The Will of Thomas Caton of the Manor of Thorpe Abbotts Died January 1705
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In The Name of GOD Amen

On the Ninth day of February in this year of our Lord God, One Thousand & Six Hundred Seventy Seven,
And in the ninth and twentieth year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord King Charles the second;

I Thomas Caton  of Thorpe Abbotts in this County of Norfolk, Gent being of good and perfect health and sound memory, thanks to be given to Almighty God. Do Make and Ordain this my last Will and Testiment in manor and form following, that is to say first. ~~~~~

I Give and Bequeath my Soul unto the hands of Almighty God, my heavenly father hoping and assuredly believing through merit death and passion of our Lord and Saviour Jusus Christ to recieve remission and foregiveness of my sinns and to be partakor? of the Heavenly Joys in the world to come And for my body freely I give it over to the Earth from whence it came to be buried at the Discretion of my Executor

I Give and Bequeath unto the poor of Thorpe Abbotts Twenty Shillings to be distributed within one week after my burial at Discretion of my Executor.

I Give and Bequeath unto Anne my eldest Daughter the Remainder of the form? of yeares

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I have at my decease of and in Grace Lands which I bought of Benjamin Fuller, Gent in Wingfield rallod? Grossop? |os.?

And I further Give unto the said Anne one Hundred Pounds of Lawfull English money to be paid within one year next after my decease in consideration of a Legacy of Fifty punds given to the said Anne by the last Will and Testiment of Luke Constable Esq. deceased her Grandfather.

I Give and Bequeath unto William Caton my third son and to his heirs and assigns for ever my Copyhold Land lying and being in Cratfield in the county of Suffolk now in the occupation on or out John Williams or his assigns and I further give unto the said William Copyhold Tenements in Wingfield village and to his heirs and assigns forever

I Give and Bequeath unto the said Susannah my second daughter, four hundred pounds of Lawfull English Money when she shall attain to the age of one and twenty years and in the meantime I give unto the said Susannah twelve pounds per Annum for her maintenance to be paid by my Executor at the two usuall feasts that is to say at the Annunciation of our Blessed Lady and St. Swithoull? the Arch Angle, by even and equal portions which shall first happen next after my decease.

I give and Bequeath Henry Caton my youngest sonn and his heirs and assigns forever Lands and Tenements in Bedingfield in the county of Suffolk xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx two hundred pound of of lawfull money when he shall attain to the age of one and twenty years.

I Give and Bequeath unto John Caton my son all my Lands Tenements and Hereditaments in Bodinfield? and in the County of Suffolk and to his heir and assigns foreever upon Condition that he pay the for hundred pounds in this my WILL given to Susannah Caton and likewise to my son Henry the two hundred pounds in this my Will formerly given to the said Henry my son at his age of one and twenty years, Both payments to be paid at the South Porch of the parish Church of Thorpe Abbotts aforesaid.

AND for non payment of the said four hundred pound and the two Hundred pound unto the said Susannah and Henry my will and meaning is that the said Susannah and Henry my son for non payment of the same sums of money shall sell the said Lands and tenements aforesaid so given to the said John Caton and if any surplus shall be upon the sale then of to be to the said John.

I Further Give and Bequeath unto the said John Caton my son and to his heirs and Assigns for ever all my Lands and Tenements both Freehold and Copyhold and Grace Lands lying and being in the Towns of Thorpe Abbotts and Broadwath and Wingfield in the county of Noff and Suff.

I Give and Bequeath unto my loving wife Susannah all my Lands and Tenement in Wendling Except my two Woods which I gave unto my son John and his heirs for ever now in the occupation of Richard Sugonwood or his assigns during his natural life without Impearment of Waft?, And after his decease I give the said Lands Tenements and Woods in Wendling aforesaid in the county of Noff. unto the said John Caton my son and his heirs and assigns for ever upon condition that he pay unto Thomas Caton his eldest brother during his natural life.

