1754 Will - Richard Reeve

Introduction

Dated: 16 Oct 1754, Bocking, Essex
Probated: Prerogative Court of Canterbury, 1 Apr 1758
Recorded: Piece 837 (Hutton), folio 228

Transcript

In the Name of God Amen: I Richard Reeve of Bocking in the County of Essex Gentleman being in good health and of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding praised be God for the same do make and ordain this to be my last Will and Testament in manner following that is to say
First I commend my soul into the hands of Almighty God my creator hoping for pardon of all my sins thro the merits of Jesus Christ my blesses Lord and Saviour and my Body I commit to the Earth to be decently buried by my executors hereinafter named and as to what worldly estate it hath pleased Almighty God to bestow upon me I dispose thereof as followeth that is to say Whereas before my intermarriage with Sarah my present wife I did by indenture dispartite dated the twentieth day of March last past and made between me the said Richard Reeve of the first part the said Sarah my wife by her then name of Sarah Churchman of the second part and Samuel Ruggles Esquire and my Brother Jonathan Reeve of the third part assign over and con? to the said Samuel Ruggles and Jonathan Reeve one indenture of mortgage for securing the payment of one thousand four hundred pounds and interest for the same in trust nevertheless amongst other trusts therein mentioned that the said Sarah my wife in case she should happen to survive me should within six months next after my decease have and receive the sum of one thousand pounds part of the principal sum of one thousand four hundred pounds together with interest for the same as therein mentioned now I do hereby give and devise to the said Sarah my wife the interest and proceed of the sum of four hundred pounds remainder of the said sum of one thousand four hundred pounds during the term of her natural life and from and after her decease I give and devise the said principal sum of four hundred pounds to the issue of my Body on the Body of the said Sarah my wife begotten or to be begotten in such shares and proportions as the said Sarah my wife shall by deed or will declare hi? or appoint and in default of such declaration limitation or appointment I give and bequeath the said sums of four hundred to such my issue equally to be divided between them share and share alike and in default of such issue I give and devise after my said wifes decease the said sum of four hundred pounds to the granddaughter of my sister Susanna Hammond the daughter of my niece Rebecca Myhill the wife of John Myhill and the daughter of my niece Mary Jackson the wife of Jeremiah Jackson equally to be divided between them share and share alike and if any of them should happen to die under age or before my wife then I do hereby will and declare that the share of her or them so dying shall go to the survivors or survivor of them.
Also I give and bequeath to the said Sarah my Wife all my plate linnen household goods and furniture that were her own before my intermarriage with her and also all such other plate linnen household goods and furniture chairs and chariots and all other necessaries for housekeeping that belong to and are usually kept at my dwelling house in Bradford Street in Bocking aforesaid together also with all arrear of rent and annuities that shall be due and pwing at the time of my decease from the tenants of her own estate also I give and devise to the said Rebecca Myhill all that messuage or tenement with the foreyard and garden or orchard thereto belonging situate in High Garrett Street in Bocking aforesaid and now or late in the several tenures or occupations of Josiah Poulter and Boreman or their assigns to hold the said Rebecca Myhill and her heirs for ever and as to all other my mannors messuages lands tenements and hereditaments whatsoever and wheresoever with their and every of their appurtenances I give and devise the same to the heirs of my Body lawfully begotten or to be begotten subject nevertheless and chargeable with the payment of the weekly sum herein after given by this my will and in default of such issue I give and devise the same as hereinafter is mentioned that is to say I give and devise to my cousin Joseph Reeve of Bocking aforesaid clothier all that my mannor and farm called Boones together with the messuages outhouses lands meadows pastures wood grounds and appurtenances thereto belonging and also all that my messuage or tenement called Fletchers with the outhouses yards gardens orchards lands and appurtenances thereto belonging and all those my fields or parcells of land and wood grounds which I bought of my mother and were formerly the estate of my father except what is hereinbefore or hereinafter given to my said niece Rebecca Myhill and also all that other messuage or tenement called also Fletchers which I bought of John Reeve together with the outhouses and buildings lands meddows pastures and appurtenances thereunto belonging and also all that my parcell of land which I bought of Anthony Foster and also all those my fields or parcells of land or pasture ground called Chiswicks with the appurtenances all which said mannor messuages lands tenements and hereditaments are situate and being in Bocking aforesaid and Gosfield in the said County of Essex or in some other parish or parishes thereunto near or adjoining and now or late in the several tenures or occupations of myself John Myhill Henry Gilbert John Hohnes? Daniel Frost John Redwell William Green William Everett and the widow Lilley or some or one of them their some of one of their assignee or assigns to hold unto the said Joseph Reeve and his assigns for and during the term of his natural life without impeachment of waste except destruction in houses and selling of timber under ten foot in