Transcription of the Last Will and Testament of Robert Feazar, dated 24 December 1713
In the name of God Amen, I Robert Feazar of West Runton in the County of Norfolk Yeoman being well in body and of sound and disposing mind and memory praised be God for the same revoking all Wills by me formerly made in writing or otherwise do make and ordain this my Last Will and Testament in manner and form following. First and before all things I commend my soul into the merciful hands of Almighty God keeping through the merits of Jesus Christ to receive remission of all my sins. And my body I commit to the Earth to be decently buried in Christian burial at the discretion of my Executor herein after named. And as to the worldly goods it hath pleased the Lord to lend me to be disposer of I give and devise the same as follows. ITEM, I give and bequeath unto John Feazar my son and William Abbs my son in law and their heirs one piece of land lying in East Runton containing by estimation two acres and an half abutting upon the sea cliff towards the north and a field way towards the south in trust only that the said John Feazar and William Abbs and their heirs shall forever after my death yearly every year on the first day of January first deducting the fines and quit rents due to the Lord of the Manor pay to the poor widows and old maids of East and West Runton not taking alms of the said parish the yearly rent of the said two acres and an half of land. And if default shall be made in the payment thereof according to the true intent of this my will that my will and mind is that it shall and may be lawful to and for the overseers for the poor of the said parish for the time being after the said default of payment as aforesaid to enter upon the two acres and an half of land and the same to have hold and enjoy subject to the trust in payment herein by me before ordered and appointed. ITEM, I give and bequeath unto Susanna my Daughter the wife of the said William Abbs all of those my messuages lands tenements hereditaments and premises with their and every of their appurtenances which are now in the use and occupation of the said William Abbs his assigns or assigns to hold to her the said Susanna and her assigns for and during the term of her natural life and from and after her decease I do give and bequeath all and every my aforesaid premises herein by me given to the said Susanna to Richard Abbs my Grandson and his heirs and assigns forever. And if it shall happen the said Richard Abbs shall depart this life before the said Susanna then my will and mind is and do give and bequeath the said premises to Thomas Abbs my Grandson and his heirs and assigns forever. ITEM, all the rest and residue and remainder of my messuages lands tenements and hereditaments and premises within the county of Norfolk I do give and bequeath to John Feazar my son his heirs and assigns forever upon condition that the said John Feazar his heirs or assigns do well and truly pay or cause to be paid to the said Susanna my Daughter the full and just sum of one hundred pounds of lawful money of this nation in manner following that is to say twenty pounds within one year next after my decease and twenty pounds yearly till the said sum of one hundred pounds be fully satisfied and paid. And if it shall happen the said Susanna shall depart this life before she shall receive the said sum of one hundred pounds or any part thereof then my will and mind is so much of the said sum of one hundred pounds as shall be unpaid at the time of her death shall be equally divided between her children that shall be then living. And it shall so happen that the said some of one hundred pounds or any part thereof shall be behind and unpaid contrary to this my Will that then it shall and may be lawful so and for the said Susanna and her assigns to enter into all and every my aforesaid premises herein by me given to the said John Feazar and the same to have hold and enjoy until such time as she shall be fully satisfied and paid the aforesaid sum of one hundred pounds and every part thereof together with all such costs and charges which she shall be forced to expend about her recovery thereof. And I do make and ordain the said John Feazar sole Executor of this my Last Will and Testament devising him to receive my debts and pay my debts and legacies and see my body decently buried. In witness whereof I have to the first sheet set my hand and to the last my hand and seal this four and twentieth day of December Anno Domini One Thousand Seven Hundred and Thirteen.
Robert Feazar
Signed sealed published and declared by the Testator to be his Last Will and Testament in the presence of us who in the presence of the said Testator have set our hands as witnesses after the Testator in this sheet.
John Presse, Thomas Goss Gunnet, J. Greene.