11-0335-1108_SirGeorgeMortonBt_1670
In the name of God, Amen, the five and twentieth day of March in the year of our Lord God one thousand six hundred fifty and six, I Sir George MORTON of St Andrews Milborne in the County of Dorset, Baronet being at present in health and perfect memory (praised be God) yet calling to mind the frailty and immutability of this mortal life do hereby make and ordain this my last will and testament in manner and form following (viz.) First I bequeath my soul unto Almighty God in certain hope of salvation through the merits of my only Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And for my body my will is that it be decently interred in the parish church of St Andrews Milborne aforesaid if it may be done conveniently. ITEM; I desire my son or such person or persons as shall after my decease enjoy my estate as heir or otherwise to cause to be set up and erected a tomb or memory of me such a one as he or they shall think fit for a man of my quality, and if my body be buried at Milborne aforesaid I desire it may be over against my great grandfather Thomas MORTON Esquire, and that there the monument be set up. ITEM; I give to the poor of the parish of Milborne aforesaid five pounds, and to the poor of the parish of Beere Regis in the said County of Dorset fifty shillings, and to the poor of the parish of Winterborne Kingston in the said County of Dorset fifty shillings, all these to be paid within a month after my decease. ITEM; whereas I have given out of my good will and true affection to my dear sister Anne MORTON a rent charge of sixty pounds per annum for her maintenance until she shall happen to be married, my will and desire is that the same shall be well and truly paid unto her, and that my dear son John MORTON will be careful and respectful of her in all duties that belong unto a loving nephew. ITEM; I give and bequeath unto Rachel VENABLES and Jane VENABLES two of the daughters of my dear sister Katherine VENABLES fifty pounds apiece to be paid within six months after my decease. ITEM; whereas I have settled an annuity of forty pounds per annum upon my dear brother Francis MORTON, I desire my said son to see the same duly paid, and that he will have a farther care of him according to his quality and the weakness of his relation (being the only uncle he has of our family). ITEM; I do give and bequeath to my old honest true loving and faithful servant Bartholemew Lane all my wearing apparel of all sorts, and all my horses, geldings, nags, mares and colts and all my saddles and other furniture whatsoever unto them belonging, that I shall have or that shall belong unto me at the time of my decease. ITEM; I do give and bequeath unto my said servant Bartholemew Lane all and every the sum and sums of money that I shall have in my own custody and in the custody of my said servant belonging unto me at the time of my decease. ITEM; I give and bequeath unto my servant Elizabeth Thomas ten pounds, unto my servant Edmond Hodges ten pounds, and unto my servant Richard Butler ten pounds (they respectively continuing in my service till the time of my decease) to be paid unto them within six months after my decease. ITEM; I give unto Diana Stanfeild a poor woman that usually does service about my house forty shillings. ITEM; whereas by two general deeds I and my dear deceased son Henry MORTON have heretofore granted and settled two several annuities of rents charge of twenty pounds apiece for the use of my said servant Bartholemew Lane during his life, and whereas I and my said son John Morton since the decease of my said son Henry by one other deed have ratified established and confirmed the said annuities of rent charges and conjoined and united the same in one annuity or rent charge of forty pounds per annum in trust for the only use benefit and behoof of the said Bartholemew Lane, and also whereas I have granted unto my said servant an estate in reversion of a messuage tenement and lands (parcel of my manor of Winterborne Kingston in the said County of Dorset) now in the tenure and possession of one Richard Abbott, now my will is and I do hereby desire and enjoin my said son John Morton to take effectual order that my said good and faithful servant Bartholemew Lane after my decease may be duly paid off the said annuity of forty pounds per annum during his life and that he may also quietly enjoy the said tenement in Winterborne Kingston when it shall happen to fall into his hands according to my grants and real intention in that behalf; moreover out of a true sense I have of the many great and faithful services by the said Bartholemew Lane performed and done not only to myself but also to both my said sons as well beyond the seas as in England, I do think myself obliged to make some farther provision for him, but my hope and earnest desire is that my said son John Morton will ,as well for my sake as for his own merit, take him into his particular care and consideration and do something extraordinary for him. And now in regard that I shall leave a very fair estate in lands which, by God’s blessing, my son may enjoy after my decease and which I might otherwise dispose of in my lifetime, my will is, and in discharge of a good conscience, I do earnestly desire and firstly enjoin my said dear son John Morton to satisfy all such just honest and proper debts of my own (at least the principal money) as shall remain unsatisfied at the time of my decease within two years after my decease or sooner if it may be, and in the first place such debts as my said servant Bartholemew Lane is or shall be engaged for on my behalf, and the money which I owe by bond to my said servant Elizabeth Thomas, and I do make my dear son John Morton my whole and sole executor hoping that he will fully perform this my last will and testament which I charge him to do upon my blessing and as he looks to receive comfort by the estate, and I do hereby constitute and appoint my honoured dear friends and kinsmen John Bingham and George PITT Esquires to be the overseers of this my last will and testament being confident that they out of their love and respect to me and my family will use their utmost endeavours that this my last will and testament may be duly performed by my said executor, and I do hereby give unto my said executor all my goods and chattels not hereby before given and bequeathed. In witness whereof I have within and hereunder subscribed my name and hereunder set my seal the day and year first within written – G Morton – sealed signed and published in the presence of Jo: Trethewy, John Tooker
Proved 9th January 1670 (1671)