Will William Allen - 1663

of Banbury, Oxfordshire

Dated 9th Jan 1663: Proved 20th June 1670

© Transcribed by Michael Russell OPC for Dorchester from PROB 11/333 November 2013


In the name of God Amen the Twenty Ninth day of January Anno Dm One Thousand Six Hundred Sixty Three and in the fiftieth year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord Charles the second of England I William ALLEN of Banbury in the County of Oxon gent being weak in body but of perfect mind and memory praised be the Lord do make this my Last Will and Testament in manor following that is to say
    First: I give and bequeath my soul to Almighty God my creator hoping to be saved by the sole merits of my saviour Jesus Christ my body I commit to the earth to be decently buried according to the discretion of my executrixes hereinafter named and I dispose of my worldly estate in manner following
    First: I give grant and bequeath unto my loving wife Elizabeth ALLEN an Annuity or yearly rent of ten pounds to be issuing and payable yearly out of all those my closes pastures or enfold ground lying and being in Grimsbury in the parish of Banbury and County of Northampton now or late in the occupation of Samuel WARREN or his assignees To have hold receive take and enjoy the said Annuity or yearly rent of Ten Pounds to my said loving wife Elizabeth ALLEN and her assigns for and during her natural life payable yearly at four days or times in the year. That is to say at and upon the one and twentieth day of December, the five and twentieth day of March, the four and twentieth day of June and the five and twentieth day of September by even and equal portions the first payment thereof to be made and begin at such of the said days as shall first and next happen to come after my death And for the true payment thereof accordingly i charge my said closes lands and premises in Grimsbury aforesaid
    I give: and bequeath unto my said wife all such goods and household stuff which were here before her in her marriage and I do will that she have and enjoy the proceeds of twenty pounds in the hands of my wives son-in-law Mr Michael DENY [or DEMY] of Exmouth in the County of Devon according to the settlement thereof without the let or suit of my executrixes herein after named or either of them.
    Also I give: and bequeath unto my daughter Martha WOOLY and her heirs all those my messuages or tenements with the appurtenances situate and being in Banbury aforesaid now or late in the tenure or occupation of John GUISE and Michael VICKERS or one of them or one of their assignees with the stable and appurtenances next adjoining to the said messuage or tenement wherein the said Michael VICKERS now dwelleth situate and being in Banbury aforesaid so as she and her heirs do truly pay or cause to be paid to my sister Alice PADGE Widow forty shillings yearly and every year during the term of her natural life at four days or times in the year - that is to say at and upon the one and twentieth day of December, the five and twentieth day of March, the four and twentieth day of June and the nine and twentieth day of September by even and equal portions the first payment thereof to be made and begin at such of the said days as shall first and next happen to come after my death And if my said daughter Martha the and her heirs shall fail in payment of the said forty shillings yearly or any part thereof to my said sister Alice PADGE at the days and times aforesaid then I give and bequeath the said messuage or tenement with the appurtenances to me said sister Alice Page and her assigns during the time of her natural life and after her decease to my said daughter Martha WOOLLY and her heirs forever
    Also I give: and bequeath to my said daughter Martha WOOLLYE and her heirs the full moiety or one half of all that my said close pasture or enclosed ground with the appurtenances lying and being in Grimsbury aforesaid
    Also I give: and bequeath the other moiety or one half of all my said closes pastures or enclosed ground with the appurtenances to my daughter Mary ASHFORD and the heirs of her body lawfully begotten and to be begotten and for default of such issue to my said daughter Martha WOOLLEY and her heirs for ever the said close pasture or enclosed ground chargeable nevertheless with the said Annuity of Ten Pounds to my said wife as aforesaid
    Also I give: and bequeath to my said daughter Martha WOOLLYE my silver salt
    Also I give: and bequeath to my said daughter Mary ASHFORD my silver beaker
    Also : my mind and will is that my Son-in-Law Thomas KEVITT shall receive and take the rents issues and profits of all that my tenement and garden ground with the appurtenances in Banbury aforesaid now or late in the occupation of Symon WILKINS until my grandchild Thomas KEVITT son of my daughter Hypestill hath attained the age of four and twenty years for and towards the maintenance of my said grandchild Thomas KEVITT if he live so long and immediately after my said grandchild shall have attained the said age of four and twenty years then I give the said tenement and garden ground with the appurtenances now or late in occupation of the said Symon WILKINS to my said grandchild Thomas KEVITT and his heirs forever, But if my said grandchild Thomas KEVITT shall die before he attain the said age of four and twenty years Then I give the said tenement and garden ground with appurtenances unto my said daughters Martha WOOLLY and Mary ASHFORD and to their heirs equally to be divided
    Also I give: and unto my grandchild Dorcas KEVITT and her heirs all that my tenement with the appurtenances in Banbury aforesaid wherein William SIMS now dwelleth or late dwelt
    Also I give: unto my said wife the bedstead tester rug blankets & featherbed bedstead pillows and all the other things of and belonging to the bed that I and my wife now lie on for her life and the use of all my books and after her decease I give the aforesaid Bedstead and bedding unto my grandchild Dorcas KEVETT
    Also I give: to the poor of Banbury forty shillings to be distributed by the churchwardens of Banbury aforesaid within six months after my decease
    Also I give: unto my Maid Servant Anne JUDD forty Shillings
    Also I give: unto Mr Samuel WELLS late Minister of Banbury aforesaid three pounds to be paid within six months after my decease
    Also: all the rest of my goods chattels and chattels plate household stuff and other my personal estate my debts and legacies being paid and all my funeral expenses discharged I give and bequeath to my said daughters Martha WOOLLY and Mary ASHFORD whom I make and ordain sole executrixes of this my last will and testament And I do hereby revoke all former wills by me made for witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year above written
I William ALLEN

