Nat Gould

The Will of William Gould 1725

The Will of William Gould reads as follows:

“In the name of God Amen the Fifteenth day of August in the Twelfth year of the reigne of our gratious Soveraigne Lord George by the grace of God of Great Britain France & Ireland King defender of the Faith etc Anno domini 1725 I William Gould of Crowdecote in the parish of Hartington and the County of Derby yeoman being weak of body but of sound mind & perfect memory (blessed be God) doe make & ordaine this my last will & Testament in manner and forme following (that is to say) First and principally I Commend my Soul into the hands of Almighty God my Creator hopeing and believeing through the alone merritts of Jesus Christ my Saviour & redeemer to secure free pardon & remission of all my sins. My body I comitt to the earth to bee decently buryed att the discretion of my Executors hereafter named And as for such temporall estate as it hath pleased Almighty God to bestow upon me I give devise & bequeath the same as followeth Imprimis I give devise & bequeath unto my son William Gould his heires & Assignes for ever All that my Messuage lands & Tenements scituat standing lying & being in Crowdecote aforesaid and all my lands & Tenements scituat lying & being att Allstonfeild in the County of Stafford called or knowne by the name of the Gospell Crofts and alsoe two Acres of land lying in the Towne fields of Longnor hee the said William Gould paying unto my four daughters the Legacies hereafter mencioned (that is to say) To my daughter Elizabeth Edensor the summe of One hundred pounds within one year after my decease To my daughter Hannah Froggatt the summe of One hundred pounds within Two years after my decease To my daughter Sarah Bateman the summe of One hundred pounds within three yeares after my decease And to my daughter Lidia Taylor the summe of One hundred pounds within four yeares after my decease all which said Legacies I charge the above mencioned lands with the payment thereof Item I give and bequeath unto my son Joseph & his heires a certaine building in Crowdecote called a Kilne with the Appurtenances and humbly request his Grace the Duke of Devonshire to accept him Tenant to the Milne & alsoe a certaine Farme called the Park house Item I give unto my son Joseph Gould the summe of One hundred pounds to be paid within One year after my decease Item I give unto my son John Gould the summe of One hundred pounds to be paid within One year after my decease Item I give unto my son Thomas Gould the summe of Forty pounds to be paid within One year after my decease Item my will & mind is that the Coppyhold Fyne which shalbe due to the Lord of the Manor for my son Williams admittance and the last mencioned Legacies be paid out of my personall Estate Item all my Arkes Bedsteads Tables and all the materials about the fire shall remayne for the use of my son William And all the rest of my household goods of what sort soever shall be equally divided amongst all my sons and daughters Item I give & bequeath unto my house keeper Anne Waterfall the Bed and beding which shee usually lyeth on and doe order & appoint my Son Wm to pay unto her the said Anne Waterfall the summe of Twenty Shillings yearly & every year during the terme of her naturall life And lastly all the rest & residue of my estate after my debts Legacies and funeral charges are paid I give & bequeath unto my sons William & Joseph Gould and make them Executors of this my last will & Testament revoking all former wills by me made In Witness whereof I have hereunto sett my hand & seal the day & year first above written

Part of the Will of William Gould

William Gould
his W marke

Signed sealed published & declared by the Testator in the presence of us who subscribed our names in the presence & att the request of the Testator

John Froggott
William Waterfall his mark
Cornelius Dickens”.

[[For a transcript of the accompanying Inventory see Inventory of William Gould 1725.]