Robert Shepherd

Prerogative Court of Canterbury will made: 20th September 1697 and 23rd December 1697
Probate Date: 2nd July 1698
Proved by William Theed, William Darwin and Thomas Kidgell
National Archive Catalogue reference: PROB 11/446

The original document is in the custody of the National Archives

Transcript

In the Name of God Amen I Robert Shepherd of Laighton Bussard in the County of Bed[for]d gentleman being in good health in body and sound and perfect mind and memory Doe make and ordaine this my last Will and Testament in writeing in manner following (that is to say) First and principally I commend my Soul into the hands of Almighty God my maker trusting by the meritts death and passion of my Saviour Jesus Christ to have full and free pardon and forgiveness of all my Sinns and to Inherit everlasting Life And I commend my Body to the Earth to be by my Executors herein hereafter named decently interred in the Chancell in the parish Church of Middle Lavant in the County of Sussex in the Vault there of Thomas May Esq[uire] And as concerning my temporall Estate that it hath pleased God to bestow upon me I give and dispose as followeth First I Will and my mind is that my debts and Funerall charges shall be first paid and that my Funerall charges doe not exceed Forty pounds Item I give and bequeath to Martha my dear Wife the use of all my Household Stuffe and Household goods dureing her naturall Life and after her deceas to my Neece Jane Kidgell now Wife of John Kidgell gent[leman] if shee the said Jane Kidgell Survive my said Wife Martha but if my said Wife Martha survive the said Jane Kidgell then after the decease of my said Wife Martha I give and bequeath my said Household stuffe and Household goods to my Executors of this my last Will and Testament herein hereafter named in trust for them my Executors to dispose of the same to and amongst the Children of my said Neece Jane Kidgell in such manner as they my Executo[rs] shall think fitt and meet Item I give and bequeath to my said dear Wife Martha the Billetts and Faggotts in my Barne in Laighton Bussard aforesaid Item I give and bequeath to my said dear Wife Martha twenty pounds to buy her mourning Item I give and bequeath unto my Sister Ann Alesbury the sume of tenn pounds by the year dureing her naturall Life to be paid her out of the rents and profitts of my Farme in Dagnall in the County of Buck[ingham] at two payments yearly by equall portions (that is to say) at the Feast of S[ain]t Michaell Th'archangell and the Feast of the Annunciac[i]on of the blessed Lady the virgin Mary yearly the first payment to begin at which of the said Feasts shall first happen to be next after my decease Item I give and bequeath to my Nephew William Shepherd the sume of tenn pounds by the year dureing his naturall life to be paid him out of the rents and profitts of my said Farme in Dagnall aforesaid at two payments yearly by even and equall porc[i]ons (that is to say) at the Feast of S[ain]t Michaell Th'archangell and the Feast of the Annunciac[i]on of the blessed Lady the virgin Mary \yearly/ the first payment to begin at which of the said Feasts shall first happen to be next after my decease Item whereas I am possessed of a certaine Farme and Lands in Dagnall aforesaid in the County of Buck[ingham] by virtue of two severall Leases which I have from the right Hono\r/able Charles Earle of Carnarvon I doe devise bequeath and Assigne over unto William Theed of Barkhamsted S[ain]t Peter in the County of Hertf[ord] Gentleman Thomas Kidgell of Northall in the parish of Edlesborough in the said County of Buck[ingham] gent[leman] and my Neph[ew] William Darwin Citizen of London their Executors and Assignes all my terme and terme of yeares claime and demand of in and to my said Farme and Lands in Dagnall aforesaid rents issues revenues and profitts thereof for and dureing my Estate and Estates terme and termes of yeares thereof and therein To have and to hold all and singular the said Estate right title terme and termes of year claime and demand and all and singular the said Farme in Dagnall aforesaid and Lands thereunto belonging and every parte thereof to the said Will[iam] Theed Thomas Kidgell and William Darwin their Executors and Assignes for and dureing all the said Estate and Estates terme and termes of yeares of me thereof or therein by virtue of the said two Leases from the said Earle of Carnarvan that shall be to come and unexpired at the time of my death in trust to and for the uses intents and purposes herein hereafter menc[i]oned and expressed (that is to say) to pay my said Wife Martha her yearly annuity granted to her by me by a former Deed upon my Marriage and alsoe to pay \un/to my said Sister Ann Alesbury the said yearly sume of tenn pounds of lawfull money of England dureing her Life herein before by me bequeathed her out of the rents and profitts of my said Farme of Dagnall aforesaid at the times and in manner as is herein before by me bequeathed her And alsoe to pay unto my said Nephew William Shepherd the said yearly sume of tenn pounds of lawfull money of England dureing his Life herein before by me bequeathed him out of the rents and profitts of my said Farme and Lands in Dagnall aforesaid at the times and in manner as is herein before by me bequeathed him And the overplus and residue of the rents and profitts of my said Farme and Lands in Dagnall aforesaid (the said yearly sumes