each tree except for necessary repairs to be done to the said premises and also selling of underwood under ten years growth which I do hereby will shall be deemed waste and from and after the determination of that estate I give and devise the said mannor messuage lands tenements and hereditemants to John English of Bocking aforesaid Gentleman and Samuel Ruggles of the same place esquire and their heirs during the life of the said Joseph Reeve in trust only to preserve the contingent uses and estate hereinafter limitted from being defeated or destroyed and from and immediately after the decease of the said Joseph Reeve I give and devise the same premises with their appurtenances to the heirs male of the body of the said Joseph Reeve lawfully begotten or to be begotten in default of such issue I give and devise the said mannor messuages lands tenements and hereditaments with their appurtenances to my Brother Jonathan Reeve and his assigns for and during the term of his natural life without impeachment of waste except for destruction in houses and selling of timber or underwood under the growth aforesaid except timber for repairs and from and after the determination of that estate I give and devise the same premises to the aforesaid John English and Samuel Ruggles and their heirs during the natural life of the said Jonathan Reeve in trust also to preserve the contingent uses and estate hereinafter limitted from being defeated or destroyed and from and immediately after the decease of the said Jonathan Reeve I give and devise the same premises with their appurtenances to the heirs male of the Body of the said Jonathan Reeve lawfully begotten or to be begotten and in default of such issue I give and devise the said mannor messuages lands tenements and hereditaments with their appurtenances to my Brother Thomas Reeve and his assigns for and during the term of his natural life without impeachment of waste except for destruction in houses and ?thing of timber or underwood under the growth aforesaid except timber for repairs) and from and after the determination of that estate I give and devise the same premises to the aforesaid John English and Samuel Ruggles and their heirs for and during the natural life of the said Thomas Reeve in trust also to preserve the contingent uses and estates hereinafter limitted from being defeated or destroyed and from and immediately after the decease of the said Thomas Reeve I give and devise the said premises with their appurtenances to the heirs male of the Body of the said Thomas Reeve lawfully begotten or to be begotten and in case there shall be no issue male of the Bodys of my said cousin Joseph Reeve or my said Brothers Jonathan Reeve or Thomas Reeve then I do hereby authorize and impower the survivor of them by his last Will and Testament to give and devise the said mannor messuages lands tenements and hereditaments in fee simple or otherwise to such person or persons of the family of the Reeves as he shall think most likely to keep and improve the same and I do hereby make chargeable and engage the said mannor messuages lands tenements and hereditaments with the payment of the several weekly sums following that is to say to my sister Susanna Hammond six shillings a week during her life to my Brother William Reeve five shillings a week during his life to Susanna Reeve and Mary the wife of Jeremiah Jackson the two eldest daughters of my late Brother Joseph Reeve three shillings a week a piece during their natural lives to be paid into their own proper hands respectively notwithstanding their or either of their coverture with their present or any after taken husband or husbands and for the payment whereof the receipt or acquittance of the said Susanna and Mary and the survivor of them notwithstanding coverture as aforesaid shall from time to time be a sufficient coverture as aforesaid shall from time to time be a sufficient discharge and I do hereby declare my will and mind to be that if the said weekly sums or any of them or any part thereof shall happen to be behind or unpaid for the space of three months that then and at all such times it shall and may be lawfull to and for him her or them that shall be unpaid to enter into and upon the said mannor messuages lands tenements and hereditaments or any part thereof and to distrain for the same and the distress or distresses then and there found to take load drive carry away and impound until such weekly sum or sums and the arrears thereof together with all reasonable costs and charges shall be fully paid and satisfied or otherwise to sell and dispose of such distress or distresses as distresses for rent may be sold and disposed of provided nevertheless and I do hereby further declare my will and mind to be that if any person or persons to whom the said weekly sums are given by this my will shall sell and dispose of the same that the Bequest of such weekly sum or sums to him her or them shall be void and the premises aforesaid shall at all times thereafter be discharged from the payment thereof and in case I shall happen to die without leaving any lawfull issue then and in such case I give and devise to my said brother Jonathan Reeve and his heirs for ever all that my messuage or tenement and farm called Harveys with the lands meadows pastures woodgrounds and appurtenances thereto belonging situate in Bocking aforesaid and now in the occupation of the said Jonathan Reeve or his assigns also in case I shall happen to die without leaving any issue as aforesaid then I give and devise to my said Brother Thomas Reeve all that my messuage or tenement and farm called Martin otherwise Fenn? together with the yards gardens orchards lands meadows pastures woodgrounds and appurtenances thereto belonging and also Phillips Moad or white Asle? or Cavaliers to hold to my said Brother Thomas