11-0285-882_RobertLawrence_1658

In the name of God Amen; I ROBERT LAWRENCE of Bray in the County of Berks Yeoman, having been long visited with sickness and thereby grown weak in body but of perfect mind and memory (thanks be given to Almighty God) do make and ordain this my last will and Testament in manner and form following viz. I do first and principally resign my soul into the hands of God that gave it and hoping only in the merits of my saviour Jesus Christ that the same shall be one day glorified in heaven; and my body to the Earth to bee decently buried at the discretion of my executrix. And for my worldly estate I devise and dispose of the same as follows viz. I devise unto my eldest son JOHN LAWRENCE all my lands tenements and hereditaments in Bray aforesaid (other than the lands late of George Carew) to hold to my said son John Lawrence from and immediately after he shall accomplish his age of three and twenty years to his heirs and assigns for ever provided and my will is that my loving wife shall have the profits of my said free houses lands in Bray devised as aforesaid to my son John until my said son John shall attain the age of three and twenty years she in the meantime preserving and maintaining the houses orchards and premises in good repair and making no waste or spoil all the housing would or orchards thereof provided also and my will is that if my son John shall die leaving no issue of his body lawfully begotten then I devise the said lands and tenements after the determination of the said interests limited to my said wife unto my son ROBERT LAWRENCE he paying to such and so many of my daughters as shall be living at the death of my said son John one hundred pounds apiece within two years after the said estate shall come to him by virtue of this my will.  ITEM; my desire is and I do require my loving wife that when my said lands in Bray shall come to my said son according to my devise above said she would accept of ten pounds by the year in recompense of her third or dower thereof and not distract or divide the same.  ITEM; I give and devise unto my son Robert Lawrence all my houses in St John Street London and all those tenements and lands in Bray aforesaid which were lately the houses and lands of George Carew to hold from and after the death of my loving wife to him the said Robert Lawrence his heirs and assigns provided nevertheless that if my said son Robert Lawrence do happen to die so as the said houses and lands to him devised (he having no issue) shall descend and come to his sisters HANNAH and MARIE then in such case my will is and I do hereby charge the said houses and lands with the payment of one hundred marks to my daughter ANN and one hundred marks to my daughter ELIZABETH which being paid I devise the same houses and land to my daughters Hannah and Mary and their heirs part and part like; nevertheless my desire is that the said house and lands should not be charged with the money which is due to the daughters of George Carew but my will is that my wife shall pay and discharge that out of my other personal estate.  ITEM; I give to my daughters Ann Elizabeth Hannah and Mary the sum of one hundred and fifty pounds apiece to be paid unto them respectively within six months after their respective marriage or when they shall accomplish the respective ages of one and twenty years and if my daughters Elizabeth Hannah and Mary be not maintained by my wife till their said portions be due then I desire that the interest and benefit of their respective portions shall be allowed for their maintenance till the same shall be paid unto them and they capable of maintaining the same.  ITEM; I will and desire that if any of my daughters shall die before their marriage or their portions be due then the portion of such dying daughter or daughters shall remain and survive to the surviving daughter or daughters.  ITEM; I give to my wife’s two daughters by her former husband that is to say to JANE and BARBARA CAREW ten pounds apiece out of my own proper estate.  ITEM; I do devise and appoint that each one of my children at their marriage shall have the worth of five pounds of my household goods at least delivered unto each of them respectively to keep as their own proper goods.  ITEM; I nominate and appoint my loving wife JANE LAWRENCE soul executrix of this will requiring her to see the same justly and honestly performed. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal dated the eighteenth day of December one thousand six hundred fifty-seven – Robert Lawrence – signed sealed and published in the presence of John Litfield, (the mark of) Phillipp Faux, (the mark of) Ann Mew servant to Robert Lawrence.

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