of money being paid to them my said Wife Martha my Sister Ann Alesbury and my Nephew William Shepherd) to be to and for the use of William Kidgell sonn of my said Neece Jane Kidgell and if the said William Kidgell depart this life before the expirac[i]on of the said Leases his said Mother Jane Kidgell being then liveing then to the use of her the said Jane Kidgell And after the death and decease of them the said William Kidgell and Jane Kidgell the said Leases not being expired then I give and assigne my said two Leases Farme and Lands in Dagnall afores[ai]d unto my said Nephew William Darwin and if hee the said William Darwin dye without issue of his Body then I give and assigne my said two Leases Farme and Lands in Dagnall aforesaid to Elizabeth Pulridge Wife of Thomas Pulridge and in case shee dye without issue of her body then I give and assigne my said two Leases Farme and Lands in Dagnall aforesaid to Mary Batch Wife of Stephen Batch And I desire and request the said William Theed Thomas Kidgell and William Darwin that they the said William Theed Thomas Kidgell and William Darwin take care that the said William Kidgell be well educated and brought up at School and that they putt the said William Kidgell out an Apprentice as they shall judge convenient the charge thereof to be allowed them out of those rents and profitts of the said Farme and Lands in Dagnall afores[ai]d as they shall receive for the use of the said William Kidgell And further my Will and mind is that if the said William Kidgell dye and depart this Life before the expirac[i]on of the said Leases that then the said William Theed Thomas Kidgell and William Darwin distribute and divide all such rents and profitts of the said Farme and Lands in Dagnall aforesaid as they the said William Theed Thomas Kidgell and William Darwin shall have received for the use of the said William Kidgell and not disposed of for his use in his Life time but shall be in the hands of them the said William Theed Thomas Kidgell and William Darwin or some or one of them to and amongst the Children of the said Jane Kidgell as they the said William Theed Thomas Kidgell and William Darwin shall think most fitt and convenient Item I give and bequeath unto Mr. John Ditchfeild twenty shillings to buy him a Ring Item I give and bequeath unto Mr. George Burhopp Five pounds Item I give and bequeath to my Neece Mary Bone Forty pounds to be paid her within twelve Moneths next after my decease Item I give and bequeath to her Husband John Bone twenty shillings to buy him a Ring Item I give and bequeath to my Neece Elizabeth Smith the sume of tenn pounds to be paid her within twelve Moneths next after my decease Item I give and bequeath to Frances Smith Daughter of the said Elizabeth Smith tenn pounds to be paid into the hands of Mary Bone her Aunt within twelve Moneths next after my decease to be kept for her the said Frances Smith till shee attaine her age of one and twenty yeares Item I give and bequeath unto Henry Smith sonne of the said Elizabeth Smith tenn pounds to be paid into the hands of Mary Bone his Aunt within twelve Moneths next after my decease to be kept for him till he attaine his age of one and twenty yeares Item I give and bequeath to Elizabeth Anderson Daughter of my Nephew William Anderson the sume of Five pounds to be paid her within twelve Moneths next after my decease Item I give and bequeath to my Nephew Robert Anderson the sume of Five and twenty pounds to be paid him within twelve Moneths next after my decease Item I give and bequeath to my Neece Mary Anderson now Mary Cleisby the sume of Twenty pounds to be paid her within twelve Moneths next after my decease Item I give and bequeath to my Neece Elizabeth Pulridge the sume of Thirty pounds to be paid her within twelve Monethes next after my decease Item I give and bequeath to the said Elizabeth Pulridge's two Children William Hill and Mary Pulridge the sume of Five pounds apeice to be paid within twelve Moneths next after my decease Item I give and bequeath unto my Neice Mary Batch the sume of Twenty pounds to be paid her within twelve Moneths next after my decease Item I give and bequeath to Mary Batch Daughter of my said Neece Mary Batch the sume of Five pounds to be paid her within twelve Moneths next after my decease Item I give and bequeath to Stephen Batch Husband of my said Neece Mary Batch the sume of twenty shillings to buy him a Ring Item I give and bequeath unto my said Nephew William Darwin the sume of one Hundred pounds to be paid him within twelve Moneths next after my decease Item I give and bequeath to my Nephew William Darwin all my weareing Cloathes Lynnen wollen and stuffe and my Silver hiltes sword Item I give and bequeath unto Walter Shepherd and John Shepherd sonns of my Cozen Walter Shepherd each of them tenn pounds apeice to be paid within twelve Moneths next after my decease Item I give and bequeath to my Cozen Ambros Shepherd Father of my Cozen Mary Shepherd the sume of Twenty pounds to be paid him within twelve Moneths next after my decease Item I give and bequeath to my said Cozen Mary Shepherd Daughter of my said Cozen Ambros Shepherd the sume of Twenty pounds to be paid her within twelve Moneths next after my decease Item I give and bequeath unto Ann Hopkins Daughter of George Hopkins in the County of Warwick the sume of Fifty pounds to be paid her within twelve Moneths next after my decease Item I give