1684 Sir George Savage

11-0377-237_SirGeorgeSavage_1684

In the name of God Amen, upon the thirteenth day of August in the year of our Lord according to the computation of the Church of England one thousand six hundred eighty and three, I George SAVAGE of Bloxworth in the County of Dorset, Knight, being under some indisposition of body but (thanks be to God) of sound mind and memory, do revoke and make void all and every former will or wills by me heretofore made, and do make this my last will and testament in manner and form following: I bequeath  and recommend my soul to the mercy of God my maker expecting salvation only from and through the merits of Jesus Christ my Redeemer, and hoping for pardon for my sins only as I forgive my greatest enemies and offenders, even those my unnatural though nearest relations who by quarrels and controversies of their own raising without any just cause for the same by me given and by their conspiring to imprison my person have shortened my life and subverted my family, but for the preventing  those mischiefs to others which have thus unhappily befallen myself, I leave this advice for my sons (viz.) that if they marry and attain to a settlement of themselves in the world (as they hope to live comfortably with their wives and be happy in dutiful children, they make choice of women of agreeable principles and inclinations with their own, and admit neither mother, mothers in law nor any other their near relations to reside or cohabit with them in their families that so no diversity of opinions or humours or disputes of domestic or other concerns may set them at variance one with another or lessen in them that respect and affection which should mutually be between such alliances.  My right and equity of redemption to the parsonage and rectory of Tarrant Monckton in the said County of Dorset, which parsonage I have sold to Henry Trenchard Esquire reserving to myself, my heirs and assigns the said right and equity of redemption at any time within the space of seven years to commence from the time of sale thereof I give and devise to my son William upon this condition that within the space of one year next after my decease he shall pay and discharge my debt of five hundred pounds of lawful money of England with all arrears of interest for the same for payment whereof Bonham Strangeways of Charleton Adam in the County of Somerset Esquire and Jehonadab SAVAGE of Bloxworth aforesaid, Gentleman stand bound with me in and by a certain obligation dated on or about the three and twentieth day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred eighty and one to John Gold of Upway Esquire, since deceased, his executors and assigns, but if my son William shall refuse or neglect to discharge my said debt as aforesaid, then I give and devise the said right and equity of redemption to my son George upon condition also that within the space of eighteen months next after my decease he shall pay and discharge my said debt as aforesaid, and if my son George shall refuse or neglect to discharge my said debt as aforesaid, then I give and devise the said right and equity of redemption to the said Bonham Strangeways his heirs and assigns for and towards the payment of my said debt, and if the said Bonham Strangeways shall refuse or neglect to discharge my said debt within two years next after my decease, then I give the said right and equity of redemption to the said Jehonadab Savage his heirs and assigns for and towards the payment of my said debt and the better to enable him to discharge and satisfy the same. And I do also forgive and remit to the said Jehonadab Savage all and every such sum or sums of money as are due and owing to me from him upon bond bill or otherwise (either of his own or of his father’s proper debt for and towards the payment of such other sums of money as he stands obliged with me for and on the first place for and towards the payment of the sum of fifty pounds with arrears of interest for the same to Mr William Bowles of Shaston, for payment whereof he the said Jehonadab Savage and John Marriott of Blandford Forum, woollen draper, stand bound together with myself.  The care and tuition of my sons Page and Galen I commit to my mother during her life.  The care and tuition of my other younger sons and also of the said Page and Galen from and after the death of my mother I commit and leave to Dame Anne, my wife desiring earnestly that they all may be loyally and virtuously educated in the religion and according to the practice and liturgy of the Church of England as it is now by law established, and with all directing and appointing that my sons Page and John at their overall attainments of the age of sixteen years be bound out and placed apprentices in London to some creditable and profitable trades or professions and in the meantime kept at schools in order for their being fitted and qualified for that purpose, and that my son Calen be also kept strictly at school under some able master and tutor until he shall be made fit for some university and then sent to Oxford and placed some college there in order to his being bred a Christian, and if my said wife shall happen to die before my said younger sons shall severally attain the age of one and twenty years, I commit the tuition and guardianship of them respectively to my son George in order to their being educated and placed as aforesaid.  