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the sum of forty pounds per annum by even at the two usual feasts in the year that is to say at the Annunciation of our Blessed Lady Mary and St. Warndell the Arch Angel by and equal parts withing twenty eight days after on of the said feasts and for the first payment thereof to begin at the feast next after my decease. and for non paymentof the said forty pounds unto my sonn Thomas Caton my Will and mind is that the said Thomas shall enter into the said premises and recieve the payment of xxx xxx xxxx untill his said Annuity of fourty pounds be satified and paid with the arrearages thereof in any shall happen to be one both which payments to be made at the South Porch of the parish Church of Thorpe Abbotts aforesaid.

I Devise and Give to the said William Caton my xxxxx xxxxx -~~ xxxxxx

I Give and Bequeath unto Anne Caton my daughter the Bedd and bedstead where upon she now lyes, with all the furniture thereuto belonging Standing in the little parlour chamber with four pair of sheets and two pair of pillows two dozen of wearing? napkins half a dozen of wearing? towels.

I Give and Bequeath unto Susanna Caton my wife all the furniture & in the Linnen Chamber and the furniture in the front parlour Chamber and the furniture in the maids chamber. Six pair of tearing sheets Six pair of tourte? sheets, four dozen Napkins half fine half course, half dozen of board cloathes the bed & stoatnes? I bought of Goodman Eaften excepted , One dozen of Towels Eight pair of Pillow Covers pewter brass and all thing in the two Parlours and the small chamber only during her natural life and my wife to out or into bond for the safe returning of all said goods to my Executor hereafter named after her decease only such as may borrowed up with good usage from.

I Give unto my son John all the rest of my Linnen leougsh? of stuff and plate whatsoever.

My Will and Mind is that after my debts, legacies and funds all expences be satisfyed and paid that if there being over plus remaining of my personal Estate that is money mortgages and start with out debts I Will it shall be equally divided between my two Daughters and my two sonns William Henry my loving friends Mr. Christopher Barry and Mr. Robert Brash by whom I doe appoint Guardians for my son John Caton during his minority and for their pains I give them Twenty Pounds and to be satisfyed for what joyous and pains shall be expended by and authorizing? the Trust imposed on them.

I Give unto my said sonn Luke Caton ten pounds of Lafull English money to be paoid by my executor within twenty days after my decease.

I Nominate and Appoint my son John Caton Executor of this my Last WILL and Testiment and doe give unto him my two Woods in Wendling Aforesaid,

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presently after my decease.
In Witness whereof I have set to my hand and seal annexed? these three sheetes of paper together with my seal subscribed in my name to each sheete this day and year above written Thomas Caton Sen.

I Give unto my brother Richard Caton all my Copyhold Land in Little Thorpe and stock at Osmond front during his natural life, and after his decease to my son John and to his heirs and assigns forever.

I Further Give unto my said son John my house with yard adjoining in, fisse? late Grants to him and his heirs forever.

I Give unto William Caton my son 4, 6 to be paid within twenty days.

I Give unto my son John all my Lands and Hereditaments in Swaffham in the county of Noff. which I bought of my son Luke Caton to him and his heirs forever upon condition that to pay to my daughter Anne and my daughter Sussanah fifty pounds a piece within two years after my Death at the parish Church in Thorpe Abbotts aforesaid.

And to my son Henry two hundred pounds of Lawfull English money at his age of four and Twenty years, with payment to be made at the South Porch in Thorpe Abbotts aforesaid, and in case any of my two daughters or my two sonns Willam and Henry shall depart this life before the time of payment of their Legacies then his or her money to be equally parted between the survivors.

And if in case my son John doe refuse to pay the said last moneys Legacies accoring to this my last WILL and Testiment, Then my Will and meaning is that each of them shall enter upon all the said Lands in Swaffham aforesaid untill the said respective Lagacies be Respectively paid according to my Will.

I Further Give unto my son John and to his heirs and assigns forever all my Copyhold Lands lying and being in the two Franshams in Norfolk, and Cratfield in the county of Suffolk.

Thomas Caton  Sen.^r

Sealed and Publish and declared to be my last WILL and Testiment
And all the underlinings out by my own hand writing in the presence of
Elizabeth Fuller Wid. Her Mark, Charles Fulller, Elizabeth Fuller spinster her Mark X

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