Will of Thomas Mountjoy Gent of Biddestone St Peters 1686

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Biddestone, Wiltshire
Surname/tag: Mountjoy

Transcript of the Will of Thomas Mountjoy Gent of Biddestone St Peters 1686^[1]

In the name of God Amen the ffifth day of December in the Six and Thirtieth yeare of the Reigne of King Charles the Second in the yeare of our Lord God 1684 I Thomas Mountjoy of Bidestone St Peters in the County of Wiltes Gent being weake of Bodie but of perfect minde and memory I praise God for it, doe make and ordayne this my last will and Testament in manner and forme following (that is to say) ffirst I commend my soule unto the hands of Almighty God my maker hopeing Assuredly through the merits of Jesus Christ my saviour to be made ptaker of life everlasting, my Body I commend to the Earth wherof it was made not Doubting but at the great day of God I shalbe raised up to eternall happiness And for my worldly goods which the Lord hath lent me in this life to make use of I dispose (as followeth)

Item I give and bequath unto my Three sonnes (to witt) Edward and Edmund Two hundred pounds apeece of Lawfull money of England and to my son Jonathan Two hundred and ffifty pounds of the like Lawfull money of England to be paid unto them within ffive yeares next after my decease or when they come to the age of one and twenty yeares.

Item I give and bequeath unto my sonn Thomas fforty shillings of Lawfull money of England and one Silver Spoone marked with T:M: and T:H:

Item I give and bequeath unto my sonn John the Lease of the Tann house in Publow where he now liveth uppon Condicon that he doe save harmless his Brother William Mountjoy of and from a Bastard child Borne of the Body of Ann Savage of Laycock.

Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Mary Mountjoy Two Hundred and ffifty pounds of Lawfull money of England, and my Silver Tankard to be paid unto her within ffive yeares after my decease or when shee come to the age of one and Twenty yeares as aforesaid.

Item I give and bequeath unto my sonn Alwyn Two Hundred pounds of Lawfull money of England to be paid to him within ffive yeares after my decease or when he come to the Age of one and Twenty yeares as aforesaid. Alsoe my will is that if any one or more of my aforesaid Children happen to die or depart this naturall life within the said times afore mentioned then his or theire parts soe dying shalbe equally divided amongst them which are liveing And further my will is that my Executor hereafter named or his Assignes shall pay unto each of my said Children which are liveing the sume of Tenn pounds of Lawfull money a yeare a peece towards theire maintenance untill the Legacies which I give them be fully sattisfied paid and discharged. Alsoe I give and bequeath to the poore of the pish of Bidestone Twenty Shillings, And alsoe the poore of the pish where I shall be Buried Twenty Shillings to be paid them within ? moneth next after my decease.

Item I give and bequeath unto my sonn William Mountjoy my best Bed and all the ffurniture thereunto belonging And the bed that he lyeth on and all the ffurniture thereunto belonging and all the ffurniture about my house and all the Brewing vessel with all my Barrells the best sute of Table Linnien and all the standards to the house, And one dozen of Pewter, One brass pan one Brass Pott and all the pans and the Plow harnis And the Waggens and Dung Potts and the Lease of the Parsonage in Biddestone aforesaid, and all the living Cattell whatsoever as I die possest off, ixcepting seaven Cowe beast.

Item I give and bequeath unto my beloved Wife Sibbell Mountjoy the sume of ffifty pounds of good and Lawfull money of England and seaven Cowe Beast to hold to her and her Assignes for ever and one Chest of drawers where I now lye.

Item all the rest of my houshold goods not already bequeathed and given of what nature and kinde whatsoever they be I give and bequeath unto my said Wife during the tearme of her naturall life, And after her decease my will is that the said goods shall be equally divided amongst my Children that shall be then living (the heire excepted).

Item I give and bequeath unto my afore named sonn William Mountjoy whome I doe ordaine and make my sole and whole Executor of this may last will and Testament, All my Grounds pcells of Lands and Tenements that I nowe Enjoy and which are not menconed in a Joynture which I made to my beloved wife Sibbell, And alsoe all my goods and Chattels whatsoever not before bequeathed as well reall as psonall To have and to hold unto him the said William Mountjoy and his Assignes presently after my decease, Provided the said William Mountjoy shall and doe well and truly pay and discharge all my debts and Legacies and my ffunerall expenses. And I doe ordaine and desire my Loving friends Jonathan Scott of Chippenham in the County of Wiltes aforesaid Gentleman and Jonathan Dick of Langly in the County aforesaid Gentleman to be Overseers of this my last will and Testament to whome I give ffive shillings apeece desiring them or the longest survivor of them to take care to see my legacies paid and my will pformed And lastly I doe hereby disanull and revoke all former wills and Testaments and if it shall happen at any time hereafter any Ambiguity doubt or question to arise amongst my wife and Children or other clayming any benifitt to this my last will by reason of the Imperfeccons or defect in any pte of the words clauses or sentences in this my last will and Testament or of my true intent and meaning therein, that then for the further and better explanacon interpretacon and construction of such ambiguity doubt or question, my desire is that my said Overseers or the Survivor of them shall expound explaine and interprett the same according to his or theire discreations which I would have to be finall And that all psons whom it may or shall Concerne doe test contented and Sattisfied therewith, And that if any of my said Children shall not obey the same then that Child soe disobeying shall loose the benifitt of all such Legacies and all other comodities appoynted and given hereby to him or her, and the same porcon soe given to remaine amongst the rest of my Children In witness whereof I the said Thomas Mountjoy unto this psent last will and Testament have sett my hand and seale the day and yeare above written.

Codicil

Be it knowne unto all men by these psents that whereas I Thomas Mountjoy within written have made and declared this my last will and Testament in writing, beareing date the ffifth day of December in the yeare of our Lord God 1684 I the said Thomas Mountjoy do by this psent Codicil confirm and ratifie my said last will and Testament, and do give and bequeath unto my son John Mountjoy the sume of ffive shillings of Lawfull money of England.

Item I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Sibbell Mountjoy one Chest of Drawers where I now lyeth: And my will and meaning is farther that my Two sons John and Thomas (who have received theire porcons allready) shall have no part or pcell of the Tenn Pounds a yeare within menconed for theire maintenance and my will and meaning is that this Codicil or Schedule be, and be adjudged to be, part and parcel of my said last will and Testament ; and that all things herein contained and mentioned be faithfully and truly performed, and as fully and amply in every respect as if the same were soe declared and set downe in my said last will and Testament In witnes whereof I the said the said Thomas Mountjoy have hereunto set my hand and seale the One and Twentieth day of January in the Six and thirtieth yeare of the Reigne of King Charles the second Anno Dom 1684.

The marke and seale of Thomas Mountjoy

Sealed and published in the presence of Francis Edwards, Harry Edwards, John Somner

Inventory

A true & pfect Inventory of the Goods and chattels of Thomas Mountioy late of Bidestone St Peters in the County of Wiltes Gent deceased .. the 9th daie of September 1685 ....

£610 18s 8d

Probate

10 May 1686

Sources

1. ↑ Will of Thomas Mountjoy. 1686. P3/M/261. Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre.