Longley Will 1714

Will of John Longley

of Sandhurst, Kent


Source: Archdeaconry Court of Canterbury PRC 17/82/293
Submitted by Kevin Robards
In the Name of God Amen
I John Longley of Sandhurst in the County of Kent Maltster being sick in Body but of sound disposing mind and memory (thanks be given to God therefore) do this Thirteenth day of May in the Year of our Lord One [Thousand] Seven Hundred and Fourteen make and ordain this my Last Will and Testament in manner and form following (that is to say)
In the first place I recomend my Soul into the Hands of Almighty God that gave it me And my Body I leave return to the Earth by a decent burial at the Discretion of my Executrix hereinafter named trusting in and thro’ the Merits and Righteousness of Jesus Christ my Redeemer to obtain a blessed Resurrection and be eternally Saved And as touching the Disposition of such Estate as it hath pleased God to bless me within in this world I do dispose of the same as followeth

Inprimis I give and bequeath unto Mary my loving Wife the Privilege of her dwelling in my now dwelling House She to have the use of the Parlour Milkhouse Chamber and such other Convenient use of such other parts of my said House as are necessary for her to use for and during all such Term or Time as she shall remain my Widow

Item I give and bequeath unto Mary Longley my Daughter Twenty five pounds to be paid unto her when she shall accomplish her Age of One and Twenty Years by my Executrix hereinafter named;
Item I give and bequeath unto Elizabeth Longley my Daughter five and Twenty pounds to be paid unto her when she shall accomplish her Age of One and Twenty Years by my Executrix hereinafter named;
Item I give unto John Longley my Son my Malt Mills dry Oast hairs & all other my Implements for making and grinding Malt to be delivered unto him when he shall accomplish his Age of One and Twenty Years

All the rest & residue of my Goods and Chattels whatsoever and wheresoever to be found I give and bequeath unto Mary my loving Wife she paying all my just Debts Legacies Funeral Expences and the Probate of this my Will
and I do hereby make and ordain her the said Mary my loving Wife to be sole Executrix of this my Last Will and Testament
and I do hereby appoint Peter Longley of Bennenden my loving Uncle Overseer to this my Will desiring him to be advising aiding and assisting my said Executrix in the due Execucon [Execution] of this my Will

This is also the Last Will and Testamt. of me the said John Longley touching the disposition of all my Lands and Tenemts. whatsoever made and declared the day and year abovesaid

Inprimis I give and bequeath unto John Longley my Eldest Son my Mansion House wherein I now dwell together with all other the buildings and Lands thereunto belonging to him my said Son John Longley and to his Heirs and Assigns forever; Upon this Special Condition hereafter mentioned (that is to say)
He my said Son John Longley paying such Annuity or Annuities Sum and Sums of Money as is hereafter directed to be pd. out of the same

Item I give and bequeath unto William Longley my Second Son All that my Messuage Barn and all the Lands thereunto belonging which I lately purchased of Thomas and Samuel Cruttenden to him my said Son William Longley and to his Heirs forever Upon this Special Condition following (that is to say)
He my said Son William Longley permitting and suffering his Mother my Executrix to take the Rents Issues and Profits thereof untill he shall accomplish his Age of One and Twenty Years and also paying such Annity or Annuities Sum and Sums of Money as is hereafter directed to be paid out of the same

Item I give and bequeath unto Peter Longley my Youngest Son the Sum of One hundred and Forty Pounds to be paid unto him by my Two Eldest Sons One Hundred Pounds thereof when he shall accomplish his Age of One & Twenty Years and the other Forty Pounds residue thereof to be paid unto him by my Son John Longley within One Month next immediately after the decease of Mary my loving Wife & Executrix

