1664 Will - John Reeve

Introduction

Dated: 23 Feb 1663/4, Shellow Bowells, Essex
Probated: Consistory Court of London, 2 Mar 1671/2

Transcript

In the name of God Amen: The three and twentyth day of February An Dm 1663 In the Twentyth yeare of the reigne of or soveraine Lord Charles the Second by the Grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender I John Reeve of the parish of ShellowBowels in the County of Essex Clerk being in bodily health and good understanding blessed be God but not knowing how soone death may come doe make and declare this my last will & Testament in manner & forme following that is to say first and before all things I give & bequeath my soule into the hands of Almighty God trusting and believing by & through the death and passion of Jesus Christ my redeemer to receive remission of sins & the guift of Eternall life. My body I comit to the Earth from whence it came to be interd in the Chancell? of the sayd prish of Shellow Bowels in Christian Buriall at the disposing of my executrix hereunder named And as touching such worldly estate as it hath pleased God to bestow upon me I give & beqeath as followeth
Imprimis I give and bequeath to the ppore of the pish of Shellow Bowels the sum of twenty shillings to be disposed of amongst them as my executrix shall think fitt.
Item I give unto my eldest son John Reeve all my bookes and a funeral ring which I received by legacy from the guift of Sr Robert Wiseman deceased. And fourty pounds in lawful money of England
Item I give and bequeath unto my son Richard Reeve the like sum of fourty pounds.
Item I give & bequeath unto my son George Reeve the like sum of fourty pounds.
Item I give & bequeath unto my son Samuel Reeve the like sum of fourty pounds.
Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Elizabeth Chinah the like sum of fourty pounds.
Item I give & bequeath unto my daughter Rachel Winter the like sum of fourty pounds
Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Ann Reeve the like sum of fourty pounds.
All which legacyes and sumes of lawfull money of England being fourty pounds apeice as before expressedI farder will and intend as follows that is to say that what moneys any of these my children have borrowed of mee which shall remaine in their hands at my decease shalbe sett of & deducted out of their severall legacyes when they shall come to be due. And furder my will is that the sayd legacyes shall remaine in the hands of my executrix during the terme of her naturall life. The rest and residue of all and singular my goods & chattles & debts whatsoever after my debts payd and funerall charges disbursed I give & bequeath unto Rachel Reeve my dear & beloved wife during the time of her natural life and after her decease to be divided equally between those of my children which shalbe alive at her decease.
And I make & ordain my sayd loving wife Rachel Reeve sole executrix of this my last will and Testament. And I name constitute and appoint my loving Brother Mr Samuel Reeve citizen of London and my loving Brother in law Mr Nicholas Burton of Abas? Roothing clerk to be overseere of this my last will and Testament praying them to be ayding & assisting to my sayd executrix, and to see this my will performed in all things according to my true intent & meaning herein. And I will and bequeath unto them twenty shillings apeice to buy each of them a ring. In witness whereof I have sett to my hand & seale the day and yeare first above written.
John Reeve

Commentary

There is a probate statement at the bottom of the will dated 2 March 1661 in latin. This is obviously incorrect. The front of the will states the probate date as 2 Mar 1671 (old style date).

Source

London, England, Wills and Probate, 1507-1858 (Ancestry), DL/C/422/013