With the kind assistance of Judith Werner the first page of the will of Sir Richard Lechford has been posted at http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~oel/unsolved48.html, the rest to be posted shortly. Over the past two decades I've worked off and on attempting to transcribe it, and have made a little progress but there are many gaps in my efforts. The images of the will are somewhat fuzzy, but I guess you live with what you can get - it's the best I have. The will is of direct interest to the Tillinghast descendants in America, of which I am one, since he was the grandfather of the original Tillinghast immigrant, Pardon Elisha Tillinghast of Providence, RI. I'd appreciate any help offered on filling in the gaps. My modest efforts at transcription appear below. Alton L. Gilbert In the name of God Amen. The sixeteenth daye of March 1610 and in the yeare of the raigne of our most gratious and soveraigne Lord James by the grace of God of England France and Ireland Kinge defender of the faithe etc. the eight and of Scotland foure & fortith. I Richard Lechford of Shelwood in the county of Surrey knight beinge weake in body but of good & perfect memory & praise God for the same calling to mind the certainty of deathe and the uncertainty of the time when beinge willing to dispose of those goodes and chatles ready money plate and moveables whereof I am nowe possessor doe make ordaine and declare my last will and testament in maner and forme following. First I doe quit & bequeath my soule into hands of Almightyye God my maker and to Jesus Christ my Redeemer and to the Holy Ghost my fortifier hopinge to be saved by the merite of Jesus Christ and faith in Him and by no other meanes and that through his blood sheddinge all my sinnes shall be clearely washed awaye. And I comend my body to the earthe to be buried in christian buriall withowte pompe at the discretion of my Executrix hereafter named. Then my will and meaning is that my Executrix shall well and fully paye all just debts as I owe in lawe or equity in convenient time [? ?] delay or protraction. [?] I give, will and bequeath unto the poore of the [?] of Leigh [?] eight poundes of lawfull money of England and to the poore of Charlewood forty shillings of like money, the sum to be paid and distributed to and amongest them in a maner and forme as aforesaide at the time of my buriall. [?] I give and bequeathe to Elizabeth Lechford one of the daughters of Henry Lechford my late sonne [?] one hundred marks of lawfull money of England to be paid to her imediately after the death of Dame Elinor my wife. I will [? ?] bond to saide Elizabeth for paiment [? ? ? ?] of all and [?] my goods chatles [?] plate jewells, debts to me owing, ready money, benefits of household whatsoever, not already bequethed, my debts, charities and funerall charges being paide. [?] according to this my last will I give, will and bequeath to William Lechford my sonne after the death of the saide Dame Elinor my wife, [?] my will is [?] give [? ? ?] and shall retain in her family and [?] the saide one hundred marks given and bequeath to the saide Elizabeth Lechford as aforesaide during the natural life of the saide Dame Elinor. [?] I make and ordain the saide Dame Elinor my wife the Executrix of this my last will and testament, [?] my [? ?] brother in lawe [? ? ? ? ?] John [?] Esq. [?] of [?], and I give to [?] of [?] for a remembrance and in token of my love one golde ringe of the [?] of twenty shillings, and if it please God [?] duringe the minority of my heire or heires, my will, desire and most humble [?] is that my [?] and affirmed fiends John [?] of [?] in the saide [?] of [? ?], Richard Iallender of [? ? ?], and William [?] and Robert Lyatton both of the middle temple London [?] or the survivors or survivor of them shall and may [? ? ?]for the wardshipp wardshipps of the said heire or heires, and for lease of his and their landes during their minorities and shall take the assurance and assurances of his and their wardsipp, wardshippes, and of the [?] of his and their lande as aforesaid, either in their owne names or in the name or names of any or either of them, or of any other [?] or [?], [?] or the survivors or survivor of them shall think fitt, and if any profit or [?] shall arize or be made by disposing my grandson Richard Lechford in marriage or by his landes over and above [?] as shall or will give and make full satisfaction and paiement to the said John [?], Richard Iallender, William [?] and Robert Lyatton and [?] of them of and for all reasonable charges and disbursments to be [?] and layed out by them or any or either of them [?] the [?], my will is the same [?] shall be [?] disposed to and [?] the brothers and sisters of the said Richard my grandchild by sure parte and portione, and in such maner and forme as the said John [?], Richard Iallender, William [?] and Robert Lyatton or the survivors or survivor of them shall thinke fitt. And in case the saide Richard Lechford my grandchild shall die, my will is that my saide frends shall in like sort be in [?] hereby for the next heire to [?] and dispose as with for the wardsip and marriage as of the [?] of the profits of the landes in forme aforesaid. {?] I renounce and revoke all former wills whatsoever by me made or published by words or writings, and in witnes that this is my last will and testament I gave [?] to fix my hand and seale the daye and yeare first above written. RICHARD LECHFORD. Sealed, subscribed and [?] the last will and testament of the saide Richard Lechford, published in the presence of the [? ?] named and underwritten. [?] FURRIER, WILL [?], JOHN [?], JOHN LECHFORD

Lines 26-50 http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~oel/unsolved48.html 26. bequeath unto the poore of the [____] of Leigh [______] bequeathe vnto the poore of the p[ar]ishe of Leigh al[ia]s Lye 27. eight poundes of lawfull money of England and to the powndes / comma after England 28. poore of Charlewood forty shillings of like money, the sum shilling[es] / the same (rather than sum) 29. to be paid and distributed to and amongest them in a maner paied / in maner (not 'a maner') 30. and forme as aforesaide at the time of my buriall. [___] I give Item I give 32. of Henry Lechford my late sonne [_____] one hundred deceased 33. marks of lawfull money of England to be paid to her mark[es] / paied 34. imediately after the death of Dame Elinor my wife. im[m]ediately / decease (rather than death) / whome (final word) 35. I will [__________] bond to saide Elizabeth for paiment I will shall enter bond to the saide Elizabeth for paiement 36. [__________________________] of all and [______] my goods thereof accordingly. The residue of all and singular my good[es] 37. chatles [_____] plate jewells, debts to me owing, ready money, chatles, catles, plate, iewells, debt[es] to me owinge, ready mony & 38. benefits of household whatsoever, not already bequethed, my vtensils of howsehold whatsoeu[er] not allready bequeathed my 39. debts, charities and funerall charges being paide. [_______] debt[es], legacies / beinge paied & dischardged 40. according to this my last will I give, will and bequeath to bequeathe 41. William Lechford my sonne after the death of the saide Dame decease (rather than death) 42. Elinor my wife, [____] my will is [_____] give [___________] whome my will is shall have the vse thereof 43. and shall retain in her family and [_____] the saide one retaine in her hand[es] and custody 44. hundred marks given and bequeath to the saide Elizabeth mark[es] / bequeathed 45. Lechford as aforesaide during the natural life of the saide naturall 46. Dame Elinor. [____] I make and ordain the saide Dame Elinor Item / ordaine 47. my wife the Executrix of this my last will and testament, [___] my wife sole Executrix / Testament, & 48. my [________] brother in lawe [_____] John [____________ my very lovinge brothere in lawe S[i]r John Morgan knight & 49. _______] Esq. [______] of [___________], and I give to John Theoball Esqr Overseers of the same 50. [_____ of [_____] for a remembrance and in token of my love either of them cheers, Judith Werner Salt Lake City, Utah, USA Administrator, OLD-ENGLISH http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~oel/