1670 Judith Rouse

11-0332-402_JudithRouse_1670

In the name of God Amen; This tenth day of October AD one thousand six hundred sixty seven and in the nineteenth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord Charles the Second by the Grace of God King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith etc. I JUDITH ROWSE of London, widow being in good health of body and of sound and perfect in mind and memory, praised be Almighty God, and calling to mind the certainty and uncertainty of our mortal life, do make and declare my last will and testament in manner and form following, that is to say; first and principally I commend my soul into the hands of Almighty God my most merciful father assuredly trusting that through his mercy and the death and merits of Jesus Christ my only Saviour and Redeemer, I shall be fully pardoned all my sins and that after the end of this [transitory] life I shall remain with him in glory amongst his blessed saints for evermore; and my body I remit to the earth to be decently buried in Christian manner according to the discretions of my executors hereafter named.  And touching such temporal goods and substance as God of his mercy has blessed me with all in this life, I dispose thereof as follows, vizt.  I give all my linen, woollen and wearing apparel unto my Daughter ANNE NICLAES and my Daughter in Law ANNE ROWSE to be equally divided between them part and part like except such things as I shall [otherwise] by an order writing under my hand give and dispose of.  The rest and residue of all other my goods chattels money debts and estate whatsoever I will and appoint shall be divided into twenty equal parts.  Five equal parts whereof I give and devise unto my Grandson NATHANIEL HERNE upon trust and confidence that he and his executors and administrators shall from time to time put forth to interest or dispose in buying of land or leases or otherwise according to his and their discretion the principal or capital sum arising by means of the said five twentieth parts and shall from time to time pay over the interest accruing of the same principal sum as it shall be received into the hands of my Son THOMAS ROWSE and Anne his Wife and the survivor of them for and towards their better maintenance and stay of living, and from and after the decease of the longer liver of them I will and ordain the same principal or capital sum unto all the children of my said son Thomas Rowseby him on the bodyof the said Anne his wife begotten or to be begotten which shall be then living amongst them to be divided equally and indifferently part and part like, and the part and share of the son and sons to be paid him and them at his and their several ages of twenty and one years, and the part and share of the daughter and daughters to be paid her and them at her and their like several ages or days of marriage first happening respectively, and in case any of their children shall happen to die before such respective age or marriage as aforesaid, then I will the part and share of the deceased to be paid unto the survivors or survivor of them.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Dame MARY FREDERICK five other equal twentieth parts of my estate as aforesaid upon trust and confidence that she and her executors and administrators shall from time to time put forth to interest or dispose in buying of land or leases or otherwise according to her and their discretion the principal or capital sum arising by means of the said five twentieth parts and shall from time to time pay over the same principal and the interest and proceed thereof coming and arising as it shall be received unto of my said Daughter Anne Niclaes either to her own hands and for her own proper and separate use and maintenance or else to such person and persons and by such part and portions and in such manner and form as she the said Anne by any writing under her hand shall direct and appoint in case she the said Anne Niclaes shall be living at the time of the death of me the said Judith Rowse; and if she the said Anne Niclaes shall not be then living then I will and appoint the same principal sum and all interest and increase thereof from time to time coming and arising unto all the children of my said daughter Anne Niclaes which shall be living at the time of her decease amongst them to be divided equally and indifferently part and part like, and the part and share of the son and sons to be paid him and them at his and their several ages of twenty and one years, and the part and share of the daughter and daughters to be paid her and them at her and their like several ages or days of marriage first happening respectively, and in case any of their children shall happen to die before such respective ages or marriage as aforesaid, then I will the part and share of the deceased to be paid unto the survivors or survivor of them.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto my Daughter JUDITH ADRIAN three other equal twentieth parts and one moiety or half part of a twentieth part of my estate as aforesaid upon trust and confidence that she and her executors and administrators shall from time to time put forth to interest or dispose in buying of land or leases or otherwise according to her and their discretion the principal or capital sum arising by means of the said three twentieth parts and moiety of the said twentieth part and shall from time to time pay over the interest and proceed thereof coming and arising as it shall be unto of my Son ABRAHAM ROWSE during his natural life for and towards his better maintenance and stay of living, and from and after his decease then I will and appoint the same principal and all interest and proceed thereof  from time to time arising unto all the children of my said son Abraham which shall be living at the time of his decease amongst them to be divided equally and indifferently part and part like, and the part and share of the son and sons to be paid him and them at his and their several ages of twenty and one years, and the part and share of the daughter and daughters to be paid her and them at her and their like several ages or days of marriage first happening respectively, and in case my said son shall happen to die without any issue lawfully to be begotten living at the time of his decease, then I will and appoint the said principal or capital sum [  ] three twentieth parts and moiety of the said twentieth part and all the increase  and profit thereof shall be paid unto my said Daughter Dame Mary Frederick and to my said Son Thomas Rowse and to my said Daughter Judith Adrian and to my said Daughter Anne Niclaes amongst them to be divided equally and indifferently part and part like; and further, if any of these my said children shall happen to depart this life before my said son Abraham then I will and appoint the said [  ] and respective part and share of such portion of and in the said principal sum of the said three twentieth parts and moiety of the said twentieth part and all the proceed thereof arising shall be paid and divided [  ] and amongst such children [of] my said children (vizt.) Dame Mary Frederick, Thomas Rowse, Judith Adrian and Anne Niclaes respectively as then may be living part and part like.  And the other six twentieth parts and moiety of a twentieth part remaining of the said twenty parts I dispose thereof as follows (vizt.):  I give and bequeath to my said Son Thomas Rowse and Anne his Wife twenty and five pounds in money to be paid them within ten days next after my death.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto my said Daughter Anne Niclaes and her Husband JOHN NICLAES twenty and five pounds to be paid to them within ten days next after my decease.  ITEM; I give to the poor of the Dutch Congregation in London five pounds and to the poor of that parish where I shall be buried forty shillings, those sums to be paid within ten days next after my decease.  ITEM; I give to every of my servants which shall be dwelling with me at the time of my decease forty shillings apiece in money and mourning.  ITEM; I give unto my Son in Law Sir JOHN FREDERICK ten pounds for a ring.  ITEM; I give to my Son in Law JOHN ADRIAN ten pounds for a ring.  The rest and residue unbequeathed of the said six twentieth parts and moiety of the said twentieth part (my debts and funeral charges being there out first satisfied paid or deducted) I will and appoint shall be divided into three equal third parts; one third part whereof I give unto my said Daughter Dame Mary Frederick to her own use; one other third part thereof I give unto my said Daughter Judith Adrian to her own use; and the other third part thereof I give unto my said Grandson Nathaniel Herne and JUDITH his wife to their own use.  And my farther will is that all my said children shall at their own several costs and charges find and provide themselves mourning out of the several legacies herein by me given to them respectively; and I do hereby nominate constitute ordain and appoint my said Daughters Dame Mary Frederick and Judith Adrian and my said Grandson Nathaniel Herne Executors of this my last will and testament, desiring them to perform the same in all things according to my true intent and meaning herein set forth and declared.  Provided always and it is my express will and mind that if after any of the foresaid gifts and legacies in this my testament and last will given and bequeathed shall be lent or put forth to interest or otherwise disposed of as aforesaid, the same or any part thereof shall happen to be lost by reason of any bad debtor or debtors or otherwise, that then in every such case the said several legatees or persons to whom or for whose use or benefit the said legacies and gifts are given as aforesaid shall bear the adventure and loss thereof, and the aforesaid several trustees and their and every of their heirs executors and administrators respectively shall be clearly discharged from that loss and from all costs and charges thereby arising or to grow or to happen in that behalf, anything aforesaid to the contrary notwithstanding.  And I do hereby revoke, frustrate and make void all former wills and testaments by me heretofore made; and my will is that this shall stand and be as and for my last will and testament and none other nor otherwise.  In witness whereof I the said Judith Rowse the Testatrix, have hereunto set my hand and seal dated the day and year first above written – Judith Rowse – these presents being written in eleven sheets of paper were by the above said Judith Rowse the testatrix signed sealed published and declared as and for her very last will and testament the day and year first above written in the presence of us whose names are subscribed (vizt.) ELIAS ADRIAN, EDWARD CROWNE, Fra. Shepard Scr.

