Elizabeth Britain Strudwick
Memorandum that upon or about the eight and 20th day of October 1656 Elizabeth Britain otherwise Strudwick the lawful wife of Ralph Britain of Boxhill in the County of suffix yeomen being of sound perfect and disposing mind and memory by and with the consent and approbation of the said Ralph Britain her husband made published and declared her last will and testament nuncuperatively or by word-of-mouth as follow
Viz. first I give leave and bequeath to my son Thomas the double bed in the great chamber provided first he returned as much of the value thereupon as it exceeded his third of my estate here by disposable to my husband and executor
item I give unto my son William one silver bowl over and above what his share shall amount to of my said disposable estate
Item I give my husband to give unto each of his children being five in number one sheep piece which I do here in give and bequeath unto them
I give and bequeath unto my grandchild Joane Baker one sheep and to my grandchild Elizabeth Sneddin one sheep
Item I give and bequeath unto my son-in-law Edward Bakker 12 pence
Item I give leave and bequeath the rest and remainder of my goods cattle chattels and personal estate so whatever else that I have a power by my husband leave and consent to dispose of unto my said husband Ralph Britain and unto William Ellis and Thomas Ellis my sons and to Jane Bakker my daughter to be equally divided between them
Provided nonetheless and it is my will and my meaning that my daughter Elizabeth Sneddin be first fully paid her divided legacy or portion which William Ellis her father and my first husband so bequeath unto her in and by his last will and testament whereof he so made me his soul executrix
And further my word and meaning is that my husband shall keep in his hands such share of my disposable estate and by dividend shall fall unto my said daughter Joane Baker and that my husband shall have nothing to do therewith
But that my said husband shall supply her with the same so far as it will amount unto as he sees she stands in need thereof which I am confident he will faithfully do
and I did hereby declare my said husband as executor and perform this my will (or words to that effect) of an intent that the same shall pass for her last will and testament and be performed after her death in the presence of subscribed witnesses to wit William Ellis Thomas Franks and others
this will was made nuncuperatively declared Thomas Peakes the mark of Elizabeth Taylor