Will of Stephen Soame 1771

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: London, England
Surnames/tags: Soame Wills

WORK IN PROGRESS

Will of Stephen Soame (1736-1771)
This is a transcription of the register copy of the Will of Stephen Soame of the Middle Temple, London. It was written on 3 June 1771 and proved at London on 28 August 1771. ^[1]

Transcription conventions:
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

• Stephen Soame of the Middle Temple London, Testator
• my Father Stephen Soame
• my Mother Ann Soame
• my most truly Dear Wife Frances Soame, Sole Executrix
• John Henrick, friend
• Charles Mellish, friend
• Charles Stevenson
• M^r John Sharpe
• my Brother Henry Soame
• my Sister Charlotte Soame
• John Taylor, witness

Transcription

[page one]

I Stephen Soame
of the Middle Temple London make this my last will and
Testament whereas by the last will and Testament of my
Father Stephen Soame bearing data on or about the third day
of June in the year of our Lord one thousand Seven hundred
and Sixty two I am entitled to the sum of three thousand
pounds upon the decease of my Mother Ann Soame I do
hereby dispose of the said three thousand pounds in the
following manner I give and bequeath to my most truly
Dear Wife Frances Soame the sum of two thousand Five hundred
pounds

I also give and bequeath to John Henrick of Berners
Street and to Charles Mellish of Golden Square Westminster
Esq.^rs their Executors Adm[inistrato]^rs and Assigns the sum of Five
hundred pounds nevertheless upon this Special Trust
and Confidence that they the said John Henrick and Charles
Mellish their Executors Adm[inistrat]ors and Assigns will and do
hold the same for the sole use and benefit of Charles
Stevenson now being and residing at the Boarding School
of M^r John Sharpe at Bromley near Bow in Middlesex and
as I Judge it is to be greatly for the advantage of the said
Charles Stevenson that his affairs should be under the
more Immediate Care and direction of the said John
Henrick and Charles Mellish the Trustees abovenamed I
do therefore desire and request as the last and Greatest
instance of that Friendship I have so often Experienced
from them that they the said Trustees will take upon them
the trouble of disposing of the said Five hundred pounds
in such manner as they in their discretion shall according
to Circumstances think most beneficial to the said
Charles Stevenson

my Brother Henry Soame and my Sister
Charlotte Soame (for both of whom I entertain the Highest

[page two]

affection and Esteem) are I trust too well acquainted with
the peculiarity of my situation to be discontented at the
disposition I have here made of my Efforts Especially as what
everaddition I could make to their fortunes would be of
very Little benefit to them but Highly prejudicial to others
and as to M^r Henrick and M^r Mellish whom I have troubled
in ^^the manner above mentioned the Intimate Friendship that has
subsisted amongst us for the Course of several years not less
than their affluent condition of Life will I am Confident make
all Apologies from me unnecessary

I appoint my wife to be
my Sole Executrix this Thirtieth day of April in the year of
our Lord one thousand Seven hundred and Seventy one
I do recommend in a peculiar manner to the Care and
protection of my Wife the Interest of the abovenamed
Charles Stevenson being ^^very Confident that he cannot have
and more kind and beneficent Guardian — Ste:Soame/.

Appeared personally the Rev.^d Henry Soame
of Milden Hall in the County of Suffolk Clerk and ^^John Taylor of
the Parish of Saint James Westminster in the County of
Middlesex Servant and being sworn on the Holy Evangelists
to depose the Truth severally made Oath that they know and were
well acquainted with Stephen Soame late of the Middle Temple
London Esquire deceased for several years before and to the
time of his death and also with his manner and character
of hand writing and subscription having often seen him write
and also subscribe his Name and having now soon and
carefully perused the paper writing hereto annexed
purporting to be the Last Will and Testament of the said
deceased beginning thus "I Stephen Soame of the Middle Temple
London make this my Last Will and Testament" ending thus
I appoint my Wife to be my Sole Executrix this thirtieth
day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand Seven
hundred and Seventy one – I do recommend in a peculiar
manner to the Care and protection of my Wife the Interest
of the above named Charles Stevenson being very confident
that he cannot have a more kind & beneficent Guardian and
thus subscribed "Ste Soame" They these deponents severally
say that they verily in their Consciences believe the said
subscription "Ste Soame" and also the whole body and Contents
of the said paper writing to be of the proper hand writing and
Subscription of the said Stephen Soame deceased |—| H^ry Soame
John Taylor |—| 27 August 1771 the said Rev. Henry Soame was
sworn to the truth of this affidavit before me F^s: Simpson
Surrogate P^t: Edw[ard] Cheslyn Not Pub./. 27 August 1771 the said
John Taylor was sworn tot he truth of this affidavit before me
F^s: Simpson Surrogate Pres^t: Nath Bishop. N: P:

This Will was proved at London the twenty Eighth Day
of August in the year of our Lord One thousand Seven hundred

[page three]

and Seventy one before the Worshipful Francis Simpson Doctor
of Laws and Surrogate of the Right Worshipfull George Hay also
Doctor of Laws Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative
Court of Canterbury Lawfully Constituted by the Oath of
Frances Soame Widow the Relict of the deceased and Sole
Executrix named in the said Will to whom administration was
granted of all and singular the Goods Chattels and Credits of the
said deceased she having been First sworn duly to administer. Ex.

Research Notes

Sources

1. ↑ Will of Stephen Soame of Middle Temple, Middlesex

   Reference: PROB 11/970/334

   Description: Will of Stephen of the Middle Temple, Middlesex

   Date: 28 August 1771

   Held by: The National Archives, Kew