Will of Thomas Cotton thelder Esquire of Laughton, Leicestershire, 1657

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Laughton, Leicestershire, England
Surnames/tags: Cotton Shukburgh Olney

Will of Thomas Cotton Esquire of Laughton, Leicestershire, written on 14 May 1656 and proved in the prerogative Court of Canterbury on the 13 May 1657 by the oaths of William and Samuel Cotton, the sons and executors named in the will.^[1]

The will images were good and very readable

Transcription conventions:
Spelling, punctuation and line breaks are as per the original document.
Crossings through have been included struck out
Spelling, punctuation and line breaks are as per the original document.
Crossings through have been included struck out
Paragraph breaks at change of bequest, and bold text are my own for ease of reading.
Where present, the obsolete letter Thorn has been rendered as th, and ff has been rendered as F
Abbreviations and breviographs have been expanded in [square brackets]
The image quality was good and the writing very legible.
Non standard spelling as per usual for this time period, which has been transcribed verbatim.

Persons mentioned

• Thomas Cotton thelder of Laughton in the Countie of Lecestir Esqr testator
• Daniell Reading of the Towne of Northampton in the Countie of Northampton gent signatory to an indenture
• Valentine Acton of Kelmersh in the said Countie of Northampton gent signatory to an indenture
• John Bernard of Abington in the said Countie of Northampton Esqr Trustee
• Edward Shukbrugh of Navesby in the said Countie of Northampton Esqr Trustee
• Edward Onlie/Onley of Catesbie in the said Countie of Northampton Esqr Trustee
• Thomas Cotton the younger sonne & heire apparant of me the said Thomas Cotton received three hundred pounds and joint executor of will
• Elizabeth Cotton my daughter received five hundred pounds
• my daughter Marie Cotton received five hundred pounds
• my sonne Samuel Cotton received five hundred pounds, joint executor of will
• my sonne Robert Cotton received two hundred pounds
• my sonne Eustbie Cotton received three hundred pounds
• my sonne Henrie Cotton received three hundred pounds
• my sonne John Cotton received four hundred pounds
• my sonne William Cotton received three hundred pounds
• William Meade witness to will
• John Onnly witness to will
• Tim. Simes witness to will

In the Name of God Amen I
Thomas Cotton thelder of Laughton in the Countie of Lecestir Esqr
The Foureteenth daie of May in the yere of our Lord God Accor=
ding to the Accompt now used in England One thousand Six hundred
Fiftie and Six, being in perfect mind and memorie for which I give my
God humble and heartie thankes & prayse. But confirming the uncertain=
tie of my death, And being desirous to settle my estate and to make
provision out of the same for my younger children according to my abilitie
doe

[page 2]

Doe make ordeine publish and declare this present writing to be my
Last will & Testament in manner& forme following. FIrst I
committ and Commend my soule to Allmightie God my mak[e]r assu
=red believing and hopeing by the mediation, meritts death and
passion of my Lord & Saviour Jesus Christ to have all my sinnes&
trespasses pardoned and forgiven and my soule everlastinglie
redeemed & saved. And my bodie I committ to the earth desiring
to be buried in the Chancell of the Church of Laughton aforesaid
so neer the bodie of my late wife as maie be. And as concerning my
Temporall estate which it hath pleased God to give me I give and
dispose as followeth.

Whereas in and by certain Indentures
Tripartite bearing date the Three and twentieth daie of Aprill in
the one and Twentieth yere of the Reigne of the late King Charles
over England & Made betweene me the said Thomas Cotton of the
first part Daniell Reading of the Towne of Northampton in the
Countie of Northampton gent and Valentine Acton of Kelmersh
in the said Countie of Northampton gent of the second part And
John Bernard of Abington in the said Countie of Northampton
Esqr and Edward Shukbrugh of Navesby in the said Countie of
Northampton Esqr of the third part An certain other deedes Convey
causes and assurances legallie made & Executed All my Mannors
Messuages Lands Tenem[entes] & Heriditam[entes] in Laughton aforesaid
Lubenham and Mowslie in the said Countie of Leicester are setled
& conveyed to or to the use of the said John Barnard, Edward
Shukburgh and one Edward Onlie of Catesbie in the said Countie
of Northampton Esqr their Executors Administrators & Assignes
for the termes of Ninetie and nine yeres to begin and commence
imediatlie form and after the death of me the said Thomas Cotton
In trust and confidence in them reposed THat they the said John
Barnard Edward Shukbrugh and Edward Onlie their Executors
Administrators and Assignes shall raise and levie the summe of Three
Thowsand pounds of lawfull monie of England out of the said Mannor
Messuages, Lands and Tenem[ents] in such manner as they in their dis=
cretiones shall think fitt to be imployesd cons....... and disposed of
amongst such of the younger Children of me the said Thomas
Cotton as shalbe living at the time of my death in such parts and
preportions as by me the said Thomas Cotton by my Last will and
Testament, or by anie other deed or deeds in writing to be sealed and
Executors in the respecte of three or more Credible witnesses de=
clared Limited & appointed, such severall comitions, or provisions
That if Thomas Cotton the younger sonne & heire apparant of me the
said Thomas Cotton, or his heires or Assignes shall paie or cause to
be paid to the said John Barnard, Edward Shukbrugh and Edward
Onley their Executors Asministrators or Assignes within one yere
after my decease the said Three Thowsand pounds to be distributed
amongst my younger children. Then the said Termes of ninitie and
nine yeres shall cease and determine as in and by the said Indentures
Tripartite, And the said other conveyances and Assurances Relation
thereunto being had more at large? appeareth. Now I the said
Thomas Cotton according to and in pursuance of the power Libertie and
authoritie to me given and reserved doe hereby declare Limit and
appoint, And my will and true meaning is That if my said sonne
Thomas cotton or his heires shall satisfie and paie the said summes
of one Thowsand pounds and Two thowsand pounds in all three

