William
Chilcott's
Will 1650 - Full Text
Ref :108 Pembroke [PROB 11/212 - p 431]
In the name of God Amen The twentieth day
of July anno domini 1643 William Chilcott of Bridey in the County of
Dorset gent considering the frailty of mankind and my uncertain
departure out of this vaine and turbulent world being of perfect
health and memory praised be God revoking all former wills by me
made do make and ordain this my last will and testament in manner
following that I bequeath my soul into the hands of its maker my
everlasting gracious God fastly believing my salvation thorough the
merits of myn alone and only sweet saviour Jesus Christ and my body
to the earth whence it came to be buried at the discretion of mine
executors hereafter named and as touching that worldly estate
wherewith it hath pleased my good God so abundantly to bless me I
give and dispose in manner following Imprimis my will and meaning is
that Mabella my dear and loving wife have and hold all that my farm
of Bowy? in the said county of Dorset and the lands called Short
hill and Lamerton thereunto belonging during the term of her natural
life for the maintenance of herself and our children during their
several minorities or until their respective preferment in marriage
or other settlement in some xx of livelihood or calling she
relinquishing her dower and right of dower in and to the premises
aforesaid and in and to all other my lands and hereditaments
otherwise she not to have nor take any benefit of this my device
unto her and in case she shall be outed of the said premises upon
the death of Thomas Powlett gent late owner thereof by the xxx or
interest of Mrs Powlett his now wife, if she shall happen to survive
him, who claimed a right of jointure in the land purchased after the
decease of her said husband then my will and meaning is that in xxx
and recompense of my said farm of Bridey during the life of the said
Alice Powlett my wife shall have and hold my house at Windfford and
so much of my lands and possessions of my farm there as shall be
agreed and allotted out by two indifferent men to be nominated and
agreed on my my executors hereafter named or the survivor of them as
shall amount to the value of two hundred pounds per annum quitted of
her rents payable to the xx of Martin Yeerly for the maintenance of
herself and our children as aforesaid (she relinquishing her dower
and right of dower in and to my lands and possessions as aforesaid)
Item I give all my plate and household stuff whatsoever unto my son
William Chilcott if he shall be living at the time of my death but
if he shall happen to die before me then I give the same unto my son
Robert Chilcott and so to such of my sons which shall happen to be
my house at the common lane at the time of my death to the end it
may remain together with my mansion house and is shall be severally
in them at the time of my death but my will is and I do hereby
devise and appoint that Mabella my said wife shall have the use and
occupation of so much of my land, plate and household stuff that
shall be in my house at Bewdry at the time of my death during the
term of her natural life and for the better certainly of my said
plate and household stuff and that if may be the more truly known my
will is that a true and perfect inventory or schedule thereof
indented shall be had and made by my executors or the survivor or
survivors of them within one month next after my decease and that
one part of the said schedule or inventory shall remain with my wife
and another part thereof with myne heir or mine other executors in
trust for mine heir and that thereupon my wife shall give good
security to my othere executor or to the survivor or survivors of
them to answer and leave the sum at the time of her death unto my
sons or heirs as aforesaid and of a good value and in as good plight
as she shall receive them Item whereas my said wife and Elizabeth
Every her daughter have and may xx by and under the grant and device
of Alexander Every gent deceased last husband of my said wife
several messuages, lands, tenements and hereditaments lying within
the parish of Whitchurch in the said county of Dorset my will and
meaning is that my said wife and the said Elizabeth her daughter
shall have and hold the same xxx but as for the goods and personal
estate given unto them or either of them by the last will of the
said Alexander Every my will is that they remain and be disposed of
according to a deed thereof in writing by me formerly made since my
intermarriage with my said wife, my wife having the use of such of
them as shall be in my house at Beedy at the time of my death during
her life as aforesaid and I do remit the care and disposition of the
said Elizabeth Every unto my wife who I presume will be ever tender
of her in her preferment and I do give unto my said daughter in law
[blank in text] to be bestowed in plate for her Item I give unto my
daughter (sic) Thomasin and Mabella Chilcot and to every other
daughter and daughters that I shall have hereafter born to each and
every of them one thousand pounds a piece to be paid them at their
several and respective ages of one and twenty years or within one
year next after their several and respective marriages which shall
first happen if they shall live to attain the several ages of one
and twenty years or be married otherwise this my legacy and legacies
to her or them so dying within the age of one and twenty years or
unmarried to be void. Item I give unto each and every of my younger
sons now and hereafter to be born (and that shall not be heir at
law) one thousand pounds a piece to be paid them at their several
and respective age of four and twenty years if they shall live to
attaint the same otherwise this my legacy and legacies given to him
or them so dying within the age of four and twenty years and for
such part and as much as shall be unpaid to him or them respectively
