Proved Will of The Reverend Montague North Doctor in Divinity, of Sternfield, Suffolk

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Sternfield, Suffolk, England

Contents 1 Preamble 2 Persons Listed 2.1 Family 2.2 Staff 2.3 Acquaintances 2.4 Tenants 2.5 Witnesses 2.6 Judge 3 First Page 3.1 Page 2 3.2 Page 3 3.3 Page 4 3.4 Page 5 3.5 Page 6 3.6 Page 7 3.7 Page 8 4 Sources

Preamble

ff changed to singular f where appropriate, otherwise spelling and punctuation transcribed to be as the original (best attempt),
highlighting and line breaks are for ease of reading,
please feel free to make any corrections if checking against the source.

Persons Listed

Family

• Reverend Montague North DD (bef.1712-1779) Doctor in Divinity, Testator
• Elizabeth Folkard, Wife (deceased)
• Dame Mary (North) L'Estrange (bef.1701-1781), Sister
• Arabella (Strutt) North (bef.1753-), Wife of Nephew Fountain
• Fountain North (abt.1749-bef.1810), Nephew, esquire
• Jane (North) Boydell (bef.1746-bef.1830), Niece
• Executor Edward Roger North (abt.1753-), Nephew
• Roger North (bef.1704-abt.1771) Esquire (deceased)
• Armine (North) Kent (1748-1826), Niece
• Mrs Deborah Folkard, Mother of Wife
• Thomas Folkard of Parham, uncle? of wife

Staff

• Sarah ?, maid servant
• Joseph Prior man servant
• all other Servants living with him
• Jonathan Shellake of Sternfield, Labourer

Acquaintances

• Executor Reverend George Jones Palmer Rector of Ufford, Suffolk
• Mrs Mary Bumbury of the City of Chester, spinster, Sister of the late reverend ? William Binbury Bart (deceased)
• Doctor John D'imban of Spalidworth physician
• Mr George Baker the elder of Saxmundham, apothictory
• Mr Nathian Cooper of Saxmundham, apothictory
• Inhabitants of the parish of Great Glemham
• Mrs Blomfield of Woodbridge, widow
• poor clergymens? widows and orphans of Suffolk
• Mrs Beck the wife of Mr Beck of Stanfield, Norfolk
• Mr James Jermyn of Halesworth, attorney at law

Tenants

• Thomas Garrard
• Stephen Damant
• William Damnant
• James Burroughs

Witnesses

• Benj. Cooper
• Benj. Cooper Junior
• P. Jermyn

Judge

• Right worshipful Peter Calvert Doctor of Laws Master Reeper or Commissary of the prerogative court of Canterbury

First Page

In The name of God Amen
I Montagu North of Sternfield in the County of
Suffolk doctor of divinity being of sound mind and memory
do make publish and declare this to be my last will
and testament first of all I committed my spirit into
the hands of my most glorious redeamer Jesus Christ
my lord and my God betrothing? him to make integration
for me with me with his father for the pardon of my manifold
sins in the next plane I desire to be buried with a
dercut burial in the same vault with my beloved wife
in the church yard of Sternfield aforesaid and as to
my worldly goods whereof I am possessed I give and..

Page 2

..dispose of he same in manner following that is to say
I give and bequeath to my dear sister Dame Mary
L'estrange widow all my pictures in oil or water
colours and also all my shell flowers as well in my
dwelling house in Sternfield aforesaid as elsewhere also
I give and bequeath to mrs North the now wife of
Fountain North of Rougham in the County of Norfolk
esquire my nephew my Cornithan cup with the silver
guilt foot and to my niece Mrs. Jane Boydell the now
wife of Mr Joseph Boydell my Coroa nut cup tipped
with silver also I give my gold loauth to my nephew
Edward Roger North youngest son of my late brother
Roger North esquire deceased and I give my diamond
ring made up of the diamonds of my said late wifes scoop
and her wedding ring unto my niece Armine North
spinster all which legaries my desire is shall be delivered
to them the said Legatees respectively by my executors
herein after named as soon after my demise as conveniently
may be | and I do make nominate and appoint the said
Edward Roger North my nephew and the reverend
George Jones Palmer Rector of Ufford in the said county
of Suffolk to be executors of this my will | and do give
and bequeath unto them my said executors the sum of
fifty pounds each I also give to Mrs Deborah Folkard
Mother of my said late dear wife deceased the sum of
ten pounds to the said Fountain North my nephew the
Sum of fifty pounds to Mrs Mary Bumbury of the City
of Chester spinster sister of the late reverend ?
William Binbury Bart deceased the like sum of fifty
pounds to Doctor John D’imban of Halesworth physician
and to Mr George Baker the elder of Saxmundham and
Mr Nathan Cooper of the same town apothictories the
sum of five pounds each To Sarah ? my maid
servant the sum of one hundred and fifty pounds over
and above all wages which shall be due from me to her
at the time of my death for her respectful behaviour to
and faithful raw and attendance on my said late dear
wife during her long and painful illness To Joseph
Prior my man servant the sum of fifty pounds over and
above all wages that shall be due from me to him at
the time of my demise To each of all my other Servants
who shall by then living with me one whole years
wages over and above what shall be due to them
respectfully at old Michaelmas day next after my death
To Jonathan Shellake of Sternfield aforesaid my
Labourer the sum of five pounds All which said
serval permonary legaries or sums of money my will
and mind is shall be paid to them the said legatees
respectively within six kalendar months ?? after my
decease with and out of my personal estate not herein
or hereby specifically bequeathed also I do give and
bequeath to the said Joseph Prior my man servant..

