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In the name of God Amen I Thomas May of Huish in the parish of Nately Scures in the County of Southampton yeoman being in good health of body and of sound perfect and disposing mind memory and understanding for which I praise God do make and ordain this to be my last Will and Testament in the manner following Whereas in and by a certain indenture tripartite bearing date on or about the twentieth day of March in the year of Our Lord one thousand seven hundred and five and made or mentioned to be made by and between me the said Thomas May of the first part John May my eldest son and Sarah May then Sarah Pittman his now wife of the second part and Edmund Pittman and John Clapshew of the third part It is amongst other things in the said scribed indenture tripartite contained expressly agreed that the said John May my son should and would pay the sum of four hundred pounds therein mentioned within six months after the death of me the said Thomas May or Elizabeth my then and now wife the survivor of us unto such person or persons as I the said Thomas May in and by my last Will and Testament in writing or by any writing whatsoever signed in the presence of two or more credible witnesses should direct order or appoint the same Now I the said Thomas May by the said power and authority lodged in me by those in part scribed indenture and in pursuance and by virtue of all and every the power and authority in me lodged unto me belonging do by this my Will expressly direct order and appoint that the said John May my son do and shall within six months after the death of me the said Thomas May and Elizabeth my wife and the survivor of us pay the sum of two hundred and fifty pounds and the sum of four hundred pounds in manner following (viz:) fifty pounds apiece to Dorothy Sarah Jane Daniel and James my sons and daughters and my intention is that if any of these my children shall happen to die before the legacy or legacies of fifty pounds apiece shall happen to become due and payable to him her or them that then the legacy or legacies of him her or them so dying go be paid and distributed to and amongst the survivor and survivors of my said children equally share and share alike This I give unto them my said five children Dorothy Sarah Jane Daniel and James…..

Thomas May

Richard Lovatt
James Swait

This is the first page only of the Will of Thomas May of Huish. The rest is now lost. The complete version was, however, examined by Mary Anne May (1848-1931) prior to 1917. From her writings we gather the follow additional information:

• His executor was to be his “dear brother John”
• His eldest son, John May, received the bulk of his property
• He left half his household goods and furniture to his son, James May, when he should attain his age of twenty-one years
• The Will was written in 1715
• A codicil, written in 1717, made his executor his younger brother, Daniel May, instead.