Original Transcription below - Link to Modern English version
Transcribed by Michael Russell OPC Dorchester - December 2010|
Note:- To aid researchers with identification I have retained the line structure of the original document and indicated by a break the start and end of each page. Words that I am unsure of I have highlighted in red.
In the Name of God Amen: The Seaventh day of Aprill One Thousand Six hundred Sixty Six And in the Eighteenth yeare of the Raigne of our Soveraigne Lord Charles the Second by the grace of God King of England Scotland ∞ ffrance and Ireland Defender of the ffaith I Richard DAVIDGE of ∞ London Merchant being at pesent in good health of body and of perfect ∞ mind and memory (Thanks be to Almighty God) Doe make and declare ∞ these presents to be my last will and testament as followeth (that is ∞ to say) ffirst I commend my soule into the hands of Almighty God in ∞ trusting and beleiving by and through the meritts death and passion of Jesus Christ my onely and alone Saviour and Redeemer to have full and -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------end of page 1 Free pardon of all my sinnes and to enjoy eternall happines My body I comitt unto the earth to be decently buried in expectation of a glorious resur ∞ rection And as for and concerning that worldly estate which God of his good ∞ nes hath bestowed upon me my debts being paid and funeralls discharged ∞ I dispose thereof in manner following (that is to say) First as for and ∞ concerning my goods chattles and personall estate I give and bequeath out of the same personall estate unto my loveing wife Katherine the sume of one ∞ thousand pounds in money And alsoe her wearing Jewells and Rings here ∞ after particularly mentioned namely one Great Jewell consisting of Topp ∞ conteyning nyne Dymonds middle conteyning twenty and nyne dymonds and Pendant conteyning Tenn Dyamonds in all fforty and eight Dyamonds of severall sorts one Jewell with my picture conteyning sixteen ∞ Dyamonds one large Rose Dyamond Ring one small Rose Dyamond Ring One Table Dyamond Ring one Emerald Ring One Necklace conteyning one hundred thirty and eight Pearles with all other her Gold Rings without ∞ Jewells And all her gold chargers and Braceletts And likewise I give unto ∞ my said wife All my household stuff as Bedding hangings lynnon And all other furniture made up and which have beene worth hopeing that ∞ (according to her voluntary promise) She will preserve the said household ∞ stuffe and furniture & dispose the same to my children when it shall please ∞ God to make them capable to use the same household stuffe and furniture ∞ And further alsoe I give and appoint the use of my Plate (other then such Plate as was here before our marriage And such plate as particularly ∞ belongs to my children or any of them) unto her my aforesaid wife untill one ∞ of my sonnes shall attaine to the age of one and twenty yeares And in ∞ case of all my sonnes death before such age then untill my daughters ∞ shalbe of that age And all such ages respectively the said my Plate shalbe ∞ delivered to such my children soe ffirst attayning such age to his or ∞ their owne use for ever Item I give out of the said my personall estate ∞ to my severall children the generall legacies and portions hereafter men ∞ tioned (that is to say) To my sonne Richard DAVIDGE the sume of one ∞ thousand pounds To my sonne Thomas DAVIDGE the sume of Seaven ∞ hundred pounds To my sonne John DAVIDGE the sume of ffive hundred ∞ pounds To my sonne Charles DAVIDGE the like sume of ffive hundred ∞ pounds To my Daughter Sarah DAVIDGE the sume of Six hundred pounds ∞ To my daughter Katherine DAVIDGE the sume of ffive hundred pounds ∞ To my daughter Elizabeth DAVIDGE the sume of ffoure hundred pounds ∞ And to my daughter Anne DAVIDGE the like sume of ffoure hundred pounds ∞ Item I will leave and appoint alsoe out of my personall estate in case my ∞ wife att the tyme of my decease shalbe inseint with a Child which shalbe ∞ afterwards borne alsoe the sume of three hundred pounds unto and for ∞ the use of such afterborne Child All which aforesaid legacies and ∞ portions before given and appointed to my children afore named and to ∞ such afterborne Child if any such shalbe I will and appoint shalbe ∞ paid unto my sonnes att their respective attainments of the ages of one ∞ and twenty yeares And to my daughters att their respective attainments ∞ of the like age of one and twenty yeares or