Will of Abell Collin, Mercer of Nottingham, 1705

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]

This is a transcription of the will of Abell Collin, mercer of Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England. Abell drew up his will on 4 February 1704/5 and it was proved at the Archdeaconry Court of the Deanery of Nottingham on 26 June 1705 by his executor and nephew Thomas Smith. It is filed for the year 1705 immediately before that of his father Lawrence Collin. ^[1] The will is written on one large sheet of parchment. In the book "A History of Abel Collin's Charity", the witnesses are given as Francis Haynes, Chrysostome Haynes and James Haynes. ^[2]

In the name of God Amen I Abell Collin of the Towne & County of the Towne of Nottingham Mercer being under Some Weakness of Body but of sound perfect & disposeing memory thanks bee therefore given to Almighty God Doe make & declare this for my last Will & Testament in Writeing in manner & forme following First I Comend my Soul into the h&s of Almighty God hopeing through the meritts death & passion of my blessed Saviour Jesus Christ to have full & free pardon & forgiveness of all my Sinns & my Body I comitt to the Earth to bee decently buryed att the discretion of my Executor hereafter named & as for my Estate wherewith itt hath pleased Almighty God to bee blesse mee I give & dispose thereof in manner following

Imprimis I give & bequeath unto my loveing Brother Mr Thomas Collin the sume of tenn pounds to bee paid by my Executor hereafter named within two Yeares next after my decease

Item I give to my loveing Sister Mrs Fortune Smith the sume of tenn pounds to bee paid within two years after my decease

Item I give & bequeath unto every of my Brothers & Sisters Children that shall bee liveing att my decease the sume of twenty pounds A peece & to every of their Children that shall bee liveing att the time of my decease the sume of tenn pounds A peece of lawfull money of England to bee paid unto them & every of them by my Executor hereafter named within two Yeares next after my decease

Item I give & bequeath to & amongst every of the Children & Grandchildren of my Unkle William Collin late of Peterborough deceased the sume of fifty pounds of lawfull money of England to bee paid unto them & equally divided amongst them by my said Executor within two Yeares next after my decease

Item I give & bequeath unto my Cozen Bancks Children late of London carpenter deceased the sume of fifteene pounds of lawfull money of England to bee paid unto them & divided amongst them Share & Share A like the same to bee paid by my said Executor hereafter named within two Yeares next after my decease

Item I give & bequeath unto my Cozen Mary Hutchinson Widdowe the sume of tenn pounds of lawfull money of England to bee paid unto her by my Executor hereafter named within two Yeares next after my decease

Item I give & bequeath unto John Stanford of Northampton if hee bee liveing att the time of my decease the sume of fifty shillings or if hee bee then dead then I give the said fifty shillings to his Widdowe if she shall be liveing att the time of my decease the same to bee paid by my Executor hereafter named within Six months next after my decease

Item I give & bequeath unto the Churchwardens & Overseers of the Poore of the severall Parishes of St Nicholas St Peters & St Maryes within the Towne of Nottingham & to the Executor of this my last Will & Testament the sume of twenty pounds of lawfull money of England for the binding out & disposeing to Apprentice or otherwise eight boyes Youths or girls such as shall bee approved & liked of by my said Executor hereafter named & then my said Executor to provide the said twenty pounds & payment thereof to bee made accordingly within twelve months next after my decease

Item I give & bequeath unto the Churchwardens & Overseers of the Poore of the Parish of St Nicholas in the said Towne of Nottingham the sume of twenty pounds of lawfull money of England the same to bee laid out in the buyeing of Coales the next Summer after my decease att the most advantagious time of the summer for buying the same att the Cheapest rate which Coales when soe bought as aforesaid to bee Sold to the Poore of the said Parish in the Winter time following att the same rate they shall be soe bought in soe that the said Sume of twenty pounds may remaine for ever as A Stock or fund for the buying Coales for the use of the Poore of the said Parish in manner aforesaid & itt is my mind & Will that the Major of the said Towne of Nottingham & his successors & alsoe my Executor & his heires for ever shall have power Yearly to inspect the accompts of the said Churchwardens & Overseers to see the same duely performed according to the true intent & meaning of this my last Will & Testament

