Wickstead Weld 1700

This is the last will and testament of me, Wicksted Weld, of Moulton in the county of Suffolk, Esquire. And first whereas a great part of my estate is already settled upon the marriage of my daughter Taylor I do, by this my will, confirm the said settlement in all things and do hereby declare my will to be that whatsoever is in the said settlement contained and intended to be thereby settled shall go, ensue and be according to the several limitations and declarations concerning the same respectively therein mentioned. And as concerning the same respectively therein mentioned and as concerning my farm at Fordham, in the county of Cambridge holden by lease of Trinity Hall in Cambridge for a term of years not yet expired (the said farm not being comprised in the foresaid settlement) I do hereby give unto my dear wife and Dudley Bradbury of Moulton aforesaid, clerk, and to Thomas Seargant of Ashley in the county of Cambridge, clerk, and the survivors and survivor of them and the executors and administrators of such survivor. And as for and concerning all that the parsonage or rectory I’m propriate of Fordham aforesaid and all tithes of what nature soever to the same belonging (all which I now hold of the Bishop of Ely and have them a freehold and distendible estate determinable upon lives) and all other my estate whatsoever holden of the said Bishop I do here by give and devise the same and all my estate, right, title and interest therein whatsoever unto my said loving wife and the said Dudley Bradbury and Thomas Seargant and the survivor and survivors of them and the heirs and assigns of such survivor, all which freehold and leasehold premises holden of the said college of Trinity Hall and the Bishop of Ely are yet nevertheless hereby given and demised as aforesaid only to the intent and purposes and upon trust in the first place to pay and discharge all the several rents and to perform all the several covenants contained in the several and respective leases of the premises according to the time and meaning thereof on the part or parts of the respective lessees and tenants of the same to be paid, kept and performed and in the next place of the other part of the rents, issues and profits thereof to raise all such sums of money as from time to time shall be necessary and sufficient for the paying and discharging the several fines and all charges for the renewing and filling up all the several leases for such times and terms of twenty and one years for three lives as mu trustees can or may obtain of the several and respective premises and to apply the said money so raised for the paying and discharging of the same, it being my will and desire that my said freehold and leasehold farms should have continuance and not be worn out and the tenancies thereof be lost for want of renewal. And it is my will and desire that the said estates and leases be respectively renewed in and at such convenient times and seasons as have been usual and accustomed in such cases before the respective interest therein be too far spent and that the respective interest in such renewed estates and leases be vested and continued in my said trustees in such manner and upon such limitations as is hereinbefore and shall be hereafter declared of and concerning the present interest of the same premises respectively and to the intent and upon this further trust that my trustees shall likewise out of the rents , issues and profits of the same premises reimburse themselves and every of them all their necessary expenses, costs, charges and damages occasioned for or by reason of the trust hereby committed to and reposed in them and shall in the next place out of the said rents and profits pay and allow unto my brother, John Weld, of London, the yearly sum of twenty pounds during the term of his natural life by four quarterly even or equal portions and payable at the four most usual feasts or quarter days in each year, the first payment to be made upon the first quarter day which shall be at the distance of three months at least after my decease which annuity I will shall be paid to him only upon condition hereafter mentioned and declared (that is to say) if he, the said John Weld, my brother shall indemnify and save harmless my trustees and executors of this my last will and testament and give them such security as shall satisfy them and be thought sufficient to indemnify and save them harmless from all bonds and engagements in which I have been formerly become bound for him, my said brother, and upon trust to pay and dispose of the rest of the rents, issues and profits of the same premises to my son, Wickstead Weld, during the term of his natural life to and for his own use and behoof and from and after his decease for the payment of ten pounds per annum unto my said son, Wickstead’s, wife that now is, during her widowhood payable at four equal portions at the four must usual quarter days of the year and in trust for the maintenance and education of all such legitimate children of him, the said Wickstead Weld, as he shall leave at the time of his death until the eldest son of him, the Wickstead, lawfully begotten, if shall leave any, shall attain to his age of one and twenty years, which children I desire may be brought up by the care and direction of my said trustees and such an allowance assigned for their education as they, my said trustees, in their discretion shall think fit and what shall remain of the said rents and profits