Imprimis I give devise and bequeath all and singular my freehold and copyhold messuages cottages arable lands meadows pastures tenements and hereditaments situate standing and being in Shillington in the said County of Bedford and Pirton in the County of Hertford or elsewhere in the Kingdom of Great Britain And also all that the Rectory or parsonage impropriate of Meppsall alias Meppersall in the said County of Bedford with the appurtenances thereto belonging and also the advowson patronage donation nomination presentation and free disposition of in and to the Parish Church of Meppsall alias Meppersall aforesaid unto Katherine my loving wife for and during the term of her natural life

In case I should leave issue at the time of my decease of her body begotten and from and after her decease then I give and devise the said Rectory advowson messuage lands tenements and hereditaments unto the heirs of my body on the body of the said Katherine begotten or to be begotten

And in default of such issue Then I give and devise the said Rectory advowson messuages arable lands tenements and hereditaments unto my brother William Hanscombe of Saint Edmonds Bury in the County of Suffolk Apothecary and to the heirs of his body lawfully begotten or to be begotten

And for want of such issue then I give and devise the said Rectory advowson messuages lands tenements and hereditaments and premises unto my brother in law Thomas Joyce and Deborah his wife and to the heirs of the body of the said Deborah begotten or to be begotten

And for default of such issue my Will is that the said Rectory advowson messuages lands tenements and hereditaments and premises shall remain to my own right heirs forever But in case I should die and at the time of my decease leave no issue living then the said devise so made to the several persons aforesaid shall cease and be utterly void

Item I give and devise all that the aforesaid Rectory advowson donation presentation and free disposition of the said Parish Church of Mepsall alias Meppersall alias Meppershall with all the rights members and appurtenances to the same belonging or appertaining unto my said loving wife Katherine and to her heirs and assigns forever And my will and desire is that my said wife ? accept and take the same to be in lieu and full satisfaction for the jointure which I have or intend to make my said wife Katherine But in case she shall refuse and not accept the same in full for her jointure then my will and mind is and I do hereby give and devise all and singular my said copyhold messuages lands tenements and hereditaments situate standing and being in Shillington and Pirton aforesaid unto the said Katherine my wife and during the term of her natural life

And from and after her decease then I give and devise the same copyhold messuages lands tenements and hereditaments unto my said brother William Hanscombe and to the heirs of his body lawfully begotten

And for default of such issue then I give and devise the same copyhold messuages lands tenements and hereditaments unto my said brother in law Thomas Joyce and Deborah his wife and to the heirs of the body of the said Deborah wife of the said Thomas Joyce begotten or to be begotten

And for default of such issue my will is that the said copyhold messuages lands tenements and hereditaments shall remain to my own right heirs forever

And as to the Rectory advowson donation and presentation to the Parish Church of Mepsall alias Meppersall alias Meppershall aforesaid I give and devise the same unto my said brother William Hanscombe his heirs and assigns forever

Item my mind and will is that (in case my said wife Katherine shall refuse and not accept of the devise made to her by this my will of the said Rectory and advowson as aforesaid and I shall leave no issue) then I give and bequeath unto the said Katherine my wife the full sum of four hundred pounds of lawful money of Great Britain to be paid to her within one year next after my decease

Item my mind and will further is that (in case my loving wife Katherine shall refuse and not accept the devise made to her of the said Rectory and advowson as aforesaid and I shall die without leaving issue) then I give and devise unto the said Katherine my wife during the term of the natural life of my mother Anne Hanscombe widow one annuity yearly rent or sum of twenty pounds of like lawful money to be issuing and payable out of all those the said freehold messuages lands tenements and hereditaments in Shillington aforesaid and to be paid unto my said wife or her assigns during the natural life of my said mother Anne Hanscombe (if my said wife shall so long live at or in the South Porch of the Parish Church of Shillington aforesaid at the four most usual feasts or days of payment in the year (that is to say) the first day of the Annunciation of the blessed Virgin Mary Saint John Baptist Saint Michael the Archangel and Saint Thomas the Apostle by even and equal portions the first of the said payments to begin and be made on the first of the said feasts which shall happen next after my decease To have hold receive and take the said annuity yearly rent or sum of twenty pounds per annum unto my said wife Katherine and her assigns for and during the natural life of my said mother Anne Hanscombe (if my said wife shall so long live)

