Ancestors of Mandy Willard

The Will of

Nicholas CATT (c1580-1659)

In the name of God Amen the twenthieth day of November Anno Domi one Thousnad Six hundred fiftie fower I Nicholas Catte of Mountfield in the countie of Sussex yeoman being sicke in bodie but of good and perfect memory thanks bee to god for itt I doe make and ordaine this my last will and testament in manner and forme following (that is to say) First I [---] & bequeath my soule unto the hands of Almightie God that made me and gave my life and my bodie to be buried in Christian buriall att the discretion of my sonne in law Thomas Stevens hopeing to bee saved by the onely merritts of Jesus Christ my only Saviour and Redeemer Item I give and bequeath unto my sonne John Catt the some of Thirtie pounds of lawfull money of England to be paid to him by myne Executor hereafter named within halfe a year after of my decease Item I give and bequeath unto my sonne Stephen Catt the some of Twentie & five pounds of lawfull money of England to be paid to him by myne Executor within halfe a year after my decease Item I give and bequeath unto my grandchild Anne Catt the now daughter of my afore said Stephen Catt the some of five pounds of lawfull money of England to be paid to her by myne Executor as soon as she shall attayne and come to her full age of one and Twentie years Item I give and bequeath unto my eldest daughter Anne Stephens the now wife of Thomas Stevens afore said the somme of fifteen shillings of lawfull money of England to be paid unto her by myne Executor in halfe a year after my decease Item I give and bequeath unto her six children that is say John Reeve, Fanny Reeve, Anne Reeve, Susannah Reeve, Elizabeth Reeve and Mary Reeve the somme of five pounds a piece of lawfull money of England to be paid unto each of them by myne Executor att their severall ages of one and Twenie years And my mind and will is that if any of them happen to depart his life befour his or her [---] attayne and come to th--- said several age or ages aforesaid then the survivors of them to be the [---] [---] And alsoe my mynd and will is that my Executor shall and will pay unto my aforesaide daughter Anne Stevens the somme of [---] shillings of lawfull money of England yearly and every year until her youngest childs legacie become due & payable and then to [---] Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Elizabeth Peckham now wife of John Peckham the somme of fiftie shillings of lawfull money of England and to bee paid to her by myne Executor within halfe a year after my decease Item I give and bequeath unto her daughter Elizabeth Fissenden now wife of John Fissenden the somme of fiftie shillings to be paid to her by myne Executor within halfe a year after my decease Item I give and bequeath unto my said daughter Elizabeth Peckham her other five children that is to saye John Peckham, David Peckham, Anne Pechkam, Marie Peckham and Jane Peckham the somme of five pounds a piece of lawfull money of England to be paid unto each of them by my Executor at their severall ages of one and twenty years And my mynde and will is that if any of them happen to depart this life before he or she doe attayne and come to their said and severall Age or Ages aforesaid then the survivor ot them to be the [---] [---] And also my minde and will is that my Executor shall & will pay unto my aforesaid daughter Elizabeth Peckham the somme of tenne shillings of lawfull money of England yearly and every year until her youngest childs legacie become due & payable and then to [---] And lastley all the residue of my moveable goods [---] beque---ed (excepting my wearing apparell and all the readie money which I now have in my [---] in the now dwelling house of my aforesaid sonne in lawe Thomas Stevens) my debts and legacies paid I give and bequeath unto my eldest Sonne David Catt whome I doe make ordayne & appointe to be my full and sole Executor to hsi my last will and Testament In witness where of I have here unto set my hand and [---] in the [---] [---] [---] whose names are hereunder written the marke of Nicholas Catt Read Signed Sealled and acknowledged to be his last will and testament in the presence of Nicholas Grove Richard Reinolds sen

This will was proved att London the one and twentieth daye of Maye in the year of our Lord god One thousand Six Hundrey fiftie nyne before the Judge for probate of willes and [---] [---] lawfully [---] signed by the oath of David Catt the sonne and Executor in the said will named to [---] was comitted Administration of all and singular the goods chattells & debts of the deceased hee being first sworne by comission well & truely to administer

Transcribed by Mandy Willard on 30 August 2008, from a digitised copy of the original document, ref. Prob/11/291 image ref .366. 

CATT