The Will of Sir Robert Rich Bt 1724 Sonning

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Sonning, Berkshire, England

The Will of Robert Rich Bt 1724 Sonning written on 12 June 1724 and proved on 6 February 1724/5 at London, Prerogative Court of Canterbury.^[1]

Spelling, punctuation and line breaks are as per the register copy. Capital F is rendered as F rather than ff. Abbreviations are expanded and additions noted in [square brackets]. Paragraph breaks (where added) and bold text for names are my own for ease of reading.

People mentioned in the Will:

• Dame Mary Rich (wife, executrix)
• S^r William Juxon Baron[e]^t
• The Honourable James Bruce Esq[ui]^re
• Robert Walter Esq[ui]^re
• Francis Loggin
• William Haux
• The Honourable Robert Bruce
• George Blagrave Esq[ui]^re
• Anne Rich (daughter)
• Charlott Rich (daughter)
• Thomas Rich (son, under 21 in 1724)
• James Rich (son, under 21 in 1724)
• Daniel Rich (son, under 21 in 1724)
• Robert Rich (son, under 21 in 1724)
• Charles (son)
• M^rs Eleanor Henly
• Witnesses: Rob^t Burd, [..,]^m Needham, Benj: Blissett

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In the Name of God Amen
I S^r Robert Rich of Sonning in the County of Berks Baronet
being in good health and of sound and perfect mind and memory praised
be God for the same considering the uncertainty of life and to prevent
as much as in me lyeth the ruin of my family of which at present I
have a melancholly prospect Do make this my last Will and Testament
in manner and form following Imprimis I recommend my Soul to the
infinite mercy of God my Body to the Earth to be decently but privately
buried at Sonning Church if I dye in or near Sonning otherwise if I dye
at Chedworth I desire to be buried at Chedworth Church and as to my
Temporal Estate I dispose thereof as followeth Whereas pursuant to
an Agreement previous to my Marriage with Dame Mary Rich my
now Wife I have settled on her a Rent Charge of Two hundred pounds
a year for her life as an additionall Joynture and have since settled
on her a ^^further Rent Charge of three hundred pounds a year for her life And

[Page 2]
Whereas for the better securong the said Sum of Five Hundred Pounds
a year to my said Dear Wife over and above the Lands settled
on her on my Marriage And for raising money for payment of the
Sum of Dout Thousand Pounds due by me on Mortgage and all
other my Just Debts Legacies and Porc[i]ons for my Younger Children
by Indenture Quinquepartite Date on or about the Eighteenth day
of January which was in the year of our Lord One Thousand
Seven hundred twenty and one and made between me and my said
Wife of the first part S^r William Juxon Baron[e]^t of the second part
The Honourable James Bruce Esq[ui]^re and Robert Walter Esq[ui]^re of the
third part Francis Loggin and William Haux of the fourth part and
The Honourable Robert Bruce and George Blagrave Esq[ui]^re of the
Fifth part And by virtue of the Fines therein covenanted to be
levied and since duly levyed All my Estate in the Countys of Oxon and
Berks or elsewhere is limited in use to the said James Bruce and Robert
Walter for Two Thousand years for raising money to pay all my Debts
Legaciys and Children's portions And after the determination of the said
Term To the said Robert Bruce and George Blagrave and their
Heirs upon Trust to pay the Rents Issues and profits of the said
Mannors Lands Tenements Hereditaments and premisses or to convey
the same to such person and persons and for such use and uses and
such Estate or Estates as I should appoint And in case my said Wife
should survive me Then upon Trust That they the said Robert Bruce
and George Blagrave and the Survivor of them his Heirs and
Assigns shall and do convey and assure the said Mannors Lands
Tenements and Hereditaments subject to the said precedent Charges
and Appointment To such of my Sons for such Estate and Estates
as my said Wife shall appoint in which said Indenture is a power
reserved to me to revoke all the uses and Estates in the said Indenture
mentioned and to limitt new uses as by the said Deed and Fines may
more fully appear And Whereas being desireous my Wife should
have the Disposition of my Reall estate to give the same to such of our
Sons as she should think fit to give and dispose the same To that end
I did by Deed indented Dated the day before the Date hereof revoke
the uses limitted to the said Robert Bruce and George Blagrave
and their Heirs by the said Indenture Quinquepartite and did limitt
the said Mannors Lands Tenements and Hereditaments to such
person and persons and for such Estate and Estates and for raising
such Annual Sums of money or Sums in gross as I should by Deed or
Will direct or appoint And for want of such direction and
appointment and subject thereunto To the use of the said Dame
Mary my Wife for life without Impeachment of Wast with liberty
to commit Wast and with power to Lease for One and twenty years
at Rack Rent And after her decease to such of our Sons and for
such Estate and Estates and chargeable with such Annuall Sums and
Sums in gross as my said Wife shall direct or appoint And for want
of such direction or appointment to my own right Heirs Now I do
hereby devise and confirm direct and appoint All my Mannors
Lands Tenements and Hereditaments subject to the payment of my
Debts and Legacys and the precedent Charges thereon To my said
Wife Dame Mary Rich during the Term of her natural life without
impeachment of Wast And I give her full power and liberty to

[Page 3]
commit Wast and I do also impower her to Lease the said Mannors
Lands Tenements and Hereditaments for any number of Years not
exceeding One and Twenty Years at a Rack Rent
Item, I devise to my
Daughters Anne Rich and Charlott Rich the Sum of Two Thousand
Pounds apeice and I charge all my Reall Estate with the payment
thereof to be paid to my said two Daughters at their respective
Marriages provided they marry with the consent of their Mother And
my Will is that my said Daughters shall have lawfull Interest for
their respective portions from my death till the same are paid
Item I give to each of my Younger Sons Thomas Rich James Rich
Daniel Rich and Robert Rich the Sum of One Thousand Pounds to be
paid to them at their respective ages on One and Twenty Years with
lawfull interest from my death till payment And having already
provided for my Son Charles I give him the Sum of Two hundred
pounds and no more
Item I give to the said S^r William Juxon
Twenty pounds To M^rs Eleanor Henly the Sum of Twenty pounds
a year during her natural life to be paid half yearly Tax free
at Lady day and Michaelmas the first payment to begin on such of
the said Feasts as shall next happen after my death And I direct
the said Annual Sum of Twenty pounds per Annum to be raised
out of my Reall Estate And I direct all my Debts Legacys and
Funerals and also my Fathers Debts to be raised and paid out of
my Reall estate And I hereby confirm the power given to my said
Wife to dispose of my Mannors Lands Tenements and
Hereditaments to such of our Sons and for such Estate and
Estates as she shall think fit And I bequeath all my Personall
Estate of what nature or kind soever to my said Wife Dame
Mary Rich and make her my sole Executrix And I do revoke all
former and other Wills and declare this to be my last Will and
Testament In Witness whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and
Seal this Twelfth day of June in the Tenth year of our Soveraign
Lord King George Annoq[ue] Domini One Thousand Seven
hundred twenty and four R: Rich ./. Signed Sealed Published and
declared by the said S^r Robert Rich as his last Will and Testam[en]^t
in the presence of us who subscribed our names as Witnesses
hereunto in his presence (the same Will being contained in three
Sheets of Paper Rob^t Burd, [..,]^m Needham, Benj: Blissett ./.

[Probate in Latin, Prerogative Court of Canterbury, granted 6 February 1724 to Dame Mary Rich]