Will of Peter Were Sergemaker of Burlescombe 1730

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Burlescombe, Devon, England

Peter Were Sergemaker of Burlescombe wrote his Will on 23 October 1729 which was proved on 24 December 1730^[1]

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

People named in the Will

• Ann Chappell (daughter)
• Thomas Were (brother)
• Joan Were (daughter of brother Thomas)
• John Were
• Sary Were
• Ann Were
• James Were (brother)
• Robert Were (brother)
• Robert Were (brother Robert's son)
• Thomas Were of Willington (brother Robert's son)
• Peter Were (son of brother Robert Were)
• Elizabeth Were (daughter of brother Robert)
• Peter Were (son of brother Thomas)
• Robert Were (son of brother Thomas)
• Witnesses: Nath Deere, Thomas Allford, William Calbreath

---

In the Name of God Amen
the twenty third day of October in the second year of the Reign
of our Sovereign Lord George by the grace of God of Great
Britain France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith &c
Annoq[ue] Domi[ni] One Thousand seven hundred twenty and
nine I Peter Were of Burliscomb in the County of Devon
Sergemaker being of a sound perfect and disposing Mind
and Memory thanks be given to Almighty God for the same
but calling to Mind the uncertainty of life and certainty of
Death and therefore being desirous of Settleing my Mind
concerning such Worldly Goods and Estate as God hath
blessed me withall do make this my last Will and
Testament hereby revoking all former Wills and testaments
as followeth Imprimis I recommend my Soul into the
Hands of Almighty God my Saviour in hopes of Eternall
Salvation through the Merits and Mediation of Jesus
Christ my Redeemer and I desire ^^that my Body be decently
buried Item I give and bequeath to my Daughter Ann
Chappell Widow All my Lands and all my Goods and
Chattells and all Mortgages amd Bonds and Notes of
Demand unto her and her Heirs for ever Heirs Male or

[Page 2 fo. 317]
Female for ever Item I give to my Brother Thomas Were
the two Bonds which is one Hundred and Twenty Pounds
I give clear paying to his daughter Joan Were Twenty Pounds Item
I give to Sary Were the sum of Twenty Pounds Item I give
to Ann Were Twenty Pounds and to be paid out of the two
Bonds that is due to me from my Brother Thomas Were
Item I give to my Brother James Were the Bond of Forty
Pounds and the Interest that is due Item I give to my
Brother James Were the Twenty Pounds that I paid when
I took up the Morage from M^r hellings I do order my
Executrix to Eald up the Writings to my Brother James
Were and the Forty Pounds Bond with it Item I give to my
Brother Robert Were Son Robert Were the Estate called
Herries lying in Wesleight for ever if my Daughter Anne
Chappell having no Children no Male nor Female and after
ever Item I give Robert Were Son Thomas Were of Willington
Twenty Pounds to be paid in one Year after my decease
by my Executrix Item I give to my Brother ^^Robert Were Son
Peter Were one broad peice of Gold Item I give to my
Brother Robert Weres Daughter Elizabeth Were on broad
peice of Gold Item I give to Thomas Were Son Peter
Were the Estate called Fortts and Fortts Close and the Estate
that I bought of Allford laying in Sanford Peverill if my
Daughter Anne Chappell having no Children Male nor
Female and after my Daughter decease and then to him
and his Heirs for ever Item I give to my Brother Thomas
Were Son Robert Were the Estate called Sowden during his
naturall Life after the decease of my Daughter Ann Chappell
if She having no Children Male nor Female Item I give
to my Brother James Were the sum of four pounds a Year
to be paid him by quarterly payments during his naturall
Life to be paid by my Executrix hereafter mentioned Item
I give to the poor of Spicfland ten pounds to the discretion
of my Daughetr Ann Chappell my Executrix Item I do order
and appoint my Daughter Ann Chappell to be my Executrix
of all what I have In Witness whereof I have hereunto sitt
have sett my Hand the Day and Year abovesaid Peter
Were Signed Sealed Published and Declared by the abovenamed
Peter Were the Testator to be his last Will and Testament
and afterwards in his presence subscribed and attested by us
Nath Deere Thomas Allford William Calbreath

Probate in Latin with administration granted to Anne Chappell widow daughter of the deceased and named executrix on 24 December 1730 in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury at London.

Sources

1. ↑ PROB 11/641/375 Description: Will of Peter Were, Sergemaker of Burlescombe, Devon Date: 24 December 1730 Held by: The National Archives, Kew