during the minority of the eldest son of my said son, Wickstead, my will is shall be equally disposed of and laid out amongst the other children of him, my said son, Wickstead, for portions for the said children and when the eldest son of my said son, Wickstead, shall attain his age of one and twenty years in trust for such son his heirs, executors or administrators. All which rents and profits arising out of the premises I give for the use of my said son, Wickstead, and the legitimate heirs of his body upon condition only that he, my said son, and his children after him shall be obliged to perform all the covenants, pay and allow all manner of reserved rents out of the premises, maintain, keep and uphold in good and sufficient repair the chancel belonging to the parish church of Fordham aforesaid and likewise the houses, barns, stables, dovehouse and all other edifices as thereunto belonging and also all other necessary charges whatsoever which shall happen to my said trustees or their executors or administrators in managing and performing of the said trust committed and reposed in them and that my said son, Wickstead, and his heirs shall indemnify and save harmless the said trustees and their executors from all manner of suits, charges or troubles which shall or may fall upon them hereafter by reason of the said trust or executorship committed to them. And also upon condition that he, my said son Wickstead Weld, shall within three months after my decease give up all his right and title to a certain estate lately by me purchased of Doctor Buckenham in Moulton aforesaid containing by estimation one hundred and fifty acres be the same more or less with two cottages being part of the said purchase; all which premise I purchased of Dr Buckenham aforesaid I give and bequeath to my grandchild, Alexander Horton, his heirs, executors, administrators and assigns during the term of years in the said estate to me by lease granted not yet expired; all which premises I give and bequeath to my said grandchild, Alexander Horton, upon condition that he, the said Alexander Horton, do take the same in lieu of a farm at Dunstall Green in the parish of Dalham in the county of Suffolk, which said farm was intended to be settled upon my daughter, the mother of the said Alexander Horton, upon her marriage. And my further will and meaning is that my said son, Wickstead Weld, shall have no benefit hereinbefore by this my will intended to him unless he shall suffer and permit my said grandchild, Alexander Horton, and his heirs quietly and peaceably at all times to have, hold and possess and enjoy all that estate aforesaid lately by me purchased of Doctor Buckenham which I sometime since settled upon or leased unto my said son, Wickstead, and shall upon request to him made by good assurance in the law likewise convey over and assure unto my said grandchild, his heirs and assigns the said estate so settled upon or leased to him as aforesaid and in case he shall give any disturbance or interruption unto my said grandchild, his heirs or assigns in the enjoyment of the same or shall not upon request as aforesaid make such conveyance and assurance as aforesaid I do then by this my will give and devise all benefit and advantage herein before intended, mentioned and expressed to or toward my said son unto my said grandchild, Alexander Horton, and his assigns anything herein before mentioned to the contrary notwithstanding but upon condition that he, the said Alexander Horton, my grandchild, shall observe, perform and keep all the said covenants and be tied by the same conditions as aforesaid and shall from time to time and all times indemnify and save harmless my trustees and executors as above mentioned. And as concerning my farm at Moulton which I hold by lease of Trinity Hall aforesaid for a term of years not yet expired I give the profits of the said farm to my dear wife for the term of one and twenty years if she live so long, she conveying the lease in due time and before its expiration, paying the rents, performing the covenants and keeping up the houses, barns, stables and other edifices thereunto belonging in good and sufficient repairs and after the said term of years or the decease of my wife I bequeath the said farm to the trustees aforesaid and the survivors and survivor of them, the heirs and executors of such survivor for the use of my said son, Wickstead Weld, and his children after him, to be enjoyed by him and them as before expressed and limited in the settlement of my farms at Fordham aforesaid. Also I give my dear daughter, Mary Taylor, the wife of Thomas Taylor, Esq., if she happen to survive and outlive her husband that now is, the sum of two hundred pounds to be paid or served to her for her use within six months after the decease of her husband, the said Thomas Taylor, Esq.; also all my plate, linen, bedding and household stuff within doors. It is my will and I do hereby appoint that my wife shall have the use and wearing of the same during the term of her natural life without being accountable for anything that shall be worn out or decayed by use and after her decease I do give to my daughter Taylor, if she happen to be a widow, my silver tea pot, my silver server, two silver plates and one silver tankard which was my wife’s before marriage. And to my son, Wickstead Weld, I give my great silver tankard and six silver spoons commonly called apostle spoons. And to my grandson, Alexander Horton, I give one silver tankard. The