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In the name of God amen.  I John MAY of Huish in the Parish of Nately Scures in the County of Southton, Gentleman, being weak in body but of sound disposing mind, memory and understanding, thanks be to Almighty God, therefore do make and ordain this my Last Will and Testament in manner following, that is to say first and principally I commend my soul into the hands of Almighty God who gave it and my body I commit to the earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my Executor herein after named and as to my worldly estate, where with it hath pleased Almighty God to bless me, I give and dispose thereof as followeth.

First I will that all my debts and funeral expenses shall be paid in such manner as is herein after mentioned.  Whereas I lately purchased of Samuel ALEXANDER all that copyhold messuage and eight acres of land being parcel of the customary lands of the Manor of Mapledurwell in the County of Southton and have agreed with the Lord to put their lives into the said copyhold and have put in my wife’s life.  Now I do hereby give and devise the said copyhold messuage and lands unto my loving wife Mary and her assigns for and during the term of her natural life from and immediately after her decease.  I give and devise the same unto my son William MAY his executors and assigns.  I also give and devise unto my loving wife Mary during the term of her natural life all that my freehold messuage or tenement lands and premises with their and every of their appurtenances situated lying and being in Mapledurwell aforesaid and now in my own possession and in the possession of the Widow COOPER which I lately purchased of  -  AYRES and immediately after her decease I give and devise the same unto my son William MAY his heirs and assigns forever.  I also give and bequeath unto my said wife all the stock and goods and crop of corn, grain and hay, hops and hop poles that shall be on the said freehold premises at the time of my decease.  I also give and bequeath unto my said wife the sum of fifty pounds of lawful money of Great Britain to be paid her within one month next after my decease by my Executor herein after named.  I likewise give and bequeath unto my said wife all the household goods and furniture therein after particularly mentioned, that is to say the bed, bedstead, bolster, pillows, blankets, quilt and rug and all the furniture to the same belonging over the kitchen wherein I now lay myself and also all that other bed, bolster, bedstead, pillows, blankets, quilt and rug and all the furniture to the same belonging now over the cellar.  The chest of drawers, table and looking glass in the bat chamber.  The deal cloths press in the chamber over the brewhouse.  Six chairs that I bought of SPENCER and six of the black chairs now in the parlour.  Five dozen of pewter plates and eight pewter dishes which she shall think fit to take, one large brass kettle, one little iron pot, one brass pot. Two brass skilletts, four brass candlesticks, one brass mortar and pestle, one spit, one warming pan, one dripping pan, my jack pulleys, lines and weights and also my furnace and one cotterel now at my house at Basing, one frying pan, one grid iron, one firepan and tongs, one pair of andirons and one pair of iron dogs, one pair of bellows which she shall think proper to take.  Two table clothes, two dozen of napkins, four pairs of sheets and four pairs of pillow beers which she shall think proper to take.  The clock case and everything belonging to it now on the staircase, all of my chinaware and as much of my earthenware as she shall think fit to take.  One plumbtree table and one little round oaken table in the parlour.  The chest in my chamber, one box iron with the heaters thereto belonging, one flat iron and four barrels marked in the head with the letter ‘M’ together with all liquor that shall be in them at the time of my decease.  I also give and bequeath unto my wife my little sorrel gelding on which she rides with both the side saddles and bridles, one good milk cow, one fat hog, weight at least ten score.  I also give and bequeath unto my wife my six silver teaspoons, two large silver spoons and my largest silver tankard during her natural life and immediately after her decease I give the said silver spoons and tankard unto my son William and in case my said wife shall be en sente with child or children at the time of my decease then I give and bequeath unto such child or children the sum of two hundred pounds of like lawful money to be paid by my Executor here in after named to such child if but one when he or she shall attain his or her age of twenty one years and in case she should be en sente with more than one my will is that the sum of two hundred pounds should be paid and divided between them share and share alike as they shall attain their respective age of twenty one years and my further will is in case such child or children shall die before they attain the age aforesaid that then the said sum of two hundred pounds be not paid by my said Executor herein after named and in case my said wife shall die before such child or children shall have attained his, her or their respective ages of twenty one years then I give and bequeath unto such child if but one or children if more than one share and share alike the sum of ten pounds a year of lawful money of Great Britain free from all deductions or taxes whatsoever towards maintaining and breeding up him her or them until he, she or they shall have attained their respective age or ages of twenty one years payable on the four most usual feasts or days of payment in the year by even and equal portions that is to say on the feast days of the Annunciation of our blessed Lady St. Mary the Virgin, St. John the Baptist, St. Michael the Archangel and St. Thomas the Apostle the first payment there to begin and be made on the first of the said feast days that shall next happen after the decease of my said wife.  I also give and bequeath unto my wife the sum of two pounds a year of lawful money of Great Britain clear of all deductions and taxes whatsoever during her natural life to be paid by my Executor herein after named on the four most usual feasts or days of payment in the year that is to say on the feast day of St. Michael the Archangel, St. Thomas the Apostle, the Annunciation of our blessed Lady St. Mary the Virgin and St. John the Baptist by even and equal portions the first payment thereof to begin and be made on the first of the said feast days that shall next happen after my decease.  I also give and bequeath unto my son Thomas MAY the sum of one hundred pounds of like lawful money and unto my daughter Sarah the wife of James ELLIS and unto my Grandson James ELLIS the sum of twenty pounds apiece of like lawful money which said last three pecuniary legacies my will is should be paid within twelve months next after my decease.  I also give and devise unto my son William MAY, his heirs, executors, administrators and assigns all my freehold and leasehold messuages, lands, tenements and hereditaments with their and every of their appurtenances situate lying and being within the County of Southton or else where all the rest, residue and remainder of my real and personal estate whatsoever and wheresoever or of what nature or kind soever.  I give devise and bequeath unto my said son William and I do hereby charge all my said freehold and leasehold estates and also all my personal estate given and devised by me to my said son William with the payment of all my just debts and said pecuniary legacies and yearly annuities and I do hereby declare and my further will is the said devise and bequest by me herein before made to my wife is and shall be in full bar of all dower or taxes which she can or might claim out of all or any my real or personal estates I shall die possessed of  and lastly I do nominate and appoint my son William MAY full and sole Executor of this my Last Will and Testament hereby revoking all other and former wills by me heretofore made in witness whereof I have here unto set my hand and seal the fifteenth day of August in the twenty fifth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Second by grace of God of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King defender of the faith and so forth and in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fifty one.

John May

Signed, sealed, published and declared by the said John MAY the testator to be his last will and testament in the presence of us who subscribed our names as witness here to by his desire and at his request and in his presence

John Pittman
John Spencer
Richard Bishop jnr

20^th November 1752 the above named executor was duly sworn before me James MAPLETON snr.