Brett Will 1687

Will of Robert Brett

of Ringwould, Kent


Source: Archdeaconry Court of Canterbury, Canterbury Cathedral Archives PRC 16/316 B/19 or: PRC 17/77/10
Submitted by Carole Brett
In the name of God Amen I Robert Brett of the Parish of Ringwould in the County of Kent, Yeoman being weak in body but of sound and perfect memory doe make and ordaine this my last Will and Testament in manner and forme following
First I give and bequeath my Soul into the Hands of Allmighty God my maker, hopeing assuredly through the merritts of Jesus Christ my Saviour to be made partaker of life everlasting and my Body to the earth to be decently buried by the discretion of my Executor hereafter named

Item I give and bequeath unto Mary my well Beloved Wife her dwelling in the Parlor in my now dwelling house in Ringwould aforesaid and the little Room adjoyning to the said Parlor during the Term of her [nat]urall Life with free Libertie of ingresse, egresse and (r)egresse to and from the same, and the use of my Well to have and take Water, and all my Bees with Power and Priviledge to stand and remain for her Use the Terme of her naturall life
And likewise one of my best Cowes, and likewise keeping for one Cow in my Yard and pasture belonging to my said dwelling house during the Terme of her naturall life And also the one halfe of my Goods within my said house, ready money excepted
And also every year during the Terme of her naturall life four Bushells of my best Aples and Pears which shall grow in my Orchard in Ringwould aforesaid att her own choise and the free Use of my Garden to walke therein and to have and take herbes there
And also the Sume of Forty shillings of good and lawfull money of England to be paid unto her within one Month next after my decease by mine Execut[or]s hereafter named and my silver Beerehold

Item I give and bequeath unto my Loving Sonn John Brett the Sume of five pounds of good and lawfull money of England to be paid unto him att the end of one year next after my decease by mine Executor hereafter named;
and to his Son Robert, my GrandChild the Sume of Twenty Pounds of Good and lawfull money of England, to be paid unto him att the end of Six Months next after the decease of Mary my Wife by my Executor hereafter named;
and to his Son John the Sume of Ten Pounds of Good and lawfull money of England, to be paid unto him att the end of Six Months next after the decease of Mary my Wife by my Executor

And likewise I give and bequeath to Mary the Daughter of my Sonn John Brett the Sume of Tenn Pounds of Good and lawfull money of England, to be paid unto her att the end of Six Months next after the decease of Mary my Wife by my Executor hereafter named
And my Will and meaning is that if any of my Grandchildren (that is to say) Robert, John or Mary shall departe this life before they shall attain their Legacies, then I will that his or her Legacies so dying shall be equally be devided (as written) between the Survivors of their Child or Children if they shall happen to have any

Item I give and bequeath unto Mary my Daughter the Sume of five shillings
Item I give & bequeath unto my Daughter Thomazin the now Wife of John Austen the Sume of Forty shillings a yeare of good and lawfull money of England to be paid tenn shillings every quarter after the decease of my Wife Mary her Mother, to be paid by mine Executor hereafter named

Item I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Ann the Sum of Thirty pounds of good and lawfull money of England to be paid unto her within one year next after my decease by mine Executor w[hi]ch I p[ro]mised in parte of her porton wch is not yett paid
Item I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Elizabeth the Sume of Sixty pounds of good and lawfull money of England, thirty pounds to be paid unto her att the end of Six months next after my decease; and the other thirtie att the end of nine months by mine Executor

And the one halfe of my household goods equally to be devided Between Mary my now Wife and my said Daughter Elizabeth, to bee equally devided att the end of one Month next after my decease

Item I give and bequeath unto my Grand Child Stephen Mumbrey the Sume of five pounds of good and lawfull money of England to be disposed for his Use when he shall be putt out an Apprentize. If he be not put out, to be paid unto him when he shall Attaine unto the age of One and Twenty years

Item I give and bequeath unto my Loving Son Richard Brett all my Houses, Lands and Tenem[en]ts, he paying my Debts, Legacies and Funeral Expences
but my Will and meaning is that the house wherein I now dwell with the Barne Stables and out houses and seaventeen Acres of Land, lying and being in the Parish of Ringwould and Sutton wch was given me by my Uncle Richard Brett, I give unto my Grandsonn Richard Sonn of my Sonn Richard Brett and his Heires Males for ever, after the decease of his Father

And I doe hereby make and ordaine my Son Richard sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament, revoking all former Wills here before made

In Witnes whereof I have to the First sheet sett my had and to this second and last my hand and Seal this Twenty second day of July in the third year of the Reigne of our Sovereigne Lord King James the Second over England etc. Anno dini 1687
Robert Brett

Sealed, Signed, Published and declared to be the last Will and Testament of Robert Brett in the p[re]sence of
Thomas Gardner; Richard Crannbock; Richard Ford

Probatum fuit: 12th October 1687

Transcribed by Shelagh Mason 19th October 2021


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Will of Robert Brett
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