In the name of God amen the eleventh Day of September one thousand six hundred and eleven and in the year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord James by the grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland defender of the faith of his reign of England France and Ireland the ninth and of Scotland the five and fortieth I Richard Ballard of Maidstone in the County of Kent gent being sick and weak of body but of good and perfect remembrance praise be unto God to make and ordain this my present Testament containing herein my last will in form hereafter (????)  wherein I first bequeath my soul unto the hands of almighty God my maker and his son Jesus Christ my only saviour and redeemer and my body to the earth from whence it came to be decent and Christian like buried at the discretion of my son Stephen Ballard whom I make and ordain my full and sole executor of this my last will and testament. And for the disposing of such messuages or tenements goods chattels and other things as God hath lent me in this world I give will and bequeath the same in form following viz. I give will and bequeath all that my messuage or tenement with the appurtenances subject lying and been in Maidstone aforesaid wherein I now dwell with the Backsides and garden thereto belonging unto my son John Ballard and to his heirs forever provided nevertheless and my will and mind is that Anne my wife shall ?hold? and enjoy and remain and dwell in the same house one year next after my decease (if she shall think good) without paying any rent therefore. Item I give and bequeath unto the said Anne my wife all my plate. Item I give and bequeath unto Thomas Ballard son of my son Thomas Ballard the sum of twenty pounds to be paid him at his age of one and twenty years and I will that my said executor shall pay the same twenty pounds unto my said son Thomas Ballard for the use of his said son within five years next after my decease if the said Thomas the younger shall so long live and if the said Thomas Ballard the Younger shall happen to die or decease before his said age of one and twenty years and after the expiration of the said five years then I give and bequeath the said twenty pounds unto my said son Thomas Ballard. Item I give and bequeath unto my said son John Ballard twenty pounds to be paid him within six months next after my decease. Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Anne Smith twenty pounds to be paid her within six months after my decease. Item I give and bequeath unto Richard Austin my God son son of my son in law Robert Austin twenty pounds to be paid him at his age of one and twenty years and I will that my said executor shall apply the same twenty pounds unto the said Robert Austin for the use of his said son within five years next after my decease if the said Richard shall be then living and if the said Richard shall happen to die before his full age of one and twenty years after the expiration of the said five years then I give and bequeath the same twenty pounds unto the said Robert Austin. Also I give and bequeath unto George Dodd son of my son in law Thomas Dodd five pounds to be paid him at his age of one and twenty years I will that my said executor shall pay the same five pounds unto the said Thomas Dodd for the use of his said son within five years next after my decease if the said George shall be then living and if the said George shall happen to die before his full age of one and twenty years after the expiration of the said five years then I give and bequeath the same five pounds unto the said Thomas Dodd. Also I will and bequeath unto every one and each of my grand children except such of them as before I have given legacies ten shillings a piece. Also I give and bequeath unto the poor people of the town of Maidstone aforesaid forty shillings unto the poor people of the parish of Wadhurst forty shillings unto the poor people of the parish of Lamberhurst the like sum of forty shillings provided always and my will and mind is that if the said Thomas Ballard son of my said son Thomas Ballard and my said God son Richard Justin and George Dodd or any of them shall happen to die or decease out of this world within five years next after my decease then my said executor shall have hold and enjoy to his own use the legacy above given and bequeathed to him or them so (????) (????) Any thing in this my will to the contrary notwithstanding the residue of all my goods chattels and other things not herein before bequeathed I give and leave them unto my said executor lastly I do by this ?? disannul all former Wills and testaments by me made at a time before the date hereafter and do make and ordain this to be my only last will and testament in witness whereof I have hereunto put my hand and seal the day and year first before written Richard Ballard sealed published and delivered the day of the date (????) in the presence of us George Smith ? Swone  and Will ? ? ?

Probate granted London to Stephen Ballard son of the deceased 8 November 1611.