and bequeath to my Brother Thomas May Esq[uire] my case of Pistolls and Five pounds in money to buy him a Ring to be paid him within twelve Moneths next after my decease Item I give and bequeath to the poor of the Towne where I dye the sume of tenn pounds to be distributed amongst them Item I give and bequeath to the poor of the parish where I shall be interred or buryed the sume of Five pounds to be distributed amongst them Item whereas I am possessed of an Annuity or rent charge of three pounds thirteen shillings and four pence of lawfull money of England to be issueing out of one Close or Tenement with the appurtenances now in the possession of Joseph Chandler or the said Thomas Kidgell gent[leman] and alsoe one Close of pasture ground with the appurtenances containeing two acres and an half scituate lyeing and being in Walton Lane end in Northall aforesaid in the said parish of Edlesborough in the said County of Buck[ingham] next the Lane there shooteing into Middle Croft Feild on the North part and alsoe seven Butts of arrable Land containeing by estimac[i]on two acres and an halfe lyeing together upon a Peice in Middle Croft Feild in the parish of Edlesborough aforesaid by virtue of a Deed indented beareing Date the Four and twentieth Day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred Ninety and Five made from the said Thomas Kidgell of Northall aforesaid gent[leman] to me the said Robert Shepherd for the residue of Nine Hundred Fourscore and thirteen yeares and one thousand yeares as by the said Deed beareing Date the Four and twentieth Day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred Ninety and Five aforesaid may appear Now of my Christian charity and good Will towards the releife of poor Children which hereafter from time to time shall dwell within the parish of Wing in the said County of Buck[ingham] I give devise and bequeath unto Richard Keen of Crofton in the said parish of Wing gent[leman] Henry Redman of Ascott in the said parish of Wing gent[leman] William Smith of Ascott aforesaid gent[leman] and William Shepherd of Crofton aforesaid gent[leman] their Executors and Assignes the said Annuity or rent charge of three pounds Thirteen shillings and Four pence together with the said Deed Indented beareing Date the said Four and twentieth Day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred Ninety and Five whereby the said Annuity or rent charge is granted by the said Thomas Kidgell and alsoe all my power and authority to recover the said Annuity or Rent charge by distress or otherwise nevertheless of trust and confidence by \me/ in them the said Richard Keen Henry Redman William Smith and William Shepherd in this behalfe reposed to imploy and dispose of the said Three pounds thirteen shillings and Four pence by the year to such uses intents and purposes and in such manner as I have herein hereafter limitted expressed and appointed (that is to say) \that they the said/ Richard Keen Henry Redman William Smith and William Shepherd their Executors and Assignes pay yearly forever or soe longe as the said Annuity or Rent charge shall continue into the hands of the Church wardens and Overseers of the poor of the said parish of Wing for the time and their Success[or]s or some of them the sume of Two pounds three shillings and Four pence parte of the said three pounds thirteen shillings and Four pence to the use intent and purpose that the said Churchwardens and Overseers of the poor of the said parish of Wing for the time being due and shall weekely and every weeke forever or soe long as the said Annuity or Rent charge shall continue provide and buy or cause to be provided and bought tenn penny Loafes of white bread and shall bring the same or cause to be brought and placed in some convenient place in the Church of Wing aforesaid every Lords Day comonly called Sunday where after the end of divine service or sermon on the same Day at the discretion of the Minister Churchwardens and Overseers of the poor for the time being of the parish of Wing aforesaid or any two of them the said tenn loafes shall be distributed weekely and given to tenn boys children of such poor people as shall be then Inhabitants within the said parish of Wing which Children shall be of the age of six yeares or more and under the age of twelve yeares and shall be present at Church to hear divine Service as the said Minister Churchwardens and Overseers of the poor for the time being of the said parish of Wing or any two of them at their discretions shall think fitt and necessary Provided that such Children come to Church on Sundaies in the afternoone and then and there to be Catechised And for the better performance of this Duty of Catechiseing I give and bequeath to the Minister of the said parish of Wing for the time being and his Successo[rs] dureing the continuance of my said Annuity or rent charge twenty shillings (parte of the said three pounds thirteen shillings and Four pence) by the year to be paid him by the said Trustees Provided the said Minister Catechise those tenn Children which receive my said guift of bread and tenn Children more in the Church Catechise sett forth in the Booke of Comon prayer according to the Church of England now established by Law And alsoe that the said Richard Keen Henry Redman William Smith and William Shepherd my said Trustees and their Executors or Assignes for and dureing the continuance of my said