Richard Wigley's Will and Inventory, 9 August 1689

I Richard Wigley one of the Brethren of the Hospital of the Right Honourable Robert Earl of Leicester in Warwick being weak in body but of perfect understanding and memory, praised to God, therefore I do make, constitute and ordain this my last will & testament manner and form following:

First, I bequeath my soul into the hands of God my Redeemer beseeching him of his infinite mercy to pardon my sins and to give me the ear of my faith ever eternal salvation.

And as for the worldly goods wherewith God hath blessed me I dispose of them in manner following:

The first of which, I do ordain that the deed of trust reposed in my good friend Samuel Jemmatt, clerk and master of the hospital, for a provision for my loving wife Mary Wigley do & shall remain in full force & virtue during the life of the said Mary, my now wife, it is dated the nine & twentieth day of March 1683 with the interest of twenty pounds more.

And because my said wife Mary is now & hath been for a long time very sick & weak I do give her liberty to spend any part of the principal moneys mentioned in the said deed of trust if her condition shall require it with the approbation of my trustee therein mentioned.

I do give and bequeath to Catherine Crowhurst, sister to my wife Mary, the sum of five pounds to be paid to her within one year after the decease of my wife.

I do ordain & appoint that the sum of five pounds shall be spent at my funeral. And the like sum of five pounds at the funeral of my wife both according to the discretion of my pastor Jemmatt if he shall so long live.

Also I do bequeath unto my said master Samuel Jemmatt, clerk & master of the Hospital, in consideration of the trust reposed in him & his constant love & kindness, my silver watch and one guinea of gold to buy him a mourning ring.

Lastly I do constitute & appoint Edward Raven of Long Itchington in the County of Warwick, weaver, my sole executor of this my last will & testament & do give to him & his son Richard Raven all my estate provided that he do take my now wife Mary Wigley into his own custody immediately after my decease & provide carefully & tenderly for her during her life. I charge him to pay all my debts, legacies & funeral charges.

R. Wigley.

Signed, sealed & published in the presence of master Samuel Jemmatt, and brothers Richard Wilson, Thomas Ireson and Thomas Hall.