Will of Bridget (Marwood) Ford of Honiton Devon

Date: 1746 to 1747
Location: Honiton, Devon
Surnames/tags: Marwood Ford

The Will of Bridget (Marwood) Ford of Honiton, Devon.
Written: 12th November 1746 Proved: 3rd April 1747

Transcribed by Joe Farler in 2018 from the copy held at the National Archives: Kew, England; Prerogative Court of Canterbury and Related Probate Jurisdictions: Will Registers; Class: PROB 11; Piece: 753

In the Name Of God Amen I Bridget Forde of Honiton in the County of Devon Widow being in a Good State of health but of good sound and disposing mind and memory blessed be God but calling to mind the frailty of this Mortal life and the uncertainty of the time of my death do therefore make and ordaine this to be my last Will and Testament and do hereby revoke and make void all other Wills by me at any time heretofore made.

Imprimis I give and bequeath all that my Messuage Farm or Tenement called Great Well lying in the parish of Ottery St Mary in the County of Devon and also all my two Messuages or Tenements lying at Gosford in the same parish and all my right and Estate therein with their and every of their hereditaments and appurtenances unto John Forde of Offwell in the County of Devon, Gentleman his heirs Executors Administrators and Assigns respectively upon Condition that he pays thereout the sum of Fifty pounds a year clear of all rates taxes and other Outgoings whatsoever unto my Niece Mary Tucker the now wife of William Tucker Esquire my Executrix and hereinafter named for her own Separate use and to her Executors

Administrators or Assigns for and during the full Term and Time of Six Years Commencing from the time of my death and also the Sum of Ten pounds a year unto his sister Mrs Upham her Executors Administrators or Assigns clear of all Taxes for the space of Ten Years Commencing at the same time and in Case the said John Forde shall refuse or neglect to pay the same Then it shall and may be lawful for my said Niece Mary Tucker to enter upon all and singular the same premises as her own proper Estate and I do in that Case make void the Gift and bequest I have hereinbefore Conditionally made thereof unto the said John Forde and do give all and Singular the same premises with their hereditaments and appurtenances unto my said Niece her heirs `Executors Administrators and Assigns respectively for and during all the Estate and Interest I have therein she paying the said Sum of Ten pounds a year unto the said Mrs Upham as aforesaid

and my will is that the tomb and Vault of Edward Forde Batchellor of Physick - my late deceased husband in Ottery Churchyard shall be Constantly repaired by and out of the profits of the same premises by the person or persons that shall enjoy the same during the Terme and Interest I have therein.

Item I give to the poor of Honiton the Sum of five pounds of lawful Money of Great Britain to be distributed amongst them according to the discretion of my said Executor Item I give and bequeath unto my Niece Mrs Bridget Marwood the Sum of two hundred pounds of like Money and to my Brother Thomas Marwood Esquire the Sum of one hundred pounds of like money. To my Nephew James Marwood Esquire his son the Sum of one hundred pounds of like money To my Cozen James Benedictus Thomas Marwood son of my said Nephew James Marwood the Sum of five hundred pounds of like Money and to the said William Tucker the Sum of Two thousand pounds of like Money In Trust To and for the sole and Seperate use and disposal of my Cozen Bridget Sherston Wife of (blank) Sherston of Wells in the County of Somerset Gentleman distinct and apart from the use of her said husband and so as the same be not liable to his debts or Engagements nor under his Control or Management he being to have nothing to do therewith nor with the Interest or produce thereof but I do desire that her said Father will improve the same for the use and benefit of his said daughter Sherston in the best manner he shall be able either by placing or Lending the same out at Interest or otherwise according to his discretion always paying to her the said Bridget Sherston the Interest or produce thereof to her own Seperate use and her receipt shall be from time to time a Sufficient discharge for the same notwithstanding the Coverture between her and her said husband.

Item I do give and bequeath unto the said William Tucker the Sum of Fifteen hundred pounds of like money In Trust to and for the sole and seperate use and disposal of my Cozen Frances Brown his daughter the now wife of Henry Langford Brown Esquire Distinct and Apart from the use of her said husband and so as the same not be liable to his debts or Engagements nor under his Control or Management he being to have nothing to do therewith nor with the Interest or produce thereof but I do desire that the said Father will improve the same for her in the best manner as he can either at Interest or in any other manner he shall think most proper always paying the Interest to her for her own Seperate use and her receipt from time to time shall be a Sufficient discharge for the same notwithstanding the Coverture between her and her said husband provided always and my Will and meaning is that in case either of the said Several Legacies of two thousand pounds or Fifteen hundred pounds or any part of either of them shall for times be lost by means of the Insufficiency or Insufficiencies of the Security or Securities taken for the same respectively then my Will is that the said William Tucker his heirs Executors or Administrators shall not be Answerable for or liable to make good the same provided such Security or Securities be first of all approved of by the said Bridget Sherston and Frances Brown respectively by writing under their hands respectively.

