The Document Chest

1722 Will of John Prowse

Gentleman, Lord of the Manor of Kingston

 

I John Prowse of Kingstone Juxta Yeovil in the County of Somerset Gent doe make and declare this to be my last Will and Testament in manner following (that is to say) I give all my household goods and utensills of household unto Amos Prowse of South Petherton in the County of Somersett Gent my Brother in Law Robert Stevens of Stourminster in the County of Dorset Gent and to my Sons George Prowse and James Prowse In Trust for the use of my Loveing Wife for so long time as she shall keep her self sole and unmarried She giveing Security by her Bond unto my Son & Trustees to oblige herself not to sell imbezell or dispose of any of the Said Goods and after the marriage or death of my Said Wife I give all my Said goods and utensills unto my Said Son George Also I give unto my Sonn James Prowse Two hundred pounds in Lawfull money to buy him mourning hopeing he will accept thereof as a Token of my Love he being otherwise well provided for and I hope he will out of his great abundance help his Mother Brothers and Sisters or such of them as shall most and best deserve his favours Also I give unto my Daughter Anne Three hundred pounds in Lawfull money to be paid unto her on her day of marriage or at her Age of One and Twenty Yeares which shall first happen Also I give and devise unto each of my four children John, William Younge Elizabeth and Thomas the sume of Five hundred pounds Lawfull money of Great Brittain to be paid unto them respectively at their respective age of of One and Twenty Years or day of Marriage which shall first happen but in case any or either of my said Children Shall happen to die before his her or their Legacy or Legacies shall become payable as aforesaid Then my Will is that the Legacy and Legacyes of such Child or Children so dying shall not be paid to the Survivor of them but shall remaine for the benefitt of my Heir and Executor herein after named And my Will further is That in case my Sonnes John William Young and Thomas shall happen to live and attaine to a fitt age for their or any or either of their binding or placeing out to any Trade occupation or calling Then I dow hereby give and allow unto my said Trustees Soe much money as they in their discretion shall think fitt to agree with any person or persons to give with such Child or Children for soe binding or placeing them or any or other of them out as aforesaid not exceeding the Summe of One hundred and Twenty pounds with any one of my said Sonns Also I doe hereby give unto or to the use of my Sid Children Anne John William Younge Elizabeth and Thomas and unto or to the use of each of them the sume of Tenn pounds Yearly for the maintenance of each of them respectively untill their respective Legacys shall become payable as aforesaid And my will is that the Legacys herby given unto my said Children is by me intended to be in full discharge of all such Sume and Sumes of money as they or any or either of them may might or can have or clayme to have out of any part of my Lands or Estate by vertue of the Settlement on the marriage between me and my Wife or otherwise and upon condition That my said Children respectively shall on the Receipt or theire respective Legacys Release theire respective Right and Interest into and out of my [Setled ?] Lands and Estate And also upon this further condition That they shall also respectively Release and Assigne unto my Sonn George Prowse his Executors and Assigns their respective right share and Interest which they respectively can or may hereafter have in and to a certaine Legacy of Five hundred pounds given and devised by Thomas Compton Esq deceased in and by his last Will and Testament unto Thomas my Sonn also deceased Also I give and devise unto my Sonn George Prowse All and every part of my mannor of Kingston juxta Yeovill and the donation or right of Presentation to the parish of Pitney or Kingstone juxta Yeovill within the parish of Yeovill aforesaid or elsewhere and all other my Messuages Lands Tenements and Hereditaments with their and every of their appurtenances whatsoever To hold the Same unto my said Son George his heirs and assigns for ever upon Condition That my said Sonn his Heirs and Assigns shall pay unto my other Children the respective Legacyes herein before given unto them as and when they shall become respectively due and payable according to the true intent and meaning of this my Will but in case my said Sonn George his Heirs and Assignes shall neglect or refuse to pay the same or any part thereof according to the purport of this my Will Then upon such neglect or refuseall I give and devise All my said Mannor Messuages Lands and Hereditaments unto my Kinsman the said Amos Prowse and my Brother in Law Robert Stevens their Executors Administrators and Assignes for and dureing the full time and Terme of One Thousand Yeares In Trust to be by them sold for the renering and paying the Legacyes herein by me given Alsoe I give unto my Wife and Children the Summe of Sixty pounds to buy the Mourning All the Rest of my Goods and Chattells I give and bequeath unto my said Sonn George Prowse whom I make sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament And my Will further is and I doe hereby give unto my Said Wife All the [Broad ?] and other Gold she hath in her Custody and all my Plate Rings and Jewells Also I give my Cozen Amos Prowse Five Guineas In Witness whereof I have hereunto sett my hand seal this twentieth day of Aprill in the Yeare of our Lord God One Thousand Seaven hundred Twenty and Two

John Prowse

Signed Sealed Published and Declared by the above named John Prowse to be his last Will and testament In the presence of us who subscribed our Names as Witnesses thereto in his presence

W[illia]m Bull     John Newman     William Arnold

 

Proved in London, 1722

 

 

Transcribed by Bob Osborn