William Halke is a relation but I am not certain how linked. I think his father may be a son of the William Halke who married in Hastingleigh in 1605, which would probably make this William a 5th cousin 8 x removed of mine.

Line breaks are as in the register copy, not indicated by ‘/’ which are as in the document.

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Draft transcription – not checked for typos and other errors – and not yet linked to tree

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 In the Name of God Amen

The Twentieth day of July in the Year of our Lord

God One Thousand Seven Hundred and Fifteen –

I William Halks of the Town of Wye in the County

of Kent Yeoman being sick and weak in Body but

of perfect mind and memory thanks be given unto

God therefore, calling unto mind the mortality of my

[p.2]

Body and knowing that it is appointed for all Men

once to dye do make and ordain this my Last Will

and Testament, that is to say: Principally and first

of all I give and recommend my Soul into the Hands

of God that gave it And for my Body I commend

it to the Earth to be buried in a Christian like &

decent manner at the discretion of my Executrix

hereafter ^ {mentioned} nothing doubting but at the gene=

=ral Resurrecion I shall receive the same again

by the mighty Power of God And as touching such

wordly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to

bless me in this Life I give devise and dispose of the

same in the following manner and form Impris

I give and bequeath unto my welbeloved Son William

Halks the Sum of Five Shillings in money and all

my wearing Apparell whatsoever Linnen & Woollen

^ {Item I Give bequeath and Devise unto my wellbeloved son Richard

Halks my Messuage and Land thereunto belonging in the Parish of

Hastingleigh in the County of Kent now in the occupation of George

Legget unto him and his Asigns for ever Paying the Mortgage of

money there is upon it.}

Item I give bequeath and devise unto my welbeloved

Sons Thomas Halks Abraham Halks and John

Halks a certain parcel of Land in the Parish of Wye

Known and called by the name of Bennetts Feild

by Estimacon Twenty Acres more or less to them and

their Assigns they paying one Hundred Pounds out

of it to their Sister Elizabeth Browning Wife to

Edward Browning of Godmersham as is due to him

and her On a writing upon the said Lands a Twelve

month after my decease So my will is that the above=

=said Thomas Abraham and John shall not be

possessed of the said Lands not untill a Twelve month

after my decease but that my Wife shall have the

first year’s Profits and then to them and their

Assigns forever. Item I give bequeath to my wel=

=beloved Wife Sarah for so long as she keeps herself

a Widow and no longer my House and Garden in

the Town of Wye where I now dwell and my Land

at Mersham by Estimation Ten Acres more or less

now in the Occupation of M^r. Edward Blechington

But if it so chance she marries again or it please

God She dyes which happens first Then my will is

that I give bequeath and devise the said Messuage

at Wye and Land at Mersham to my welbeloved

[p.3]

Son George Halks and to his Heirs and Assigns

forever Item I likewise constitute make and ordain

my welbeloved Wife my only and sole Executrix of

this my Last Will and Testament with all my

Houshold Goods and moveables whatsoever paying and

discharging all my debts so far as she is able out of

my Stock and the Year’s Rent which I give her of

that Bennetts Land and if there is any money wanting

to discharge all my debts my will and desire is That

my Sons Richard Thomas Abraham and John shall

Equally proportion alike raise money out of the afores^d.

Lands that I have given them bear apart so far with

their Mother as to pay and discharge all my Debts

after my Stock and Hay is sold in order thereunto

And I do hereby utterly disallow revoke and disanull

all and every other former Testam^ts. Wills Legacies

Requests and Executors by me in any ways before this

time named willed and bequeathed ratifying & confirming

this and no other to be my Last Will and Testament

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand

and Seal the day and year abovewritten William

Halks his mark. Signed Sealed Publishd. Pronounced

and declared by the said William Halks as his last

Will and Testament in the pr[e]sence of us subscribed viz:

Rich: Halke Mary Halk. Tho: Miller

Probatum fuit humoi ante=

=scriptum Testamentum Gulielmi Halks

imper paroa de Wye infra Archinatum Cant

defuncti Decimo Octavo die Februarii Anno Dni

1715 Coram …

Juramento Sara Halks vidua Relicta …

[i.e. probate was granted to William’s widow Sarah on 18 February 1715/16]

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The will was proved in the Archdeaconry Court of Canterbury and is viewable on microfilm at the CCA or KHLC.

CCA ref: PRC/17/82/445 (more details about source to be added on William’s page)

The original will also survives (CCA ref: PRC/16/365 H/5 ); I have not yet viewed this.