1665 Mary Witt

11-0317-1405_Mary Witt_1665

In the name of God Amen, the five and twentieth day of July in the seventeenth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord King Charles the Second etc., and of our Lord God 1665, I Mary WITT of the parish of St Giles without Cripplegate in the County of Middlesex, widow, being sick and weak in body but of sound and perfect memory, praised be the Lord God for the same, do herein make this my last will and testament in manner and form following: and first I bequeath my soul unto God my maker trusting that in and by the merits and mercies of Jesus Christ my Redeemer I shall enjoy the everlasting kingdom of heaven, there to reign to all eternity , and my body I commit to the earth to be buried in Christian burial at the discretion of my executors hereafter named; and all the goods cattle and chattels that God has blessed me with I do give and bequeath  in manner and form following; and first I do give and bequeath unto my son Benjamin AGAR five pounds of lawful money of England.  ITEM; I do give and bequeath unto him the said Benjamin Agar and to my daughter Mary AGAR all my household goods bedding and other things whatsoever that are mine and now standing and being in the City of Canterbury in the County of Kent (excepting one great copper kettle and my husband Witt his picture) equally to be divided betwixt them the said Benjamin Agar and Mary Agar, and my desire is that my said daughter have the first choice.  ITEM; I do give and bequeath unto her my said daughter Mary Agar one hundred pounds of good and lawful money of England to be raised and paid her out of the yearly rent and profits of the five houses with their appurtenances in St Leonard Shoreditch in the County of Middlesex (which I hold by long lease of William Benson, gent, for the term of one and forty years) and that by fifteen pounds yearly until the said one hundred pounds shall be fully and truly paid.  ITEM; I do also give and bequeath unto my said daughter Mary over and above her part of the goods at Canterbury as aforesaid five pairs of flaxen sheets, a flat gold ring which was her grandmother’s wedding ring and three silver spoons.  ITEM; I do give and bequeath unto my daughter Elizabeth WITT one hundred pounds of lawful money of England to be likewise raised and paid by fifteen pounds yearly (out of the rents and profits of the said five houses in Shoreditch before mentioned) until the said one hundred pounds shall be fully and truly to her the said Elizabeth paid.  ITEM; I do give and bequeath unto her my said daughter ElizabethWitt the before mentioned copper kettle and picture now at Canterbury.  ITEM; my will is that my said daughter Elizabeth Witt (after the one hundred pounds apiece bequeathed to my daughter Mary Agar and to her my daughter Elizabeth Witt shall be paid as aforesaid) shall have hold possess and enjoy each and every one of the said five houses in Shoreditch before mentioned with their appurtenances and shall receive and take the rents issues profits and (xxx) thereof to them belonging during all the remainder of years and time then to come of the (one) and forty years in the said lease mentioned.  ITEM; I do give and bequeath unto my beloved friend (blank) Tompson of London, gent, twenty shillings to buy him a gold ring.  ITEM; I do give and bequeath unto my beloved friend Benjamin Dobson, Citizen and Leather Seller of London twenty shillings to buy him a gold ring; and all the rest of my goods cattle chattels money plate household stuff whatsoever that I now have or that hereafter I may have, my funeral expenses discharged, this my will being proved, and the aforesaid legacies paid and discharged, I do give and bequeath unto my said daughter Elizabeth Witt and I do constitute make and appoint the before named () Tompson and Benjamin Dobson executors of this my last will and testament desiring them to see the same truly performed, and I do hereby revoke disannul and make void all other wills or will at any time before by me made, and I do declare and publish in the presence of God and the persons whose names are hereunto subscribed this to to be my last will and testament, in testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year first above written – the mark of Mary Witt – published signed sealed and delivered in the presence of us (the mark of) Jane Woodward, Walter Knight, George Moore scrivener

Proved 27th July 1665