Will of Dudson Bacon of Cumnor

Date: 29 May 1701 to 8 Feb 1716
Location: Whitley, Cumnor, Berkshire, England
Surname/tag: Bacon

The Will of Dudson Bacon of Whitley, Cumnor, Berks. Gentleman.
Written 29th May 1701 Proved 8th February 1715/16
Transcribed by Joe Farler in August 2019. Original copy at the National Archives of Kew, cat no: PROB 11/550/236

in the Name of God Amen I Dudson Bacon of Whitley in the parish of Cumnor in the County of Berks. Gentleman being well in Body and of perfect health (thanks be to Almighty God) yet considering the certainty of Death and the uncertainty of the time thereof do this Twenty Ninth day of May in the Year of our Lord God One Thousand Seven Hundred and ONe make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following. First I commend my Soul unto the hands of Almighty God who gave it me hoping to be saved by the only merits of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and in hopes of a joyful appearance before him clothed in the righteousness of Christ and in expectation of a Blessed Resurrection at the last day, and ny Body to the Earth from whence it came desiring it may be decently buried which I leave to the discretion of my overseers hereafter named in this my last Will and Testament and as for my worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased Almighty God to endow me I give and bequeath as followeth

Imprimis I give unto my dear and loving Children Ann Bacon, Mary Dudson Bacon and Betty Bacon Thirteen Hundred pounds; Five hundred for my daughter Ann Bacon and Four hundred pounds to my Daughter Mary Dudson Bacon and the like sum of Four hundred pounds to my Daughter Betty Bacon and for the raising and true payment of it until such money shall be by my Trustees fully completed and made up I give them the said Ann Mary and Betty all my Goods and Chattels whatsoever and thereout of an Estate I hold of my Lord Abingdon by Oxon in the Tything of Whitley in the parish of Cumnor which is held only by my Wife’s widowhood my Wife did assign her right of Widowhood of that Estate to me during her Widowhood which Assignment is on the Backside of her Indenture and agreed unto and Signed at the same time her Jointure was Signed and delivered by me — likewise the rent of leasehold Estate with one YardLand which I hold of the Earl of Abingdon Ann Bacon and Mary Dudson Bacon being the lives remaining in the said Lease the Land belonging to the said leasehold being likewise in the tithing of Whitley in the parish of Cumnor and if it should so happen that my Aunt Selleck should die before the Thirteen hundred be completed by my said Trustees I Empower them forever the rents of a certain Manor or Farms called Heatherton Farm in the parish of Bradford in the County of Somerset until the said sums shall be raised or paid And afterwards all the said Estate in the Tything of Whitley in the parish of Cumnor in the County of Berks. and the manor or Farm of Heatherton in the parish of Bradford in the County of Somerset to revert to my son and heir Dudson Bacon and his heirs

for ever and for want of such heirs to Ann Bacon and her heirs males and for want of such Issue Male to Mary Dudson Bacon and her heirs males, and for want of such Issue male to Betty Bacon and her Issue male, and for want of such Issue male to the female of Ann Bacon and for want of such issue female to Mary Dudson Bacon and her female heirs and for want of such Issue female to Betty Bacon and her female and for want of such Issue female to the right Heirs of Dudson Bacon for ever. I intend to put this in a better form but if it should please God I should die before and as here is no witnesses to it yet my desire is it may stand in the Law my Trustees Mr Watkins of Sutton Mr Richard Pledwell of Abingdon Mr James Groves of Woodstock Mrs Lydall of Northmore and my Wife. — Dudson Bacon.

Appeareth personally Ptolemy James Clerk, Rector of Whatcott in the County of Warwick and Nathaniel Humfrey of the Inner Temple London, Esquire and by Virtue of their Cor- poral Oaths do severally say and despose that they well then and were acquainted with Dudson Bacon late of Whitley in the parish of Cumnor in the County of Berks deceased and with his Character and hand writing having often seen him write and Subscribe his name and having now at the time of making this their Desposition seen and perused a paper or Writing purporting as last Will or Testament of the said deceased beginning thus In the name of God Amen I Dudson Bacon.. and ending thus my Trustees Mr Watkins of Sutton Mr….. Richard Pledwell of Abingdon Mr Jams Groves of Wood - stock Mr Lydall of Northmoor and my Wife and Subscribed thus Dudson Bacon do verily believe the same to be totally wrote by and with the proper handwriting of the said deceased. Signed: Ptolomy James. Nath:Humfrey./. 17th November 1715

Proved 8th Feb 1715 ( ie 1716 ) .

There is a footnote in Latin re Betty Bacon which is hard to read and yet to be translated - it is to do with the Probate and possibly Betty’s death ?

Notes: his only son, Dudson died 23rd March 1703/4 age 12. Daughter Eliz. d. 11 July 1694, elder sister of Dudson. Heater