1657 Adam Lawrence

11-0268-196_AdamLawrence_1657

In the name of God Amen; the three and twentieth day of March in the year of our Lord (according to the computation used in England) one thousand six hundred fifty and six; I Adam LAWRENCE of London, Merchant, being aged and weak in body but of sound and perfect mind and memory (praised be God for the same) and considering with myself the frailty and uncertainty of this mortal life, do therefore make and ordain this present testament containing herein my last will in manner and form following (that is to say): Inprimis I commend my soul into the hands of Almighty God my creator and Heavenly Father, steadfastly believing to be saved by the merits and passion of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and my body I remit to the earth whereof it was framed in hope of a joyful resurrection desiring to be buried in Saint Helen’s parish in the same grave where my wife is buried or as near as possible can be to the same place. And touching such temporal goods and substance as God in his great mercy has blessed me with all, (I) dispose thereof as follows (that is to say): First my will and desire is that all and every the several legacies expressed in the last will and testament of my late deceased loving wife which shall remain unpaid at the time of my decease shall be truly satisfied and paid to the several persons therein named according to the tenor and true meaning of the same will.  ITEM; and bequeath to the poor of the Dutch congregation in London the sum of one hundred pounds to be paid to the overseers and collectors of the poor for the time being belonging to the said congregation.  ITEM; I give to the elders of the said Dutch congregation London the sum of one hundred pounds to be employed for and towards the maintenance of the ministry of the same congregation.  ITEM; I give to the three ministers of the Dutch congregation in London to each of them the sum of ten pounds.  ITEM; I give to the relief of the poor of the parish of St Helen’s London the sum of ten pounds to be distributed amongst 5he said poor by and at the discretion of my executor with the advice of the minister and churchwardens of the same parish.  ITEM; I give to Master (Perham) minister of Saint Helen’s the sum of ten pounds.  ITEM; I give to my executor the sum of one hundred pounds to be laid out by him to and for such charitable use as he shall like and approve of either for the  encouragement of the Minister or relief of the poor of that parish or both having consulted with the vestry of the parishioners in that behalf.  ITEM; I give to Doctor Temple minister at Battersea if living there at the time of my decease the sum of ten pounds.  ITEM; I give to the Hospital of Saint Bartholemew in Little Saint Bartholemew Parish London the sum of one hundred pounds to be ordered and disposed of for the good and benefit of the said hospital as the governor or masters thereof in their discretions shall think befitting.  ITEM; I give to the relief of the poor children harboured in Christ’s Hospital London the sum of one hundred pounds to be disposed of to and for the use and benefit of the said children as shall be thought fit by the governors thereof.  ITEM; I give and bequeath to my sister Josina MAYNE the sum of twenty six pounds per annum to be paid unto her weekly during her natural life (that is to say) the sum of ten shillings every week.  ITEM; I give to my cousin Gertrude eldest daughter of my sister Mayne and widow of William Mercer deceased the sum of fifty pounds.  ITEM; I give to my cousin Mary one other of the daughters of my sister Mayne and wife of William Minshawe the sum of fifty pounds.  ITEM; I give to my brother John LAWRENCE the sum of twenty pounds for a remembrance of me and also all my wearing apparel whatsoever.  ITEM; I give to my nephew Leonard LAWRENCE eldest son of my nephew (sic) John Lawrence the sum of one thousand pounds.  ITEM; I give to my nephew Robert LAWRENCE youngest son of my brother John Lawrence the sum of one thousand pounds always provided that what I have lent them or either of them during my lifetime shall be deducted out of the legacies aforesaid bequeathed unto them.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto my sister in law wife of my late brother Abraham LAWRENCE deceased the sum of thirteen pounds per annum to be paid unto her weekly during her natural life (that is to say) the sum of five shillings every week.  ITEM; I give to my niece Hannah wife of Richard Lambert and daughter of my brother Abraham Lawrence deceased the sum of fifty pounds.  ITEM; I give to my nephew James LAWRENCE son of the said Abraham Lawrence the sum of one hundred and fifty pounds having quitted him a bond of one hundred pounds formerly lent him.  ITEM; I give unto my nephew Abraham LAWRENCE and to my niece Elizabeth LAWRENCE both children of my brother Abraham Lawrence deceased the sum of two hundred pounds to each of them.  