This is the transcribed Will of Thomas Buckner of Westhampnett, Sussex, England, 1704 (LDS microfilm #0194588 p. 698, Consistory Court of The Bishop of Chichester)
Thomas Buckner is fairly well recorded in Sussex documents. He had previously lived in Walberton, and married, probably as his second wife, Frances Morrey, a widow of Boxgrove who was the daughter of Henry Covert. A 1677 christening record for his daughter Elizabeth indicates that his first wife was named Elizabeth as well. The son Thomas seems to have married Elizabeth Dyer in Oving, Sussex in 1707. One child of Thomas Jr., Betty, is recorded in christening records from 1709 and died in 1710. My suspicion is that Thomas Sr. was the son of John Buckner who was recorded in a protestation return for Walberton in 1641/2 and similarly appears in a few scattered records of the area.
The earliest Buckner in southwest Sussex seems to have been Hugh Buckner of North Mundham whose modest estate of 25-odd pounds was administrated by his widow Anne in 1629. John Buckner was a witness to the will of Henry Chatfield of North Mundham on 28 Jan 1636. It seems fairly likely that John was Hugh's son. Thomas Buckner Sr. was probably born in the 1640s or 1650s, so he may have been a son or grandson of this John Buckner. Tentatively, I would suggest that Hugh was the son of Richard Buckner of Cumnor parish in Berks who was christened in 1589, so a decent hypothesis of Thomas' ancestry would be:
William Buckner of Botley (?-1558)->Richard Buckner of Cumnor(?-?)->Hugh Buckner of North Mundham (ca 1589-1629)->John Buckner of Walberton (ca 1620-?)->Thomas Buckner Sr. (ca 1645-1704).
I've tried to preserve the line arrangement so anyone who wants can compare this to the original image. I don't claim perfection, and there are some things that can be interpreted different ways.
Date of will: 29 Aug 1704
Probate: 4 Nov 1704
People named in the will:
In the name of god Amen The nine & twentith
day of August in the year of our Lord 1704 I Thomas Buckner of the
parrish of Westhampnett in the County of Sussex yeoman being very sick and
weak in body but of p{er}fect mind & memory (thanks be given to God therefore ~
calling unto mind that mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for a
man once to die Doe make and Ordaine this my last will and Testament (that
is to say) principally & First of all I give and recommend my Soule into the
hands of God yt gave it & for my body I recommend it to the Earth to be buried
in a Christian like manner at the discrecon~ of my Executor hereafter named
nothing doubting but at the generall Resurreccon~ I shall receive the same
againe by the mighty power of God And as touching such worldly Estate wherever
it hath Pleased God to bless me in this Life I give devise and bequeathdispose
of the same in the following man~er & Forme Imprimis to my Loving wife
Frances the Interest of Four score pounds att pounds[????] I give to her during her
naturall life & Alsoe ye use of all my household goods during her nr~all life
Item I give to my Daughter Mary the sum of twenty pounds Item I
give to me Grandson Thomas [T?]owning the su~me of Five pounds which said su~me of
Twenty pounds to my Daughter Mary & Five pounds to my Grandson Thomas
before menc~oned to be paid respectively in One month after my decease and my said wife
Frances And the said moneys to be put into the hands of Mr Heberden of East
Lavant soe that the Husband of my said Daughter may not have the Wasting
of itt but that Mr Heberden may deale itt to the p{ar}ties abovemenc~oned as neede
shall require Item I give to my Daughter Elizabeth the su~me of Fifty pounds
to be paid out of the money in Mr Reason's hands^Item I give more to my
Daughter Elizabeth after the decease of me & my wife The bed with green
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Curtains & the other appu~te~ces belonging to [smudged] bed & also six pewter dishes [?]
the least bell[?] mettle pott Item I give to my beloved son Thomas Buckner my house
at Midhurst that is Burgher holding after the decease of my Loveing wife
enjoyning my said wife to keep it in good repair during her nr~all life LAstly
I constitute my beloved son Thomas Buckner my full & sole Executor of this
my last will and Testament Alsoe I give to my son Thomas all moneys on bond
or otherwise Excepting that moneys in Mr Reason's hands Also I give my C[?]
Stock to my said son Thomas towards the defraying my Funerall Expenses and
I doe hereby revoak all Former wills & Testaments Ratefying & confirming
this & not other to be my last will & Testament In Witness whereof I have
hereunto sett my hand & Seal the day & year above written The mark of
Thomas Buckner Signed sealed published pronounced & declared by the said
Thomas Buckner as his last will & Testament in the p{re}sence of us the
Subscribers viz {MARK} Charles Collins John Huffman hismark Thos. Hammond
Probatum fuit hu[noi~] Testum~ Cora~ Ven~ Viro Thoma Briggs
Legu~ Dcore Vicario & Quarto die Novembr~ 1704 Iurament Thoma Buckner
filij nr~alis l~timi dict defunct ac Ex~oris ut Cui &c de bene Iurat salve &c
