In the Name of God Amen I Mary Letley of the Parish of Saint Margaret next the City of Rochester in the County of Kent Widow being aged and in Health Do make and declare this my last Will and Testam[en]t to prevent all trouble and care in relation to my Worldly Affairs when it shall please God to take me out of this World And as to all my Estate whereof I am any way possessed or have power to dispose of I give and bequeath as followeth (that is to say)
All (my) Messuage or Tenement, Yard, Garden and ground with the Liberty of the Well and alley
way thereto belonging (and was late the Premisses of my Daughter in Law Katherine Whitney now
deceased) Scituate lying and being in St. Margaret aforesaid formerly in the occupation of Edward
Billingsley but now of William White or his Assigns or undertenants and is held by Lease from the
pation ?? [Prior] and Brethren of Saint Bartholomew’s Hospital and all my Estate, Right, Title,
Interest, Term of Years to come, Claim and Demand whatsoever of and in the same together with the Lease thereof
I Give and bequeath unto my loving Friend George Hunt of Eastgate Street within the City of
Rochester aforesaid, Baker and to his Executors, Administrators and Assigns Upon the several Trusts
and for the several uses interests and purposes hereafter mentioned (that is to say)
Upon Trust and Confidences that he the said George Hunt and his Executors Administrators and Assigns shall and will Permit and Suffer my Granddaughter Mary Knott that now lives with me and her Executors Administrators and Assigns to have hold use occupy possess and Enjoy the said Leasehold Messuage and Premisses with their appurtenances and Receive and take the Rents, Issues and Profitts thereof to her own use for and during all the Term of the said Lease if she shall Live to ..... her age of Twenty one years or be marryed
And upon this (further) trust and Confidence that he the said George Hunt his Executors Administrators and Assigns shall and will
in ... (C)ase my said Grandaughter Mary Knott shall depart this Life before she attains her age of Twenty one years or be marryed
permit and suffer my Grandson Edward Carpenter the younger and Grandaughter Mary Pybele and their Executors
Administrators and Assigns Equally share and share alike To have, hold, use, Occupy, Possess and enjoy the said Leasehold Messuage and
Pr[e]misses with their Appurtenances and receive and take the Rents Issues and Profits thereof to his her and
their own use and uses for ever equally as aforesaid
And I ..... Will .... that all .... that share be made procured or granted of the said Messuage and Premises at any time
hereafter shall be Subject to the same Trusts, uses, intents and purposes aforesaid
Item I Give and devise unto my Sons in Law Henry Letley and Thomas Letley and to my Four
Daughters in Law Margaret Green, Elizabeth Carpenter, Martha Aldridge and Mary Knott and to
their Executors Administrators and Assigns all that my Moiety or half part of the Tenement Called or
known by the Name or Sign of “the Bear” with the appurt[enance]s thereto belonging Scituate
and being in Saint Margaret afores[ai]d now in my own occupation
he she and they paying unto my said Daughter Mary Knott’s Four Children, Vizt. Elizabeth, Anne, William and Martha
and to each of them the sume of Fifty Shillings a peice soon after my decease
And also paying unto my said Daughter Martha Aldridge’s Three Children Letley Aldridge, Ester Aldridge
and Richard Aldridge and to each of them the sume of One pound Six shillings and eight pence apeice soon after my decease
Item all and every the Goods, Plate, Linnen, Apparrel and other things whatsoever of or belonging to my said Daughter Mary Knott that shall be pledged or remaining with us at the time of my decease as a Security for any moneys I hereby give and bequeath all the same Goods, things and money lent thereon unto my said Daughter Mary Knott her Executors Administrators and Assigns
Item I give and bequeath unto my said Grandaught[e]r Mary Knott all such Sume or
Sumes of money that shall or may happen to be due or payable to me at the time of my decease for
board and Cloathes, Schooling, Physick or other things whatsoever and ...... by Order
and direct my Executor shall give a Give .... ?? Release for the same imediately after my decease
Item I give and bequeath unto my said Grandaughter Mary Knott my Ho.. ig (??) to be delivered to her imediately after my decease
Item I give and bequeath all my wearing apparrell whatsoever equally to be divided between my
said Four Daughters Margaret Green, Elizabeth Carpenter, Martha Aldridge and Mary Knott
Item I also give and bequeath unto my said Grandaughter Mary Bybell and unto my said
Grandaughter Mary Knott and to each of them Five pounds apeice for mourning
Item I give and bequeath unto my Grandsons Henry Letley, son of Henry Letley and unto Henry
Letley son of Thomas Letley and Edward Carpenter son of Edward Carpenter and unto [next line
obliterated by heavy black bleed-through] ... Margaret Green and to each of them the sume of Twenty
shillings apeice to be paid them respectively soon after my decease
Item I give and bequeath unto my son in Law Edward Carpenter and the said George Hunt my
Executors hereafter named and to each of them One Guinea apeice for their care and Trouble
Item all and every my ready money, Debts, Credits, Plate, Linnen, Woollen, Beds, Beding , Pewter, Brass, Goods, Chattels and Personal Estate whatsoever not herein before otherwise disposed of (my debts, Legacies and Funeral expences being first paid and Satisfyed) I Give and bequeath unto my said two Sons Henry Letley and Thomas Letley and my said Four Daughters Margaret Green, Elizabeth Carpenter, Martha Aldridge and Mary Knott their Executors Administrators and Assigns equally to be divided between them share and share alike
And of this my said Will I Nominate and appoint my said Son in Law Edward Carpenter and the
said George Hunt Joint Executors and I do hereby Give and dispose of the Guardianship of my said
Grandaughter Mary Knott and unto her Mother the said Mary Knott and the said George Hunt
and I do hereby direct that the s[ai]d George Hunt shall be reimbursed and paid all his Expences and
Charges in the performance of the said Guardianship and Trusts herein before reposed in him
And I do hereby revoke all former Wills and Testaments by me at any time made spoken or
published before the publishing of these presents and do declare this to be and contain my only last Will and Testament
In Witness whereof I the said Mary Letley the Testatrix have to this my last Will and Testament
contained in two Sheets of Paper to each Sheet thereof set my hand and Seal this Seventeenth Day of November 1739
Mary Letley
Signed Sealed Published and declared by the said Mary Letley the Testatrix as and for her last Will
and Testament in the presence of us who in her presence have Subscribed our Names as Witnesses hereto
John Ashdowne - George Noble - Tho. Johnson
This Will was proved on the Twenty first day of February One thousand Seven hundred and thirty nine Before the Revd. Caleb Parfect, Clerk, Master in Arts, Surrogate by the Oaths of Edward Carpenter and George Hunt Executors in the s[ai]d Will named to whom was granted Administration they being first sworne well and Faithfully to Administer Exd.
Transcribed by Mrs. Shelagh Mason 2nd March 2021
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