Page 3

..All my wearing apparel of every kind to be delivered
to him by my said executors as soon after my decease
as conveniently may be in ? the said Joseph Prior shall
continue in my service to the time of my death and
not otherwise Also I do hereby remit and forgive the
feofees churchwardens and other Inhabitants of the
parish of Great Glemham of which I am the present
minister or vicar all such sum or sums of money as
I have paid or disbored for or about the now cloth
lately put up at the parish church there and which
shall not be repaid to me in my lifetime and to
will and direct that the same shall not be demanded
by my executors or be deemed any part of my
personal estate and I do hereby desire and direct that
they my said executors shall carefully perform and
fulfill the last will and testament of my said late
dear wife deceased in all repects whatsoever I mean
such part thereof as may remain ?found at the
at the time of my death also I do hereby will and direct
that they my said executors shall well and truly pay
discharge and satisfy all my just debts which I shall
owe or be indebted in at the time of my decease
my funeral charges the several Legaries herein before
mentioned and all other burdens and expenses
whatsoever that shall attend the said executorship
with and out of my goods chattels and personal estate
not herein before specifically bequeathed in case the
same shall be sufficient for those purposes (except
Such debt or debts as shall or may be due from me
at the time of my decease to the said Dame Mary
L'estrange my sister for the satisfying of which I
have herein after made such provision as I hope she
will accept and approve of) and after my said debts
funeral charges the aforesaid Legaries and all other
burthons and expenses attending the said executorship
shall be well and truly paid or satisfied as aforesaid
then I do give and bequeath all the residue and
overplus of my said personal estate if any to the
aforesaid Edward Roger North my nephew and to the
said Jane Boydell and Armino North my nieces to be
paid to and equally divided between them three share
and share alike and I do hereby give devise and
bequeath to the said Edward Roger North and George
Jones Palmer my executors and administrators all and singular my
messuagies or tenements cottages lands and deedits
whatsoever as well freehold as copyhold situate lying
or being in Parham and Wickham Market or other
parishes or plans thereto near or adjoining in the
said county of Suffolk late in the tenure of occupation
of Thomas Garrard and Stephen Damant or either of
them their or either of their assigns or undertennants..

Page 4

..and upto or late in the tenure or occupation of William
Damnant and James Burroughs or either of them their or
either of their assignes or assignees undertenant or
undertennants or of any other person or persons whosoever
with all the Rights Members and Appurtenants thereof
to hold the same messuagies or Convents Cottages Lands
and all and singular other my said reditaments and
premises in Parham and Wickham Market aforesaid
parishes adjoining immitately from and after my decease
unto the said Edward Roger North and George Jones Palmer
my executors and the survivor of them and the executors
and administrators of such Survivor for during and into
the full end and term of ninty and nine years from
thenceforth next and immdiately ensing and fully to be
compleat and ended in case the said Dame Mary L'estrange
and Deborah Folkard and also Mrs Blomfield of Woodbridge
in the said County of Suffolk widow or any of them shall
so long live and not otherwise upon trust nevertheless
that they my said executors or the survivor of them said
executors and administrators shall and or demise and let
the said hereditaments and premises and cerowie and take
all the yearly rents and profits thereof and every part
and part thereof and pay and apply the same to and
for the uses intents and purposes following vis in this
first place to pay and satisfy all such fines and fees as
shall become due or payable on their or either of
the admission or admissions to the copyhold part or parts
of the said hereditaments and premises together with all
towns quit rents necessary repairs and all other
outings with which the same estates or any part therof
shall be charged or liable to the payment of and all
trouble and expences whatsoever which shall attend the
trusts respecting the said real estates and in the next
place to pay with and out of the rents and profits thereof
out anuity or yearly sum of twenty pounds of lawful
money of Great Britain to the aforesaid Deborah Folkard
for and during the term of her natural life according to
the tenor and effort and in discharge of a certain bond
or other anuity by me sometime since entered into for
payment of an anuity of twenty pounds to her for life
and onsuchdays and times manner and form as in such
bond or security is or over particularly mentioned and also
to pay and satisfy one other anuity or yearly sum of
five pounds and five shillings of like lawful money to the
aforesaid Mrs Blomfield for and during the term of her
natural life according to a promise made or engagement
entered into by me for payment of the life sum of five
pounds and five shillings to her the said Mrs Blomfield
and on such days and times manor and form as I have
usually for some years past paid to her the same and
also to pay the yearly interest of any of my outstanding
debts which my said personal estate shall not be sufficient
to satisfy if any such debts there shall be and after the said fines and fees
taxes quit rents necessary repairs and other outings and also the said anuities
and Interest money and all other trouble and expences attending..

