge coute and my shift[?[ this is over and above his former share meansioned hereon that I am in his debte Hamlett Ffetherstone hereto enter Lymmge was donn by mee with my owne hands Hamlett Ffetherstone witness here of Thomas Lloyd vicar of Berlinge the mark of John Hugins the mark of Jno Jefferey