Will of Michael Comport

of Cooling, Kent

First I give and bequeath unto my dear Wife Frances Comport the Sum of fifty pounds of lawful money of Great Britain to be paid to her as soon after my decease as conveniently may be together with then Grey Mare she has always been accustomed to ride and the Bridle and Saddle thereto belonging

Also I give and bequeath unto my Son William Comport the Sum of five hundred pounds of like Money to be paid to him within two years next after my decease
Also I give and bequeath unto Sarah the Wife of James Hicks of Dartford in the County of Kent yeoman the Sum of Fifty pounds of like Money to be paid to her so soon after my decease as conveniently may be

Also I give devise and bequeath unto my said Wife Frances Comport and her Assigns for and during so long time as she shall continue my Widow Sole and unmarried all that Messuage or Tenement Farm Lands and Premisses with the Appurtenances commonly called or known by the Name of Perry Hills situate in the Parish of Cliff in the said County and from and after her death of Widowhood which shall first happen I give devise and bequeath the said Farm called Perry Hills unto my said Son William Comport his Heirs and Assigns for ever

Also I give devise and bequeath unto my said Son William Comport his Heirs and Assigns for ever all that my Messuage with the Appurtenances situate in Cliff aforesd. called the Mill House

Also I give devise and bequeath unto my said Wife Frances Comport and her Assigns for and during so long time as she shall continue my Widow Sole and unmarried one Annuity or Yearly Payment of twenty pounds of like money to be paid to her Yearly and every Year during her said Widowhood out of all and every my Real and Personal Estate whatsoever And upon four (of) the most usual Feast days in the year And I do hereby expressly charge all and every my Real and personal Estate which I shall die possessed of with the payment of the said Annuity of twenty pounds and subject and liable thereto and charged and chargeable therewith

I give devise and bequeath all and every the Rest and Residue of my Real and personal Estate w'tsoever and wheresoever not herein before otherwise disposed of unto and to the use of my Son Michael Comport his Heirs Executors Administrators and Assigns for ever

And my Will and Mind is and I do direct that my said Wife shall be lodged and boarded in my now dwelling House and that she shall be intitled to have the before mentioned Grey Mare kept and Maintained on the Farm on which I now reside and also to have the use of the Chamber over the Kitchen and one Room adjoining and all the Furniture therein for and during so long time as she shall continue my Widow Sole and Unmarried but no longer She my said Wife paying unto my said Son Michael Comport his Exors. Admors. and Assigns at and after the Rate of ten pounds per annum Yearly for so long as she shall continue to lodge and Board as aforesaid in my now dwelling House

Also I make nominate and appoint my said dear Wife Frances Comport and my said Son Michael Comport Executrix and Executor of this my last Will and I do hereby revoke and make void all former Wills by me at any time heretofore made

In Witness whereof I the said Michael Comport the Testator have to this my last Will and Testament contained in two Sheets of paper to each sheet thereof set my Hand and to the last my Hand and Seal the day and year first above written
Michael Comport

Signed Sealed published and declared by the above named Michael Comport the Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence and in the presence of each other have Subscribed our Names as Witnesses hereto to the several Interlineations between the eleventh and twelfth lines and eighteenth and nineteenth lines of the first sheet hereof and the Erasures in the twenty second and twenty seventh lines of the first sheet hereof being firstly wrote and made therein
Ed. Dyne - Elizabeth Screese? - Wm. Twopenny Junr.

This Will was proved at London the twenty sixth day of February in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy six before the Worshipful John Loveday Doctor of Laws Surrogate of the Right Worshipful Sir George Hay Knight also Doctor of Laws Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the Oath of Michael Comport the Son of the deceased and one of the Executors named in the said Will to whom administration of all and singular the Goods Chattels and Credits of the said deceased was granted being first sworn duly to Administer
Power reserved of making the like Grant to Frances Comport Widow the Relict of the said deceased and other Executor named in the sd. Will when she shall apply for the same.

Note: Perry Hill – (without the “s” on the end) still exists today – directly south of Cliffe in Kent.

Transcribed by Shelagh Mason 8th-9th July 2020

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