Rowland Eyre of Eastwell 1777 Will

National Archives PROB 11/1031/145

In the Name of God Amen I Rowland Eyre of Eastwell in the County of Leicester Esquire hereby revoking all former wills Codicils and other Testamentary dispositions by me heretofore made do make publish and declare this to be my last will and Testament as followeth

In the first place I resign my Soul to its Creator in all humble hope of it future happiness

As to my Body my will is that it be buried in the Churchyard of the parish in which I shall happen to die and that it be carried to the grave by six of the poorest Men in the said Parish to each of whom I order a Suit of Coarse Grey Cloth as mourning and one Guinea But if I happen to die in London my Will is to be buried in the Churchyard of Saint Pancras with the greatest Frugality decency will permit

I nominate constitute and appoint my dear wife the Honorable Maria Teresa Eyre sole Executrix of this my Will

I give and devise unto my said dear wife All my Real Estates in the said County of Leicester whereof I have any disposing power with their Rights Members and Appurtenances during her natural life without Impeachment of waste And my Will is that my said dear wife shall have power to raise any Sum or Sums of Money not exceeding the Sum of three thousand pounds on Mortgage of the said Estates and for that purpose I do hereby impower her to create and limit any term or terms of years in all the said Estates or any part thereof or otherwise to secure the same three thousand pounds or any part thereof with Interest for the same in such manner as she shall think fit she paying and keeping down the Interest of such Sum or Sums as she shall so raise during her life

And from and immediately after my dear wifes decease and subject to such sum or sums of Money as she shall raise or charge by virtue of the power herein before given to her I give and devise all my said Real Estates in the said County of Leicester unto my Son Thomas Eyre of Hassop in the County of Derby Esquire his Heirs and Assigns

I give unto my said Son All my plate Books China Pictures Household Furniture and personal Estate whatsoever which shall be in or about my House at Hassop at the time of my decease Except my service of plate there And all the China usually kept in my said dear wifes dressing Room at Hassop and all the pictures of the Widdrington Family and whatsoever plate is marked with the said Family Arms all which said last excepted Articles I give unto my said dear wife

I also give unto my said dear wife during her life the use of all my plate Books and standing Furniture in or about my house at Eastwell aforesaid And from and after my [sic] decease I will that the said last mentioned Plate Books and Furniture shall go and remain to my said Son

I give unto each of my three Nephews and Niece Children of my Brother Francis Eyre of Warkworth in the County of Northampton Esquire One hundred Pounds to be paid them at such time as my Executrix or her personal Representatives shall think fit

I give unto my Sister Elizabeth Wife of Francis Farquharson Esquire fifty pounds

I give to my said Brother Francis Eyre twenty pounds

I give unto his wife Lady Mary Eyre twenty pounds to be laid out in whatever she pleases as a memorial of my great regard for her Ladyship

I give unto Henry Howard of Sheffield in the County of York Esquire twenty pounds to be laid out in a Ring or any memorial of the Sincere Friendship I have for him

I give unto Mrs Mary Tattershall who now lives with me the Sum of five hundred pounds if the like Sum is not paid her by me in my lifetime And my Will is that in case of her decease before the payment of such five hundred pounds the same shall be paid to her Exors and I give unto her the said Mary Tattershall over and besides such five hundred pounds the Sum of three hundred pounds

I give unto my Servant Thomas Whildon who has long and faithfully served me an Annuity of twenty pounds during his life payable quarterly at Lady day Midsummer Michaelmas and Christmas by equal portions the first payment to be made on such of the said quarterly Feasts as shall first happen after my decease

I give unto his Son James Whildon thirty pounds

I give unto each of my Servants who shall have lived with me one year at the time of my decease one years wages over and above what may be due to them from me

And as to all my Personal Estate whatsoever and wheresoever not herein before specifically disposed of I give the same unto my said dear wife

In witness whereof I have to this my last Will and Testament set my hand and Seal this twenty ninth day of May in the year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred seventy six

                                                                                                                Rowland Eyre

Signed sealed published and declared by the above named Rowland Eyre the Testator as and for his last will and Testament in the presence of us who at his request in his presence and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names as Witnesses thereto

Thomas Denman

Thos Kiernan [?]

Laur. Kiernan [?]

This Will was proved at London the fourteenth day of May in the year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and seventy seven before the Rt Worshipful Sir George Hay Knight Doctor of Laws Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the Oath of the Honorable Maria Teresa Eyre Widow the Relict of the deceased and Sole Executrix named in the said Will to whom Administration was granted of all and singular the Goods Chattels and Credits of the said deceased having been first Sworn by Commission duly to Administer