to be paid my will and meaning being nevertheless and I xx my
executors (if they think fit) and that money may be conveniently
raised out of my estate as hereafter xxx that in the mean time
although they have not attained their several ages of four and
twenty years that for the better placing and preferment of all or
any of my younger sons aforesaid my executors or the survivor or
survivors of them do issue forth all or any part or parts of the
personal portions so given or intended unto them as aforesaid and
they or the survivor or survivors of them shall in their discretions
think fit and for good xx to do therein and whatsoever shall be so
issue forth by my said executor or any of them therein shall be and
allowed out of the respective portion or portions so intended or
given to them as aforesaid and in the meantime also my further will
and device to my executors is that they will have a special care and
regard to the virtuous education and disposition of all (my
children?) and that all my younger sons may be disposed in some way
or calling for their better livelihood and subsistence according to
such natural gifts and capacities as God shall be pleased to bless
and enable them. And for the raising of money for placing them
or any of them xx or settling them or any of them in any other xx or
probable way of preferment and for the satisfaction of my debts and
legacies hereby given my will intent and full meaning is that my
executors or the survivors or survivor of them shall manage, take
and xx the rents issue and profits of all my lands tenements and
estate not formerly limited to my said wife and to be enjoyed by her
as aforesaid until the same may be xxx satisfied and discharged and
if that may not be sufficient to compass and pay the same in xxx
time as it shall be thought best by my executors or the survivors or
survivor of them then my will and meaning is that my said executors
or the survivor or survivors of them do by sale or other disposition
of all or any of my leases chattels, real and personal estate raise
so much money to discharge and satisfy the same unless such son or
child or whosoever as shall happen to be mine heir or heirs at law
shall willingly undertake and pay or sufficiently secure or satisfy
the same and I do make and ordain my xx beloved wife my brother in
law John Bragg my brother John Chilcott my good friend Mr Nicholas
Derby and my servant Alexander Gerady executors of this my last will
and testament in trust for the better performance and execution of
this my last will as aforesaid and after my funeral debts and
legacies paid and discharged as aforesaid to and for the sole
benefit of such person and persons as shall be myne heir or heirs
and shall willingly undertake and pay or sufficiently secure or
satisfy the same and I devise mine executors thereof xx and
assistance therein and that especially in the education and well
settlement of my children as aforesaid and I do give unto every of
them a ring of gold of twenty shillings price with a deaths head in
it and I do give more unto the said Alexander Gerady a good nag and
for the better accomplishment of this my last will and testament I
desire my said executors and the survivors and survivor of them to
meet once every year to advise and confer thereof and to make an
account of their receipts and disbursements in the xxx and to cause
the same to be written into several books and each of them to keep
one that the truth therefore may the better appear for their
discharge and toward their care and pains therein so doing I do
grant unto each of them yearly the sum of forty shillings and to the
clerk that shall be employed therein forty shillings yearly to be
charged on the same account and if any difference or dispute shall
arise or grow into question touching this my last will or any part
thereof for avoiding all suits both in law and equity my will and
meaning is and I do charge all and every such person and persons as
shall so question or are concerned in the same to refer and submit
all such questions and differences unto the hearing and final
determination of my noble good friends Sir William Portman, Sir
Anthony Ashley Cooper, Sir Gerard Naper Baronet and Giles
Strangeways Esq or to any two of them or to the survivors of them
whom I humbly pray to hear and determine the same and that such
determination and determinations as shall be made by the same Sir
William Portman, Sir Anthony Ashley Couper Sir Gerard Naper and
Giles Strangeways or by any two or more of them or by the survivor
of them in writing under his hand or their hand subscribed shall be
final and conclusive and if any person or persons shall refuse to
stand to and abide such determination and determinations then my
will and meaning is that such person or persons shall loose and
shall not have nor take any benefit by this my will nor of any
legacy bequest or dower whatsoever given or intended thereby and I
do earnestly request the said Alexander Gerady to perfect the books
of account aforesaid yearly or to see it carefully done and I do
earnestly desire my worthy good friends John Merefield of Ormeston
Esq John Were of Donsmore Esq Lough Windham of Silton Esq and
Creymer Bigod of Parret Esq to be overlookers and advisors of and
upon this my last will and testament and I do give unto every of
them a ring of gold of thirty shillings price with a deaths head in
it. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day
and year first above written William Chilcott memorandum that the
words intented in the --- --- vizt (all or any) were so intended and
then signed sealed and published in the presence of Arnold? Batt,
John Lat William? Lamblin?
Proved London Nathanial Ben? 26 July
Acknowlegements:
Thanks to Joan Hunter for the information on this page
If you have additions or
corrections to this page, please contact
us Bones in the Belfry home page
Page last updated - 2025