NLW Ref: LL/1806/38

In the name of God Amen I William James of the parish of Goytre in the County of Monmouth yeoman considering the uncertainty of this mortal life & being of sound and perfect mind & memory (blessed be almighty god for the same ) do make and publish this my last Will and Testament in manner & form following (that is to say) First I commend my precious never dying soul into the hands of God that gave it & my body to the earth to be buried with a decent Christian burial at the discretion of my executrix herein after named. As to my worldly goods I dispose of them as follow. Vizt.

Imprimis I give and devise unto my well beloved wife Margaret James all that part or parcel of ground commonly called & known by the name of late Jane Rees’s field (by mears & bounds well known) being my freehold estate situate in the parish of Goytre aforesaid to hold to her my said wife for & during the term of her natural life and from & immediately after her decease I give and devise the same with its appurtenances to her issue on her body by me begotten and for want of such issue to her my said wife her heirs and assigns for ever.

I give bequeath and devise moreover to my said wife all my leasehold estate of and in all those messuages or tenements with their respective appurtenances situate lying and being in the parish of Goytre aforesaid consisting of one tenement which was Cradock Matthew’s property another tenement being lately the property of Mary Powell of the said parish widow and another tenement which I lately bought (all of which being originally had and obtained from the Right Honourable Lord Baron Abergavenny) together with the several Indentures of Lease or Assignments under which I hold the same to have & to hold to her my said wife her executors administrators and assigns for and during the residue of the term then to come & unexpired therein, granted to me by the said Indentures respectively, if she shall happen to live so long, otherwise from & immediately after her decease I give bequeath and devise the said premisses with their respective appurtenances to her issue by me begotten, if there should be any, and for want of such issue to her my said wife entirely and at her disposal.

And lastly as to the rest residue & remainder of my personal estate goods & chattels of what kind or nature soever I give & bequeath the same to my said beloved wife Margaret James whom I hereby appoint sole executrix of this my last Will & Testament hereby revoking all former Wills by me made.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal the twelfth day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty two. Wm James

Signed sealed published and declared by the above named William James to be his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses in the presence of the testator. Josh Davies, Clr; Francis David; the mark of Mary (X) Harries, spinster; John J…?

April 22d 1806

Margaret James widow the relict and sole executrix in the within Will named was sworn to the truth thereof and to the faithful performance of the same and that the goods chattles and credits do not amount in value to the sum of one hundred pounds. Before me Chas Powell, Surrogate

Proved at Abergavenny before the Surrogate on the 22 day of April 1806 on the oath of the relict and sole executrix