att the respective dayes of ∞ their marriages which shall happen Item I give and bequeath ∞ to the poore of the Parish of St Peter in the towne of Dorchester where ∞ I was borne Tenn pounds And to the poore of the respective parishes ∞ of Holy Trinity and of Allhallowes in the said towne of Dorchester ∞ ffive pounds a peece Item I give to the poore of the towne of Bridport ∞ -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------end of page 2 In the COUNTY of Dorset ffive pounds All which said legacies to the poore of the said severall Parishes and towne aforesaid shall be distributed to ∞ and amongst the said severall poore att the discretion of my executors hereafter ∞ named with the advice of Mr William PITT of Dorchester And of the respective ∞ churchwardens and overseerers of the said severall parishes Item I give unto ∞ Richard POLLARD sonne of Robert POLLARD late of London Bookseller deceased ∞ ∞ Tenn pounds And to Thomas POLLARD and ffrances POLLARD two other children ∞ of the said Robert POLLARD deceased ffive pounds a peece The Rest and resi ∞ due of all and singular my goods chattells and personall estate (not other ∞ wise hereby disposed of) I give and leave to all my children which I have ∞ and such child as my wife shalbe inseint with att the tyme of my decease (if ∞ any such shalbe and ??ibe borne alive) equally share and share like to be paid unto them my now children and such after borne child when and at ∞ such tymes as their other severall legacies and portions aforesaid are before herein appointed to be paid And in case of the death or decease of any of my children either now being or which hereafter shalbe before such tymes of payment of their said legacies or portions as aforesaid that Then as well the ∞ severall legacy and portion and legacies and portions before herein given or intended to such child or children soe deceasing As alsoe his her and their ∞ share and part and shares and part, of the said residue of my personall estate shall come and accrue to the survivors and survivor of my said children ∞ to be paid unto such survivors and survivor when and att such tymes as his her or their owne legacie part and portion or legacies parts and portions ∞ are before appointed to be paid And in case of the death of all my children now in being and which hereafter shalbe before the said tymes of payment of their said legacies parts and portions as aforesaid Then there halfe ∞∞ part or moiety of the said legacies parts and portions of my Personall Estate ∞ before given or intended to my children as aforesaid shall come and accrew to my said wife (And that her halfe or moiety thereof shall come and accrew ∞ to the children of my two sisters Mrs Sarah HILL and Mrs Johan BALE ∞ deceased or to the then survivor or survivor of them equally And as for ∞ and concerning my Capital Messuage ffarme and demeasne lands called Leaston ∞ with the appurtenances situate lyeing and being in the Parish of Langton Matra ∞ vers in the Isle of Purbecke and County of Dorsett And all other my ∞ messuages ffarmes tenements cottages severall hoses and parcells of land ∞ meadow and pasture and other hereditaments situate lyeing and being in ∞ Langton Langton Matravers Hearston and Sandwich als Swanwich or ∞ any of them in the said Isle of Purbeck and County of Dorsett which I ∞ bought and purchased of John HILL Merchant deceased And alsoe my house ∞ Tenement with the appurtenances situate lyeing and being in the parish of ∞ St Peter in Dorchester And as for and concerning alsoe All that my ∞ Capital Messuage or Mansion House with the appurtenances called or knowne by the name of Sharpham Park Lodge with the appurtenances And all other my Messuages Tenements severall crofts and parcels of land meadow and pasture and other hereditaments which are or late were reputed to be part or of or belonging to the demeasne lands and Park of Sharpham situate ∞ lyeing and being in the parishes of Glaston and Streete or one of them in the County of Somersett which I of late bought and purchased of Hugh POTTER ∞ Esquire John TORANTE gent and dame Margaret MELTON widdow or some or ∞ one of them And alsoe All that my Brewhouse with th appurtenances and ∞ the Pigeon house Barne Stall and Hopyard and Barne Croft And all other the messuages or Tenements severall crofts and parcells of land meadow -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------end of page 3 And pasture and other hereditaments which alsoe are