Brett Will 1691

Will of Richard Brett

of Ringwould, Kent

Source: Archdeaconry Court of Canterbury, Canterbury Cathedral Archives PRC 16/32 B/11 or: PRC 17/77/384
Submitted by Carole Brett

In the name of God Amen I Richard Brett of the Parish of Ringwould in the County of Kent, Yeoman being weake in body but of sound memory and understanding, praised be to Almighty God for the same, yett considered the uncertainty of this mortal life, doe for the Settlement of that small estate the Lord hath lent me, make this my last will and Testament in writeing, in manner and forme following
And first of all I yeild my Soule into the hands of almighty God my Creatour hopeing for the Salvation thereof through his free grace and the merritts and mediation of Jesus Christ my only Saviour and Redeemer And my body I committ to the earth whence it came to be decently buried att the discrecon of my Executors hereinafter named

Item I will, bequeath and give unto Mary my loveing Wife one Silver Tankard and one Small Silver cup marked M.A.
Item I will and give my eldest sonn Richard Brett one Silver beer bowls

Item I will, bequeath and give unto my three daughters Elizabeth Brett, Mary Brett and Debora Brett the Sume of ThreScore [60] pounds apeece of lawfull money of England, to be paid to them, and every of them, by my Executors hereafter named att their severall and respective Ages of Eighteene yeares or dayes of Marriage, which shall first happen The Interest and profitts thereof in the meane time to be paid towards their severall maintenances
And if any of them my said three Daughters shall dye and departe this life before such legacyes or porcons hereinbefore given them shall bee due to be paid, then my will is the legacyes or porcons as aforesaid given to him or them soe dyeing, shall come to the Survivour or Survivours of them

Item I will and give unto my youngest sonn Robert Brett the Sume of Thirty poundes of lawfull money of England and to be paid by my Executors towards the putting of him an Apprentice to some honest trade or calling in convenient time after my death, according to the likeing of my said sonne

Item I will and give unto the said Mary my wife during her naturall life all that my Messuage or Tenement with the orchard buildings and appurten[an]ces thereto belonging now in my Mothers or my owne occupacon Scituate and being in Ringwould aforesaid, she keeping the same repaired
And after her decease I will and give the same unto my said sonn Richard Brett and to his heires forever

Item I will, bequeath and give unto the said Richard Brett my sonn and to his heires for ever all my lands and other my reall estate whatsoever, which are lying and being in Ringwould aforesaid and Sutton next Dover or else where in the said County of Kent, he paying out of the same unto my youngest sonn Robert Brett att his age of one and twenty yeares the sume of Two hundred pounds of lawfull money of England And I doe charge my said lands and other reall estate with the payment thereof accordingly

Provided also and my will and meaneing is that Mary my wife shall receive and take the rents and proffitts of my said lands and other reall estate untill my said Sonn Richard shall attaine his age of one and twenty yeares for the better maintenance of all my said children before named

All the rest and residue of my personall effects not before disposed of in this my will, after my legacyes before given, funerall charge and probate of this my will shall be paid and discharged; I will and give the same unto the said Mary my wife and Richard my sonne, equally to be devided between them
But my will is that all the debts which I owe upon Morgage bond or otherwise, shall be paid by them out of the same

And I doe hereby nominate, constitute and appoint the said Mary my wife and Richard my sonne to bee Jointe Executors of this my last will and Testament, and my desire is they will carefully performe all what is herein conteyned to be done by them

And I doe by this my Will appointe my brothers in law Edward Morris and Robert Austen Junr. to be Overseers thereof, and doe earnestly desire their care and assistance of my Executors for their better performeing of this my will and preservacon of the severall legacies and porcons before given my children

This is the last will and Testament of me the said Richard Brett And I doe hereby revoake and make void all former wills by me made
In Witnes whereof I the said Richard Brett have to this my present last will and Testament conteyned in two Sheets of paper, to the last Sheet thereof my hand and seale sett and putt, dated this nine and twentieth day of November In the Second yeare of the Reigne of our Soveraigne Lord and Lady, William and Mary, by the grace of God, now King and Queen of England, etc. Anno dini 1690
Richard Brett

Signed, Sealed, published and declared to be the last will and Testament of the said Richard Brett in the presence of
John Young, James Moyes, Thomas Nowell

Probatum fuit: 27th March 1691

Transcribed by Shelagh Mason 19th October 2021

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Will of Richard Brett
Created by Maureen Rawson