Will of Bridget Zouch, widow of St Martin in the Fields, MIddlesex 1678

Date: 1678 to 1678
Location: St Martin in the Fields, Westminster, Middlesex, England
Surnames/tags: Zouch Sandys Iremonger

Will of Bridget Zouch, widow of St Martin in the Fields 1678^[1]

This is a transcription of the register office copy of the will of Bridget Zouch widow of St Martin in the Fields. It was written on the 19 January 1677/8 and was proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 4 July 1678. Administration was granted to Bridget Zouch alias Sandys the sole executrix

Transcription conventions:
Spelling, punctuation and line breaks are as per the original document.
Crossings through have been included struck out
Spelling, punctuation and line breaks are as per the original document.
Crossings through have been included struck out
Paragraph breaks at change of bequest, and bold text are my own for ease of reading.
Where present, the obsolete letter Thorn has been rendered as th, and ff has been rendered as F
Abbreviations and breviographs have been expanded in [square brackets]
The image quality was good and the writing very legible.
Non standard spelling as per usual for this time period, which has been transcribed verbatim.

Persons mentioned

• Bridget Zouch of the Parish of S^t Martin in the Feilds in the Countie of Midd[lese]x widdowe testatrix
• my deare and loving Sonn William Zouch recievd £5 and some items of his late father's also half of the residual estate
• my deare and loving daughter Bridget Zouch alias Sandis sole executrix, recievs the mills and lands in Donnington, plate, household goods also half of the residual estate
• Peter Holmes miller tenant of mills in Donnington,Berkshire owned by the testatrix
• M^r Thomas Gilbert no relationship stated received twenty shillings for a ring
  • M^rs Anne Gilbert wife of the said Thomas Gilbertreceived twenty shillings for a ring
• Abraham Gilbert Sonn of the said Thomas Gilbert witness to will received twenty shillings for a ring
• Anne Gage wife of Henry Gage received twenty shillings for a ring
• my deare and loving Kinsman William Swayne of the Middle Temple London Esq[uire] Overseer of the will, received £10
• John Croft witness
• Elizabeth Taylor witness

In the Name of God Amen The nynteenth
day of January Anno Domini one thousand six hundred seventie seven and in the one and
twentieth yeare of the Reigne of Our Soveraigne Lord King Charles the second of England etc
I Bridget Zouch of the Parish of S^t Martin in the Feilds in the Countie of Midd[lese]x
widdowe being sick and weak in bodie, but of good and perfect mynd and memory, Thankes be
to God therefore doe make and ordaine this my last Will and Testament in maner and
forme following, (that is to say) First, I bequeath my soule into the hands of Almighty
God my Creator, hoping and assuredly believing in and through the Merits Mediation
death and passion of Jesus Christ my blessed Saviour and Redeemer to receave
Remission of all my Synns; and life everlasting; And my bodie I committ to the
Earth from whence it came to be decently buried; And as concerning my wordly estate
which God of his mercie hath been pleased to bestowe on mee. I doe give & bequeath
the same as followeth:

Imprimis I give and bequeath unto my deare and loving
Sonn William Zouch the summe of five pounds of lawfull money of England, and the
Watch that was his Fathers, and my Silver Whistle with five Bells and a Corall
to it, and a Silver-Chaine belonging to it:

Item I give devise and bequeath unto my deare
and loving daughter Bridget Zouch alias Sandis her heires and assignes all
that Messuage or Tenement and two Water mills with their appurtenances sci=
tuate lying and being in Donington in the Parish of Shawe in the COuntie of Berks
nowe in the occupation of Peter Holmes miller his Tenants or assignes, And all and
singular Fishinge wayes lights easements houses Outhouses Edifices Buildings Barnes
Stables Orchards Gardens waters streames water-works Banks bayes Mill-ponds
Dams Sluces floudgates sloud-hatches Commons profits commodities advantages and
hereditaments whatsoever to the said Messuage or Tenement mills and Premises be=
longing

[page 2 folio 205 recto]

belonging or to either or any of them in any wise apparteyning, and all yearly & other
Rents issues and profits thereof and the Reversion and reverence Remainder and
remainders of the said Premises or any of them, To have and to hold the said Messuage
or Tenement Mills and premises with their and every of their appurtenances unto my
said daughter Bridget Zouch alias Sandys her heires and assignes, to the only use of
her heires and assignes forever:

Item I give and bequeath unto my said daughter
Bridget Zouch alias Sandy's all my Plate Rings Goods and houshold stuff

Item I give and bequeath unto M^r Thomas Gilbert M^rs Anne Gilbert wife of the said
Thomas Gilbert Abraham Gilbert Sonn of the said Thomas Gilbert, and Anne
Gage wife of Henry Gage each of them the summe of twentie shillings apeece to buy
each of them a Ring:

Item all the rest and residue of my Chattells moneys estate
and substance whatsoever not herein and hereby bequested (my debts legacies and
funerall charges being first payd and satisfied) I doe give qand bequeath unto my said
Sonn William Zouch and to my said daughter Bridget Zouch alias Sandys to be
equally divided betweene them part and oart like; And I doe hereby make and ordaine
my said daughter Bridget Zouch alias Sandys sole Executrix of this my last
Will and Testament and I doe nominate and appoint my deare and loving Kins=
=man William Swayne of the Middle Temple London Esq[uire] Overseer of this my last
Will and Testament and I doe give unto him the summe of tenn pounds ^of lawfull
money of England: Lastly I doe hereby revoke renounce and make void all former
Will and Wills by mee made and doe publish and declare this to be my last Will
and Testament: In witness whereof I the said Bridget Zouch first above named
have to this my last Will and Testament set my hand and Seale the day and yeare
frst above written: Bridget Zouch Signed sealed published and declared in
the presence of :John Croft: Elizabeth Taylor: Abraham Gilbert

Research Notes

It seems highly likely that Bridget Zouch is the daughter of Samuel Iremonger and Bridget Corderoy owing to the fact that she has the mills at Donnington that were in Samuel Iremongers will. I have been unable to find a marriage record but believe that she married a James Zouch who had property in Hampshire an other places. See:https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C5662921: Reference: C 10/98/118 Description: Short title: Somers v Zouch.

Plaintiffs: Francis Somers.

Defendants: Bridget Zouch, widow, Eleanor Cordray, Hugh Gamlyn and John Goddard.

Subject: property in Lamport, Somerset.

Document type: bill, three answers and disclaimer

Date: 1663

Bridget was the widow of Henry Zouch who names her and her aunt Coderoy in his will here https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D766556

Bridget Zouch widow; Elinor Corderoy; Hugh Gamlyn; and John Goddard gentleman, executors of Henry Zouch late of St Margarets, Westminster, Middx, gentleman; and William Zouch son and heir of the said Henry Zouch being an infant by the said Bridget his mother and guardian v. Richard Sommers the elder and Richard Summers the younger; John Colvill; Samuel Highland; George Cleyton; and Robert St Hill & Mary his wife^[2]

Sources

1. ↑ Will: "England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858"
   The National Archives; Kew, Surrey, England; Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Series PROB 11; Class: PROB 11; Piece: 357
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 5111 #984927 (accessed 7 March 2023)
   Will of Bridget Zouch, granted probate on 4 Jul 1678. Died about 1678 in St Martin in the Fields, Middlesex, England.
2. ↑ https://waalt.uh.edu/index.php/C78_1669