11-0282 -27_AbrahamCullen_1658
In the name of God Amen; the sixteenth day of January in the year of Our Lord God according to the custom now used in England One thousand six hundred fifty and seven, I ABRAHAM CULLEN the Elder of London, Merchant being in good health of body and of sound and perfect mind and memory, praise be therefore given to Almighty God, but considering the frailty and uncertainty of this mortal life, do therefore make and declare my last will and testament in manner and form following (that is to say) First and principally I commit and commend my soul into the hands of Almighty God my most merciful father assuredly believing through his mercy and the death and merits of Jesus Christ my only Saviour and Redeemer I shall have all my sins pardoned and my soul inherit those unspeakable joys which he prepared for the blessed saints in the kingdom of heaven; and my body I remit to the earth whereof it was framed in full assurance of a joyful resurrection; and my will and desire is the same may be buried in Saint Hellens Parish Church as near unto the place where my late Wife ABIGAELL now lies as possible may be; and touching such temporal goods and substance as God in his mercy has blessed me withal in this life, I dispose thereof as follows: First my will and desire is that all and every debts and sums of money whatsoever as at the time of my decease I shall justly and truly owe to any person or persons shall be satisfied and paid by my executor hereafter named within as short time after my death as conveniently may be and the debts owing by me and the charges of my funeral which I leave to the discretion of my executor and overseers hereafter named being first paid or deducted out of my whole estate, all the rest and residue of my goods chattels debts and estate whatsoever I give and dispose of the same in this manner (vizt.) First I give and bequeath to my loving Son in Law JOHN LAWRENCE Esquire and ABIGAELL his Wife the sum of one thousand pounds of lawful money of England being the money by me formerly promised and agreed to give unto them at my decease to make up their marriage portion. ITEM; I give unto my Son ABRAHAM CULLEN (unto whom I have already assured his marriage portion) and to my Daughter in Law his Wife twenty pounds for mourning. ITEM; I give to my Son PETER CULLEN ten pounds for mourning. ITEM; I give and bequeath to my said Son in Law John Lawrence Esquire and my Daughter Abigaull his Wife and to my Son in Law PETER TRYON Esquire and my Daughter JUDITH his Wife and to my Son in Law Master ROBERT BIDDOLPH and my Daughter MARIE his Wife the sum of ten pounds apiece for mourning for them to wear at my funeral; and I give and bequeath unto my aforesaid Son Abraham Cullen his heirs and assigns forever all that my manor of Rowickbury alias Quickbury with all and singular its rights members and appurtenances situate and being in the County of Essex which I lately purchased of William Childew Esquire and all and every such leases estate and estates whatsoever as in law or equity I have or ought to have in or to the same manor and premises with its appurtenances or any part or parcel thereof; and whereas I am seized of an estate in fee simple of an in two messuages or tenements with the yards gardens and appurtenances to them belonging situate and being in Leaden Hall Street in London now or late in the several tenancies or occupations of James Blatt, John Aymes and John Hyges and which I lately purchased of William Wheeler Esquire I do now hereby give devise and bequeath all the said messuages with their and every of their rights yards and other appurtenances fully and wholly unto my son Peter Cullen his heirs and assigns forever. ITEM; I give devise and bequeath to my said son Peter Cullen his heirs and assigns forever the tenement with its appurtenances in or near St Mary Axe London called by the name of the Bull now or late in the tenure of Bartholomew Webb which I lately purchased of the heirs of William Bartlett Esquire. ITEM; I give and bequeath to my said son Peter Cullen his executors and assigns the lease of my now dwelling house with its appurtenances situate and being in Great Saint Hellens in London and all my estate term of years and time to come claim and demand whatsoever of in or to the same. ITEM; I give and bequeath to my said son Peter Cullen his executors and assigns the lease of the house with its appurtenances situate and being in the Parish of Saint Martins le Grand wherein Master John Smith now lives and all my estate term of years and time to come claim and demand whatsoever of in and to the same lease house and premises in any wise. ITEM; I give and bequeath to my said son Peter Cullen the sum of two thousand and five hundred pounds of lawful money of England for his marriage portion to be paid unto him within a reasonable time next after my decease. ITEM; I give and bequeath unto my foresaid son Peter Cullen my best bed and bedstead with the covering curtains and valance one pair of sheets blankets and other accommodation fitting and thereunto belonging. ITEM; I do hereby declare that my son Abraham Cullen and my foresaid two daughters Abigaell and Judith have already received their marriage portion except only the one thousand pounds above by me bequeathed to my son John Lawrence and his wife according to my agreement or promise upon their marriage. ITEM; I give and bequeath unto my foresaid Son in Law Peter Tryon Esquire the sum of fifteen hundred pounds of lawful money of England to be paid unto him within one year at the furthest next after my decease provided nevertheless and upon condition that my said son in law Peter Tryon Esquire upon or before such payment made do settle and assure unto my daughter Judith his wife as a jointure of two hundred pounds per annum to the satisfaction of my executor hereafter named in further augmentation of the jointure already settled and assured upon her; and in