1647 Edward Pitt

11-0200-598_EdwardPitt_1647

In the name of God Amen; I EDWARD PITT of Stratfield Say in the county of Southton Esq considering with myself how necessary it is in my days of health to think of the time of sickness yea even of the hour of death which certainly will come but the time when it may is only known to Almighty God; being at present of good and perfect memory and understanding (thanks and praise be given to Almighty God for it); this nineteenth day of December in the reign of our Sovereign Lord King Charles the nineteenth and in the year of our Lord God one thousand six hundred forty and three hereby revoking all former wills made by me do make this my last will and testament in manner and form following; Inprimis, I commend my soul to God my maker from whom I received it trusting and assuredly believing through the only and alone merits death and passion of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ my Redeemer to receive full and free pardon of my many and manifold sins and through his infinite mercy and the seal of his holy and blessed spirit to have my soul everlastingly saved; and my body I commend to the earth from whence it was taken desiring my executor hereafter named to see it decently buried in the Aisle of the Church of Stratfield Say aforesaid near the body of my ever dear wife lately deceased and as concerning the temporal estate wherewith it has pleased God of his great goodness to bless me I do in the first place hereby ratify and confirm one deed indented of assurance of [  ] manors lands and tenements made or to be for the maintenance education and provision of and for my younger children bearing date [blank in the National Archives copy] charging and requiring my son GEORGE (whom it has pleased God to make my eldest son now living (or my heir that shall be living at the time of my decease after he shall come or be of full age) upon my blessing and as he hopes and looks for a blessing from heaven not only not to impeach or hinder the same if it shall be in his power so to do but if it shall be thought needful by Counsel learned in the law to ratify and confirm all and every part thereof as well to the feoffees upon any of their requests as to his said brothers and their respective heirs upon any of their requests made and at their respective cost and charge according to the limitation in the said deed expressed; and whereas by the said deed I have appointed the rents and revenues of certain lands and leases in the said deed mentioned to be as well for the education and maintenance of all my younger children as for the raising of portions for my three daughters EDITH, RACHELL and KATHERINE PITT in such manner and by such time as in the said deed is limited and expressed I do hereby limit and appoint what the said portions for maintenance to be raised shall be: that is to say, that out of the lands and leases in the said deed mentioned shall be raised to and for my said daughter Edith the sum of two thousand pounds to be paid to my said daughter Edith when she shall attain to the age of eighteen years or day of marriage which shall first happen; and I do hereby further limit and point that out of the said lands and leases shall be raised to and for my said daughter Rachell the like sum of MML to be paid unto my said daughter Rachell when she shall attain to the like age of xviij years or at her day of marriage which shall first happen; and I do also hereby limit and appoint that out of the said lands and leases shall be raised to and for my said daughter Katherine the like sum of MML to be paid likewise unto my said daughter Katherine when she shall attain to the like age of xviij years or at her day of marriage which shall first happen; they my said daughters marrying with the consent and good liking of the overseers of this my will or the major part of them or the survivor of them; but if any or either of my said daughters marry without the consent and good liking of the major part of the overseers of this my will then I do appoint unto the said daughter or daughters so marrying without their consents only the sum of fifteen hundred pounds to be paid as aforesaid respectively hereby ordering directing and appointing the said portions to be raised and paid as well out of the overplus of the revenues of my lands and leases in the said deed mentioned and contained as out of my other lands that I shall set apart or direct to be set sale for the raising of the said portions as also out of such of my personal estate as is by this my will appointed for the more speedy raising of the said portions after the discharge of my funeral expense and such debts as shall be owing by me at the time of my decease; but if either of my said daughters above named shall happen to die before the time limited for the payment of the said portions then I do give and bequeath unto my 2 surviving daughters beikng unmarried at the time of my decease the sum of five hundred pounds more apiece to be apid at the time and after the manner as in the former bequest is limited and appointed the said surviving daughters marrying with the consent of this my will as aforesaid or else not to be capable of the benefit of the said sum of 500L last before mentioned; but if any two of my said daughters above named shall happen to die before the said limited time for the payment of the said portions (which God forbid) then I do order direct and appoint and hereby declare it to be my true intent and meaning that the portion of the said surviving daughter shall out of the moneys so appointed to be raised be made up the sum of four thousand pounds, she the said