Item I give & bequeath unto the Churchwardens & Overseers of the Poore of the Parish of St Peters in the said Towne of Nottingham the Sume of fifteene pounds of lawfull money of England the same to bee laid out in the buying of Coales the next Summer after my decease att the most advantagious time of the Summer for buying the same att the Cheapest rate which Coals when soe bought as aforesaid to bee Sold to the Poore of the said Parish in the Winter time following att the same rate they shall be soe bought in Soe that the said Sume of fifteene pounds may remaine for ever as A Stock or fund for the buying Coales for the use of the Poore of the said Parish as aforesaid And itt is my mind & Will that the Major of the said Towne of Nottingham for the time being & his Successors & alsoe my Executor & his heires for ever shall have power Yearly to inspect the accompts of the said Churchwardens & Overseers to See the same duely performed according to the direction of this my Will

Item I give & bequeath unto the Churchwardens & Overseers of the Poore of the Parish of St Maries in the said Towne of Nottingham the sume of twenty pounds of Lawfull English money the same to bee laid out in the buyeing of Coales the next Summer after my decease att the most advantagious time of the summer for buying the same att the Cheapest rate which Coales when soe bought as aforesaid to bee Sold to the Poore of the said Parish in the Winter time following att the same rate they shall bee Soe bought in Soe that the said Sume of twenty pounds may remaine for ever as A Stock or fund for the buying Coales for the use of the Poore of the said Parish in manner aforesaid And it is my mind & Will that the Major of the said Towne of Nottingham for the time being & his successors & alsoe my Executor & his Heires for ever shall have power Yearly to inspect the accompts of the said Churchwardens & Overseers to See the same duely performed according to the true interest & meaning of this my last Will & Testament.

Item I give & bequeath to the Poore Debtors of Nottingham Townes Gaol or that shall be there Yearly the sume of one Shilling Weekly the same to bee paid by my Executor & his Heires upon every Satterday for ever the first payment thereof to bee made upon the next Satterday that Shall happen next after my decease

Item I give & bequeath to the to the Poore Debtors in Nottingham County Gaol or that shall be there Yearly the sume of one Shilling Weekly the same to bee paid by my Executor & his Heires upon every Satterday forever the first payment thereof to bee made upon the next Satterday that Shall happen next after my decease

Item I give unto my Cozen Mr Thomas Smith the sume of five pounds to bee disposed to Such Charitable uses as hee shall think fitt

Item I give to Widdowe Thorpe late of the Brewhouse Yarde the Sume of twenty shillings to bee paid by my Executor within two Yeares next after my decease

Item I give & bequeath unto Mr Peter Thompson of the Towne of Nottingham glasseman the sume of tenn pounds the same to bee paid unto him by my Executor hereafter named within two Yeares next after my decease

Item I give unto John Cocks of the Cittie of Yorke the Sume of five pounds the same to bee paid unto him by my Executor hereafter named within two Yeares next after my decease

Item I give & bequeath unto my Cozen Fletchers Sonn of London the like sume of five pounds the same to been paid by my Executor hereafter named within two Yeares next after my decease

Item I give & bequeath unto Mabell Hunt the Sume of fifty Shillings to bee by her disposed of amongst Such Poore People as Shee in her discretion shall think fit the same to be paid unto her for the purpose aforesaid by my Executor hereafter named within two Yeares next after my decease

Item I give & bequeath unto my Sister Conway of Yarmouth in the County of Norfolk the sume of five pounds to buy her mourning the same to bee paid by my Executor hereafter named

Item I give & bequeath unto my Cozen Elizabeth Conway of the Towne of Nottingham the sume of five pounds the same to bee paid by my Executor within two Yeares next after my decease

Item I give & bequeath unto Mr John Egleton & his Wife of the Citty of London the sume of five pounds A peece the same to be paid unto them by my Executor hereafter named within two yeares next after my decease

Item I give unto Sarah Horowvine & Rebecca Barraclough my Sister Smiths maid Servantsthe Sume of twenty Shillings A peece if they shall bee then liveing with my said Sister att the time of my decease

Item I give unto Bridgett [blank] who was my Fathers maid Servant att the time of his decease the sume of twenty Shillings the same to bee paid unto her by my Executor hereafter named

Item I give unto Widdowe Parkes of the Towne of Nottingham the sume of Twenty Shillings the same to bee paid by my said Executor

Item I give & bequeath unto Widdowe Brittaine living neer Peterborough the sume of twenty shillings Yearly dureing her naturall life the same to bee paid unto her or to such other other person as she shall appoint to receive the same upon Every Christmas Eve by my said Executor hereafter named the First payment to bee made upon the next Christmas Eve that shall happen next after my decease

Item I give & bequeath to the Poore People of the Towne of Nottingham the sume of one hundred pounds of lawfull money of England the same to bee paid unto them by my Executor hereafter named in such manner as is hereafter mentioned That is to say the sume of twenty pounds parte thereof Soon after my decease & the sume of tenn pounds other parte thereof upon the second day of february then next ensueing & the remainder of the said one hundred pounds to bee paid by tennpound payments upon every Second day of February till the said sume of one hundred pounds bee fully paid & discharged & my mind is that the said Sume of one hundred pounds before mentioned & bequeathed Shall not bee construed or intended to excuse the Dole of Bread att my Funerall.

