In the name of god amen I Martha Ballard of Weston-Sub-Edge in the county of Gloucester widow being by the blessing of God of sound and perfect remembrance but weak in body and considering the uncertainty of this life do make constitute ordain and declare this my last will and testament this four and twentieth day of May in the year of our lord God according to the computation of the Church of England one thousand six hundred fifty and four in manner and form following hereby revoking all other wills and testaments heretofore by me made and declaring this to be my last will and testament first I commit my soul to almighty god assuredly <?????> for salvation through his mercy and the merits of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and my body I commit to the earth from whence it was taken to be buried in Christian and decent manner and so touching such temporal goods and estate as the lord in mercy have lent me my will and meaning is that the same shall be employed and bestowed as hereafter in and by this my will and testament is appointed and expressed.  First I give and bequeath unto John Ballard my son my double silver salt cellar and the racks belonging to the kitchen and to Anne the wife of the said John Ballard I give my biggest pasty plate and to my grandchild Edward Ballard the son of the aforesaid John Ballard I give and bequeath my long table board and frames in the hall my rack in the kitchen and the bedstead whereon I now lie.  Also I give unto Edmund Ballard my son my iron bound chest in the chest chamber and a pair of cartwheels.  Also I give and bequeath unto Thomas Ballard  my son my halfhead bedstead in the cock loft with a flock bed two <?????>ets with <midley Lifts> two bolsters a green branched <?????> of linen and woollen and a flat silver rime bowl also I give unto Robert Ballard  my son my best Brass pot.  Also I give and bequeath unto William Ballard  my son the sum of £17.00 of lawful English money and also a flock bed a featherbed five feather bolsters a pillow with the case belonging to it a green rug and a pair of <?????>ets <?????> <?????> there <?????> with blue the biggest silver bowl two <?????> of my finest <?????> <?????> one pair of Hampden sheet a flaxen tablecloth <?????> <?????> so there <????> six Hampden napkins my four best <?????> my bedstead in the matted chamber two groom stools a round table and the <?????> cupboard with the cloth thereunto belonging one pair of hand irons two broad pewter and one of the bigger sort and one of the lesser assault a chair and a pair of virginalles my <????> and all the tools belonging to smithery turning or joining and surveying also I give unto my daughter Maria the wife of Henry Collier of Hollowfield so in the county of Worcester my silver wire bowl <?????> with flowers <?????> <?????> and I <??> of my small silver <?????> also I give to my daughter Martha the wife of Thomas Harris of Evesham six of my biggest silver spoons are also I give unto my daughter Rebecca the wife of John Bachelor of Hollowfield aforesaid yeoman <?????> <?????> to <?????>ets <?????> of broad cloth and the other striped <?????> the ends and also bed and bolster <?????> and my will is that my executors hereinafter named shall cause the said bed and bolster to be made up for the said Rebecca or <?????> shall pay her in money for the making up of the same.  Also I give and bequeath unto the said Rebecca three pair of sheets a hempen tablecloth six <?????> four green <?????> such as the executors of this my will and testament shall think fit and convenient.  Also I give and bequeath unto the children of the he said Rebecca that is to say to John Batchelor Martha Bachelor Rebecca Bachelor and the child whereof she is now pregnant (if it please god it live) <?????> <?????>  pounds to be employed for the use of the said children by Thomas Cottrell of Saintbury in the county of Gloucester my son in law and to be paid unto them by even and equal portions as they shall personally accomplish the age of 18 years.  And my will is that in case any or either of the said children shall die before he or she shall arrive at the aforesaid age of 18 years then the portion of such child or children shall <?????> and <?????> to the use and bef of the survivor or survivors of them.  Also I give and bequeath unto Martha the daughter of the aforesaid John Bachelor my little <?????> <?????> also I give and bequeath unto the children of the said John Bachelor above named all my wearing apparel except such as hereafter in these presents are or shall be mentioned to be given and bequeathed that otherwise also I give and bequeath unto Frances Cottrell my daughter the wife of the aforesaid Thomas Cottrell my pewter steel and my great flag and also I give unto the eldest daughter of the said to Thomas Cottrell of Saintbury my little silver salt cellar.  Also I give unto Elizabeth Cottrell my daughter the wife of Thomas Cottrell of Quinton in the county of Gloucester goom my new <?????> <?????> in the chest chamber.  Also I give and bequeath to every one of my grandchildren the sum of 20 shillings apiece to be paid unto their parents for the use of the said children immediately after my deceased to be paid by my executors hear after in these presents named.  Also I give and bequeath to Nicholas <??????> and Elizabeth Jarvis my servants the sum of 10 shillings apiece and to the <?????> of Chipping Campden I give 20 shillings to be paid on the day of my funeral by my executors.  Are also I give and bequeath unto such poor people at my funeral as my executors think fit the sum of two pence apiece.  Also I bequeath unto <?????> <?????> and Maria a <?????> of Richard Foster the <?????>et of <?????> <?????> <?????> <?????>.  Also I give unto Jana <?????> 12 pence.  Also I give and bequeath unto Margaret Rolfe two shillings and sixpence Mayd <?????> <?????> and my petticoat with black lace.  All the rest of my goods chattels and cattels not bequeathed to and disposed of hereby my debts and funeral expenses discharged my will is shall be equally divided to and between the aforesaid Edmund Ballard  Thomas Ballard  and Robert Ballard  my sons Frances the wife of Thomas Cottrell of Saintbury and Elizabeth the wife of Thomas Cottrell of Quinton my daughters.  And I do hereby constitute ordain and appoint the aforesaid Edmund Ballard  my son and the aforesaid Thomas Cottrell of Saintbury to be executors of this my last will and testament in witness where of I the said Martha Ballard  have here unto set my hand and seal the day and year first above written the marker of Martha Ballard  sealed subscribe to published and declared to be the last will and testament of the within named Martha a Ballard  the day and year first within written in the presence of Thomas task or his mark the marker of Dorothy Richmond Ed Broadway

This will was proved at London the seven and twentieth day of July 1658…  By the oaths of Edmund Ballard the son of the said deceased and Thomas Cottrell the joint executors named therein.