Hello Celia, it is a bit unusual, but you do see similar provisions occasionally. It doesn't mean that his landlord had any right to oversee property transactions like these, just that Goodman thought his wife would need help in choosing the right deal. Goodman must have had a good relationship with his landlord to be able to expect that he would help, but there may also have been some expectation that a better deal could be obtained if someone of the landlord's status were involved, or even a hope that if the landlord were involved in this then he might also be drawn into helping the widow and children in other ways. I'm afraid I don't know who were the major landowners in Leckhampstead in 1742 (perhaps someone knows of a published history of the village? - if not land tax records would no doubt supply the answer) but as you say the lord of the manor would normally be the most likely person to be the 'honoured landlord' of a resident of any village. However there would also have been other people who owned land in the village (some of whom might have been themselves tenants of the manorial lord who were subletting their holdings), so it is also possible that Goodman held his land by lease or tenancy from someone else. Regards, Matt Tompkins In a message dated 02/06/2007 22:24:29 GMT Standard Time, celia@valinor.force9.co.uk writes: Can someone please advise me on the short and rather odd will below, written by Samuel GOODMAN yeoman, and a Presbyterian, of Leckhampstead in 1742 (proved same year). His widow Ann (nee BANWARD) married my Robert MILLAGAN, rather soon after Samuel passed away, in Nov 1742, in Newton Longville. I have never seen a Will before where a landlord is called upon to approve some property deal and so my two questions are these: (1) why would the landlord have any kind of say? (2) who would the "honoured landlord" have been? On GENUKI, it says the Leckhampstead manor was at this time in the hands of Lord Henry Beauclerk, so is that likely to have been the one? Any advice would be much appreciated. Celia Renshaw in Chesterfield UK Will of Samuel GOODMAN of Leckhampstead, Yeoman 1742 To loving wife Ann and friends Mr. John SEWELL the Elder of Luffield Abbey, Bucks and James ADAMS of Hanley near Towcester, Northants – all his goods, chattles and personal estate to be sold and money used to purchase lands and tenements or a mortgage “as my honoured landlord shall judge most proper”, to uses of wife Ann for life then to his son Samuel his heirs etc. To daughter Sarah GOODMAN, after wife Ann’s death - £80. Wife Ann, John SEWELL and James ADAMS to be executors.