Signed sealed and published in the presence of Sara WHATELEY, William WHATELEY and John WEBB
Probate: This Will was proved at the Strand in the County of Middlesex on the 20th day in the month of June One thousand six hundred and seventy -- administration of the estate to Martha WOOLEY and Mary ASHFORD after oaths
Genealogical Notes:- [Note Deaths have not been transcribed for Banbury by CLDS; NBI or Ancestry. and only CLDS has any records of Baptisms and Marriages]

(1). William ALLEN was previously married to Bathsua whose name comes to us from the baptism records of his last 2 known children. (Baptisms:= CLDS Film 942-57-B2-B4B-V.7 - Batch C02639: Marriages (CLDS Film 0990430-IT-2, 1696464-IT-4/5 batch M02639-1). Bathsua & William had at least the following children.
    (1.) Martha Allin [Allen] baptised Banbury 10th April 1619 daughter of William Allin [Allen] who appears to have married a Mr Woolly - not been able to locate a marriage
    (2). William baptised Banbury 14th Nov 1620 the son of William Allen; probably died an infant as no bequests in the will.
    (3). Hopstyll [also recorded as 'Hepestill' or 'Hypestill'] baptised Banbury 1st Feb 1624 the daughter of William & Bathsua Allen; who married Thomas KEVET at Banbury on 5th Oct 1654. I think in modern english her name was meant to be 'Hopestill' which was a surname in the 17th century in use around Banbury. When used as a Christian name it seems to always be female.
    (4). Mary Allen Bap Banbury 16th April 1626 the daughter of William & Bathsua Allen; who married Joseph ASHFORD at Banbury on 24 June 1659. Its possible that they lived after marriage in Birmingham as a Bathsua Ashford was baptised at St Martins church Birmingham on 3rd June 1661 (CLDS Book 0097316 batch P01072-1). She was followed by 2 more Elizabeth bap 26th June 1674 and Sarah on 23rd Feb 1677.
(2). Elizabeth is clearly his 2nd marriage and the will is written to ensure that she has an annuity and all her goods that she brought to the marriage but that his property descends to the daughters of his first marriage. This might be the reason why Elizabeth moved on the death of her husband as the property she would have been living in would now be owned by her step daughters. If this is Elizabeth Gardner (nee White) Michael DENY [DENNY] should have married her daughter Martha GARDNER but so far I have not been able to locate him or their marriage.

(3). I am fairly confident that this is Elizabeth's 2nd husband, not only because of the fact that he was a long time resident of Banbury as described in her husbands will, but also because William WHATELEY is a witness. A Mr William WHAYLIE was appointed executor of her son Josiah's will written in 1650 and witnessed by William ALLEN. When this will was proved the registrar spelt his name as William WHEATLEY.

(4). The Rev Samuel Wells MA (1614-1678) was born 18th Aug 1614 in St Peters Parish Oxford the son of William Wells. A pleb. of Magdalen Hall where he matriculated on 11th May 1632 at the age of 17; he was awarded a B.A. Degree at New College Oxford on 27th June 1633 and an M.A. at Magdalen Hall on the 3rd May 1636. kept school at Wandsworth , assistant to Dr.Temple at Battersea 1639; Chaplain in Colonel Essex's Regiment in the Parliamentarian Army 1641-1644, sequestered to the rectory of Remenham Berkshire 1646, by the Westminster Assembly of Divines of which Rev John White (1575-1648) was a member. He was appointed vicar of St Mary's Banbury on 15th Sep 1648 where he remained for 16 years. According to the Victoria County History (Volume 10) Wells was not an extremist and protested against the execution of Charles I, even so he was acceptable to the Commonwealth government. The old vicarage was badly damaged during the civil war and and in July 1648 Parliament granted timber for rebuilding it. The porch of the present house (No. 24 horse Fair) bears his initials S.W. He was intolerant of Quakers but evidently allowed other preachers in the parish. Wells like so many others was ejected from his living in 1662. After his ejection he became the leader of a congregation which seceded from the parish church and became the Presbyterian 'Old Meeting'. This congregation enjoyed considerable support and relations with the parish church were apparently quite cordial. Samuel Wells died in 1678his will being proved on 15th September that year (PROB 11/357/493)

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