rest of my plate and goods within doors I do give and devise one moiety or half part of the same unto my son, Wickstead Weld, and the other moiety of half part I do give and devise to my daughter Taylor if she happen to be a widow and my grandson, Alexander Horton, to be equally divided between them. And my will is that my wife do as soon as conveniently may be after my decease make a true inventory or particular of the said plate, linen, bedding and household stuff and deliver one copy thereof to my son, Wickstead, and another copy thereof to my daughter Taylor and a third copy thereof to my grandson, Alexander Horton. And whereas I hold a cottage in Moulton aforesaid called Fletchers with two acres of land thereunto belonging from the aforesaid college of Trinity Hall in Cambridge I do give to my servant, George Browne, the said cottage with the land thereunto belonging for the term of fourteen years after my decease he paying the rent and performing the covenants reserved and required in the lease from the said college. And for and concerning the rest of my personal estate I do hereby will and bequeath unto my son, Wickstead Weld, four cows now in his possession, my riding nag and akll my books with the best of my wearing clothes, linen and woollen. And as for the rest of my stocks I will that the same, as soon as may be after my decease, be converted into money by my executors hereafter named and that they do there out, in the first place, satisfy my funeral and all my just debts and the legacies hereafter given and bequeathed and that my said executors and the survivors and survivor of them and the executors and administrators of such survivor do and shall from to time employ and dispose of the residue of my said personal estate out at interest upon security to be taken in their name or the names of the survivors or survivor of them or the executors or administrators of such survivor the remaining part of which after my debts and legacies are discharged I will and appoint shall be divided one moiety or half part thereof among the younger children of my son, Wickstead, if he leaves more than one, and the other moiety to be divided between the children of my daughter Taylor and my grandchild, Alexander Horton. And in case my son, Wickstead, dies without children or have but one then I bequeath the said moiety or half part to be divided between my nephew, John Weld, and my niece, Rebeccah Oates, son and daughter to my brother, John Weld, of London, provided. Usual executor’s indemnity clause. And as concerning other legacies by me intended I do hereby give and bequeath to each of my brother, John Weld’s, five children now living as shall happen to survive me the sum of five pounds upon condition only that they, together with their father, shall indemnify and save harmless my executors and give them such security as shall be thought sufficient to indemnify them from all bonds and engagements in which I have been formerly become bound for him, my said brother, their father. Also I give to my servant, George Browne, the sum of forty pounds to be paid him within six months after my decease in consideration as well as of his faithful service as for what arrearages of wages as shall then happen to be due to him. Also I give to my kinswoman, Margaret Palmer, widow, the sum of forty shillings. Also to my sister, Amy Dayrell, widow, the sum of twenty shillings. Also to Jane Page of Moulton, widow, the sum of forty shillings. Also to the poor of the parish of Moulton aforesaid the sum of thirty shillings and to the poor of the parish of Fordham aforesaid the sum of fifty shillings to be disposed of in each parish at the discretion of my executors. Also I give to my dear wife my chariot and two coach horses with coach harness for two horses. Also to my cousin, Heigham Pern of Brinkley, and to his son and daughter, if they survive me, to each ten shillings to buy them rings. Also I order my executors to lay out five pounds for mourning for my son, Wickstead Weld, to be in readiness for him to put on at my burial and to pay him in part of the rents accruing and growing out of the farms of Fordham the sum of twenty pounds within three months after my decease. Also I give to my son in law, Thomas Taylor, Esq., the sum of forty shillings. Also I give to my son in law, Hugh Horton, Esq., the sum of forty shillings. Also to his wife that now is the sum of twenty shillings and to each of his children by this wife alive at the time of my decease the sum of ten shillings. Also I give to Dudley Bradley aforesaid of Moulton in the county of Suffolk, clerk, the sum of forty shillings. Also I give to Thomas Stavancer of Ashley in the county of Cambridge, clerk, the sum of three pounds. And I do hereby nominate and appoint my dearly beloved wife and Dudley Bradbury aforesaid and Thomas Stavancer aforesaid executors of this my last will and testament etc... Also I do give my loving kinsman, Joseph Weld of Bury St Edmunds in the county of Suffolk, Esq., the sum of forty shillings. Also to John Worthington late fellow of St Peters College in Cambridge the sum of twenty shillings. And I desire and request the said Joseph Weld, Esq., and the said John Worthington, gentleman, to be supervisors of this my last will and testament and that they would be aiding and assisting to my executors and trustees before mentioned in witness whereof etc... this eighteenth day of July in the year of our Lord God one thousand six hundred ninety nine.