sole surviving daughter marrying with consent as aforesaid or else her said portion to be barely two thousand pounds without restrictions as is at first above mentioned; and the said remaining sum or sums to remain and be for the use and behoof of my heirs male which shall be living at the time of my decease; and whereas it may so please God that I may happen to die leaving my eldest son within age whereby he will become subject to wardship [concealing] myself to have certain lands held of his Majesty in Capite or by [knights service] I do humbly petition his Majesty and desire the Mayor and Council of the Court of Wards that if it so happen he and they will be pleased to grant the wardship of the the body and lands of any such son unto my noble friend and kinsman the Lord HOPTON and to my dear brother Mr WILLIAM PITT jointly for the use and behoof of my said son; the fine and charges occasioned thereby to be issued and taken out of the estate properly belonging to my said son and as concerning the residue of my personal estate my will and desire is and I do hereby limit and appoint give and bequeath the same as follows: That is to say, Inprimis, I do give and bequeath unto my said daughter Edith according to the request of her dear mother the Spanish Chain which was her said dear mother’s.  ITEM; I do give and bequeath unto my said daughter Edith together with her two sisters my three daughters jointly all the rings and all the rest of the jewels which were lately their said dear mother’s together with all other necessary ornaments of her body which shall be undisposed of at the time of my decease.  ITEM; I do give unto them their said mother’s chest of childbed linen, the mantles and all other necessaries wonted to be used about herself or her young children, the said rings jewels ornaments linen mantles and suchlike necessaries to be equally amongst them by my executor hereafter named.  ITEM; I do give and bequeath unto my now eldest son George Pitt (whom I charge upon my blessing to bear all indulgent respect and to show all true love to his brothers and sisters) all my plate, hangings, goods and household stuff whish shall not be otherwise bequeathed or disposed of by this my will if he my said son George Pitt be living at the time of my decease.  But if otherwise I give and bequeath the same to such my heir male as shall be then living.  ITEM; I do give and bequeath unto my said son George if he shall be also living at the time of my decease all my leases for years absolute and leases for years determinable upon lives that shall not be by this my will or are not otherwise limited and appointed by the deed above mentioned or which by some other deed or writing under my hand and seal shall not be otherwise limited and appointed excepting the leases of certain tythes granted by the Church or Free School of Wimborne Minster in the county of Dorset unto Sir WILLIAM PITT knight my late dear father and others and usually enjoyed with the parsonage [impropriat] of Slapwick in the county of Dorset aforesaid which said lease my will and purpose is shall remain and be enjoyed with the said parsonage to whomsoever I shall leave or dispose of the same; but if my said son George be not then living then I do give and bequeath the said leases (except as before is excepted) to such my heir male as shall be living at the time of my decease.  To have and to hold to him his executors and administrators.  ITEM; I do give unto my said son George one moiety of the old gold which came to me as executor to my dear father dec’d; and the other moiety thereof I give and appoint to be equally distributed to and amongst all my younger sons the whole being of the value of one hundred marks or thereabouts.  ITEM; I will my goods implements and household stuff being or remaining in or about my farm or house of Iwerne Stapleton in the county of Dorset aforesaid together with the timber stone and brick and other materials provided for building there or coming out of the old house heretofore taken down there.  I do give and bequeath unto my said son George Pitt if he be living at the time of my decease but if otherwise I give and bequeath the same to such my heir male as shall be then living.  ITEM; all my goods implements and household stuff being or remaining in or about the farm of Lance Levy in the Parish of Sherfield upon Loddon in the county of Southton aforesaid I give and bequeath unto my son THOMAS PITT his executors and assigns.  ITEM; all my goods implements and household stuff being or remaining in or about any of my messuages lands or tenements in the town or Borough of Blandford Forum in the said county of Dorset I give and bequeath unto my said son SAMUEL PITT his executors and assigns.  ITEM; all my goods implements and household stuff being or remaining in or about any of my messuages burgage lands and tenements in Wareham in the said county of Dorset I give and bequeath unto my son EDWARD PITT his executors and assigns.  ITEM; I do give to my loving friends and kindred mentioned in a page of my own handwriting and lying with this my will to every of them one gold enamelled ring of the price xxxs apiece or thereabouts desiring them not to value them according to the meanness of their worth but as a remembrance of my love and hearty well-wishing to them.  