[page 3]

Thowsand pounds in the said Indentures Tripartit mentioned to
the said John Barnard Edward Shukbrugh and Edward Onley
their Executors or Administartors, or anie of them within one
yere next after my death, THat then the said John Barnard
Edward Shukbrugh and Edward Onley their Executors and
Administrators immediatlie after the receipt thereof shall
satisfie and pay to Elizabeth Cotton my daughter Five hun=
dred pounds thereof And to my daughter Marie Cotton othe
Five hundred pounds thereof; to my sonne Samuel Cotton Five
hundred pound thereof To my sonne Robert Cotton Two hun=
dred pounds thereof. To my sonne Eustbie Cotton Three hun=
dred pounds thereof. To my sonne Henrie Cotton Three hun=
dred pounds thereof. To my sonne John Cotton Fowre hun=
dred pounds thereof. And to my sonne William Cotton and my
said sonne Samuel Cotton Three hundred pounds thereof. To
the intent, THat they shalbe enabled to paie all nmy debts and
what shall remaine of the said THree hundred pounds after my
Debts paid my will is shalbe equallie divided betweene them
But in case the said Thomas Cotton the younger my sonne or
his heires shall not satisfie and pay the said THree Thowsand
pounds within one yere after my death as aforesaid Then I doe
hereby declare and appoint, and my will and meaning is that my
said Trustees John Barnard, Edward Shukbrugh and Edward
Onley their Executors Administrators & Assignes shall raise
& levie the said summes of One Thowsand pounds and two
Thowsand pounds in the said Indentures Tripartie mentioned
out of the said Mannor Messuages Lands & Tenenm[en]ts so Limited
to them by the said Indentures Tripartie so soone as conveniently
they can or maie ^and immediatelie after satisfie and paie to my said
daughter Elizabeth Five hundred pounds thereof, And to my said daugh
ter Marie Five hundred pounds thereof. And to my said sonne Samuel
Five hundred pounds thereof, And to my said sonne Robert Cotton Two
hundred pounds thereof. And to my said sonne Eustbie Cotton Three
hundred pounds thereof. To my said sonne Henrie Cotton Three hun
dred pounds thereof. To my said sonne John Cotton Fower hundred
pounds thereof. And to 'my said sonnes William Cotton and Samell pounds'
Cotton three hundred pounds thereof to the intent aforesaid. And in
case anie of my said sonnes or daughters shall die and depart this lifer/> before his or her porc[i]on shalbe paid or payable as aforesaid. Then my
will is, That the said summe or porc[i]om and porc[i]ons of him her or ani of
them so dying shalbe equallie divided amongst all the rest of my said
younger children above named which shalbe then Living. Amd my
will is. THat all my goodes, cattle& Chattles shalbe carefullie sold
by my Executors here after names. And the monie, THat shalbe
made & raysed thereby, After all my debts paid, & funerall expenses
discharged shalbe equallie divided & distributed to and amongst
all my younger children above named which shalbe Living
at my death And I doe hereby make constitute & ordeine my
said sonnes William Cotton & Sammell Cotton Execut[ors] of this
my Last Will and Testam[ent]. And I doe hereby charge them to see
this my will carefullie performed in all things to the uttermost of
their power. Hereby revokeing and makeing voyd all willes by me
formerlie made. In witnce whereof I have hereunto
putt my hand & seale. The daie and yere first above written

[page 4]

Thomas Cotton thelder. Signed sealed and published in the presence
of William Meade John Onnly Tim. Simes

This will was proved in London
The thirteenth daie of May one Thowsand Six hunfref Fiftie
seven Before the Judges for Probat of Wills and graunting Adminis=
trations lawfullie authorized By the Oathes of William and Samuell
Cotton the sonnes & Executors named in the said will To whom
was Committed Administration of all and singular the goodes Chatteles
and debts of the said deceased, They being first sworne by Com
mission truie to Administer the same

Sources

1. ↑ https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D815346