case my said son in law shall depart this life before the end of one year next after my decease without settling and assuring two hundred pounds per annum in augmentation of my daughter’s jointure as aforesaid then I give the said sum of fifteen hundred pounds unto my daughter Judith if she be then living; and in such case if my said daughter shall depart this life before her husband or before the said fifteen hundred pounds shall be due and paid unto her, then I give the said fifteen hundred pounds unto and amongst the children of her body then living equally to be divided amongst them and the survivors of them; and to be paid to the sons at their several ages of one and twenty years and to the daughters at their like ages or marriage first happening; but in case my said son in law Peter Tryon and my daughter Judith shall live till the end of the said year next after my decease and shall refuse to settle the said additional jointure upon my daughter as aforesaid then my will is the said gift of fifteen hundred pounds shall be divided amongst my four children Abraham, Peter, Abigaell and Mary equally with the rest and residue of my personal estate. ITEM; I give and bequeath unto SUSANNA[1] my loving wife the sum of one thousand pounds of lawful money of England to be by her disposal of according to her own will judgement and discretion; also I give her all her wearing apparel and all such jewels plate and household stuff as she has brought with her. ITEM; I give and bequeath unto my son Abraham Cullen, my son Peter Cullen, my son in law John Lawrence and my son in law Robert Biddolph to each of them severally five hundred pounds apiece of lawful money of England to be paid unto each of them respectively within as short time as conveniently may be next after my decease in lieu and consideration whereof and immediate upon receipt thereof my express will and meaning is that each of them respectively shall from thenceforth pay unto the said Susanna my wife the sum of fifty pounds apiece per annum during her natural life to be paid half-yearly by equal portions (videlicet) five and twenty pounds apiece each half yearly or within twenty days then next ensuing, the first payment thereof to be made within one half year next after my decease and my will and mind is that each of my said four sons respectively shall give good security by loan or otherwise to my said wife’s consent for payment of the said half-yearly payments accordingly and if it shall happen that any of my said four sons Abraham Cullen, Peter Cullen, John Lawrence or Robert Biddolph respectively shall refuse or neglect to give such security for payment of the said annuities respectively as shall be to the content of the said Susanna my wife then and in such case my will and meaning is that he or they respectively which shall so neglect or refuse to give such security to my said wife shall have no part of the said legacy or legacies of five hundred pounds but in such case the said legacy or legacies of five hundred pounds apiece of him or them so refusing or neglecting to give security shall remain and be paid to the said Susanna my wife forever in lieu of the annuity or annuities which should have been paid to her for her life by him or them so refusing. ITEM; I give to the poor of the Dutch Congregation in London the sum of fifty pounds and fifty pounds more towards repair of their church; and to the poor of the Dutch Congregation in Norwich where I was born twenty pounds. ITEM; I give unto my loving friend Giles Dent Esquire ten pounds for mourning. ITEM; I give unto my Cousin Master JONATHAN GODSCALL of Norwich, Merchant the sum of ten pounds. ITEM; I give unto my servant Elizabeth Westwick five pounds and to John Rome three pounds if they be living with me at the time of my decease. ITEM; I give unto Master Ceasar Callendrine, Master Phillipp Opedebick and Master Jonas Priest, Ministers of the Dutch Congregation of London each of them six pounds thirteen shillings and four pence. ITEM; I give unto Master Barham, parson of St Hellens the sum of five pounds; also I give to the poor of the said Parish of St Hellens five pounds. The rest and residue whatsoever unbequeathed of all and singular my goods chattels household stuff debts and personal estate whatsoever I give devise and bequeath the same remainder if any be the debts owing by me at the time of my decease and the legacies afore herein given and bequeathed and my funeral charges being first paid satisfied or deducted unto and amongst my said four children Abraham Peter Abigaell and Mary equally amongst them and the survivors of them to be parted shared and divided part and part alike and I do hereby make name and appoint my foresaid loving son Abraham Cullen sole executor of this my last will and testament and my will and mind is that not anybody that is concerned in this my last will shall impede or molest my said executor in the execution thereof. ITEM; I make name and appoint my three sons in law John Lawrence Esquire, Peter Tryon Esquire and Master Robert Biddolph and my son Peter Cullen to be overseers of this my last will. In witness whereof I have hereunto put my hand and seal the day and year first above written – Abraham Cullen – these presents being written in six sheets of paper and this piece of a sheet were by the said Abraham Cullen the testator signed sealed published and declared as and for his last will and testament the day and year first above written in the presence of {Jason] Littleton, Leonard Bales scr. Tho: Feltham his Servant
Proved 7th September 1658 by Abraham Cullen son and executor
1st September 1670 administration granted to Abigail Cullen relict of Sir Abraham Cullen Bt, the late son of the deceased
12th June 1682 administration granted to Peter Cullen brother of the late Sir Abraham Cullen Bt and brother in law of the late Abigail Cullen, and son of the deceased.
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