Annuity or Rent charge pay unto the said Minister of Laighton Bussard aforesaid and his Successo[rs] yearly the sume of tenn shillings residue of the said three pounds thirteen shillings and Four pence dureing the continuance of my said Annuity or Rent charge Provided and upon Condic[i]on if he preach a Sermon every year upon Ascenc[i]on Day comonly called Holy Thursday the first payment to begin comence and be due on the first Ascenc[i]on Day that shall first happen next after my decease Furthermore it is my Will and pleasure when and soe often and at whatsoever time and times hereafter two or more of the said persons aforemenc[i]oned in trust as aforesaid for my said Annuity or Rent charge of three pounds thirteen shillings and Four pence shall be dead and depart this Life that then and soe often it shall and may be lawfull for the remaineing Trustees then liveing together with the Minister Churchwardens and Overseers of the poor of the said parish of Wing for the time being or the major part of them to choose and elect other persons in their stead and roomes soe dyeing of the most substanciall men of that parish to be Trustees for the same for the said uses and to stand possessed and interested in the said Annuity or yearly Rent charge to and for the uses aforesaid to be put in the place of such Trustees soe dyeing by the rest and residue of the said Trustees then remaineing and surviveing Item I give and bequeath unto my Brother in Law Mr. John Gurney twenty shillings to buy him a Ring as a Token of my Love Item I give and bequeath to Lawrence Lovett Gentleman Five pounds to buy him a Ring to be paid him within twelve Moneths next after my decease Item I give and bequeath unto John Kidgell the younger (one of the sonns of my said Neece Jane Kidgell) the Five and twenty pounds which his Father owes me Item I give and bequeath to my said Nephew William Darwin the said John Kidgell the younger and the said William Kidgell all my bookes to be equally divided amongst them Item I give and bequeath to John Munday all my Bootes Shoos Sadles and bridles [next section struck through but a margin note says "erile sic"] Item I give and bequeath unto such servants as shall dwell with me at the time of my death each of them a yeares wages over and above what shall be due to them from me to be paid within twelve Moneths next after my decease [end of struck through section] Item I give devise and bequeath my Orchard called Hall Meade in Dagnall aforesaid (out of which Orchard I have granted an Annuity of three and Forty shillings and Four pence per Annum for the use of poor Children) unto my Neece Jane Kidgell and her said Sonne William Kidgell dureing their naturall lives and the Life of the longer Liver of them and after the decease of the longer of them then to the use and behoofe of the Heires of the Body of the said William Kidgell lawfully begotten or to be begotten and for want of such issue then to the use and behoofe of the Heires of the Body of the said Jane Kidgell lawfully begotten or to be begotten and for want of such issue then to the use and behoofe of the said William Darwin and the Heires of his body lawfully begotten or to be begotten and for want of such issue then to the use and behoofe of the said Mary Pulridge Wife of the said Thomas Pulridge and the Heires of her Body lawfully begotten or to be begotten and for want of such issue then to the use and behoofe of the said Mary Batch Wife of the said Stephen Batch her Heires and Assignes for ever And I doe make and ordain my welbeloved Friends the said William Theed Thomas Kidgell and my said Nephew William Darwin my Executors of this my last Will and Testament in trust for payment of my just debts Legacies and Funerall charges and that they my said Executors after my debts Legacies and Funerall charges paid doe pay give and dispose all the rest of my personall Estate not herein by me otherwise bequeathed unto my said Neece Jane Kidgell Item I give and bequeath to the said William Theed Thomas Kidgell and William Darwin for their Labour and pains tenn pounds a peice if they take upon them the burden of the execution of this my last Will and Testament and allowing to them my Executo[rs] out of my Estate their reasonable and necessary charges they shall expend in the execution of this my last Will and Testament And I doe publish and Declare this my last Will and Testament contained in eleven sheets of paper unto every sheet whereof I have subscribed my name and at the topp whereof I have affixed my seale the twentieth Day of September in the year of our Lord God one thousand six hundred Ninety and Seven Robert Shepherd signed sealed published and Declared by the Testator in the presence of us and wee have subscribed our Names Witnesses hereunto in the presence of the said Testator John Procter T: Price Joseph Procter John Peanington

I Robert Shepherd of Leighton Buzard in the County of Bedford gent[leman] doe hereby farther give and devise to my loveing Wife Martha Shepherd the farther sume of Twenty pounds to be paid by my Executors within named imeadiately after my decease In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seale the three and twentieth Day of December one thousand six hundred Ninety seven desireing that this may be taken as a Codicill to my last Will and Testament Rob[ert] Shepherd sealed and delivered in the presence of John Theed W[illia]m Lake Mary Jenkins