WILL OF THOMAS HILTON. [NOTE: Thomas Hilton, the testator, was son and heir of Sir William Hilton of Hilton, knight, and died v.p. By his wife Anne, daughter of Sir George Bowes of Streatlam, knight, he had issue eight sons and two daughters. His widow remarried Sir John Delaval of Dissington, knight. The original will is much decayed.]

Feb. 14, [1597/8.] In the name of God the Father, the Son [and] Holy Gost, Amen. I, Thomas Hilton, 1 weake in bodye by longe sicknes, but stronge in faith [tow]ards Jesus Christe my Saviour, assured in hope of eternall joy, and in memorie of ordering my worldly affairs perfect and sound, do make this my last will and testament in manner and forme following, viz.: First, I commend my sins to the Lord's everlasting mercies, myself into the hands of Allmighty God my Creator, my soul into the hands of Jesus Christ our Saviour, through the blessed sanctifying of the Holy Ghost.

Secondly, my earthly body I do commend unto the earth from whence I received it. All other my worldly blessinges wherof the Lord hitherto hath maid me steward I bestow and bequeath as followeth, but first of all I make my loveing wife, Anne Hilton, and my children, George Hilton, Robert Hilton, Fraunces Hilton, Matthew Hilton and John Hilton, the sole and . . . . ite executors of this my last will and testament. Farther, I do give and bequeath to my sons, George [and Ro]bert Hilton, and to ye longer liver of them, my lease of Fameton Hall which I lately .... by lease of the .... cene. I d[o] give and bequeath [to my] sons Fraunces Hilton, Matthew Hilton and John Hilton, the whole rectorie or parsonage of Monkwearmouth with all the purtenances th[ere]unto belonging equally to be disposed among .... my three sonnes for their three lives and to the longest [liv]er of them three accordingly, after whose decease my w[ill] is that the inheritance of it returne unto m[y] eldest sone and heir, Henry Hilton, and unto his heirs male .... [l]awfully begotten .... ever, and failing thereof t .... to return to my executors and their heires .... ever. I do give and bestow upon my wife [A]nne Hilton, all my title and tearm of years of the Foorde .... Ide which I tooke lately of my father. My quick moving goods I do give and bequeath to my wife and my two daughters, Jane Hilton and Marie Hilton, tow[ards] their better preferment in honest mariage. I .... give unto my servant, Thomas Teesdall, for his f[ai]thfull service done and to be done to my wyfe and he .... the lease of his father's farm in Awsten-moore for twenty and one years. To my old servant, Richard Yasey, I give a new lease of his farm, in reversion of his former, freely without any fine.. I do give to my servant, Nichall Todde, forty shillingd. To ye poore people of my own parrish I doe give five [mjarkes in monie. All my dettes dew to me I give amongst my executors. All other my goods and ch[att]ls what forme soever not formerly bequeathed I doe give and bestowe upon my executors, my detts, if anie ther be, my legacies and honest and seemelye funeralls oute of all my goods first discharged. I doe also order and charge all my children, sonnes and daughters, to be obedient and duetifull to their mother, whome I doe constitute and a[ppo]inte to have the government both of them and their po[rti]ons untill my sonnes be of lawful! age by lawe to [ha]ve the use of their estates in their owen hands, and untill my doug[h]ters, with the consent of their m[o]ther, be coupled in honest manage answerable to t[heir] father's childr[en]. Lastly, I doe make and constitute by my earnest intre[ty]e my father [Sir] William Hilton, my brothers Talbot Bowes, Robert Bowes, George Bowes and Raphe Bowes, supervisers .... iringe good orderes of this my last will and testament, whose brotherlye .... faithfull favour for the loveinge performance in true peace of .... premises in all love I crave of them to see unto. [I ch]arge my wyfe and children, to [be] advised and directed .... by their goodly wis- domes in all good counsels [t]o eache of them I doe for remembrance .... a rinee of golde to be worne by them. In cons .... tion and testimonie of this my last will and testament I have this 11 of F[ebr]uarie subscribed my owen name and putte my seale of armes. Witnesses, William Hilton, Mychaell Constable, William Constable, Robert Smith, etc. [Pr. 1598.]