*WILLIAM CLAYTON

WILL OF WILLIAM CLAYTON, of the parish of St. Pancras, Chichester, Sussex, England, 1 Feb 1658/9. Consistory Court Will Register 1653-1668 in Chichester Miscellaneous Wills 1653-1668, vol. 218, Ref. ST61/218 at the West Sussex Record Office, Chichester, Sussex. Copied and transcribed by Marilyn London Winton, 1984. "WILLIAM CLAYTON. In the name of God I Will Clayton of the Parish of Pancras without the East Gate, of Chichester in the County of Sussex, Timberman, being sick & weak in body yet of perfect memory Lord to be thanked, do make & ordain this my last will & Testament in form following. First I give and bequeath my soul into the hand of Almighty God and my body to the earth. ....Item: I give unto my son Will Clayton the sum of 12 pence to be paid within on whole year after my decease. ....Item: I give unto my grandchildren William Clayton [and] Prudence Clayton the children of my son Will Clayton the sum of 20 shillings apiece to be paid unto them after they shall accomplish the age of 21 years. ....Item: I give unto my son Richard Clayton the sum of 20 shillings to be paid him when he shall accomplish the age of 21 years. ....Item: I give unto my son Thomas Clayton the sum of 20 shillings to be paid him when he shall accomplish the age of 21 years. ....Also I give and appoint 5 pounds for the placing of my son Thomas above said between this and the first day of May next ensuing the date hereof unto Thomas Coby. ....Item: I give also unto my daughter Elizabeth Clayton the sum of 40 shillings to be paid her within one whole year of my decease. ....Item: I give unto my daughter Mary Clayton the sum of 5 pounds to be paid her when she shall attain to the age of 20 and 1 years. ....All the rest of my goods I give unto my loving wife Elizabeth Clayton after my debts and funeral expenses be discharged for her well being and for the bringing up of my youngest daughter Mary Clayton, and do ordain and make her my Executor of this my last will and testament. But my will & meaning is that for as much as my wife may be uncapable to manage my estate to the best use and for the payment of debts in the due order, and for as much as my loving friend John Peche [Peachey] of Pagham doth stand bound with me for much of my only debts, I do ordain and appoint my friend John Peche [Peachey] and do give him full power and authority (not withstanding my Executor above said) to prove this my last will & meaning and to take an inventory of all my goods and to sell the same until such time my debts & funeral expenses be discharged, and then to resign up the Executorship into the hands of my loving wife, and to my meaning above said he being paid all such charges as he shall be at in this business. ....And I do ordain & appoint & my will & meaning is & I do desire my 2 friends & do give them powers to call the above named John Peche [Peachey] unto an account & unto such accounts as are needful & as often as they shall think fit, namely William Steele, miller, & living without the east gate of Chichester, & John Avery, shoemaker in Chichester, & I do desire them that they do see this my last will be performed to the true intent & meaning hereof, & I do give my 2 friends Will Steele & John Avery 2 shillings apiece for their care & pains & to have their expenses borne from time to time when they shall be employed about my business. ....In witness hereunto I have set to my hand & seal this first day of February, [the year] of the lord 165 & 8. William Clayton In witness, us, ....Thomas Hopkins ....John Rogers (Source: Will found at http://www.geocities.com/cwheatley2000/claytonwill.html , transcribed by Marilyn Winton, mlwinton@@terraworld.net, (Feb. 1997))