11-0184-35_ThomasRuys_1640
[translated out of Dutch]
In the name of God Amen, I THOMAS RUYS of this City of London, Merchant, being at this present in good health and perfect memory, considering with myself the shortness of man’s life in this world and also the certainty of death and the uncertainty of the time thereof, have thought good to make by these presents my last will and testament in manner following; First I do recommend my soul into the hands of God who created the same and by the merits of his only son my Saviour Jesus Christ has saved the same [ ] from all sin; and my body I commit to the earth, there to rest until the last day when my hope is it shall rise again and be joined to my soul and so be both together glorified and enjoy with my Saviour everlasting and unspeakable happiness which he from the beginning of the world has prepared for his elect for which all glory and praise be unto him forever. Concerning my temporal estate or goods my will and desire is that all that which I at the time of my decease shall be indebted shall be first and before all things paid and satisfied before any legacy be paid. ITEM; I do ordain that the reversion of the house where Marten Garrette did heretofore dwell and which was bought of Mr Richard Bishopp whereof the writing or evidence are made in the name of my Brother-in-Law ABRAHAM VAN CUELEN shall be sold at the highest price possible and that the money thereof proceeding shall be brought to the benefit of my [mortuary] house or estate in general. ITEM; I do give and bequeath unto my dear and well-beloved Wife the sum of three thousand pounds sterling and also all my household stuff plate and jewels which shall be then found, except the plate which has been given unto my Children THOMAS, ABRAHAM and ANNE by their godfathers and godmothers of which I do will and desire that every one of my said children be given his or her own. ITEM; I do give unto my Sons Thomas and Abraham Ruys that is to say unto each of them the sum of six hundred pounds sterling apiece to be unto them when they shall be severally come to the age of one and twenty years. ITEM; I do also give unto each of them said two sons the sum of one hundred pounds sterling apiece to be paid unto them when they shall happen to marry to make themselves apparel or to buy any other necessary things. ITEM; I do give unto my Daughter Anne Ruys the sum of six hundred pounds sterling to be paid unto her when she shall come to the estate of marriage or to the age of one and twenty years, and there besides I do also give her the sum of one hundred pounds sterling to be bestowed upon her in apparel and other necessary things when she shall happen to marry. ITEM; I do give unto my Uncle Mr ADAM LAWRENCE for a piece of plate ten pounds sterling. ITEM; I do give unto my Brother-in-Law Mr Abraham Van Cuelen ten pounds sterling for a piece of plate. ITEM: I do give unto my Niece ANNE DE PUYDT five and twenty pounds sterling in case she do not marry before my death for then I will consider her otherwise and in such case she shall not enjoy nor have the said five and twenty pounds. ITEM; I do give unto my manservant Daniell Droeshant in case he do dwell with me at the time of my decease ten opunds sterling. ITEM; I do give unto my maidservant Martha in case she do then dwell with me three pounds sterling. ITEM; I do give unto the poor of St Dionis Backchurch three pounds sterling. ITEM: I do give unto Mr Humes our lecturer in case he be then in service of our parish three pounds sterling. ITEM; I do give unto the poor of our Dutch Congregation in London thirty pounds sterling, and unto the three preachers of the same congregation four pounds sterling apiece. ITEM; I do give unto my son Thomas Ruys all my printed books except six which my wife shall please first to choose out of them for herself and afterwards three for Abraham Ruys which his mother shall choose for him. Moreover I do give my sons Thomas and Abraham Ruys all my apparel, linen, arms and also all whatsoever belongs to my body to be equally shared or divided between them two. The rest of my estate goods actions and credits which shall remain over and above after all the aforesaid legacies be paid and that so much shall be taken out of my estate by my executrix to satisfy them I do then give and bequeath all the same to my well-beloved wife and my five Children: Thomas, Abraham, MARY, JUDITH and Anne to be equally divided amongst them, that is to say, unto every one of them one sixth part the one no more than the other. Furthermore, in case any of my said children shall happen to die under age unmarried or being married without having a child or children of his or her body, my will and desire is that the portion or legacy of the deceased shall succeed or belong unto the surviving children to be equally divided amongst them and that the survivors shall be always in like manner heirs to the deceased as aforesaid to the last of them; but in case any of my said children shall happen to die leaving a child or children of his or her body then my will and desire is that the such child or children which shall be so left shall inherit and enjoy all such part or portion as unto the said deceased my in any manner belong or be by him or her demanded by virtue of this my present testament; and for execution of all the gifts I do ordain and appoint by these presents my well-beloved Wife JUDITH RUYS for sole executrix of this my last will and testament; and I do appoint and name for overseers my worthy Uncle Adam Lawrence and my Son-in-Law JOHN FREDERICK earnestly praying them to effect the execution hereof according to my true intent and meaning; all which I have written with my own hand and have sealed and subscribed the same in the presence of those persons hereunder written this seventh day of April AD one thousand six hundred and forty in London subscribed thus – Thomas Ruys – and sealed with a seal in red wax under is written in English: Signed sealed delivered and published by the aforesaid Thomas Ruys for and as his last will and testament on the seventh day of April one thousand six hundred and forty in the presence of us per me [Willm Goffe] John Wetherell, John Merrick scr. and William Deane his servant.
Proved 10th September 1640 by Judith Ruys relict and executrix
Comments or questions are welcome.