ITEM; I do hereby order and appoint that whereas my very loving uncle THOMAS PITT now rents of me the tythes of several farms and tenements in Preston in the county of Dorset aforesaid at the rent of xL per annum that he my said uncle shall during his natural life take and enjoy the said tythes without payment of any rent at all conceiving by somewhat lately come to my knowledge that I have done him wrong in taking rent at all from him since my father’s death and in further recompense and satisfaction to him for the time past I do give and bequeath unto my said uncle the lease and estate which I have in the house in Piddleton in the said county of Dorset which I had by assignment from one Bennett and now or lately used as an Inn or victualling house there.  ITEM; I do give and bequeath unto my loving Aunt MARGARET GROOME the moiety of the clear yearly rent or value (if it shall be sold) of the house in Bread Street London known by the name of the Checquer wherein ROBERT GREEN her husband long dwelt and the other moiety of the said clear yearly rent or value (if it be sold) I do give unto and appoint to be equally divided amongst all her sons that shall be living at the time of my decease appointing and requiring my executor hereafter named to assign or convey the lease of the said house to my said Aunt to the intents and purposes aforesaid.  ITEM; I do give to my loving kinsman EDMOND BLOUD one piece of plate of the value of twenty nobles.  ITEM; I do give to my servant William Catherene one piece of plate of the value of five pounds with my arms engraven on each of them.  ITEM; do give to my servant Thomas Finden the sum of ten pounds.  iTEM; I do give to my old servant Anthony Johnson the sum of ten pounds; but if he happn to die or be slain in the war now unhappily risen amongst us then I do appoint the said sum of xL to be given to his eldest son.  ITEM; I do give to each other of my household servants it shall serve me at the time of my death and have served me by the space of one whole year before the sum of five pounds and to every other of my servants that shall serve me at the time of my death one half year’s wages over and above their respective wages which shall be due at or about the time of my death.  ITEM; I do give to William Hall my bailiff the sum of xL together with the sum of xxs lent to him by my dear wife withal such several sums of money due unto me for several rents amounting in the whole to xxxs or thereabouts the said legacies to be paid within three months next after my decease.  ITEM; I do give to the poor people of St Margarets in Westminster in the county of Middlesex the sum of ten pounds.  ITEM; I do give to the poor people of Blandford Forum in the county of Dorset where I was born the sum of ten pounds.  ITEM; I do give to the poor people of Wareham and Stoborough in the said county of Dorset the sum of ten pounds.  ITEM; I do give to the poor people of Stratfield Say aforesaid where I dwell the sum of five pounds.  ITEM; I do give to the poor people of Heckfield in the said county of Southt. The sum of five pounds.  ITEM; I give to the poor people of the parish of Mattingly, Stratfeild Turgis, Hartley Waspell, Bramley and Sherfeild upon Loddon the sum of ten pounds to be distributed amongst them by the appointment and at the discretion of my executor within one month after my decease.  ITEM; I do give towards the raising of a brick wall about the churchyard of Stratfeild Say aforesaid the sum of xxL.  ITEM; all my plate, hangings, linen, bedding, beds and all other goods and household stuff herebefore bought by me of my loving brother Sir GEORGE MORETON Baronet at the price of four hundred pounds I do appoint shall be sold for and towards the raising of the portions in this my will limited and appointed to be for my said daughters desiring and appointing that my said brother or his heirs if he the said Sir George Moreton be not then living may have the refusal and pre-emption thereof at the same price that I paid for them or else to be sold at their best value.  All the residue of my goods and chattels not bequeathed or limited or directed before or not appointed by my said deed to be or which by some other deed or direction in writing under my hand and seal shall not be otherwise disposed of (after performance of my funeral expense and the payment and satisfaction of my debts and legacies) I give and bequeath for and towards the more speedy raising of the portions by my deed abovesaid appointed to be raised for my said three daughters unto the said George Pitt (whom I do make and ordain to be my sole executor of this my last will and testament; and I do earnestly desire my very noble friends and kinsmen the Lord Hopton and my ever dear brother Mr William Pitt to take upon them the guardianship of my said son and to assist him with their best advice and counsel; and I do also desire my loving kinsman GEORGE RIVES of Randleton in the said county of Dorset aforesaid, my loving friend Richard Moore of Heckfield in the said county of Southt. aforesaid, my loving kinsman CHRISTOPHER PITT of Pimperne in the said county of Dorset Clarke, my loving kinsman JOHN COOKE of the City of Hereford Gent to each of whom together with the said Lord Hopton and my loving brother William Pitt I give and bequeath a piece of plate of the value of six pounds thirteen shillings four pence to be overseers of this my will and to be aiding and assisting to my executor in the execution thereof; and as a further and the greatest request of all other I do by all the obligation of friendship entreat and desire them to be solicitous and tender of the happy and careful education breeding and disposal of my younger children beseeching God to direct and vouchsafe his blessing to them all.  [Memorandum] that whereas it was his intent and purpose to give the blanks filled with his own handwriting (he not being able thereunto by reason of his weakness) does assign them to be performed by Edmond Bloud

