Will of John Bangs

Date: 1631 [unknown]
Location: Hempstead, Essex, England
Surname/tag: Bangs

People mentioned in this will: John Bangs, Jane (Chavis) Bangs, John Bangs, Edward Bangs, James Bangs, Jonas Bangs, Sampson Bangs, Joshua Bangs, and Jane (Bangs) Payne.

It is uncertain if the will is in his own hand.

Transcription of the will of John Banges - 27 Aug. 1631^[1]

In the name of God Amen. The xxvii day of August in ye year of our Lord God 1631. And in ye seventh year of ye reign of our sovereign Lord Charles, by ye grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, defender of ye faith. I, John Bangs of Hempsted in ye countie of Essex, yeoman, being at this present of good and perfect memory thankes be given unto Almighty God, doe make and declare this my last will and testament, in manner and form following: that is to saie first and foremost most humblie commend my soul unto almighty God and unto Jesus Christ my only Saviour and Redeemer by whose precious death and blood shed … my full and sure consideration to have everlasting life so now death shall no more take hould upon me. And I commit my bodie unto the earth from whence it came to be decently buried in ye church yard of Hempsted among my Christen brethren and sisters and near unto my two children if I happen to lodge in that same towne. And concerning ye disposition of such worldly & transient goods and lands whereas it hath pleased God to make or give me as steward this testament, all my will and full meaning is to dispose them in manner and forme following: First I will & give unto ye poore in Hempsted 10s to be given them by my executrix at the time of my burial. Item, I doe give unto everie of my said sons, viz. John, Edward, Jonas, Sampson and Joshua, to everie of them £40 a piece to be paid in manner and forme following. Imprimis, unto John, my son, ye first year after my wife’s decease £20 … the next year following unto my son Edward £10 Item the year following unto my son Jonas £10 and so the year after that, to my son Sampson £10 and so unto my son Joshua ye last year £10. And this ye first payment being made, my will is my son John to have his other £20. And so yearlie as is aforesaid to everie of them severally have their legacie paid them accordinglie. And if my son John happen to depart this life before he come to receive his said legacie my will is that those monies as is unpaid shall go to his two children John and Elizabeth, to be paid unto them after my wife’s decease if they be of ye age of xxi years, & … and if others of my said sons happen to depart this life before they come to receive this said legacie having children then those legacies so given shall go unto their children after my wife’s decease at the age of xxi years to be paid them by my son James. Item, I doe give unto Thomas Bangs my nephew £40 to be paid hym £10 by ye year after all my sons legacies be paid And also I doe give hym one lytle brasse pott And if he happen to depart this life before he do come to receive his legacie then my will is that his legacie shall go unto his brother John and his sister Susan Bangs, to be paid them in manner aforesaid to their brother’s legacie, and that brasse pott to his brother John. Item I doe give unto my daughter Jane Payne my great brasse pott. Item, I doe give unto Jane my loving wife all my houses & lands in Hempsted and all my movable goods whatsoever during the rest of her natural life, alwaies provided if she happen to marrie and cupple herself to an other man, then my will and meaning is that all my goods and chattels whatsoever to her given by vertue of this my last will and testament, shall go unto Sampson, James and Joshua, my sons, to be equally divided amongst them, and my wife to have ye share in my lands. And my son James, by provision of this my will, to enter onto my lands and housses & to paie my debts if there be any unpaid and for performance of all these legacies aforesaid given unto my sons and nephew Thomas Bange, I doe give unto my son James after my wife’s decease all my housses and lands in Hempsted aforesaid to paie unto everye of them their several legacies according as I have sett downe yearlie to be paid. Item. If any of my said children and nephew Thomas Bange, their heirs executors administrators or assignees shall attempt law against my son James in any pointe in this my will except insofar ye performance of their legacies accordingly (parchment torn) … … surnme yearlie to be paid them I paie half (quarter?) then … … … parties legacie so given shall be … (parchment torn) … … their heires forever & so to return to my son James.

Signed etc

Item, I doe give unto Mr Greenwood for his paynes in preaching a sermon at my funeral, putting the people in mind of their mortality 10s. And I doe ordaine and make the same Jane my beloved wife my sole executrix of this my last will and testament. Item. I doe make my loving friend Mr John Draycott, gentleman, my supervisor of this my last will and testament … or his payment to be taken in giving his good advice and ayde to my said wife in all thinges concerning this my said will 105. And in witness whereof, revoking and disannulling all other testaments and wills heretofore made, I have hereunto sett my hand and seal on ye daie and year above written.

If my son James happen to depart this life before his mother, then my will is that my son Joshua shall succeed hym in my lands and housses in Hempsted aforesaid, paying unto everie of his brothers as then living beginning at ye … yearlie £10 a piece this sum to be paid after the legacies as is aforesaid be paid unto my sons then living. If my son Joshua departs this life before his mother then my will is that Sampson my son shall succeed him in the premises as is aforesaid unto my son Joshua. If my son Sampson happen to depart this life before his mother then my will is that my son John shall have all my lands and premises in Hempstead, to him and his heirs forever.

Witnessed and signed by John Banges

Sources

1. ↑ "John Bangs Will." Essex Archives Online - Catalogue: D/ABW 51/332, Catalogue, (three images of original available), https://www.essexarchivesonline.co.uk/result_details.aspx?ThisRecordsOffSet=1&id=461620. Accessed on August 29, 2021.