In the name of God Amen The fifteenth day of December the year of our Lord God One thousand six hundred and two I John Strudwicke of Stedham in the county of Sussex Taylor sicke in body but of good and pfect rememberance (xxxx and praise be to the Almighty God) not minded to dye intestate do ordaine and make this my present testament concerning herein my last will in manner and forme following
Ffirst and Principally I comend my soule unto Almighty God my maker and redeemer hopeing through his death and passion to be one of those which shall inherit the Kingdom of Heaven And my body to be buryed in the church yard of Stedham
Item I give to the Cathedral Church of Chichester ijd and to the Church of Stedham I bequeath iijd
Item I give to the six Children of my brother Richard Strudwicke thirty Shillings apeece to be paid unto them within one year next after my decease
Item I give to the foure children of my brother Anthony Strudwicke thirty shillings to be paid unto them in like xxx And yf any of the children aforesaid before they come to their severall ages of sixteene years shall happen to depart this earth then it is my will that the deceased share shall remaine to the rest and to the longest survivor of each of them
And it is allso my will that this money before gyven to all the said children shallbe put forth for their xxx and advancement accordynge to the discression of myne overseers hereafter named
Item I give to my brother Richard Strudwicke 30 shillings
Item I give to my Brother Stephen Strudwicke 30 shillings
Item i give to my brother xxxx Strudwicke 30 shillings
Item I give to my syster Sara 30 shillings
Item I give to every one of my godchildren 12 pence apeece all which giftes and bequeaths to be paide within one yeare next after my decease
The residue of all my goods moveable chattells and other not gyven nor bequeathed after my debts paide these my legacies discharged and my funerall expenses thus performed I onely give and bequeath onto Thomas Strudwicke and Anthony Strudwicke my brethren whom I make the executors of this my last will and testament
and for the better performance of this my last will & testament and every thing herein contayned welll and truly and according to my minde to be done and executed I ordayne and make Nicholas Aylinge of Tothill? and John Goode xxx of Brookhouse my overseers of the same giving them authoritie by virtue hereof to see this my will well and truly performed and i doe give them for their paynes to be taken therein ii shillings apeece and all charges. Know thus I and my last will and testament these being witnesses William Aylinge John Goode the younger
Probatum January 1602/3 to Anthony Strudwicke