Item I give unto Mr Samuel Paintricke & Mr. William Kirkby my Servants the sume of twenty Shillings A peece if they shall be liveing with mee att the time of my decease

Item I give unto Abell Collin son of my Nephew Mr. John Collin the sume of twenty pounds over & above the Legacie herein before given & bequeathed to him the same to bee paid by my Executor hereafter named within two Yeares next after my decease

Item I give unto my Cozen John Collin his Wife the Sume of five pounds the Same to bee paid unto her by my Executor hereafter named within two Yeares next after my decease

Item I give unto my Cozen William Clifton of Yarmouth in the County of Norfolk the sume of five pounds the same to bee paid unto him by my Executor hereafter named within two Yeares next after my decease

Item I give to W[illia]m Fishwicke my late Fathers man the sume of twenty Shillings

Item I give to Mr George Langford the elder two Guineys.

Item whereas I am Executor of the last Will & Testament of my late Cozen Mr Abell Collin late of the Towne of Nottingham I doe hereby impower & authorise my Cozen Mr Thomas Smith to see the same performed as fully punctually & exactly in every respect as if I were actually alive & in being to see the same performed my selfe

Item what trust was reposed in mee my my late Brother Mr Thomas Smith touching any Lands or Tenements in the Brewhouse Yarde in the County of Nottingham I hereby impower & authorise my said Cozen Mr Thomas Smith to act therein as much as I my selfe might or Could doe if I was alive & in being to act therein my Selfe

Item whereas about the eight & twentith day of October last past Edward Cropley att my instance & request did lend unto William Harvey of the Towne of Nottingham Felmonger the sume of tenn pounds upon Mortgage itt is my mind & Will that if the said moneys Shall bee lost & Cannott bee gotten of the said William Harvey That then my Executor hereafter named shall pay the same to the said Edward Cropley & make itt good out of my personall Estate & I doe nominate ordaine & constitute & appoint my loveing Cozen Mr Thomas Smith full & sole Executor of this my last Will & Testament & for his paines to bee taken in the Execution of this my last Will & Testament I give him the sume of fifty pounds of Lawfull money of England Provided alwayes & it is my mind & Will that the remainder & surplusage of my personall Estate after the full performance of this my last Will & Testament & all matters & things therein expressed I doe give & bequeath the same unto my said Executor of this my last Will & Testament to bee by him imployed & bestowed in the building of some little houses & endowing the same for Some poor men or Women to dwell in belonging to Some of the aforesaid Severall Parishes together with the Severall Legacyes of all & every Such Legatee in this my last Will & Testament which shall happen to dye before their Legacyes shall become due according to the true intent & meaning of this my last Will & Testament

Item I give to the five Children of my Said Cozen William Clifton of Yarmouth the sume of tenn pounds a peece over & above their said other Legacyes to bee paid by my Executor before menconed & it is my mind & Will that if any of the said Children Shall happen to dye before his her or their Legacye shall become due then the same to be divided amongst the Survivors of them

In Wittnesse whereof to this my last Will & Testament contained in one Skin of Parchment I have sett my hand & Seale this fourth day of February in the third Yeare of the reigne of our Soveraigne Lady Queene Anne over England &c Annoque Dni 1704

Abell Collin {seale} Signed Sealed declared & published by the said Abell Collin the Testator for & as his last Will & Testament in the presence of us who in his presence subscribed our names as Wittnesses

F: Haynes C--- Haynes James Haynes

Sources

1. ↑ Will of Abell Collin 1705 Archdeaconry Court of the Deanery of Nottingham, original filed wills M/7564 Nottinghamshire County Archives, Nottingham. FamilySearch Film 008071117 image 1231 Accessed 4 February 2023
2. ↑ A History of Abel Collin's Charity, Nottingham E.L. Guilford published Nottingham, England 1915. Copy held at Bromley House Library, Angel Row Nottingham shelf mark Cc 01755