Henry Ballard Southwell 1623

Extracted by John M Weisner

[This will is located at the Lincolnshire Archives in Lincoln, England under the document reference "Stow Wills 1623/48-51".  My copy was apparently copied out of a book, and the text near the right margin of the second and fourth pages is missing.  Because of context or the repetition in the will, I could fill in many, but not all, of the blanks.  The symbols "{ }" are used here to show those parts of the text that are missing on my copy.]

"In the name of God Amen the fow{rth} day of November in the yeare of our Lorde God 1620[i] And in the yeares of the Raiyne of our souvraigne Lorde James by the grace of God kinge defendor of the faith etc. (That is to say) of England France and Ireland the Eighteenth and of Scotland the fowr and fyftieth.  I Henrie Ballard of Southwell in the county of Nottingham Gentleman beinge in good health and perfect memory (the Lorde be thanked) yet callinge to mind the frayltie of man and that nothinge is more certayne than death, but the time when most …, Doe therefore at this present whilst health doth permitt  {…} make this my last will and Testament in … under my hand and Seale in manner and forme followinge.  First I bequeath {my} soule to Almightie God my maker nothinge doubting but for infinite mercies sett fourth in the … death and blood shed {…} of his dearly beloved sonne Jesus Christ our alone Saviour and Redeemer he[?] will receive[?] my soule unto his glorie and place it in {the} Companie of the heavenly Angells and blessed Saincts.  And concerninge my bodie I commend it to the earth from whence it {came?} and do believe that at the generall day of Judgment my bodie shall rise againe  And that both bodie and soule shalbe received amongst … elect companie into heaven  And in this faith I doe stedfastly hope that god for Christ his sonnes Sake will Strengthen me to … my life {…}.  Item I will that all such debtes and duties as I owe of right or of conscyence to anie person or personns be well and truly contented and paid by my executors hereafter named.  Item my will and minde is that Elizabeth my wife[ii] shall have for dower or anie thinge else that the lawe of this land will allott her of my goods without Suite or Controversie.  Item I give and bequeath to my fowre yonger Children (That is to say) Phillipp Ballard, Elizabeth Ballard, Katherin Ballard and Ann Ballard[iii] all my landes Tenements and hereditaments sett lyinge and beinge in the Towne of Nottingham in the County of the Towne of Nottingham {…} the fields terrytories meadowes … of the said County of Nottingham[iv] in as large and ample manner as can be {…} have and to hould all thabove[?] specified and intended premisses[?] {…} sonne Phillipp Ballard Elizabeth Ballard Katherin {Ballard} and Ann Ballard and to theire heires and assignes so {….} Moreover[?] I doe give and bequeath to my fowre said yonge(r children) and for theire[?] better advancement and … in manner {…} followinge.  And first to my sonne Phillipp and his assignes {I give} devise and bequeath one Anuitie or yearly rent or Summe of {Ten pounds} of lawfull English money issuinge and goinge fourth of my {Mannor or} Lordshippe of Saxlebye in the County of Lincoln and {Nottingham.}[v]  And out of all my Messuages Landes Tenements and heredita{ments with} the appurtenances in Saxlebye aforesaid or reputed taken occupied {or enioyed} as parte parcell or member of my said Manno[r] or Lordshippe {To} have and to hold perceive and enioy the said Annuall rent or {summe of} Ten pounds unto my said son[n]e Phillipp and his assignes {for and} duringe the naturall life of my said Sonne Phillipp payable at or in the p[a]rish church of Saxlebye aforesaid within the {countie} of Lincoln at the feast of th[e] ann[un]tiacon of our blessed ladie {Saint} Marie the virgin and at the feast of Saint Michaell the {Archangell} by even and equall portions.  The first payment thereof to {begin at} the first of the said feasts dayes wh[ich] shall fortune to happen {next after} my death  And I further will that yf shall fortune the said {Annuall} rent or summe of Ten pounds or anie p[ar]te or parcell thereof to be {behinde} and unpaid at anie of the said feasts or daies whereat the same {ought to} be paid that then and from thenceforth it shalbe lawfull f{or and to} my Said[?] sonne Phillipp and his assignes into the Man{nor messuages} landes and premisses to enter and distreyne and the distresses th{en and there} found to leade drive chase and carry away and the same to d{etayne} and keepe untill he be of the same rent and arrerages thereof {fully} satisfied contented and paid.  Item I give devise and beq{ueath} unto Elizabeth Ballard my eldest daughter[vi] and to her assignes {one A}nuytie or yearly rent or summe of Ten pounds of lawfull En{glish monie} … [under the same conditions as for Phillipp Ballard].  Item I give devise and bequeath unto Katherin Ballard my second daughter[vii] and to her assignes one anuytie or yearly rent or summe of Ten pounds of lawfull English money … [under the same conditions as for Phillipp Ballard].  {Item} I give devise and bequeath unto Anne Ballard my yongest daughter[viii] {and to her} assignes one Anuytie or yearly rent or summe of Ten pounds of {lawfull} English money … [under the same conditions as for Phillip Ballard].  Item I ordayne my welbeloved Brother in lawe Thom{as} Townshend of Testerton in the county of Norfolk gent {and my}

welbeloved Brother in lawe Roger Townshend gent[ix] Execu{tors of} this my last will and Testament not doubtinge but that they {will be} indiferant judges betwixt my wife and my children.  In w{itnesse} whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and put my seale {…} my last will and testament the day  and yeare first above written {in the} presence of these witnesses whose names are hereunder subscribed {…} whom … published the Same.  John Bayes. Edmund {….} John Beeston. Edwarde Ballard. Thomas Ballard. Rob{….} Rich: Blackbourn."

The section that follows concerning proof of the will is in bad handwriting and in Latin.  Nevertheless, the date 1623 is easy to read and is presumably the year the will was proved.