Page 5

..the same trust shall be will and truly paid and
discharged them upon trust that they my said executors and
the survivor of them his executors of administrators shall
and do pay all the residue and overplus of the said
yearly rents and profits of the same hereditaments to
and premises yearly and every year unto the said Dame
Mary L'estrange my sister during such part of the
said term of ninty nine years as she shall live which
payments my mind and will is shall be in lieu and
satisfaction of all such debt of debts sum or sums of
money as shall be due and owing to her from me at
the time of my decease and my desire is that the will
be pleased to accept and take the said residue and overplus
of the said rents and profits of the said estates in full
satisfaction of all such debts and demands and that she
will aquit and discharge my said executors of and from
the same and in case my said sister shall happen
to depart this life in the lifetime of the said Deborah
Folkard and Mrs Blomfield or of either of them then
my will is that the said residue and overplus of the
said yearly rents and profits of my said real estate
given or directed to be paid to her my said Sister as
aforesaid shall from the time of her decease for and
during the then residue and remainder of the said term
for and during so much and such part thereof as the
said Deborah Folkard and Mrs Blomfield or either of
them shall live be paid to and equally divided between
them the said Edward Roger North my nephew and the
said Jane Boydell and Armine North my nieces or to
his heir and their executors and administrators respectively
share and share alike and immediatly from and after
the end expiration or other sooner determination of the
said term of ninety nine years then I do hereby
authorise impower and desire my said exacutors and the
survivor of them and the executors and administrators of
such survivor or either or any of them to make sale and
diapose of all and singular my said messuages or tenements
cottages lands hereditaments and promises and every
part and parts thereof as well freehold as copyhold
with all the rights members and appurtenances to the
sound belonging or in any wise appertaining and of the
revision and revisions remainder and remainders
thereof to such person or persons as shall be willing or
serious to become purchaser or purchasers of the said
hereditaments and promises every or any part of and
for the best price or prices that can or may be conveniently
had or goten for the same and all the money arising
by such sale of sales together with the rents and
profits of the same hereditaments and promises from the
decease of the survivor of them the said Dame Mary
L'estrange Deborah Folkard and mrs Blomfield untill
sale thereof my will is shall be recieved and taken by..

Page 6

..my said executors or the survivor of them his executors or
administrators whose receipt of receipts for the same
every or any part thereof I do hereby declare shall be a
sufficient discharge and sufficiant discharges to the purchasor
or purchasors tennant or tennants of the said hereditaments
and promises every or any part thereof to all intents and
purposes whatsoever and that such purchasor or purchasors
tenant or tennants or any of them their or any of their
heirs executors administrators or assigns after payment of
until purchase money or rents to them my said exacutors
or the survivor of them his executors or administrators
shall not be answerable or accountable to any person or
persons whoever either at Law or in equity for the
application or misapplicaition of such moneys or any part
thereof and I also authorise and impower my said
executors and the survivor of them his executors and
administrators or either or any of them absolutely to
convey and assure the said hereditaments and promises
and every or any part or parts thereof to any such
purchasor of purchasors by such mode or modes of
conveyance as shall seem most and expedient and my
mind and will is and I do hereby order and direct that
they my said executors and the survivor of them his executors
and administrators shall pay and apply all the money
which shall be raised by sale of the said hereditaments
and promises as also all the rear rents and profits
thereof which shall accrue from the time of the decease
of the survivor of them the said Dame Mary L'estrange
Deborah Folkard and Mrs Blomfield to and for the several
uses intents and purposes herein after mentioned vis with
the first place to pay off discharge and satisfy allsuch of
my debts legares sum and sums of money as shall or
may remain due or unsatisfied from or by reason of any
defineury of my goods chattles or personal estate or
which the same shall not be sufficient to discharge
together with all such trouble costs charges and expenses
whatsoever as shall accrue or happen in or about the
aforesaid trusts or either of them or in or about the
execution of this my will or the performance of the will
of my said late dear wife deceased and in the next
plan for payment of the several legartis sum and sums
of money herein after mentioned or bequeathed that is
to say I give and bequeath to my said exacutors and the
survivor of them his executors and administrators the
sum of eighty pounds of lawful money of Great Britain
to be by them some of one of them laid out for and
about two monuments to be put up and erected to the
memory of my late dear wife and myself vis. One on
each side of the window of the chancel of the parish
church of Sternfield aforesaid in such manner as they
my said exacutors or the survivor of them his executors
administrators shall think proper and I do so impower..

