Will of John Dunkin

of Stelling, Kent

Item I give to the poore of the parish of Stelling aforesaid Five shillings and to the poore of the parish of Elmstead in the Countie of Kent the like sume of Five shillings to be distributed amongst the poore of the said parishes within one moneth next after my decease according to the discrecon of my executors hereafter named

Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Elizabeth now Wife of William Denne the sume of tenn pounds of good and lawfull money of England to bee paid unto her by my said executors within one yeare next after my decease
And I give unto her Five [six] children now liveing (vizt. to my grandchildren Thomas, John, Elizabeth, Mary, Sarah and Katharine) the sume of tenn pounds of like money to bee equally divided between them and to be paid unto them severally and respectively as they shall attain their severall and respective ages of of one and Twentie yeares
And if any of them shall happen to dye before he or shee shall attaine the said age Then I give the part and porcon thereof of him her or them soe dying to the Survivors or Survivor of them to bee equally divided and paid unto him her or them soe surviveing at such tyme and tymes as the same had become due according to this my will if he or she soe dying had attained the said age

And my Will and minde is that my executor hereinafter named shall within six moneths next after my decease give his Bond of the penall Sume of Forty pounds to the said William Denne my said grandchildrens Father Condiconed for the true payment of the said Tenn pounds to the said Elizabeth the mother within the said one yeare next after my decease And alsoe for the payment of the said tenn pounds unto and amongst the said Children in such manner as I have herein before directed and appointed the same to bee paid

Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Susan now wife of Joseph Horton of Stelling aforesaid my executors hereinafter named the Sume of Twentie pounds of Lawfull money of England to be paid unto her by her said husband and to bee att her disposeall as she shall thincke fitt
And I give unto her Four Children (vizt.) John, Elizabeth, Joseph & Benjamine Horton my grandchildren the Sume of Tenn pounds equally to be divided betweene them and to be paid unto them as they shall severally attaine their severall and respective ages of one and Twentie yeares by their said Father or sooner if he shall thincke fitt

And I give and devise unto the said Joseph Horton and Susanna his wife and their assignes All that Cottage or Tenement with the Orchard and Hopgarden thereunto belonging with thappurts. [the appurtenaces] now in the occupacon of Edward Whithall And alsoe all those two acres of Woodland with the appurtenncs which said cottage orchard Hopgarden and Woodland are scituate lyeng and being in the p[ar]ish of Great Hardres in the Countie of Kent and by mee late purchased to mee and my heires of William Selby
To have and to hold the same unto the said Joseph Horton and Susan his wife and their assignes for and during the tearme of their naturall lives and the lifes of the longest liver of them without impeachment of wast
And after theire decease or the decease of the longest liver of them I give and devise the said Cottage or Tenement with the orchard hoppgarden and Woodland with thappurtenncs unto the said Elizabeth Horton my grandchild daughter of the said Joseph Horton and Susan his wife and to her heires and assignes for ever

Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Mary now wife of John Gilbert Twentie shillings of Lawfull money of England to be paid unto her by my Executors within two moneths next after my decease
and I give unto her Children John and William Gilbert my grandchildren Twenty shillings to be equally divided between them and to be paid to them by my Executors as they shall attaine theire severall and respective ages of One and Twentie yeares And if either of them dye in the meane tyme I give the part of him soe dying to the Survivor of them to be paid at the tyme aforesaid
And the reason why I give no more to my said daughter Gilbert and her children by this my Will, is because the said John Gilbert her husband hath already received and had in money and by Security from mee a large and sufficient porcon

And I desire and require all my Children to live lovingly together after my decease as becometh children of our Heavenly Father and that every of them bee contented with what I have herein severally bequeathed to them and that there be noe contention betweene them or any of them as they expect to have the blessing of Allmightie God

Item I give unto my Cozen Edward Attwood of Great Hardres the sume of Tenn pounds to be paid unto him within Fower yeares next after my decease by my Executors

All the rest and Residue of my goods Cattle Chattells and personal estate whatsoever after my debts Legacies and Funerall expences and probate of this my Will being paid and discharged I give and bequeath unto my aforesaid Sonne in Law Joseph Horton and Susan his wife who I doe make ordaine Constitute and appoint to bee sole executors of this my last Will and Testament willing and requiring them truely and faithfully to performe the same in all things according to my intent and meaning herein declared and expressed

And I doe hereby revoke all former Wills by mee at any tyme heretofore made or declared I intending this only to bee my last Will and Testament
And I doe hereby ratify and confirme all and every such deeds and Conveyances as I have already made and executed of all and singuler my Lands and Tenem[en]ts to any of my said Children according to the same

In Witnesse whereof I the said John Dunkin to this my last Will and Testam[en]t Contained in two sheets of paper and this quarter of a sheete have sett my hand to every sheete and to the Top and last sheete thereof sett my Seale the daye and yeare above written
The marke of John Dunkin

Signed Sealed published and declared by the said John Dunkin to bee his last Will and Testament in the prsence of
Jo: Whitfeild; Le: Lovelace; Wm. Lovelace

Memorandum :
I doe will desire and appoint my Executors before named to place two stones one at the head of the grave and another at the head of my late wifes grave with inscriptions in memory of mee and my said Wife
Witnesse my hand the day and yeare abovewritten
The marke of John Dunkin
Witnesses hereto: Jo: Whitfeild; Le: Lovelace; Wm. Lovelace

Probatum fuit: 10th January 1679/80

Notes:
John Dunkin, yeoman was buried 22nd December 1679 at St. Mary, Stelling Minnis, Kent.
Daughter Elizabeth Dunkin married William Denn 1st October 1661 at St. Mary, Stelling Minnis, Kent.
Daughter Susan was married at St. Paul, Canterbury: Joseph Horton and Susanna Dunkin were maried together the 29th day of September being Michalmas day 1657.
Daughter Mary was married at St. Mary the Virgin, Elham, Kent, by Licence:
Gilbert, John, of Elham, Surgeon, Ba. 24, and Mary Dunkin of Stelling, v[irgin], 17, whose father John Dunkin, s.p. [same parish], husbandman, consents. At Elham, July 4, 1663.

Transcribed by Mrs. Shelagh Mason 14th May 2022

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