or late were reputed to be parcell of and belonging to the demeasne lands and parke of Sharpham aforesaid in the said parishes of Glaston Streete and Walton or some or one of them in the said County of Somersett and which I lately bought and purchased of Edward DYER Esquire (since deceased) and Stephen DYER sonne and then heir apparent of the said Edward or one of them And all other my messuages lands tenements and hereditaments whatsoever in the said County of Somersett I doe hereby signifie and declare that my will and pleasure is that all and every the uses and estates att any tyme or tymes heretofore lymitted raised or appointed by any former deed or deeds or indenture or indentures under my hand and seale of upon or concerning the said messuage or tenement ∞ ffarme demeasne lands houses Brewhouse and all other my said messuages ∞ lands tenements and hereditaments in the said Isle of Purbecke in the County of Dorset and parish of St Peter in Dorchester and in the Parishes of ∞ Glaston and Streete or one of them or elsewhere in the said County of Somer ∞ sett and of every or any part or parcell of them shall cease determine and be void And I doe hereby give and devise my said messuage ffarme and ∞ demeasne lands called Leaston And all other my said messuages lands tene ∞ ments and hereditaments in the Isle of Purbecke in the County of Dorsett and my said house or tenement in Dorchester unto my said sonne Richard DAVIDGE his heires and assignes to thereby proper use and behoofe of the said Richard DAVIDGE his heires and assignes forever And I give and devise my said ∞ Capitall Messuage or Mansion house called Sharpham Park Lodge and my said Brewhouse and all other my said messuages houses lands tenements hereditaments and premises in the said parishes of Glaston and Streete or one of them ∞ or elsewhere in the said County of Somersett unto my said wife Katherine ∞ DAVIDGE and Robert ELLIS of the Citty of London Merchant and William PITT of Dorchester Merchant their heirs and assigns for ever upon this speciall trust and confidence nevertheless that they my said wife Katherine DAVIDGE the said Robert ELLIS and the said William PITT or the survivors or survivor of them or the heirs of the survivor of them doe and shall as soone as conve ∞ iently they can after my decease bargaine and sell the said Capital messuage or mansion house called Sharpham Parke Lodge Brewhouse and other the said lands tenements hereditaments and premises in the said parishes of Glaston and Streete or elsewhere in the said County of Somersett and every part thereof for the best and most advantage they can or shall see most fitting And ∞ upon further trust that all and every such some and sumes of money ∞ as shall proceed or be made or raysed by or out of the sale thereof And alsoe ayt? the rents issues and proffitts thereof which shall arise or come of the ∞ said premisses soe appointed to be sold untill the sale thereof shall come be ∞ paid and disposed as followeth (that is to say) One thousand pounds of the said moneys proceeding of the sale of the said messuages lands and premises and of such the ∞ rents issues and proffitts thereof aforesaid shall come ∞ and be paid to my said wife Katherine DAVIDGE, One thousand pounds more thereof to my said sonne Richard DAVIDGE Six Hundred pounds more thereof ∞ to my said sonne Thomas DAVIDGE Six hundred pounds more thereof to my said sonne John DAVIDGE Six hundred pounds more thereof to my said sonne Charles DAVIDGE Six hundred pounds more thereof to my siad daughter Sarah DAVIDGE Six hundred pounds more thereof to my said daughter Katherine DAVIDGE Six hundred pounds more thereof to my said daughter Elizabeth DAVIDGE Six hundred pounds more thereof to my said daughter Anne DAVIDGE And three hundred pounds more therof (in case my wife shalbe -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------end of page 4 Enseint with a child att the tyme of my decease which shall be after ∞ wards borne alive) shall come and be paid to such afterborne child And the residue and remainder of the sume and sume and sumes of money ∞ proceeding of the sale of the said messuages lands and premisses soe given to be sold as aforesaid And of the rents issues and profitts thereof untill such sale shall come and be disposed to and amongst all my said children now in being both sonnes and daughters And to such afterborne child (if any such shalbe) ∞ equally share and share like And that all and every