The
last Will and Testament of
Thomas Loake
16th April 1785
In the Name of God Amen
I, Thomas Loake of Desborough in the County of Northampton, yeoman, being in health and of sound Mind,
Memory and Understanding praised be God therefore, do make and appoint this to be my last Will and
Testament in manner and form following (that is to say)
Imprimis I will and direct that all my Just Debts and Funeral Expenses be fully satisfied and paid
Item all that my small Messuage or Tenement with the Appurtenances situate, standing and being in
Desborough aforesaid and in the several [???] or occupations of Ferdinando Tompson and William Custly[?]
and also all that my Close of Paster, or Piece, or Parcel of new Inclosed Land or Ground, lying and being
Click here to read about Enclosed Land
within the Fields and Precincts of Desborough aforesaid containing by Estimation twenty four acres or
thereabouts, be the Same more or less, and called or known by the Name of Capstile Close and also all those
my two other Closes of Pasture, or Pieces, or Parcels of old Inclosed Land or Ground
lying and being within
the said Fields or Precincts of Desborough aforesaid containing together by Estimation Seven Acres or
thereabouts, be the same more less, and called or known by the Name of Pupper[?] Closes I give and devise
unto my Son John Loake and the Heirs of his Body lawfully to be begotten and for default of such Issue
then I give and devise my said small Messuage or Tenement Closes of Pasture or Inclosed Grounds with their
and every of their appurtenances unto my Grandson Thomas Loake, Eldest Son of my Son
Thomas Loake, his Heirs
and Assigns for ever
Item all and singular my Household Goods and other Goods, Chattels, Stock, Credits, Ready Money and Money
at Interest and all other my personal Estate of what nature or kind soever or wheresoever I give and
bequeath unto my Daughter Hannah Loake for her Sole use and benefit and do hereby nominate, constitute and
appoint her Sole Executrix of this my last Will and Testament hereby revoking all former Wills by me at
any time heretofore made
In Witness whereof I the said Thomas Loake, the Testator, have to this my last Will and Testament
contained in two Sheets of paper to the first Sheet set my hand and to this last Sheet my hand and Seal
this sixteenth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty five |—|
Thos
Loake (SS) Signed, Sealed, Published and declared by the said Thomas Loake the Testator to be is last Will
and Testament in the presence of us who have subscribed our Names as Witness thereunto in his presence and
at his request and in the presence of each other |—| O Adchurch |—| John Hall |—| John Hall Junr
Probate
This Will was proved at London the third day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand seven
hundred and eighty five before the worshipful George Harris Doctor of Laws, Surrogate of the Right
Worshipful Peter Calvert Doctor of Laws, Master Keeper of Commissary of the prerogative Court of Canterbury
lawfully constituted by the oath of Hannah Loake, Spinster, the Daughter of the deceased and the Sole
Executrix named in the said Will to whom Administration was granted of all and singular the Goods, Chattels
and Credits of the said deceased, she having been first sworn duly to administer
Notes:-
There are a lot of Thomas Loakes recorded on the site awaiting definite identification through the
parish records.
The original will has no punctuation or separate
paragraphs. As this makes it hard to read I have
inserted some punctuation and broken the text into separate clauses. The spelling follows that
of the original.
"[?]" following a word means that the word on the original document is unclear and the
transcription may be incorrect.
" [???] " means that a whole word was illegible and could not be guessed at.
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