Page 7

..shall not be found sufficient for those purposes to make some addition to the said sum
them in case this sum of eighty pounds in case they
in their directions shall think the same necessary
also I give and bequeath to the society established for
the benefit of poor clergymens? widows and orphans in
the said County of Suffolk the sum of one hundred pounds
to be paid to the treasurer a treasurers and to be
disposed of or distributed by them according to the general
rules of the said society also I give and bequeath to
Thomas Folkard of Parham aforesaid uncle of my said
late wife the sum of five pounds to Mrs Beck the now
wife of Mr Beck of Stanfield in the said County of
Norfolk famrer the sum of ten pounds and to Mr James
Jermyn of Halesworth in the said County of Suffolk
attorney at law the sum of fifty pounds hereby desiring
he will advise and assist my said executors in the
execution of the trusts in them hereby reposed and that they
will apply to him for such his advise and assistance
and I do further will and direct that they my said
executors shall also pay and satisfy the said James
Jemyth for all such business as he shall do or perform
touching the said executorship and the disposition of my
said estates over and above his aforesaid legary and
after the said debts legaries sum and sums of money
and all other trouble costs charges and expenses in this
my will before mentioned or that shall attend the full
and compleat execution thereof shall be fully paid
discharged and satisfied then I give devise and bequeath
all the residue and overplus of the monies remaining
in the hands of my said executors or the survivor of them
his executors or administrators by sale of the said real
estates or the rents and profits thereof to the said
Edward Roger North my nephew and to the said Jane
Boydell and Armine North my neices to be paid to and
equally divided between them share and share alike and
I do hereby further declare my mind and will to be
that all and every the aforesaid legaries and sums
of money payable out of the money to be raised by
sale of the said real estates or the rents and profits
thereof shall be paid by my said executors or the
survivor of them his executors or administrators to the
said several legartees or persons to whom the same
are hereby respectivly given or directed to be paid or
to his her and their respective executors or administrators
within one month next after sale and conveyance of
the said estates shall be made and ex?? and I do
also declare that my said executors or either of them
their or either of their executors or administrators shall
not be answerable or accountable for the act or acts
receipt or receipts of each other but either of them
for his or their own respective act and acts receipt
and receipts only nor shall they or either of them be
answerable or accountable for any more money or other..

Page 8

..part or parts of my personal estate than shall actually
be received by them and come to their hand or hands
respectively on account of the trusts hereby in them
reposed nor for any loss of losses that shall or may
happen or be sustained
of any part of my
personal estate unless the same shall happen by or
through their some or one of their wilful neglect or
default and then he or they to whose neglect or
default such loss or losses shall be owing to bear the
same and not the other of them and lastly I to hereby
revoke and make void all former wills by me made
and do make publish and declare this to be my last
will and testament in diviness whereof I the said
Montagu North the testator to this my said last
will and testament continued in five sheets of paper
affixed together at the tops have to the four first
sheets thereof set my hand and have set my hand and
seal to this last sheet thereof the nineteenth day of
July in the year of our lord one thousand seven
hundred and seventy six Mont. North signed sealed
published and declared by the said testator as and for
his last will and tetament in the presence of us who
in his presence have substituted our names as witneses
hereto. Benj. Cooper _ Benj. Cooper Junior_P. Jermyn

This Will was proved at London the
second day of November in the year of our lord one
thousand seven hundred and seventy nine before the
Right worshipful Peter Calvert Doctor of Laws Master
Reeper or Commissary of the prerogative court of
Canterbury lawfully constituted by the oaths of the
Reverend Edward Roger North Clerk and the Reverend
George Jones Palmer Clerk the executors named in the
said will to whom administration was granted of all
and singular the goods chattels and credits of the
deceased having been first worn by commission duly to
administer. ^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ Will
   The National archives, Kew, England - Prerogative Court of Canterbury
   "Will of Reverand Montague North, Doctor of Divinity of Sternfield, Suffolk", 02 November 1779 , item 6251813, ref PROB 11/1058/103 (accesses 29 Jan 2023)
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