such sume and sumes of money soe severally lymitted and appointed to and for such my said children now in being & which hereafter shalbe, shalbe paid unto them as followeth (vitz to every of my sonnes att their respective attainment of the ages of one and twenty yeares And to every of my daughters att there attainment of the ∞ like ages of one and twenty yeares or att the dayes of their respective ∞ marriages (which shall ffirst happen And if any of my children now ∞ in being or which shalbe happen to depart this life before the tymes of ∞ payment aforesaid then the part share and portion and parts shares and ∞ portions of the said moneys proceeding by the sale of the said messuages ∞ lands and premisses and of the rents and profitts thereof intended and ∞ appointed to or for such my child or children soe deceasing shall come and ∞ be paid to the survivor and survivors of ∞ my children when and ∞ att such tyme and tymes as his her and their owne parts shares and ∞ portions aforesaid are to be paid And if all my children in being and which shalbe as aforesaid shall depart this life before the tymes of ∞ payment of the said sumes of money and shares and parts of the ∞ moneyes proceeding of the sale of the said messuages lands and premises and the rents and profitts thereof to them lymitted and appointed as afore ∞ said That then the one halfe part or moiety of the said moneys and shares and parts of the moneys proceeding of the sale of the said lands And of the rents and profitts thereof intended and appointed to my said children as ∞ aforesaid shall come and accrue to my said wife And the other halfe part or ∞ moiety thereof shall come and accrue to the said children of my afore named two sisters or to the survivors and survivor of them equally Provided alwayes And I doe expresly declare my will mind and meaning to be ∞ that the said legacy of one thousand pounds and jewells and goods soe as before given to my said wife out of my personall estate with the said ∞ sume of one thousand pounds to and for her intended and appointed out of the moneys proceeding of the sale of the said lands And of the Rents ∞ and profitts thereof are and shalbe and are soe meant and intended ∞ to be And shalbe by her taken and accepted for and in liew recompence and satisfaction aswell of and for all Dower and title of Dower of and in all my messuages lands tenements and hereditaments whatsoever at the ∞ tyme of my decease As alsoe of and for all childs and widdowes part and portion of and in all such goods chattells and personall estate belong ∞ ing unto me att the said tyme of my decease which shee my said wife ∞ by the Laws of this Kingdom or by any Custome or otherwise whatso ∞ ever may have Challenge or clayme in any wise (other than and ∞ except what shall come and accrue unto her out of my said Childrens ∞ portions and estates by all their deaths as is before mentioned Prov ∞ vided always And I doe expresly declare my will mind and meaning to be that the Legacies sumes of money parts shares and portions out of my personall Estate and out of the moneys proceeding of the sale of my said lands as aforesaid and of the Rents and Profitts therefof before herein ∞ -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------end of page 5 Respecively given set forth and appointed to my aforenamed ∞ Children And to the Child whereof my wife shalbe enseint att the tyme of my decease are and shalbe and are soe meant and intended to be And shalbe by my said Children respectively taken and accepted for and in liew recompence and full satisfaction of and for every such Childs and orphanage part and ∞ portion and parts and portions which they my said Children or any of them shall or may respectively have challenge or clayme by any lawe custome or otherwise of into or out of all or any my goods Chattells or Personall whatsoever other than and except what may to them or any of them come and accrue by the ∞ death of all or any their other Brothers or Sisters by and according to the true intent and meaning of this my Last Will And I doe nominate make and appoint my aforesaid loving wife Katherine full and sole executrix of this my last will and testament And I doe appoint her my said wife (if she ∞ shall soe long live) to be Guardian of the bodyes and estates of my said ∞ Children during their minorities And to have and take the care of their ∞ education and bringing up in the feare of God And other will and Com ∞ medable qualifications