In the Name of God Amen I Thomas Armitstead of Graystongill in the Parish of Bentham & County of York Yeoman being Grown Old and out of health but of Sound Perfect and Disposing Mind and Memory Praised be God for the Same And Calling to Mind the Uncertainty of this Life and the Certainty of Death therefore being Mindfull to Settle and Dispose of my Effects and Estate wherewith God hath Blessed me So as After my Decease Peace Unity and Concord may be Continued and Preserved Amongst my Wife and Children Do Make this my Last Will and Testament in Manner and form following, First I Recommend my Soul into the hands of Almighty God my Creator hoping this the Mercys of my Redeemer Jesus Christ to be made Partaker of Everlasting Life And my Body to Decent and Christian Burial at the Discretion of my Executors hereafter Named And as for my Temporal Effects and Estate Do Dispose Will Give and Bequeath in Manner & form following First I Give Devise and Bequeath to my Son Peter Armitstead and to his heirs Lawfully to be Begotten of his Body All my Estate Called and known by the Name of Chesters Consisting of One New Dwelling house and One Barn, One Close or Inclosure of Land Called Chesterfield by Estimation Two Acres Three Roods & Thirty Eight Perches be it more or less One other Close or Inclosure of Ground Called Moss Close by Estimation One Acre two Roods and Thirty Six Perches be it more or less, with all and every the Rights Members & Appurtences to the Same or any part thereof Belonging on or in any Wise of Right Appertaining Situate Lying & being in Graystongill aforesaid, To hold unto him the said Peter Armitstead and his heirs Lawfully to be Begotten of his Body for Ever But Provide that if it shall happen that my said Son Peter Armitstead Shall Leave no heir Lawfully Begotten by him Aforesaid then it is my Will and Mind And I Do Hereby Give Devise and Bequeath the Same /from & after his Decease/ to my Daughter Ann Yeaden her heirs and Assigns for Ever, Also I Give & Bequeath to my Said Son Peter Armitstead the Sum of Ten Pounds of Lawfull Brittish Money to be paid to him at Twelve Months End after my Decease by my Executors hereafter Named, Also I Give & Bequeath to my Loving Wife Ellin Armitstead One Bed & Cloths to Make up one Decent Bed & also the Sum of five Shillings, All the Rest of my Goods and Personal Estate of what kind or Nature Soever the Same be after my Just Debts Said Legacys Costs of Probat of this my Last Will and Testament and funeral Expenses Paid & Discharged I Do Give and Bequeath to my Son William Armitstead and to my Son in Law Henry Yeaden Equally Between them whom I Nominate Constitute and Appoint Joint Executors of this my Last Will and Testament In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my hand and Seal this Twenty Sixth Day of October in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Fifty five

 

Sealed Signed Published & Declared
by the said Thomas Armitstead as for his
Last Will and Testament in the Sight and
Presence of us

his mark
Thomas  T  A  Armitstead

Stephen Ellis
Joseph Ellis
Henry Ellershaw

April the sixteenth day AD 1759 William Armistead and Henry Yeadon that are abovenamed Joint Executors appeared personally and were sworn well and truly to execute and perform the Will above written, and that all the personal effects did not amount to Forty Pounds, and so forth, before me
  Js.LeTousey, Surrogate