Will of Godfrey Kneller Kneller of Donhead Hall , Wiltshire, 1781

National Archives, Kew, Surrey, England

Reference: PROB 11/1080/223

Description: Will of Godfrey Kneller Kneller of Donhead Hall , Wiltshire

Date: 24 July 1781

In the Name of God Amen

I Godfrey Kneller Kneller of Donhead Hall in the County

of Wilts Esquire benig in perfect health and of sound

mind and memory thanks to almighty God for the same

but knowing the uncertainty of human life do make

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and ordain this my last will and Testament

In manner and form following that is to say

Imprimis I bequeath my soul into the hands of

Almighty God who gave it hoping for a joyfull

resurection thro’ Christ my Saviour my Body I

commend to the earth to be decently but by no means

pompously interred at the discretion of my Executrix

herein after named and as to all my worldly goods

and Estates that it hath pleased almighty God to

bless me with I give and dispose thereof as follows first

I will and direct that all my just debts and Funeral

expences be discharged and paid Item I give

and bequeath unto my dearly beloved wife Rebecca

Kneller the sum of one hundred pounds to be paid

within one month after my decease for her own

immediate use to be taken out of the cash I

may have in my house at the time of my

decease which sum at least please God I always

intend to keep by me for that purpose but should

there be andy deficiency then my will and desire is

that it may be made food out of some of my first

rents paid in after my decease Item I give and

bequeath unto my said dear wife all her

wearing apparel of all sorts Linnen & together

with all her Rings Jewells and other ornaments

of her person Item I give and bequeath unto my

said dear wife the house I now live in called and

known as Donhead Hall for and untill

my dear son John Kneller should return

from India and claim it then I mean and direct

she my said dear wife shall immediately resign it

up to him together with all the furniture that

shall be left in my said house at the time of my

decease as plate Linnen pictures china beds kitchen

furniture the reasonable wear in mean time

excepted as I will that my dear wife should have

the use of all and every part of the furniture aforesaid

during her residence in the house but not the

propaty of disposing or taking away to any other

house any part or parcel of the Goods plate or

linnen pictures etc belonging to this Item I

give and bequeath unto my dear wife a pair of my

best coach horses that I may die possessed of together

with the coach or charriot which she shall choose

the rest to be sold and the farm lett as soon as

conveniently it may the stock also on the farm

as corn hay cows sheep pigs etc together with all

the implements of husbandry waggons carts harness

[Unil’s?] etc to be sold for the benefit of my son

John Kneller and the speedier discharge of any

debts or legacys hereafter mentioned Item I give

and bequeath unto my wife all my /\ [part line inserted wine rum brandy strong beer and small that may/\ be

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my house at the time of my decease for her own

use and benefit during her residence in it Item I will

and direct whoever takes this farm called and

known by the name of Bill Knapper shall if desired

by my dear wife keep one cow for her Gratis that

is without paying for her keeping Item I give and

bequeath to my dear wifes mother Anis Thetwall

the sum of ten pounds to buy her mourning

Item I give and bequeath unto Jeremian Norrris

my butler for his long and faithful service to

me the sum of twenty pounds together with all

my wollen cloaths as coats waistcoats Great coats

etc also all my shoes stockings hats and wiggs

that may be in my house at the time of my

decease and desire he may [occupy?] all my Estates

in the Parish of Donhead St Mary if he chooses

at a fair annual rent as my Executrix hereinafter

named shall agree to for and untill my dear son

John Kneller now in India returns home to claim

it the annual rent to be paid to my Executrix

and to be laid out by her in Government or

any other good securities for the benefit and increase

of my dear son John Kneller /\fortune/\ also I hereby

will and declare my dear wife Rebecca Kneller

whole and sole executrix of this my last will and

testament to receive the rents of all my several

estate unsettled whether freehold copyhold or leasehold

in the County of Wilts Dorset Middlesex or in any

other County in the Kingdom of Great Britain

together with all my personal estate whether in

India Bonds or other securities or in my Bankes

hands also all arrears of rent that may be

due to me at the time of my decease she

discharging all my just debts and funeral expences

out of it and laying at the remainder in

Government or any other good securities for the

immediate benefit of my dear son John Kneller

and his heirs for ever Item I give and bequeath

unto my dear daughters Charlotte Kneller and

Kitty Kneller the sum of one thousand pounds each

to be paid tham by my son John Kneller when

he comes into the possession of the Bill Knapps

and Wincomb Park estates both in the parish of

Donhead St Mary which I hereby charge with

the above named two thousand pounds and until

paid to allow my two daughters three per cent

per anuum for it viz thirty pound a year

each and whereas I have lately come to the

possession of eight thousand five hundred pounds

stock in Government securities by the will of my

dear wifes late uncle Mr Christopher Fullagar

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together with four Bridge Bonds value one hundred

pounds each and five Surgeons Companys Bond

value fifty pounds each I do give and bequeath

[from?] all immediately after my decease the interest

on all the above mentioned Stock and bonds unto

my dear wife Rebecca Kneller for and during her

natural life as an addition to her jointure she

paying fifty pounds a year annually out of it to each of

my two daughters Charlotte and Kitty Kneller

and from and immediately after her decease

I give and dispose of it in manner and form

following To my dear son John Kneeler the

sum of three thousand pounds the remainder to

be divided between my dear daughters Charlotte

and Kitty Kneller as aforesaid share and share alike

item I hereby confirm my dear wife whole and

sole executrix of this my last will and testament

and do hereby revoke and null all former wills

at any time heretofore made In witness whereof I

have hereunto set my hand and seal in the presence

of these witnesses this thirty first day of May

one thousand seven hundred and seventy six H

K Kneller (&seal) signed sealed published and

declared by the testator to be his last will and

testament in the presence

of us who have hereunto subscribed out names

in the presence of each other Tho Benet John Benet [---] Nath’l Palmer

Memo I do hereby give and bequeath unto

my two daughters Charlotte and Kitty Kneller the

inclosed receipt for five hundred pounds in the

four per cent conselidated annuity for their own

immediate and sole use whenever they think proper

to sell it out the Money to be equally divided between

them and the interest upon it to receive jointly

between them share and share alike till sold

witness my hand 14 October 1778 G K Kneller

Appeared Personally Jeremiah

Norris of the parish of Donheadst Mary and

Elizabeth Payne of the same parish and being

sworn of the Holy Evangelists made oath as follows

that they knew and were well acquainted with

Godfrey Kneller Kneller late of Donhead Saint Mary

in the County of Wilts Esq’r deceased and with his

manner and character of handwriting having often

seen him write and subscribe his name and

having now seen and carefully viewed the paper

writing hereunto annexed purporting to be a

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codicil to the last will and testament of the said deceased

thesaid codicil beginning thus “ Memo” I do hereby

give and bequeath “ and ending thus witness my hand

14 Octo 1778 and thus subscribed “G K Kneller” they these

deponents say---- that they do

verily and in their conscences believe the whole of the

said codicil and the subscription thereto be all of the

proper hand writin of the said Godfrey Kneller Kneller

Esquire deceased Jer Norris Elizabeth Payne On the

first day of July 1781 the said Jeremiah Norris and

Elizabeth Payne now duly sworn to the truth of the

above affidavit by virtue of the Commission hereunto

annexed Before me Tho Smith clerk of Donhead

St Mary

This will was proved at London with a codicil the

twenty fourth day of July in the year of our Lord one

thousand seven hundred and eighty one […]

by the oath of Rebecca Kneller widow the relict of the deceased […]

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