befitting there degrees And I devise nominate and appoint my aforesaid living friends Mr Robert ELLIS and Mr William PITT to be overseers of this my last will and testament And to be assisting ∞ with the best Advice they cann to my said executrix in the disposing and ∞ improveing of my children portions and in the due orderly execution of this my last will And I doe give each to each of them my said overseers twenty pounds a peece for a peece of Plate As a token of my thanksfulnes for their paines and care to be taken in the premisses And my will inn and desire is And I doe hereby order and appoint that my said executrix shall have the management of the aforesaid legacies moneys and portions given and appointed to my said children as well out of my Personall Estate as out of moneys proceeding of the sale of my lands before appoin: ted to be sould and of the rents and profitts of the same untill such ∞ sale And likewise the rents and profitts of my lands before devised to my said sonne Richard And shall dispose and imploy the said legacies ∞ moneys and portions of my said Children And the said Rents and proffitts of the said lands given to my said sonne Richard att interestt or in some other way of proffitt takeing and following always and from tyme to ∞ tyme in such disposing thereof the advice and approbation of my aforesaid overseers or the survivor of them if the same may be conveinently had (untill the same portions moneys legacies and rents shall respectively ∞ become due and payable to my said Children to and for the use and benefitt of my said Children. And they my said Children to beare the losses and adventures that may happen in the disposing of the same And my will and desire is that my said Children shalbe decently maintayned educated and brought up according to their degrees and qualities) by and out of the increase and interest of their ∞ said respective legacies portions and rents (vizt) each of them out of the ∞ proffitts and increase of his and her owne estates and portions att the discretion of their said mother their Guardian and what shall remayne of such ∞ increase and interest of their said respective portions and estates (over and ∞ above what shall goe for maintaynance and bringing them up) shall goe and be towards the increase and augmentation of their portions, And shalbe paid together with the same their portions to them Respectively att the tymes before appointed for the payment of their said legacies and portions In Witnes ∞ whereof to this my last will and testament contayned in nyne sheets of paper and this part of a sheete written on one side onely I the said Richard -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------end of page 6 DAVIDGE have sett my hand to every sheete and my seale to the whole Dated the day and yeare before written Richard DAVIDGE Signed Sea ∞ led published and declared by the said Richard DAVIDGE the Testator for and as his last will and testament the Seaventh day of Aprill one thousand six hundred Sixty Six in the presence of Giles STEELE William FFASHION John HOPE for ∞ Memorandum that in this my will in ffolio 5 in lyne twenty is interlined (William PITT of Dorchester Marchant) And in the last line of that fos: (William PITT) And in folio 9 and line 9 I have interlined (William PITT) All done with my owne hand to declare that it is my last will mind and meaning that the said William PITT of Dorchester Marchant be joyned with Mr Robert ELLIS of ∞ London Marchant a trustee for the sale of my land att Sharpham Park my wife alsoe being added as in the will And that he be one of the overseers of this my will In Witness whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and Seale 21st ∞ day of August 1667 Richard DAVIDGE Signed Sealed Published and declared ∞ this 21st August 1667 in pivce of. Signed Sealed published and declare ∞ Johas DOUGHTY Elizabeth SULE Probatum Fuit:testamentum Suprastriptum apud aves exon ∞ in Le Strand in Cond Midd Corain vgubli viro Domino Guiliesmo Mericke Milite ∞ Legum Detore Curia Prerogative Cort Magro Custodi suit Comissario Legitime ∞ Constitute undecim Die Mensis Decembris Anno Domini Millimo Sexcentesino Sexagesimo Septimo Juramento Catherine DAVIDGE Relicta adauti Definiste et Executritis in hiunsinedi testamento nominat Cin Commissa fuit Admin in??ratio omuinm et jugularium Conorium ajaurium et Creditorium on Duti Defuncti De beur et fidchter Administrand cadin Ad Saucta Dei Evangelia Jurat |