Reeve and his heirs for ever also in case I shall happen to die without leaving issue as aforesaid then I give and devise to the aforesaid Rebecca Myhill and to her heirs for ever all those two ffields or Closes? of land or pasture ground and Barn and Barnyard belonging to the messuage or tenement hereinbefore devised to the siad Rebecca by this my will and in case I shall happen to die without leaving any issue as aforesaid then I give and devise to the aforesaid Mary Jackson the wife of the said Jeremiah Jackson all those three tenements or cottages with their appurtenances situate in Bocking aforesaid and now or late in the several tenures or occupations of Samuel Green Daniel Prentice and Joseph Reed to hold the said Mary Jackson during the term of her natural life and from and after her decease I give and devise the said tenements or cottages with their appurtenances to her eldest son and his heirs for ever also I give and bequeath to my said Brother Jonathan Reeve the interest and term of years that shall be subsisting at the time of my decease in my lease of Great Lyons farm also I give and bequeath to my said Brothers Jonathan Reeve and Thomas Reeve and my cousin Joseph Reeve the sum of one hundred pounds apiece of lawfull money of Great Britain also I give and bequeath to my sister Susanna Hammond to my Brother William Reeve to the aforesaid John Elighs and Samuel Ruggles to John Gainsborough of Sudbury in the County of Suffolk Gentleman and to Mary Reeve widow of John Reeve late of Gosfield aforesaid yeoman deceased the sum of twenty pounds apiece to be paid to them respectively within three months next after my decease also I give and bequeath to my poor tenants and workmen the sum of twenty pounds to be distributed amongst them within one month after my decease by my trustees and executors in such shares and proportions as they shall think fit and as to all other my goods chattels and personal estate whatsoever not herein before disposed of by this my will I give and bequeath the same after payment of my just debts funeral charges and probate of this my will to my lawfull issue equally to be divided between them in case there shall be more than one and in case I shall leave no lawfull issue then I give and bequeath to my said cousin Joseph Reeve all my stock of what sort or kind soever that usually belong to the mannor messuages lands tenements and hereditaments which are devised to the said Joseph Reeve for life with remainders over as hereinbefore mentioned he the said Joseph Reeve paying the poors rates tythes taxes and all other charges that shall be then due for the said premises also in case I should leave no lawfull issue then I give and bequeath to my said Brother Jonathan Reeve all such sum or sums of money as shall at the time of my decease be due from any undertenant or undertenants of my farm called Great Lyons or any part thereof and also all the household goods and furniture implements of husbandry and stock of what nature or kind soever that usually belongs to the said farm and the lands thereto belonging except my plate rings and money he the said Jonathan Reeve paying all arrears of rent and the poors rates tythes taxes and all other charges that shall be then due for the said premises also in case I should leave no lawfull issue then I give and bequeath to my said Brother Thomas Reeve all the stock of what sort or kind soever that usually belongs to the messuage farm and lands called Martin otherwise Fenn and Phillips Mead or White Alsi? or Cavaliers he the said Thomas Reeve paying the poors rates tythes taxes and all other charges that shall be then due for the said premises also I give to my loving wife all her private cash not exceeding the sum of fifty pounds and as to all other my messuages lands tenements and hereditaments plate rings ready money securities for money goods chattels and personal estate whatsoever not herein before otherwise disposed of by this my will I do hereby in case I should leave no lawfull issue as aforesaid give devise and bequeath the same to my said Brother Jonathan Reeve and my cousin Joseph Reeve their heirs executors Administrators or assigns according to my estate and interest therein they the said Jonathan Reeve and Joseph Reeve paying equally between them my funeral charges probate of this my will and my debts and legacies not otherwise ordered to be paid and Lastly I do hereby nominate and appoint the said Jonathan Reeve and Joseph Reeve executors of this my last Will and Testament in Witness whereof I the said Richard Reeve the testator have to this my last Will and Testament contained in five sheets of paper set my hand to the four first sheets and my hand and seal to this last sheet the sixteenth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fifty four.
Richd Reeve
Signed Sealed published and declared by the said Richard Reeve the testator as and for his last Will and Testament in our presence and in his presence attested by us. The words "also give to my living wife all her private cash not exceeding the sum of fifty pounds" being first interlined in this last sheet
Mary Winder
Tho Holested
Jno Tho Baynes

This Will was proved at London the first day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fifty eight before the Worshipfull Andrew Coltee Ducarel? Doctor of Laws and Surrogate of the Right Honorable Sir George Lee Knight also Doctor of Laws Master Keeper or Commissioner of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the oaths of Jonathan Reeve the Brother of the Deceased and Joseph Reeve the executors named in the will to whom Administration was granted of all and singular the Goods Chattels and Credits of the said Deceased they having been first sworn duly to administer.

Source

England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858 (Ancestry)