In the name of God Amen the vth day of March Anno Dni 1587 I John Aylwyn of Treford in the Countie of Sussex yoman beinge sick in body but perfyt in mynd & remembrance thancks be to God do ordeine & make this my last will & testament in manner & forme followinge. Inprimis I do give & bequeth my soule to Almightie God and my body to be buryed in the church... yard of Treford aforsayd. Item I give to the Cathedral Church of Chichester vid. Itm I give to be distributed among the poore in Treford ......... within one moneth after my deceased ......... such as have most need at the discretion of my overseers. Itm I give to William my sonne my lease of Bromans? land at Ellsted and all the yeres yet to com in the same ......... my will & meanyng ys that Alice my wife shall receve the rents & profitts comyng out of the said lease to the ... use & behoof of my said son William makyng a true acompt & payment thereof unto my said son William when he shall acomplish & com to the age of xxity yeres. Itm I give to the said William my sonne vil xiiis iiiid of lawfull mony of England to be payd unto him when he shall acomplish the said age of xxity yeres but yf yt happen my said son Wylliam to dye and depart this world before he acomplish & com to his said age of xxity yeres then my will & meanying ......... sume of vil xiiis iiiid shalbe & remaine to John my eldest son. Itm I give unto John my son the yonger my best bed ............ to be delivered unto him ... death after the death of his mother Alice my said wief. Itm I give unto Elynor my daughter vil xiiis iiiid of lawfull mony of England to be paid unto her when she shall acomplish and com to the age of xxity yeres yf ... be that she be ... her ......mariage acording to the ... & pleasure of Alice her mother otherwies I give unto her nothinge but to stand to the curtesy of her said mother. Itm I give to my Godson John Smyth xiis of lawfull mony of England wch Thos Smyth has father my daughter Margeryes husband doth owe me. All the rest of my goods moveables & unmoveables my debts & legacs & funeralls discharged I give & bequeth unto Alice my wief whome I ordaine & make my sole executrix of this my last will & testament. Itm I .............. John Aylwyn ...... and sealed ... this my last will & testat and I do give unto each of them towards their paines herein to be taken iiis iiiid a pece .......... John Aylwyn ........
(In Latin) This Will was proved 23rd March 1587 before ... Bli... by Alice the relict and executrix .
NOTE: The original was written in the most abysmal of hands, little more than a scribble, where I couldn’t see the exact spellings I have used modern ones. DW
Contributed by Steve Langridge
Unknown.