Whereas those three closes of pasture set lying and being in Bloxworth aforesaid and commonly called and known by the names of Tiperland, Little Church Close and Dyetts Close (which said closes are part of Dyetts Farm, and of the jointure of my said wife) are convenient and needful to be added and laid to the middle farm in Bloxworth aforesaid, and, whereas the close called Copshayes (which close is a part of the said middle farm)is convenient and needful to be added and laid to the farm called Zouches (which same called Zouches is also a part of the jointure of my said wife) it is a request to her my said wife that from time to time and at all times after my decease and during her natural life she will permit and suffer such of my sons or such other person or persons as shall from time to time being be owner or owners of the said Middle Farm to hold and enjoy these closes called Tiperland, Little Church Close and Dyetts Closefor and under some such moderate rent or sum as together with her enjoyment of the close called Copshayes may amount to a reasonable yearly value and compensation for the same, and moreover it is my advice and desire that upon all such settlements of the said farms (or leases of them to any person or persons) as shall at any time hereafter be made by my son William or by any other of my sons unto whom they shall happen to come or descend the said closes called Tiperland, Little Church Close and Dyetts Close be added and laid to the said Middle Farm and that the close called Capshayes be added and laid to to the farm called Zouches. I do make my son George my executor and because my personal estate is at this time of an inconsiderable value by reason of my late deed of trust whereby I have granted my stock and goods to the said Bonham Strangeways and others towards the payment of my debts, I do appoint him, my said son George in the first place and with predency to every other person and sum to pay unto Henry Glover Esq, now Marshal of the Court of Kings Bench and Prison thereunto belonging the sum of one hundred and thirty pounds of lawful money of England for payment whereof I am bound to the said Henry Glover in and by a certain obligation bearing date the day before the date of these presents and which was due from me and in arrear to him the said Henry Glover, meat drink and lodging in his house for me and my servant together with chamber rent in the said prison (full) money and money lent at or before the date of the said obligation, and for which further time from and after the date of the said obligation as I shall continue to diet and lodge in the house of the said Henry Glover I appoint him to be paid by my said son George at the rate of eight pounds by the month in lieu of my chamber rent in the said prison and of my accommodation in his family for so many months or so much thereof as shall be unpaid at the time of my death. The care of my funeral I do also commit to my son George appointing my body to be interred in my isle adjoining to the parish church of Bloxworth aforesaid but with as much privacy and as little expense as may decently be; and if I shall happen to die in the custody of the said Henry Glover (my son George not being present or near me at the time of my decease to undertake such care as aforesaid, it is my request to the said Henry Glover that he will cause my body to be conveyed with all convenient speed and in a private (but decent) manner to my mother’s house in Bloxworth aforesaid in order to the interment thereof accordingly as is herein before directed and appointed, the expense of which conveyance and all other reasonable costs and expenses that shall accrue to the said Henry Glover by means of my sickness, death or funeral, I do also appoint my son George to repay; and moreover within the space of one year next after my interment at Bloxworth as aforesaid to pay to the said Henry Glover the sum of twenty pounds in gold; to the wife of the said Henry Glover the sum of ten pounds in gold; and to such servants of the said Henry Glover as shall be resident in the family at the time of my decease (to be equally divided between them) the sum of ten pounds as a legacy or legacies from me in acknowledgement of the said Henry Glover his great respect and kindness towards me, if the said Henry Glover (after notice of this my last will and testament) shall oppose gainsay or hinder the interment of my body to be at Bloxworth aforesaid, ort if the said Henry Glover (in case of the absence of my son George at the time of my decease) shall not cause my body to be conveyed in order to the interment thereof according as is hereinbefore requested and desired then e said legacies shall not be due nor shall my executor be compellable to pay the same. And last of all I do appoint that a copy or copies of this my last will or so much hereof as shall particularly concern the several persons hereinbefore named be sent or delivered by my son George to the said persons respectively within the space of one month next after my decease. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year first above written – Geo: Savage – signed and sealed in the presence of Thomas Dove, Nicholas Warren, Samuel Sambrook, George Robins, William Garland

Proved 15th September 1684 by George Savage