In the name of God Amen.  For as much as nothing is in this transitoryness certain and assured to man than death, Therefore I John Ballard of Clayhith within the parish of Horningsea in the county of Cambridge, yeoman, being of whole and perfect remembrance (lauded be god) for the peace <??intyes> and quietus of my wife and children have taken order in my worldly goods and have disposed them as hereafter <ons??t?> this my last will and testament made the 18th day of June in the year of our lord god 1500 fourscore and three in form following vizt first I commend my sole into the hands of almighty god, desiring him to accept and reserve the same through the merits and death of his son Jesus Christ my only saviour and redeemer.  And my body to be buried in the earth to be buried according to the discretion of my executors and overseers.  Item I give to Alice my wife my standing bed and trundle bed in the parlour with all the furniture vizt two feather beds there boulsters, one pillow, two coverings and two blankets, six pair of sheets whereof three pair of flowers and three of hardey.  Item I give unto the said Alice my wife £5.00 of lawful money and my best chest.  Provided always and my will and meaning is that before Alice my wife receive any legacy to her given by this my last will and testament or take any benefit thereby she shall enter into bonds in the sum of 100 pounds of lawful English money to my supervisors never to <????> take challenge nor demand any dower or thirds out of my lands and tenements in Swaffham Bulbeck in the said county of Cambridge nor any part or parcel thereof.  Item I give unto my three daughters Prudence Agnes and Mathie every of them £40.00 of lawful English money to be paid unto every of them at the day their of marriage or at their general ages of one and twenty years which shall first happen.  And if any of my said daughters die before their marriage or age of one and twenty years then I will that all her or their parts and portions to them or either of them devised shall remain to the survivors or survivor of them to be paid in manner and form aforesaid, And if it shall happened that all my said daughters die before their marriage or age of one and twenty years, Then I will that all their whole parts and portions to them severally bequeathed shall remain onto my sons Luke, Richard and Thomas amongst them equally to be divided to be paid unto them and every of them at the general ages of one and twenty years.  Item I give them to Alice my said wife my best <cowse> (except one) and brown horned heffer that I bought of Patch, and some of my best ewes and their lambs.  Item I will that all of the linen remaining in my hutch at my beds head shall be equally divided between Alice my wife and Luke my son.  So I give unto the said Alice my wife all such stuff and household as she bought unto me, and all of my other wives apparel.  Moreover I give unto the said Alice my wife and little grey mare with one eye.  So I give unto Augustine Ballard my brother my two canvas dublets, two frise coats two pairs of hose and four shirts.  And I give unto his wife one of my wife's working day petticoats.  Item I give unto every one of my said brothers children three shillings four pence apiece.  Item I give them to look at my said sun of my half <koilt> and other vessels whatsoever which I have with Nicholas dale with their whole of furniture.  All the rest of my goods and chattels whatsoever, my debts, and legacies paid being paid I and give them holy unto the said Luke my son whom I ordain and make my sole executor of this my last will and testament, And Henrie Bernard, John Dreake and Richard Church overseers of the same unto whom I give for their pains to be taken in the performance of this my last will and testament £3.00 of lawful English money vizt unto every one of them 20 shillings apiece over and above all other than ordinary charge is therein to be a sustained.  Provided always and I do further will and ordained that my executors shall pay and deliver unto my overseers a of the several sums of money to my said three daughters bequeathed to the use of my said daughters with as much speed as he can <????> my debts <?????> no delays therein, that is to say, within one year and a half next after my decease And they themselves to become a generally bound unto my said executor in double the sum by them personally to be received for the payment thereof again unto my said daughters in manner and form or before limited and appointed.  And also that I said the overseers in consideration of the use of the said portion shall see my said daughters virtuously brought up as my trust is in them.  And I do further will and ordain that the said Luke my son before he shall any wise intermeddle with any of my goods or chattels by of this my will or as executor of the same shall enter into bonds unto my overseers in the sum of 500 marks of lawful English money with condition well and truly to perform of this my last will and testament and every article and sentence there in contained according to the true intent and meaning of the same.  And if the said Luke shall refuse to enter into such a bond or shall any wise intermeddle with any of my goods and chattels before such bonds by them made sealed and delivered as is aforesaid then he not to be my executor but in his place from thenceforth I do ordain Thomas my son executor of this my last will and testament.  