Will of William Betterton butcher of Cricklade 1704

Date: 1703 to 1704
Location: Cricklade, Wiltshire, England

The Will of William Betterton, butcher of Cricklade was written on 23 October 1703 and proved on 17 May 1704, Archdeaconry of Wiltshire.^[1]

Spelling, punctuation and line breaks are as per the register copy. ff is rendered as F. Abbreviations are expanded and additions noted in [square brackets]. Paragraph breaks (where added) and bold text for names are my own for ease of reading. Clear copy, but top left corner missing and fold in centre.

• William Betterton butcher of Cricklade (testator)
• William Betterton (son)
• Robert Betterton (son)
• Susanah (daughter)
• Mary Betterton (wife)
• Thomas Betterton (son)
• Witnesses: William Pleydell, John Pitt, [...] Wells

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[In the Name] of God Amen I William Betterton [^of Cricklade - inserted later]
[missing] the County of Wilts Butcher being Weak of body, but of
[sound] & Disposing memory thanks be to God for the same Doe
[make and] Ordeyne this my last Will and Testament in manner &
[forme] following; First & cheifly I commend my Soul into the hands
[of] Almighty God hoping thro[ugh] the merritts of Christ Jesus my Saviour
to have pardon of all my Sins & Inherritt Eternall life. and as
for such worldly Estate as god hath given me I Dispose thereof as
follows.

Imp[rimis]: I will that all my Debts and funerall Expences to be paod and Discharged
Item I give to my Son William Betterton One shilling.
Item I give to my Son Robert Betterton One shilling
Item I give to my Daughter Susanah Twenty shillings.
[Unreadable due to fold] [my loving wife] Mary Betterton my house and the Outho[uses]
backsides & garden thereunto adjoining and all other my Lands Tenements goods
and Chattles whatsoever w[hi]ch I shall Dye possest of; To hold to her During the
Term of her Naturall life; And after her Decease I Give my said house and the
Outhouses backsides & garden thereunto belonging and all other my Lands Tenements
goods and Chattles whatsoever w[hi]ch I shall Dye possest of as afores[ai]d, unto my [...]
Son Thomas Betterton & to his heyres for ever Provided always & my Will is
that if ^^{at any time} my said Son Thomas Betterton shall be minded to Marry, and shall pay
Downe unto my Said Wife Mary Betterton the full sum of Forty pounds of lawfull
mony of England; and shall take upon him the payment Of all such my Debts as shall
then be unpaid; and shall give to my said Wife sufficient Security to save harmeless and
indempnify my said Wife from the payment of any and such Debts soe unpaid as aforesaid
Then my said Son Thomas Betterton upon such payment first made & such security
given im[m]ediately to take to the said house & Outhouses backsides garden & all other my Lands
Tenements goods and Chattles whatsoever w[hi]ch I shall D...y Dye possest of as aforesaid.
And my Will is that my said Wife shall accept of the said sum of Forty pounds in Leiu of all
her Right to the house and premisses above bequeathed to her for her life

Item I make my said Wife Mary Betterton Sole Executrix of this my last Will & Testament
In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & Seale this three & twenty[e]th day of October
Anno Dom[ini] 1703
The mark of
William Betterton

Signed Sealed & Published by the said William Betterton
as his last Will and Testament in the p[re]sence of us
Wm: Pleydell
Jn^o Pitt
[...] Wells

Sources

1. ↑ Probate: "Wiltshire, England, Wills and Probate, 1530-1858"
   Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre; Chippenham, Wiltshire, England; Wiltshire Wills and Probates; Reference Number: P3/B/1028; Reference Number: P3/B/1028
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry uk Record 61333 #114076 (accessed 29 November 2023)
   William Betterton probate in 1704. Residence Cricklade St Sampson Wiltshire, England.