Will of Richard Cross

of Strood, Kent

IMPRIMIS I give and devise all that my messuages tenement and dwelling house situate and lying and being on a certain hill called Spittle Hill in the said parish of Strood and commonly called or known by the name of Sign of the Sun in the Wood with the Yard backside gardens ground hereditaments rights? Members? and appurtenances thereto belonging unto my Dear and Loving wife Sarah Cross and her Assigns for and during the Term of her natural life and no longer she my said wife keeping all the said premises well and sufficiently repaired fenced and inclosed

and from and immediately after the Decease of my said wife Sarah Cross I give devise and bequeath all and singular the same above mentioned messuage tenement and premises with the appurtenances unto my three Children James Cross George Cross and Mary Country widow of Richard Country barber deceased her late husband and to their heirs and assigns for ever equally to be parted divided and shared between them share and share alike tenants in common and not as joint tenants

ITEM I do order and direct that a full time and just Inventory of all my personal estate rights and credits whatsoever shall be taken immediately upon my decease and Exhibited into the proper Ecclesiastical Court on oath
and that after the payment of my just debts thereof and which I do hereby charge upon my Personall Estate and also after the charges of my funeral and of the Probate of this my Will and Exhibiting my Inventory as aforesaid are thereof deducted I give and bequeath the use profit and income of all the rest residue and remainder of my household goods copper brass pewter linnon plate rings and furniture and of all my other personal estate rights and credits whatsoever unto my said loving wife Sarah Cross to be freely had held and used and enjoyed by her so long as she shall live and continue my widow and no longer

and from and immediately after the decease or marriage of my said wife Sarah Cross which shall first happen next after my decease I give and bequeath all and singular my household goods copper brass pewter linnon plate rings and furniture and all other my personal estate rights and credits whatsoever and also all other my Reall estate whatsoever and wheresoever unto my said three children James Cross, George Cross and Mary Country widow and to their heirs Executors Administrators and assigns forever to be equally divided and shared between them share and share alike

ITEM I do make nominate and appoint my said son James Cross sole Executor of this my last will and testament hereby revoking all former or other wills or testaments by me at any time heretofore made spoken published or declared by me declaring this only to be and contain my last will and testament

IN WITNESS whereof I the said Richard Cross the Testator have to this my last will and testament contained in one sheet of paper sett my hand and seal this seventeenth day of April in the eighth year of the reign of his present majesty King George the Second over Great Britain and so forth and in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and thirty five

Signed sealed published and declared by the said Richard Cross the Testator as and for his last will and testament in the presence of us, who in his presence, at his request, and in the presence of each other, have subscribed our names as witnesses hereto:
John Faulkner, Jrh? Shrafe, Willm H Solly.

In the Bishops Court: Strood Will of Richard Cross deceased proved on 11th February 1735.
Inventory exhibited on the 25th of the same month.
11th day of February 1735 James Cross the son and Executor within named was sworn as well to the truth of this Will and duly to perform the same
Before me Ralph Bishop Surr.

This Will was proved at Rochester on the 11th day of February 1735 before the Reverend Ralph Bishop Clerk Surrogate to the Worshipfull Humphry Honchman Doctor of Laws Vicar Generall by the Oath of James Cross Son and Executor in the said Will named to whom was granted Administration of all and singular the Goods Chattels and Credits of the deceased he being first duly sworn well and faithfully to administer the same.

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