And I do hereby declare that it is my Will that my two Eldest Sons shall pay unto my Executrix Interest after the Rate of Five pounds per Cent p Annm for all such money given to my Youngest Son Peter Longley till he shall accomplish his Age of One and Twenty Years the said Interest so by her received to be imployed towards the bringing up of my said Son Peter Longley
And I do hereby charge the said Messuage and Lands so given to my said Son John Longley with the payment of One Hundred Pounds and Interest thereof unto my said Executrix and to my said Son Peter Longley (that is to say)

with the payment of Interest for all the said Hundred Pounds unto my said Executrix untill my said Son Peter Longley shall accomplish his Age of One and Twenty Years;
and with the Payment of Threescore pounds [£60] part thereof to my said Son Peter Longley when he shall accomplish his Age of One & Twenty Years,
and with the Payment of Fourty Shillings a year Interest for the Fourty Pounds, residue of the said Hundred Pounds, to Mary my loving Wife for and during the term of her natural Life and the said Fourty Pounds residue of the said Hundred Pounds, to be paid unto my said Son Peter Longley within One Month next after the decease of Mary my loving Wife and Executrix

And I do hereby further Charge the said Messuage and Lands given unto my said Son John Longley with the Payment of One Annuity or Rent Charge of Forty Shillings a year to be paid unto my said Wife and Executrix quarterly with the Fourty shillings Interest above mentioned for and during the term of her natural Life in Lieu of Dower, the first Payment to begin the first Quarter day that shall next happen after my said Son John Longley shall accomplish his Age of One and Twenty Years; It being my mind and Will that my said Wife and Executrix shall have & enjoy the Rents and Profits thereof untill my said Son John Longley shall accomplish his Age of One and Twenty Years

And I do hereby charge the said Messuage and Lands by this my Will given unto William Longley my Son with the Payment of Fourty Pounds and Interest thereof unto my Executrix and my Son Peter Longley (that is to say)
with Fourty Shillings a year for the Interest thereof to be paid to Mary my loving Wife and Executrix untill my said Son Peter Longley shall accomplish his Age of One and Twenty Years and with the Payment of the said Sum of Forty pounds to my said Son Peter Longley when he shall accomplish his age of One and Twenty Years

And I do hereby further Charge the said Messuage and Lands given unto my said William Longley my Son with the Payment of One Annuity or Rent Charge of Forty Shillings a year to be paid unto my said Wife and Executrix quarterly with the Fourty shillings Interest above mentioned for and during the term of her natural Life in Lieu of Dower, the first Payment to begin the first Quarter day that shall next happen after my said Son shall accomplish his Age of One and Twenty Years;

And for non payment of any of the Interest above menconed or the several Anuities after my said Sons John and William Longley shall accomplish their several Ages of One and Twenty Years or any part thereof within Thirty Days next after Mich’mas [Michaelmas], Christmas, Lady Day or MidSummer being the Quarter days by this my Will intended I do hereby give Power and Authority to the said Mary my Loving Wife and Executrix to enter & distrain as in Case of a Rent Charge or Rent Charges at the Common Law

And it is my mind and will that if my said Son Peter Longley happen to dye before he shall accomplish his Age of One and Twenty Years That then his portion by this my Will given to him shall be equally divided between my loving Wife and Executrix and my Four other Surviving Children or their respective Heirs to be paid unto them at such Time as it ought to have been paid unto my said Son Peter Longley if he had lived to have attained to his said Age of One and Twenty Years

In Witness whereof that this is my very Last Will and Testament written upon Three Sheets of Paper to the Two first of them I have Set my Hand and to all of them foxed together at the Top I have set my Seal and to the Last Sheet have set my Hand and Seal in the pr'sence of those who at my Request and in my prsence have subscribed their Names as Witnesses
John Longley

Signed Sealed Published and declared to be the Last Will and Testamt. of John Longley the Testator in the prsence of us who at his Request and in his prsence have Subscribed our names as Witnesses
Ann Hollands - Ann Merrit her mark - Tho: Petter Exd.

Probatum fuit: [Latin] Vicesimo Tertio die Mensis Junij Anno Dini 1714 [16th July 1714]

Notes: £25 in 1714 is worth approx. £4,920 today; £100 is approx. £19,680; [Source: Bank of England Inflation Calculator]

Transcribed by Shelagh Mason 19th June 2020


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Will of John Longley
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