1665 Michael Markland

11-0319-319_MichaelMarkland_1665

In the name of God Amen; the first day of July AD one thousand six hundred sixty two, and in the fourteenth 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., I Michael MARKLAND Citizen and Apothecary of London, being in reasonable good health of body and of sound and perfect mind and memory (praised be God) yet considering the mutability of this life and the certainty of death, do make and declare this my present last will and testament in manner and form following (that is to say) First I recommend my soul to Almighty God my maker hoping he will redeem it with mercy and crown it with glory, and my body I commit to the earth to be decently buried according to the discretion of my executors hereafter named; and, as touching such worldly estate as it has pleased God to bestow upon me or that to me in any wise belong or appertain at the time of my decease, I do will and bequeath and dispose of the same as is hereafter expressed (that is to say) FIRST I give and bequeath unto my eldest son John MARKLAND whom I had by my former wife Lucretia, the sum of two hundred pounds of lawful money of England to be paid or made up unto him within one year next after my decease, and my will is that such monies as he now owes me (being twenty and four pounds sterling) and what else he shall owe me at the time of my decease shall go and be appointed in part of payment of his said legacy.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto each and either of my executors hereafter named (viz.) my brother Mr John MARKLAND and Mr Peter Herringhooke of the City of London, Merchants, a piece of plate of the value of five pounds sterling.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto my sister Mrs Hooverner a piece of plate of the like value of five pounds.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto my brother Mr Mayden and my sister his wife or the survivor of them a piece of plate of the like value of five pounds.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto my brother Doctor Daniel Herringhooke and my sister his wife or the survivors of them a piece of plate of the like value of five pounds.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto each of my two brothers Mr Michael MARKLAND and Barnaby MARKLAND a ring of the value of twenty shillings in token of my remembrance, and to my cousin Mr Ralph MARKLAND a ring of the like value.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto each of my brothers and overseers Mr Abraham AGER and Mr Abraham HOOVERNER of London, Merchants a ring of the like value.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto such maid servants as shall live with me at the time of my decease the sum of forty shillings apiece to buy them mourning.  ITEM; I give and bequeath unto each of my men servants that shall live with me at the time of my decease a decent mourning suit and cloak and I do desire that part of the monies I had with such of them as shall be then my apprentices may be restored or bestowed in their behalf for placing them with other masters or otherwise according to equity and good conscience with respect to the term they shall have lived with me.  ITEM; I give and bequeath to the poor of the parish of St Dionis BackChurch wherein I now dwell the sum of forty shillings to be distributed with the advice of the Churchwardens of the said parish for the time being where most need shall appear.  All the rest and residue of my goods chattels plate monies household stuff and other my personal estate whatsoever (after my debts legacies and funeral charges paid or deducted) I give and bequeath unto and amongst my four younger children (namely) my two sons Abraham and Michael, and my two daughters Elizabeth and Anne MARKLAND equally part and share thereof alike, the same to come and accrue unto them respectively as follows (viz.) to my said sons at their respective full ages of twenty and one years, and to my said daughters at their respective full ages of twenty and one years or days of marriage (which shall first happen), and my mind and will is that the profits of my said four children’s several legacies which shall accrue of the same respectively in the meantime and until the same shall respectively become payable as aforesaid shall go and be to and for the several uses and benefits of my said children respectively, and for and towards their several and respective provision, maintenance and education, and that in case any of my said children shall happen to die before their respective legacies aforesaid shall grow due or payable that then the legacy and legacies of him her or them so decreasing with the profits thereof shall equally go unto and for the use of the survivors of them, and the survivor of them to have the whole if they all happen so to die but one, and in case none of them shall live to attain their said full age or marriage as aforesaid then I give and bequeath all the said rest and residue of my estate unto my said son John Markland if he shall be then living and to such his children as shall be living at my decease in case he be then dead, provided always and my will is that in case any loss shall accidentally happen in the putting out at interest of my said children’s legacies aforesaid or any of them, that then my executors shall not be chargeable with such loss but that the same shall be equally borne by between and among my said four younger children or such of them whose legacies shall be then unpaid, and I do make and ordain my said brothers John Markland and Peter Herringhooke aforementioned executors of this my last will and testament desiring them carefully to perform the same in all things according to my true meaning herein before declared as my trust and confidence in them is that they will so do, and I do desire and nominate my said brother Abraham AGER and my cousin Abraham Hooverner to be overseers of this my will. And I do hereby revoke and make void all former wills and bequests by me made, and do ordain and appoint this to stand for and as my last will and testament and so to be accounted.  In witness whereof I the said Michael Markland have to this my present last will and testament (contained in five sheets of paper whereof this last sheet is reckoned for one) have set my hand and seal the day and year aforesaid – Michael Markland – signed sealed published and declared by the said Michael Markland for and as his last will and testament the day and year aforesaid in the presence of us – Samuel Stringer, Richard Estwick, and Ri: Hare Scrivener

Proved 15th January 1665 (1666)