Harris Will 1679

Will of Arthur Harris

of Maidstone, Kent


Source : Consistory Court of Canterbury, PRC31/148 H/2
Submitted by Mary Connaughton
In the name of God Amen the Ninth day of July in the yeare of our Lord God one thousand sixe hundred seaventye and nine,
I Arthur Harris the elder of Maidstone in the County of Kent, gentleman, being weake of body but of sound and perfect memory, praised bee God, doe make this my last Will and Testament in manner and forme following
First I commend my Soule into the hands of Allmighty God that gave it and my Body to be buryed at the discrestion of my Executors

Item I give & devise unto my grandsonne John Harris, sonn of my sonn Thomas Harris deceased, the Messuage, Maulthouse, Barne, Stable & garden wherein I now dwell with the appurtenances and the Lands thereunto or nere adjoyneing conteyning by estimacon Five acres more or lesse which said Five Acres are now or late in ye occupacion of Thomas Wattle or his Assignes To have and to hold to him, my said grandson John Harris, & his heires for ever

Item I give and devise unto my said grandson John Harris & his heires for ever All those my two Annuityes the one being twentye pounds per annum and the other tenn pounds per annum, which said Annuityes are payable out of certaine Mannors, Messuages, Lands & Tenements in Aldington, Bearsted & Thurnham & else wheare in the said county of Kent

Item I doe heerby acquitt and disharge the said John Harris my grandsonn off and from all & every sume & sumes of money now due to me from my said grandsonn John by bond, bill or otherwise

Item I give and devise unto my grandson Arthur Harris, another sonn of my said sonne Thomas Harris and his heires for ever, my Messuage & Lands & Tenements in the parish of Bersted aforesaid lyeing neere or att Strutton Street there
Item I give my said Grandson Arthur Harris the sume of three hundred pounds

Item I give to my daughter Mary, the wife of John Fullager of Langley, gent: the sume of one hundred pounds to bee disposed off as shee shall thinke fitt to bee paid her within one yeare after my decease

Item I give to my sonn Walter Harris one hundred and fiftye pounds to bee paid within one yeare after my decease
Item I give to my grandsonn Walter harris, sonn of my said sonn Walter, Fiftye pounds to bee paid unto my said sonn Walter within one yeare after my decease to bee by him disposed off for the use & benefitt of his said sonn

Item I give unto my grandaughter Alice Harris, daughter of my said sonn Thomas Harris, twenty pounds
Item I give unto my daughter Alice Harris, late the wife of my said sonn Thomas Harris, the sume of one hundred pounds, the which I have now in my hands of hers

Item I give unto Elizabeth Goodden my Maid servant Five pounds
Item I give to my Godsonn Arthur Harris the like sume of Five pounds which said legacye of Five pounds given to my said Godson I will shalbee paid to him when hee shall attaine the age of one and twentye yeares
And the other three last legacyes to bee paid to my said daughter Alice, my grandaughter Alice & my said Maid servant within one yeare next after my decease

Item I doe make my deere and loveing wife Elizabeth & my said grandsonn Arthur Harris my Executors to whom I give all the rest and residue of my goodes, chattells, household stuffe, moveables & personall estate whatsoever, they first paying my debts, legacyes & funerall expences

Item I further give unto my said daughter Fullager my best drawing table,

provided alwayes, and my minde & will further is that if my said wife Elizabeth claime or take any Widdow right or dower out of any my messuages, Lands or Tenements and doe not uppon request or within two Monthes then next following Release all her right of Dower in and to the same to such person or persons to whom I have given & devised the Inheritance thereof That then my said wife shall have noe benefitt of this my Will
And then I make my said grandson Arthur Harris sole Executor of this my will

And my will and minde is that my said wife shall have the use of my plate & household stuffe during her life and after her decease I give and devise the same to bee equally devided betweene my said grandsonns John Harris and Arthur Harris

And my Will and minde further is that my said daughter Alice Harris, the relict of my said sonne Thomas Harris, shall at ye request, cost and charges of my said sonn Walter or within three Monthes then next following, Release unto my said sonn Walter, all her right of Dower off or in to ye Messuage, Lands & premisses scituate, lyeing and being in Towne Malling which I have formerly granted to my said sonn Walter & his heires,
and in default thereof, that then my Will & minde is that my said Grandchildren John, Arthur and Alice shall have noe benefitt by this my Will

And I doe hereby revoke all former Wills by me made
In witnes whereof I have to this my will conteyning in two sheetes of paper, to each sheete sett my hand and seale the day and yeare above written.
(signed) Arthur Harris
Signed, sealed, published and declared to bee the last will & testament of me the said Arthur Harris in the presence of
Christopher Gorham, Ferdinando Badnor & Robert Sanderson

Probate 4 Aug 1679


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Will of Arthur Harris
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