And further my will is and I do hereby devise that if the said annuity yearly rent or sum of twenty pounds or any part thereof shall be behind or unpaid by the space of twenty days next after either or any of the said feast or days of payment on which the same ought to be paid as aforesaid then and so often it shall and may be lawful to and for my said wife Katherine and her assigns into and upon the said freehold messuages lands hereditaments and premises or in or upon any part thereof to enter and distrain and the distress and distresses then and there found to take lead drive carry away and impound and the same in pound to detain and keep until she or they be of the said annuity yearly rent or sum of twenty pounds per annum and all arrears thereof (if any shall then be) and all costs and charges of taking such distress and otherwise concerning the same be fully satisfied and paid and my mind and will is that my said wife Katherine shall nominate and choose which part of the said premises she will take to her own use within two months next after my decease

Item I give and devise unto my sister Anne Hanscombe (from and immediately after the decease of my said mother) one annuity yearly rent or sum of twenty pounds of like lawful money to be issuing and going out of all and every the said freehold messuages lands tenements and hereditaments with the appurtenances in Shillington aforesaid and to be paid unto my said sister Anne Hanscombe and her assigns during so long time as she shall continue single or unmarried at or in the at or in the South Porch of the Parish Church of Shillington aforesaid at the four most usual feasts or days of payment in the year (that is to say) the first day of the Annunciation of the blessed Virgin Mary Saint John Baptist Saint Michael the Archangel and Saint Thomas the Apostle by even and equal portions the first payment thereof to begin and be made on the first of the said feasts or days of payment which shall happen next after the decease of my said mother Anne Hanscombe to have hold receive and take the said annuity yearly rent or sum of twenty unto my said sister Anne and her assigns for and during so long time as she shall continue single or unmarried And I do hereby devise that that if the said annuity yearly rent or sum of twenty pounds or any part thereof shall be behind or unpaid by the space of twenty days next after either or any of the said feast or days of payment on which the same ought to be paid as aforesaid then and so often it shall and may be lawful to and for my said sister Anne and her assigns into and upon the said freehold messuages lands tenements hereditaments and premises or in or upon any part thereof to enter and distrain and the distress and distresses then and there found to take lead drive carry away and impound and the same in pound to detain and keep until she or they be of the said annuity yearly rent or sum of twenty pounds and all arrears thereof (if any shall then be) and all costs and charges of taking such distress and otherwise concerning the same be fully satisfied and paid

And as to all the said freehold messuages lands tenements and hereditaments in Shillington aforesaid so charged and chargeable as aforesaid I give and bequeath unto my said brother William Hanscombe and to the heirs of his body lawfully to be begotten and for default of such issue then I give and devise the said messuages lands tenements and hereditaments unto the said Thomas Joyce and Deborah his wife and to the heirs of the body of the said Deborah begotten or to be begotten And for default of such issue my will is that the said messuages lands tenements and hereditaments shall remain to my own right heirs And I do hereby charge and make chargeable all and every my said messuages lands tenements and hereditaments hereby devised (except such part as my wife shall take or choose) with the payment of all such debts and sums of money as I shall owe at the time of my death and also with the payment of the legacies hereby devised in this my Will

ItemI do hereby nominate and appoint my said brother William Hanscombe and Thomas Joyce executors of this my will revoking all former wills by me made In witness whereof I the said James Hanscombe have to this my Will contained in four sheets of paper set my hand and seal to each of the said sheets the first day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fourteen
James Hanscombe

Signed sealed published and declared as and for the Last Will and Testament of the said James Hanscombe in the presence of us who subscribed our names as witnesses hereto in the presence of the said testator
Alex. Innes, Alex. Stuart of Saint James Parish Westminster, And. Mitchell.

Probate granted London 8 March 1716 to Thomas Joyce.

Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills - ref PROB 11/551
Acknowledgment to National Archives.