 

This is a Codicil to be annexed to the last will and testament of Judith Rowse, widow dated the tenth day of October instant and to be deemed and taken as part thereof, one thousand six hundred sixty seven.  ITEM; I give to my Grandson THOMAS FREDERICKE my thumb ring with a diamond.  ITEM; I give to my Granddaughter ELIZABETH FREDERICKE my wrought furniture for a bed and covering for stools.  ITEM; I give to my Granddaughter REBECKAH FREDERICKE my silver chafing dish.  ITEM; I give to my Grandson THOMAS ADRIAN my great diamond ring.  ITEM; I give to my Granddaughter JUDITH ADRIAN my gilded cup.  ITEM; I give to my Granddaughter MARY ADRIAN my best bed and two pillows and bolster.  ITEM; I give to my Granddaughter JUDITH NICLAES my blue diamond ring.  ITEM; I give to my Granddaughter ANNE NICLAES my silver tankard.  ITEM; I give to my Granddaughter MARY NICLAES my great looking glass.  ITEM; I give to my Granddaughter ANNE ROWSE my gilded salt sellar.  ITEM; I give unto my Granddaughter JUDITH ROWSE my twelve silver spoons.  ITEM; I give to my Granddaughter ELIZABETH ROWSE a suite of diaper one table cloth, one sideboard cloth and one dozen and eight napkins.  ITEM; I give to my Son Abraham Rowse my best blue hangings for a bed and bedstead and two pillows a bed and bolster and three blankets, a cupboard of drawers, three pairs of Holland sheets and a suite of diaper, two dozen napkins, a table cloth and all my books, a silver candle cup and porringer.  ITEM; I give my Daughter Judith Adrian my fur cloak and great bible – Judith Rowse – Subscribed in the presence of Fra. Shepard.

 

Proved 27th April 1670 by Dame Mary Frederick and Judith Adrian, two of the executors […jurat Nathaniele Herne altere executor in dicto testament nominat renunciante prout ex actis huius curia liquet]

 

Comments or questions are welcome.

* indicates required field