11-0211-1996_RobertBishopp_1649
The last will and testament of ROBERT BISHOPP of Bray in the county of Berks yeoman made the thirteenth day of July 1649; and wherein I give and bequeath my worldly goods as follows: First I give unto my eldest son GEORGE BISHOPP the house wherein I now dwell with all the out-housing and backside adjoining with the ground called Armittridinge, the ground called Webbs and the butts, the ground called Lachmore with all my arable and meadow in the Common Fields amd Meads of Bray wheresoever; as also the house and all the land lying near Crotchfeild in Bray and now in the tenure and occupation of Richard Hall and also that ground adjoining now in the tenure and occupation of Tho: Gregorie. I give all these before mentioned premises to my said son George Bishopp to enter upon and take the profits thereof when he shall have accomplished the age of three and twenty years and not before; and further my will and meaning is that he the said George shall pay unto my two daughters ANN and ELIZABETH BISHOPP one hundred pounds apiece when they shall have accomplished their ages of one and twenty years or days of marriage which shall first happen; and my will and meaning is that if he shall refuse or fail to perform the aforesaid payments as aforesaid that then the said Ann and Elizabeth my daughters shall receive and take the rents and profits (except all manner of timber and woods) of the aforesaid house and grounds at or near Crutchfeild in the tenure and occupation of the said Richard Hall and Tho: Gregorie for the term of twenty years paying unto the said George yearly ten shillings apiece or else so long as until the said George Bishopp shall have paid unto them their several portions. ITEM; I give and bequeath unto my son ROBERT BISHOPP when he shall accomplish his full age of one and twenty years the house and all the land which my father purchased of one Henry Powney to him the said Robert and his heirs for ever conditionally, and my will and meaning is thus that he shall pay unto my daughter MARY BISHOPP the sum of one hundred pounds when she shall accomplish the age of one and twenty years or day of marriage which shall first happen; and for default of payment that then the said Marie Bishopp shall take and enjoy to her use the rents and profits of the said grounds all timber and wood excepted for the term of six years following from that time in which the payment ought to be made and paying yearly to the said Robert Bishopp the sum of five pounds a year. ITEM; I give and bequeath unto my youngest son JAMES BISHOPP when he shall accomplish his full age of one and twenty years the house orchard and backside now in the tenure or occupation of Henry Wardner and all those grounds called Sparboroughe Long Close Gurlines and Austens to him the said James and his heirs forever conditionally and my will and meaning is that he shall pay unto my two daughters MARGARETT and SARAH BISHOPP the sum of one hundred pounds apiece to be paid to them when they shall accomplish their full ages of one and twenty years or days of marriage which shall first happen and for default of payment as aforesaid my will is that the said Margarett and Sarah shall receive and take all the rents and profits (excepting timber and wood) of all the lands bequeathed to the said James Bishopp for the term of ten years next after the time that their portions ought to be paid them and paying unto the said James yearly during the said term of ten years the sum of fifty shillings apiece or else so long as until the said James shall have paid them their several portions. ITEM; I give and bequeath unto my youngest daughter REBECA BISHOPP the sum ofone hundred and twenty pounds to be paid unto her when she shall accomplish the full age of one and twenty years or day of marriage which shall first happen and that by my executrix hereafter named; and my will and meaning is that if either of my aforesaid sons shall die before he has accomplished his full age expressed for his or their enjoyment of their lands that his part shall be equally divided between the two surviving as also for each or any of my six daughters my intention is that her or their portions so dying shall be equally divided between the survivors of them. ITEM; I do hereby make and ordain my loving wife ELIZABETH sole executrix of this my last will and testament and do appoint her to receive the rents and profits of all my livings formerly bequeathed to my sons until they do accomplish their several ages for the entering upon the same and do give unto her all my goods and chattels whatsoever. ITEM; I do hereby desire and constitute my loving friend Mr William Brice minister, ROBERT LAWRENCE and JOHN WINCH of Wolly my kinsmen to be overseers of this my last will and testament and do join them in full and equal power with my executrix to see that the rents and profits of my whole estate (until my children be grown up to the several ages for to enter upon their estates) shall be equally employed for the bringing up of all my children indifferently in a godly education and after to bind such as are fit to be apprentices to some such honest calling as they shall think meet. ITEM; my will is that if my executrix shall marry before my children shall be grown up to their several ages to receive their portions that then my overseers shall take up all the rents and profits (except what is before excepted with my wife’s thirds excepted also) and to employ the same for the educating and well bringing up of my children and lastly my will and meaning is that my executrix shall give sufficient security to my overseers to pay that child’s portion which she is to pay if she shall happen to marry before that child come to her full age to receive her portion. In witness whereof I have set to my hand and seal to both these sheets of paper the day and year first above written – Robert Bishopp – signed sealed read published and acknowledged this to be my true and perfect last will in the presence of Nathaniell Hathorne, John Lawrence
Proved 5th January 1649/50 by Elizabeth Bishopp relict and executrix.
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