Description:

PROB/11/446/60. 6th June 1698. Will of James Price Gentleman of Llantillio Crosssenny, Monmouthshire.

Transcription by Arthur Price, reproduced with his kind permission.

 In the name of God Amen this twenty eight day of November in the yeare of our Lord God one Thousand six hundred ninty and seaven and in the ninth yeare of the reighne of our Sovereriang Lord William the third by the Grace of God King of England  Scotland France and Ireland defender of the faith etc I James Price of Trewew in the parish of Lantillio Crosseny in the County of Monmouth Gent being in reasonable good health and of good and perfect mind and memory praised be to almighty God utterly  renouncing and revoaking all former and either Wills by me att any time heretofore made or declared either in writing or by word of mouth doe make and declare this my last will and testament in writeing in manner and forme following that is to say  First I commend my Soule into the hands of almighty God trusting to be saved by the  [?] death and passion of Jesus  Christ my only saviour and redeemer and my body I comitt to the earth  to be buried in Christian burial according to the direction of my Executor herein after named. Item I give and bequeath to my well beloved brother John Price my freehold and copy hold  or lease  hold estate with in the parish of Walterston and County of Hereford unto him and his heirs forever. Item I give and bequeath one other Tenement within the parish of Lanvihangell Crucorney wherin one Thomas  Williams now dwelleth unto the above named John Price of Walterston. Item I give and bequeath unto my well beloved brother John Price one other Tennement of lands with its appurtenances situate lying and being within the parish of Michael Church Escly within the County of Hereford upon the consideration of the payment of one hundred pounds unto my well beloved sister Joahan Price as soon as the said John Price shall attain the age of twenty and one years and in case the said one hundred pounds be not paid  immediately by the said John Price unto the said Joahan Price my sister  after the said John Price attains the age of twenty and one years my will and meaning is that the Interest of the aforesaid hundred pounds be yearly paid and every year unto the said Johan Price so long as they continue  unpaid by the said John Price her brother. Item I give and bequeath unto my well beloved brother John Price one other Tennement of land with his appurtenances called pont ye mody within the Townshipp of Lanveynoe in the County of Hereford unto him and his heirs for ever. Item I give and bequeath unto my well beloved Unkle James Morgan of Lantillio Perrtholy  Esq four oxen four ponies one mare and one horse and two yearling calves and twenty two wethers also twenty three sheepes more of all sorts  six pigs one sow and five [? ?] Item  I give and bequeath unto my well beloved cousin William Price of Comere all the hard corne in the barne and in the ricks and all other [?] grain within the barne and the ricks and the grass corne now growing upon the aforesaid lands called Trerew and the hay there now housed or otherwise. Item I give and bequeath unto my servant Phillip Rumly the sume of forty shillings. Item I give and bequeath unto Mary Rumly the daughter of John Rumly the sum of forty shillings. Item I give and bequeath unto Johan the wife of Charles Thomas forty shillings and the like sume of forty shillings unto John Thomas, sone of the said Charles. Item I give and bequeath unto Mauld Rumley the sum of five pounds Item I give and bequeath forty shillings to buy bread to be disposed at my funeral. Item I give and bequeath twenty shillings for the ringers att my funeral. Item I give and bequeath unto William Pritchard sone of Walter Pritchard the sum of forty shillings. Item I give and bequeath unto my cousin William Price of Comere one brown bay mare . Item my will and meaning is  that my well beloved cousin William Price shall pay unto Mauld Rumley the sume of thirteene pounds with none moneyes lent to the testator, And the further sume of twenty two pounds more [?] bequeathed out of the legacy  bequeathed unto William as aforesaid. Item my will is that my estate in Walterston and Langvihangel Crucornye before bequeathed unto my brother John Price shall stand chardg of all debts whatsomever until all debts are really satisfied  and paid and to revert to my brother John Price for ever. Item I give and bequeath unto my well beloved Unkell James Morgan Esquire all my household stuff to feather beds with their appurtenances and all other materials whatsomever  that I have now in my possession and all [?] and implements of husbandry . And lastly I do nominate constitute ordain appoint my well beloved Unkell James Morgan Esq sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament unto I give and bequeath all the rest of my personal estate unbequeath my funeral expenses debts and legaces being discharged. In witness thereof  I have hereunto sett my hand and seal the day and year first above written James Price Read signed published and delivered the words buriall and my being first interviewed in the presence of Phillip Rumley John Rumley by his mark Seth Powell. 

Observations:

This branch of the Price family acquired extensive property and interests in many of the parishes of Ewyas Lacy, and further references can be found here.

Commentary by Arthur Price:

[In addition to] the will of John Price of Bacton's Great Grandson James Price I have found 70 years of equity litigation covering four generations concerning these people. The family  eventually lost farms in six parishes due to debts arising from this constant litigation. My direct ancestor (another John Price) ended up as a husbandman  at Vineyards farm  in Walterstone  which his father and ancestors had once owned.  I will let you have his will and details of his farm sale sometime and of his son (yet another John Price) who built up the family fortunes again as a druggist in Abergavenny.

Interestingly the Thomas Price (son of John Price of Bacton) mentioned in the Michaelchurch Escley Mill court case is said by his widow (in another court case) to have died on the 25th Feb 1644 (oldstyle), as " she believed" . This I take to mean she was not present at his death or to put it another way he  did not die at home in Oldcastle.   If  the date is converted to 25th Feb 1645, this is the date of the Battle of Lancaut on the River Wye in the Forest of Dean where a small royalist force was routed by the parliamentarians. Some of the royalists came from the Monmouthshire contingent of the garrison at Chepstow castle, and so it is just possible that Thomas  was one of the 70-80 soldiers killed or 60 men drowned in the  Wye on that day.