Item I give and bequeath unto my Cousins Betty Tucker and Agnes Tucker Daughters of my said Niece Mary Tucker the Sum of five hundred pounds of lawful money of Great Britain and also unto her two Sons Benedictus Marwood Tucker and William John Tucker the like Sum of five hundred pounds apiece of like money and I do hereby direct that the four last mentioned Legacies of five hundred pounds each shall be paid into the hands of the said William Tucker their Father within one year next after my death desiring he will Improve the same in the best manner he can by putting and keeping the same out at Interest and that he pays unto the said Betty Tucker and Agnes Tucker their principal sum of five hundred pounds each and the Improvement he shall have made thereof respectively at their Attainment of the age of one and Twenty years respectively or at the time of their respective marriages which shall first happen and that he pays the said several sums of five hundred pounds so given unto the said Benedictus Marwood Tucker and William John Tucker and the Improvement that shall have been made thereof unto them the said Benedictus Marwood Tucker and William John Tucker respectively at their several Attainments of the age of one and Twenty years and I do also direct that all other the Legacies before by me Given shall be paid to the several Legatees in on e year next after my death for the uses aids and purposes aforesaid

Item I give and bequeath into Grace Sketchly my Servant Ten pounds a year clear of all Taxes to be paid unto her by even quarterly payments by my Executrix hereinafter named for and during her natural life the first payment thereof to be made and to begin at the end of the first three months next after my death.

Item I give unto every other Servant that shall be living with me at the time of my death and hath so lived with me for the space of one year next before my death Fifty shillings of lawful money of Great Britain.

Item I do direct and desire my said Executrix to lay out and bestow in my Funeral the sum of one hundred pounds in the most prudent and discreet manner she is able and also that she lays out and bestows the sum of fifty pounds more in erecting a Monument to my Memory in or against the Wall over the Tomb of Mr Thomas Marwood who was my Great Grandfather near adjoining to the Great north of Honiton Church and I do earnestly desire that my Body may be also lain and placed in or under the said Tomb and that there may be a proper inscription on my said Monument denoting the same

and Lastly my Lands of Inheritance and all my Estate therein and all the rest residue and remainder of my Goods and Chattels of what nature or kind so ever after my Legacies herein before given paid and discharged I do hereby give and bequeath unto the said Mary Tucker my Niece for her own seperate use and disposal distinct and apart from the use of her said Husband and I do hereby make and Constitute her my said Niece Mary Tucker whole and sole Executrix of this my last Will and Testament In Testimony whereof I the said Bridget Forde the Testatrix have hereunto Set my hand and Seal this twelfth day of November in the year of our Lord God according to the Computation of the Church of England one thousand seven hundred forty and six Bridget Ford Signed sealed published and declared by her the said Bridget Forde the Testatrix to be her last Will and Testament in the presence of us who subscribed our names as Witnesses hereunto in their presence Sarah King Will Gille George King

I do give to Mrs Mary Tucker four Suits of my best Wearing apparel to her daughter Bridget Sherston my diamond earrings to Betty Tucker my diamond Cross Frances Brown my pearl necklace Agnes Tucker Gold Watch Mary Larance Ten pounds to Mary Salter five pounds to Eunice Hood 5. George Clark son of Theophilus Clark 10 and all the rest of my Wearing Apparel to Grace Sketchly except one suit to the other servant I do give to Sarah King 100 Guineas.

27th March 1747

On which day appeared personally Theophilus Clarke of the parish of Honiton in the County of Devon, Mercer, George Kingof the same parish Cooper and William Gill of the same parish Gentleman who being severally sworn on the Holy Evangelists to depose the Truth did jointly and severally say and depose as follows to wit and first they the said Theophilus Clarke and George King for themselves did jointly and severally say and depose that they and each of them knew and were well acquainted with Bridget Forde late of Honiton in the County of Devon Widow deceased for many years before and to the time of her death and have often seen her write whereby they and each of them became well acquainted with the manner and Character of her hand Writing and having now viewed and perused the paper writing hereunto annexed purporting to be a Codicil to be annexed to her last Will and Testament beginning thus ( I do give Mrs Mary Tucker four suits of my best wearing apparel ) and ending thus ( I do give unto Sarah King100 guineas ) they these deponents do jointly and severally say that they do verily believe the same to be totally wrote by and with the proper hand writing of her the said Bridget Forde deceased and he this deponent William Gill for himself deposeth and saith that he drew and wrote the last Will and Testament of the said Bridget Forde deceased bearing date the Twelfth day of November one thousand seven hundred and forty six now last past and also hereunto annexed and that he this deponent was present at the execution of the said Will and is a subscribed Witness thereto and well knows that the Several Interlineations and Erasements now appearing in the said Will were so made by him before the Execution of the said Will and were read over to and approved of by the said Testatrix Theo Clarke George King Will Gill The same day the said Theophilus Clarke George King and William Gill were severally duly sworn to the truth of this affidavit before me Richard Lewis

This Will was proved at London with a Codicil annexed the third day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and forty seven before me the Right Worshipfull John Bettesworth Doctorof Laws Master Keeper of the Commissary of the Prerogative Court ofCanterbury lawfully Constituted by the Oath of Mary Tucker Wife of William Tucker Esquire Sole Executrix named in the said Will to whomAdministration was granted of all and singular the Goods Chattelsand Credits of the said deceased being first sworn by Commission dulyto Administer