John Pierepont of Eastwell 1618 will

National Archives PROB 11/132/568

In the name of God Amen the three and twentieth daye of September Anno Dni one thousand six hundred and eighteene and in the yeares of the Raigne of our Soveraigne Lord James by the grace of god of England Scotland France and Ireland kinge defender of the faith &c viz of England France and Ireland the sixteenth and of Scotland the two and fiftieth I John Pierepont of Eastwell in the Countie of Leic gent being sicke and weake in bodie but of good and perfect mynde and memorye I thanke the Lord for it doe make and ordayne this my Last Will and Testament in manner and forme Followinge viz

First I bequeath my sowle in to the handes of Allmightie God trustinge to be saved by the merits death and passion of Jesus Christe my Redeemer and my bodie to the earth from whence it came to be buried in the Churche of Eastwell aforesaid

And touchinge my Worldlie goodes I will they shalbe and remayne as Followeth

Whereas there is remayninge in the handes of John Boothe of Oakham in the County of Rutland gent my brother in Lawe The some of six hundred poundes delivered by me into his handes to ymploye I will & bequeathe that as well the sayd six hundred poundes as also the increase ther upon arisinge shalbe and continue to the uses entents and purposes and according as it is expressed menconed and declared in one paier of Indentures made between the said John Boothe of thone partie and me the said John Pierepont of the other partie bearing date the twentieth daye of the said Moneth of September And if it happen that all my Children dye and do parte this life so that I shall have neither heire Male or Female livinge of myne owne bodie begotten Then my will and meaninge is that both the said six hundred poundes and increase remayninge in his handes shalbe paied unto my bother James Pierepont unto whom I freely give the same after the decease of Elizabeth my lovinge wife to him and his heires for ever

And I … that as well my said Brother in Lawe as also my other Freindes in the said Indenture named yf the trust happen to succeed to them will for the goode of my wife and advancement of my Children dischardge the truste by mee in them reposed faithfully and as they will answer it betweene God and their conscience at the dreadfull daye of iudgement

Item I give and bequeath to my three daughters Elizabeth Pierepont Marye Pierepont and Anne Pierepont one hundred poundes apeece to be paide unto them as they shall accomplish theire severall ages of eighteene yeeres and in the meane tyme theire said porcons to remayne in the handes of Elizabeth my lovinge Wife to be put forwarde by her with the advice of my lovinge freindes in the above recited deede named for increase to the end that my said Wife may allowe herselfe satisfaccon for theire breedinge out of the increase and somethinge else towards the advancement of theire porcons which I earnestly desyer her to doe and I doubt not but from the naturall love and affection she beareth unto them she will faithfully performe accordinge to my true intent and meaninge heerein expressed

And if it happen that my Wife marrye or departe this life before shee can accomplishe the truste by me in her reposed Then I will that she woulde before her marriage or death assigne her truste unto my said brother in Lawe John Boothe to the end he may ymploy the same accordinge as it is expressed in the said deede betweene me and him he shall ymploy my six hundred poundes

And if he dye then I will the truste maye succeede to the other of my Freindes in the above recited Deede named

And if anie of my Daughters dye before they accomplish eighteene yeeres of age havinge noe yssue of her bodie lawfully begotten my will and desier is that the porcon or porcons of her soe dyeinge shalbe equally devided amongst the survivor or survivors of my daughters

And if all my daughters departe this life before any of them come to eighteene yeeres of age none of them leavinge yssue of their bodie or bodies lawfully begotten Then my Will is that theire porcons shalbe payed unto John my sonne when he shall come unto full age together with the increase that shall happen to remayne in theire handes that shall then imploy the same

And if he dye before he come unto full age, Then I Will that the three hundred poundes with the increase then remayninge shalbe paied unto my saied brother James he putting in securitye unto my said Wife for the payment of twentie poundes yeerely for the said three hundred poundes during my wives naturall life

Item I Will and bequeath unto my said Daughter Elizabeth my best Salte Silver and Guilte, And unto Marye my daughter my other silver sallte, And unto my Daughter Anne six silver spoones

Item I give unto my said brother James the some of twentie poundes of lawfull English money to be paied unto him within one yeare next after my decease if he then be livinge, But if he be deceased Then I will the same unto his Children equally to be devided amonste them, if he shall have any then living

And Whereas there is in a iudgment of three hundred poundes had and obtayned by me at the Comon Lawe against the heires of Robert Brookesbye late of Killington in the Countie of Nott gent deceased for and upon which iudgement I have James Lee his sonne in Lawe in execucon upon which Judgement there is due unto me one hundred and fiftie poundes or thereabouts be it more or lesse, My will and meaninge is if the same debt be had and obtayned that my said brother James shall have thirtie poundes more … that debt which I likewise freely give unto him And the remainder being one hundred and twentie poundes or thereabouts I give unto John my sonne to be paied unto him when he shall accomplish twentie and one yeares of age

My Will and desier further is that if the said sute be not ended in my life tyme that my lovinge Freind Henry Portman would carefully … the said cawse my Executrix allowinge unto him his ordinary expenses in travelling about that business and over and above his Chardges

I give unto him if that debt be obtayned five poundes and earnestlie desier him carefully to looke unto it

Item I give and bequeath towards the repayer of the parish Churche of Eastwell aforesaid six shillings eight pence and to the poore of the same parishe Tenn shillings, And towards the Wells making six shillinges eight pence

Item I doe give and bequeath unto my sister Elizabeth Skrimshire tenn shillinges to buy her a Ringe with a deathes heade

And lastly I doe make and ordaine Elizabeth my lovinge wife my full and sole executrix of this my last will and Testament unto whom I give all the rest of my goodes Cattles and Chattles whatsoever unbequeathed my debts being payed and my legacies and Funerall discharged

And I doe intreate William Blithe thelder of Eastwell aforesaid gentleman and the above named Henry Portman to be my Overseers

And I doe utterly revoake all former wills

In Wittnesse whereof I have heere unto sett my hande and seale the daye and yeare above written

Sealed and published to be the last will and Testament of the Testator in the presence of William Blythe John Buttler Henry Portman

Probate London 20 November 1618 to Elizabeth Pierepont