ITEM; I give and bequeath to my brother Richard LAWRENCE and Mary his wife the sum of three score pounds per annum to be paid unto them quarterly during the natural life of both of them (that is to say) fifteen pounds every quarter.  ITEM; I give to my kinswoman Judith ROWSE widow the sum of twenty-five pounds to buy her a poore of plate in remembrance of me provided that she shall make seal and deliver as her act and deed unto my executor a full release and discharge of all legacies gifts and bequests whatsoever given to her by the last will and testament of my late loving wife and of all claims and demands or other pretences whatsoever for or concerning the same, I having in my lifetime given unto each of the daughters of my said cousin Judith Rowse the sum of two hundred pounds apiece for and towards their preferment in marriage, otherwise this legacy to be void.  ITEM; I give to my cousin Abraham MOONE and Mary his wife for the use and benefit of their children to be equally divided between them the sum of two thousand pounds.  ITEM; I give to my servant Abraham MOONE son of my said cousin Abraham Moone the sum of five hundred pounds over and above his part and share in the aforesaid sum of two thousand pounds to be paid unto him always provided he raise himself well which I leave to the judgement of my executor.  ITEM; I give to Judith Payt daughter of Jacob Payt and of Sarah his wife both deceased the sum of two hundred pounds.  ITEM; I commit to William Croshawe the sum of fifty pounds which he owes me by bond and bonds; I give to Priscilla his wife the sum of fifty pounds.  ITEM; I give to Ann Payt one of the daughters of Jacob Payt and the wife of Master Butler the sum of fifty pounds.  ITEM; I give to Sarah Payt the wife of Peter Cully and to James Payt to each of them the sum of fifty pounds apiece.  ITEM; I give to my cousin Peter Cully the sum of ten pounds to buy a piece of plate for a remembrance of me.  ITEM; I give to my three cousins the children of Bartholemew BOONE and Christian his wife both deceased to each of them the sum of one hundred pounds apiece.  ITEM; I give to Master John Wright the sum of ten pounds and I remit unto him the sum of ten pounds which he owes me by bond.  ITEM; I give to my godson Adam Wright the sum of ten pounds.  ITEM; whereas I did voluntarily upon the fifth day of May one thousand six hundred fifty six become bound unto my cousin Abraham CULLEN in a bond for the payment of six thousand pounds unto him the said Abraham Cullen within twelve months after my decease upon condition as by the same bond may appear, and whereas in the said bond it is also provided that if I shall revoke my last will and testament dated and published the two and twentieth day of August one thousand six hundred fifty five and that I shall publish and declare a new will of another date wherein a legacy equivalent to he sum above mentioned shall be bequeathed to my cousin Abraham Cullen before named or his four children, then the said bond and the payment of the money thereupon shall be utterly void; now therefore I do revoke and make void my will of the two and twentieth day of August one thousand six hundred fifty five and do hereby will and declare that the money payable unto Abraham Cullen by bond as aforesaid shall be payable unto his four children in manner and form following (that is to say) I do will and bequeath unto my cousin Abraham CULLEN the younger the sum of fifteen hundred pounds.  ITEM; I will and bequeath unto Peter CULLEN the sum of fifteen hundred pounds.  ITEM; I will and bequeath unto Abigail LAWRENCE eldest daughter of my cousin Abraham Cullen and now wife of John Lawrence the sum of fifteen hundred pounds.  ITEM; I will and bequeath to Mary BIDDOLPH wife of Robert BIDDOLPH the sum of fifteen hundred pounds, all which four legacies I will and bequeath to the aforesaid four children of my cousin Abraham Cullen respectively and if any of them happen to die before the receipt thereof then the said share of him or her so dying to be due and payable unto his her or their children if any be living or in default thereof amongst the other surviving brothers and sisters afore named equally divided, and my will and meaning is that before the said legacies be paid unto each party respectively that the said bond so by me made to the said Abraham Cullen shall be surrendered unto my executor to be cancelled it being void and of no more force from the date hereof by virtue of this my last will and testament.