11-0173-151_RichardSwayne_1636
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Amen; I RICHARD SWAYNE of Blandford Forum in the county of Dorset Esquire do make this my last will and testament the twentieth day of November in the twelfth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord Charles by the grace of God of England Scotland France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith etc., AD one thousand six hundred thirty six revoking all former wills by me made; first I call to mind that I was made to die born to die and came into the world to die and now therefore being sick of body but of perfect memory thanks be given to Almighty God do by this my last will and testament dispose of my soul body and goods and lands in manner and form hereafter following: first I commend my soul and body to God in hope and faith that through the passion of Jesus Christ he will accept thereof amongst his elite in heaven and that my body may be buried in some convenient place without pomp wheresoever I die; and to the poor of Blandford I give the sum of ten pounds and to the poor of Wimbourne Minster I give the like sum of ten pounds the money at Blandford to be distributed there by the discretion of [Mr Druce] vicar or by him that shall be vicar there at some convenient time next after my death and by my nephew THOMAS PITT and the bailiff of the town of Blandford then being and the money at Wimbourne to be distributed by Mr Lewis preacher of God’s word there and the other two ministers there; and to my lady FREAKE I give one ring of gold of the value of five pounds desiring her to accept thereof as a token of my love unto her; and whereas before this I have mortgaged my now dwelling house and houses in Blandford near the Guildhall there to my Lady Freake and her assigns for one hundred pounds which is not satisfied but I am promised it shall be reassured upon payment of the money my devise is that my executors shall first of all satisfy her the hundred pounds and after that that my Lady Freake and her assigns shall convey the said houses to my grandchild ROBERT HENLEY Esquire for his natural life and after his death to my grandchild ELIZABETH HENLEY wife of the said Robert Henley for term of her natural life and after her death to the first, second, third and fourth son of her body begotten by the said Robert Henley and the heirs of those sons bodies begotten successively one after another as they are named and for default of such heirs to the use of the right heirs of the said Elizabeth forever; And I give to my said grandchild ROBERT BASKITT Clerke the sum of one hundred marks; and I devise and will that after my death Dyettes houses gardens and orchards thereto adjoining Davies houses his garden and orchard and all the outhouses thereto belonging and Cowards house his shop and outhouses with the garden thereto adjoining shall remain and be to AMBROS VINCENT my grandchild for the term of his life and after his death to my grandchild ANNE VINCENT for term of her life and after her death to the first, second, third and fourth sons of the said Anne by the said Ambros begotten and the heirs of those sons bodies begotten successively the remainder to the right heirs of the said Anne. I do further will and devise that my executors shall sell the inheritance in fee simple of these my houses following; that is to say: Bath House the wheeler Clement Perry’s house and all the new building there; All William Handy’s houses orchards and gardens which my cousin SHERLEY is interested in and my new repaired house which was Robert Handy’s which Christopher Lance dwells in and the rock garden thereto belonging and the stable which the Right Worshipful Mr Doctor Jones Chancellor of the Diocese now has and if he be desirous to buy it my will is that he shall have it before another; and if he will take estate therein I do refer it to my executors what estate they will make him and for what price also. I do further devise that my said executors shall sell the inheritance of the house which Coward lately bought of me for the fine of ten pounds or otherwise after Coward’s estate ended to dispose of it in fee simple or by lease; and also that they shall sell the inheritance of all my closes at Pillham Cross that is to say the close which Blanchard did lately enjoy and the closes which my cousin Thomas Pitt did lately enjoy; and the closes which my cousin ELLIS SWAYNE does enjoy and the close which Leonard Gould does enjoy and the close next to that which Mr Stowell does enjoy; and I also further devise that my executors sell the inheritance of the arable close now in Mr Stowell’s possession lying next the play close; also I do further devise that my executors shall sell the inheritance of all my chief rents and of my chambers and of Talbotts House and of my cousin Thomas Pitt’s house and the orchards and gardens to those houses belonging; and I do further devise to my cousin JOHN FUSSELL and his heirs forever the inheritance of the houses and gardens which he holds of me which are now in the possession of John Caynes and the inheritance of the houses and gardens which Mr William Johnson now holds of me; and I do further devise that my said executors shall sell the inheritance of all other my lands and tenements lying within the borough and parish of Blandford Forum and the manor of Stokehyde and the liberty of Pimperne and as for my goods and chattels I will and devise that my executors do make sale of them to the best value they can and employ them for the payment of my debts and legacies; and I do further will and devise to my daughter ELIZABETH TUTT the sum of thirty pounds and desire that if my grandchild RICHARD TUTT does behave himself well where he is placed that then my executors should bestow one hundred pounds more upon him than the fifty pounds which I have bestowed upon him already. And if my said executors do find that he does behave himself well as aforesaid my will is that they shall give him the inheritance of my now house up at my higher barn with the outhouses barn and stables thereunto belonging as it is now enclosed but I reserve my two closes now in my hands and to the same backside adjoining to my executors to sell as aforesaid. Also I give to my three boys William Panett, Robert Ase and [blank] Joyner forty shillings apiece to help relieve them; and if there shall remain any moneys upon the sale of my goods and lands after that my debts and legacies are paid I will that such surplusage shall be delivered over to the use of my grandchild Robert Henley and Elizabeth his now wife; and I do nominate and appoint my cousin Thomas Pitt, my cousin WILLIAM PITT and Ambros Vincent to be my executors of this my last will and testament and to this my last will and testament I have set my hand and seal in the presence of us whose names are subscribed – Richard Swayne – witnesses hereunto Peter Bennett (his mark), John Oliver, John Pownall (his mark) Jeremee Boswell
Proved 15th February 1636/7 by Ambros Vincent with administration reserved to Thomas and William Pitt
Comments or questions are welcome.