And that my overseers shall have authority in the name of the said Thomas during his minority to deal as executor of this my last will and testament.  And before any Internet link there in are there to become bound unto the said to Thomas my son in the sum of 500 mark with condition to yield unto him a true account of their doings therein when he shall accomplish he said age of one and 20 years, and then also the said to Thomas my son shall immediately thereupon become bound unto my said overseers in the sum of 500 marks for the performance of this my last will and testament according to the true meaning of the law.  And as touching of the disposition of all my lands and tenements first I give unto the said Alice my wife in full recompense of her dower and thirds out of all of my lands and tenements and in consideration of the same my messuage or tenement wherein one Bartholomew Skynner now dwelleth with all of the backyards and grounds there unto belonging lying and being in Cleyhith aforesaid for the term of her natural life.  And after her decease I will the same shall remain unto the said Luke my son and to his heirs forever.  Also I give unto the said Luke my son and to his heirs for ever my house where in I now dwell with all of the house's grounds and hereditaments thereunto belonging.  Also it will and bequeath thereunto the said Richard my son all of my lands and the tenements both freehold and copyhold lying and being in Swaffham Bulbeck aforesaid, To have and to hold on to the said Richard and his the signs untill such time as one Roberts Pettite and Marie his wife nez or assigns shall well and truly content and pay unto my ears executors or administrators and assigns or to some of them the sum of three score pounds of lawful money the daily or any of them are shall well and truly paid the same the 30th day of September which shall be in the year of our lord god one thousand six hundred and one according to an agreement made between us had an taken there in and if they or any of the match shall well and truly content and pay the said sum of three score pounds in manner and form a aforesaid according to the said agreement, then I give and bequeath all of my said lands and tenements in Swaffham Bulbeck aforesaid to the said Robert Pettite and Mary his wife and to the heirs of the said Robert for ever.  And then also in consideration thereof I give and bequeath onto the said Richard my son the said sum of three score pounds so by them to be paid as is aforesaid, but if the said Robert Pettite and Mary his wife their heirs of executors and assigns shall make default of payment of the said sum of three score pounds in manner and form a aforesaid to be paid, then I give and bequeath all of my said lands and tenements in suave and Bulbeck aforesaid with all and singular their appurtenances unto the said Richard Ballard my son, and to his heirs for ever.  Moreover my will and meaning he is, and I do further will ordain a and appoint that my executors shall have recieve and take all the issues rents and profits of all or other mile and tenements and are hereditaments (except those of Swaffham Bulbeck aforesaid appointed to Richard my son) whatsoever for the space of seven years he'll be a accomplished next and are needed Lee ensuing of the date of this my present last will and testament and out of the same to pay or cause to be paid and to the said Richard my son for and towards his exhibition and maintenance in Cambridge or other places of learning one annuity or yearly rent of <forty> pounds of lawful English money during all of the said term, so whereas I have given unto Robert Pettite and Mary his wife, all of my land and tenements in swap from Bulbeck aforesaid upon condition for the payment of three score pounds before the 30th day of September which shall be anno domini 1601 my will and meaning is that if the said Robert and Marie their executors or assigns do not well and truly content and pay unto my heirs executors or assigns the sum of have you £26.00 of lawful English money at such time as is limited in our pair of indentures made between the said Robert Ann Marie his wife of <thone> <ptie> and me the said John Ballard on the other party, that's then at the same <guis??> To be void and of no effect.  Provided always and my mind is that my three daughters Prudence, Agnes and Mathie shall be kept and maintained at to the charge of my executors till such time as my executor shall <def??> their legacies and portions with every of them to my said overseers as is aforesaid mentioned.  Item I give unto the said Luke my son and his heirs all of the residue of all my lands tenements and her residence whatsoever both are free and copy within the parishes of <FennDitton> and Horningsea in the said county of Cambridge.  So I give them bequeath unto the same Thomas my son all my lands and tenements both free and copy hold within the parishes of Waterbeach in the aforesaid county of Cambridge to enter upon them at his age of one and 20 years and have and hold them to the said Thomas his heirs and assigns forever.  And I have delivered surrender of all my Woodlands and tenements in Waterbeach to the use of this my will accordingly.  In witness where of I the said John bal ard have here unto set my hand and seal the day and year first above written.  These being witnesses John Willflete als Hill; Thomas Harkley; Henrie Bernard and Richard Church. John Ballard his mark.

Probate granted in London 11^th October 1583 to Luke Ballard.