11-0307-444_HughSmith_1662
In the name of God Amen, the thirteenth day of September AD one thousand six hundred sixty one, and in the thirteenth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord Charles the second by the grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland defender of the faith etc, then I Hugh SMITH of Reading in the County of Berks, clothier, aged and weak and sick in body yet of perfect mind and memory, thanks be given to Almighty God therefore, do declare and make this my last will and testament in manner and form following. First I submit my body to the earth from whence it came, and I commend my soul to God who gave it me hoping of a joyful resurrection of body and soul and when it shall please God my days by death shall end, my body to be buried in the Parish Church of Saint Giles in Reading aforesaid near unto the body of my deceased wife. ITEM; I devise and give to the poor people of the said parish of St Giles the sum of forty () of lawful money to be distributed amongst them upon the day of my burial. ITEM; I devise and give untoJohn MALTHUS the son of my sister Anne MALTHUS the wife of Stephen MALTHUS the sum of fifty pounds in money to be paid him within one year next after my decease. ITEM; I devise and give unto Anne GARRARD the now wife of Richard GARRARD, my said sister Anne Malthus her daughter, the sum of fifty pounds in money to be paid her or her assigns within one month next after my decease, and my will and meaning is that if in case my said kinsman John Malthus shall happen to depart this life before his portion shall grow due and payable that then his said legacy so given as aforesaid shall remain and be to my said kinswoman Anne Garrard, and if she shall happen to die before the said portion shall grow due then to remain and be unto my said kinswoman Anne Garrard’s children equal portion. ITEM; I devise and give to Anne STOCKWELL the daughter of my sister Katherine STOCKWELL the wife of Joseph STOCKWELL the sum of fifty pounds in money to be paid unto her or to her guardian or assignee presently and immediately after my decease. ITEM; I devise and give unto my said kinswoman Anne Stockwell all my household goods as brass, pewter, bedding, linen and woollen, and other materials of household stuff whatsoever, excepting all the shelves, benches, pumps, ladders, cupboards, dressers and the (jack) with all other small matters which the tables and frames the which my will is shall remain and be to my now dwelling house and to those who shall enjoy the said House according to my settlement, and in case my said kinswoman Anne Stockwell shall depart this life before her said legacies shall grow due and payable, then my will and meaning is that her said legacies so given as aforesaid shall remain and be to Joseph Stockwell and John STOCKWELL my kinsmen and her brothers to be divided equal portions alike each to other, and if either of them shall happen to die then to the survivors of them. ITEM; I devise and give to my four brothers, to wit, Henry SMITH, John SMITH, Edward SMITH, and Burton SMITH to each and every of them twenty pounds apiece to be paid them within twelve months next after my decease, and in case that Edward Smith and Burton Smith my brothers or either of them shall happen to die before his portion shall grow due that then his or their portion so dying shall remain and be unto the wife and children of him or them so dying. ITEM; I devise and give unto my deceased brother Robert SMITH his four children now living twenty pounds apiece to be paid them within twelve months next after my decease, and in case any of them shall happen to die before his or their portion shall grow due that then his or their portion so dying shall remain and be to the survivor and survivors of the said children equal portions. ITEM; I devise and give unto the two children of my brother Edward Smith twenty pounds apiece to be paid them within twelve months next after my decease, and if either of them shall happen to die before his portion shall grow due that then also his portion so dying shall remain and be to the survivor. ITEM; I give to the two children of my brother Burton Smith now living twenty pounds apiece to be paid them within one year next after my decease if any or either of them shall happen to die before his or their portion shall grow due that then his portion so dying shall remain and be to the survivor of them. ITEM; I devise and give to Anne Malthus and Katherine Stockwell my two sisters and to each of them twenty pounds apiece to be paid unto them their executors or assigns within one month next after my decease. ITEM; my will and meaning is that my messuage or tenement and lands with the appurtenances situate and being in the parish of St Giles in Reading aforesaid shall remain and be to the use of my kinsmen Joseph Stockwell and John Stockwell and to their heirs and assigns forever according to the deed made by me touching the same. ITEM; all the rest of my goods, chattels and credits whatsoever, my debts, legacies and funeral expenses first discharged, I devise and give unto Nathaniel SMITH my brother whom I ordain and make my full and sole executor of this my last will and testament renouncing and revoking all former will and testament whatsoever by me made or done (so praising God for all his benefits and mercies towards me) I declare and publish this to be my last will and testament, in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year first above written – Hugh Smith – signed sealed and published in the presence of William Clarke, Richard Booth, scrivener
Proved 29th March 1666