Transcription of the Will of Thomas Houghton of Swanwick 1739

 In the Name of God Amen.  I Thomas Houghton of Swanwick in the parish of Titchfield in the county of Hampton yeoman being sick and weak in body but in perfect and sound mind and memory praise be given to Almighty God for the same:  And now calling in mind the shortness of this mortal life and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die do now herein make and ordaine this to be my last will and testament in manner and forme as is herein and hereafter mentioned: first and principally I command my soul into the hands of Almighty God my Saviour and Redeemer hoping and asuridly believing that through the merritts death and passion of my Saviour Jesus Christ to have free and full pardon of and forgivings of all my sins.  And my body I commit to the earth to be decently buryed in the churchyard of this parish of Titchfield at the discretion of my executris herein and hereafter named; And as touching all such worldly goods and chattels present money and outdoor stock and indoor goods and moueables: and whatsoever it hath pleased God to bless me with in this life I give devise bequeath and dispose of the same according to the Temei True intent and meaning of those words and lynes hereunder written:

 First I appoint ordaine and give unto my eldest son Daniel Houghton the full and whole sum of one hundred pounds of good and lawfull money of Great Brittaine; to be paid to him by my Executris herein after named and paid to him at the time and when he shall ataine and be at the full age of one and twenty years.

 Second I appoint ordaine and give unto my second son Thomas Houghton the full and whole sum of four hundred pounds of like lawful money of Great Brittaine to be paid to him by my Executris herein after named and paid to him at the time and when he shall ataine and be at the full age of one and twenty years:

 And I herein with define ordaine and appoint: that if in case it shall happen that my son Daniel should or shall die before he shall be at the age of one and twenty years and not married: that then this legacie given to him shall goe to and be to and for the use of Thomas Houghton and his heirs.

 And I herein will define ordain and appoint that if in case it shall happen that my son Thomas should or shall die before he shall be at the age of one and twenty years and not married: that then this legacie given to him shall goe to and be to and for the use of Daniel Houghton and his heirs.

And to be paid to him by my exectiris herein named  And according to the True Juteul and meaning of the words written herein.

Thirdly I appoint ordaine and give unto my youngest son John Houghton the full sum of five shillings of like lawful money to be paid to him by my executris to be paid to him when he shall attain and be at the age of one and twenty years.

 And farther also I do herein will define and appoint that my wife Elizabeth shall have to her self the use of all my stock goods and chattels that I am possessed with at the time of my death and the use and profits of this bargan we now xxxx in.  And that she take upon herself to keep maintaine and breed up all these my three children until they and every of them shall attain and be at the age of one and twenty years.  And for her so doing I do herein appoint and give to her the use of the stock and the profits of the land during her widowhood. And at her death and decease or at her marriage the said stock goods and chattels from her xxxxx to go to and be to and for the use of her two sonns Daniel Houghton and Thomas Houghton and to be equally divided between them by an equal share.

 And lastly I do herein nominate constitute ordaine and appoint my loving wife Elizabeth to be my full and sole executrix of this my last will and testament revoking all former wills and testaments by me heretofor made ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last will and testament and I do herein define the favour of my well beloved friend Mr John Croucher of Alshott Farmer to see into and look over and be helpful to my family in this affair and to see that this my will be done and performed in due order according to the true xxx and meaning of the said.

 In witness whereof and for the true performance of the same I have hereunto set my hand and seal 10^th day of November in the year of our lord God 1738.