 

A Schedule annexed or to be annexed to the last will and testament and to be accounted and observed as if of the said last will and testament of me Edward Pitt of Stratfeild Say in the county of Southt. Esq.  Imprimis; I do straightly charge and command my son and executor George Pitt punctually and carefully to observe and cause to be observed performed and kept all and every command direction and appointment and to pay and satisfy all and every sum of money gift and bequest appointed and directed either by the last will and testament or by the deed of declaration of my dear father Sir William Pitt Knight deceased which are not already paid or satisfied by me at such time and after such manner as by the said will or declaration of my said dear father are limited and appointed.  ITEM; I do give or rather forgive to my kinswoman and servant TEMPERANCE COMBE over and besides the forty pounds given her by my good father’s declaration the sum of sixteen pounds thirteen shillings and four pence being the third part of the sum of fifty pounds owing to my said dear father upon the mortgage of my house in the town and county of Poole in the county of Dorset and since conveyed unto her and her two sisters by her father in law Mr RICHARD BRAMBLE who mortgaged the same; the other two parts of the said fifty pounds being by her said sisters or their husbands satisfied unto me as executor to my said dear father directing and charging my said son George Pitt or my heir that shall be living at the time of my decease to convey and confirm unto them and their heirs my right and interest in the said house whensoever he shall be by them required thereunto.  ITEM; I do give or rather forgive unto my loving brother Mr FRANCIS MORETON the sum of forty eight pounds fifteen shillings which he owes me.  ITEM; I do give or rather forgive unto my loving sister Mrs Anne Moreton the sum of sixteen pounds which she owes me.   ITEM; I do also recognise and appoint my said son and executor to pay unto one Mr Tutt a Mercer at the sign of the Black Swan on Fleet Street London the sum of eighteen pounds or thereabouts which is owing by my said sister Mrs Anne Morton and by me long since promised to be paid and discharged.  ITEM; I do give or rather forgive unto Mrs Judith Evans the sum of forty shillings which she heretofore borrowed of me.  ITEM; I do give or rather forgive unto my old servant John Thomason the sum of four pounds six shillings which he has long owed me.  ITEM; I do give or rather forgive unto Nicholas Watts of Heckfield the sum of thirty shillings which he owes me upon reckonings heretofore.

Proved 10th June 1647 by George Pitt son and executor. 

 

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