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto my nephew John LAWRENCE and to his heirs and assigns forever all those my two messuages or tenements with their appurtenances being back buildings situate and being in the parish of Great Saint Helens now or late in the several tenures or occupations of Gifford Beale and George Kellum, and also my now dwelling house with the yards garden, edifices, appurtenances and hereditaments whatsoever thereunto belonging situate and being in the said parish of Great Sani Helens and also all that garden or garden plot and the tenements, edifices and buildings thereupon erected with their appurtenances in the said parish of Great Saint HelensLondon by me purchased of John Pennell and Hester his wife, and also all my freeholds messuages lands tenements and hereditaments in or near Redcross Street in the parish of Saint Giles without Cripplegate London now or late in the several occupations of John Great, Henry Gascoigne and Robert Crane with all their appurtenances, and all other my freehold lands messuages tenements and hereditaments whatsoever with their appurtenances in the said parishes of Saint Helens and Saint Giles without Cripplegate or either of them or also in the City of London and suburbs thereof, and I do will and devise my interest and estate in Law or equity in and unto the Manor or Lordship of Bradwell in the County of Bucks and of and in and unto all other my lands tenements and hereditaments in the said County of Bucks which I or any other person or persons have or hath in trust for or to my use unto my said nephew John Lawrence his heirs and assigns forever, and I do will such persons as have any estate or interest in the said manor messuages lands and premises in trust for my use shall convey the same unto my said nephew John Lawrence and his heirs when he or they shall require the same.  ITEM; I give to my cousin Sarah PILKINGTON the sum of twenty pounds.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto my nephew John Lawrence all that my part share and interest which I have in the Sisters Thread Trade in partnership with Abraham Cullen the elder and Philip van Cassele as it shall be found to be with the profit thereof at the time of my decease, and in case my said nephew John Lawrence shall depart this life before me, then I give the aforesaid legacy unto all the children of my aforesaid nephew John Lawrence which shall be living at my death to be equally divided betwixt them.  ITEM; I give and bequeath to the governors of the new corporation for bringing up poor children the sum of fifty pounds to be disposed of by the governors aforesaid towards the relief of such poor children as are by them harboured and brought up.  ITEM; I give to my goddaughter Mary FREDERICK wife of John FREDERICK Alderman the sum of twenty five pounds for a piece of plate in remembrance of me.  ITEM; I give to Master van dear Poest the sum of twenty pounds.  ITEM; I give to Richard Staples the sum of ten pounds.  ITEM; I give to Thomas Barrett the sum of ten pounds.  ITEM; I give to Elizabeth Hudgeboat the sum of five pounds.  ITEM; I give to Elizabeth Farrer the sum of five pounds.  ITEM; I give to Ann Webb the sum of five pounds. The rest and residue of all and singular my goods chattels rights credits and personal estate whatsoever not before bequeathed (my debts and funeral charges being paid) I fully and wholly give and bequeath unto my said nephew John Lawrence to his own proper use, and in case the said John shall depart this life before me then I do give the said rest and residue of all my personal estate and also the said manor lands tenements and hereditaments unto all the children of my said nephew John Lawrence which shall be living at my death and to their heirs executors administrators and assigns to be divided in manner and form as my nephew by his last will and testament shall appoint, and I do make and appoint my said nephew John Lawrence sole executor of this my last will and testament, and I do hereby revoke all former wills by me heretofore made, provided always that if my goods chattels and personal estate shall not amount to satisfy all my debts and all the legacies by this my will given and bequeathed and such other legacies as by any codicil or codicil I may or shall give and also my funeral charges then I do further will that every legacy shall abate of their several legacies each of them a proportionable part according to the proportion of their several legacies except such legacies as are given to charitable uses, and lastly my desire is that my funerals be decently performed without any pomp or ceremony of mourners and that my corpse be carried from my own dwelling house not troubling any public hall. In witness whereof I the said Adam Lawrence have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year first above written – Adam Lawrence – this present testament contained in nine sheets of paper was signed  and sealed by the said Adam Lawrence the testator (whose name is subscribed to every sheet thereof and by him published to be his last will and testament in the presence of Henry Ward, Nicolas Bonfoy, Richard Chase Snr, Barham Kellum, Henry Sykes, Charles Chambers and Christopher Favell Snr

Proved 20th October 1657