First I give and bequeath unto my dear and loving Wife JUDITH MATSON my Lease of the Farm wherein I now dwell which I hold of the Right Honourable the Earl COWPER and also the Lease of all the small and great Tithes of the said Parish of Wingham which I hold of THOMAS HEY Esq. and Dame ELIZABETH PALMER his Wife and all my Right Title Term and Terms of Years I shall have in the same at the time of my death if she shall think fit to continue and use the same.
But if she shall at any time be desirous to quit the said Farm and Tithes and my Brother THOMAS MATSON shall be minded to
take the same then and in such case I order and direct my said Wife to assign over the Leases of the said
Farm and Tithes and all her Right Title Term and Terms of years therein unto my said Brother his
Executors Administrators and Assigns.
But if my said Brother shall refuse to take the said Farm and Tithes within one calendar month next after notice given him that my said
Wife intends to quit the said Farm and Tithes then in such case I impower and direct my said Wife to put off and dispose of the said
Farm and Tithes to any Person or Persons upon such Terms as she shall think fit for her own benefit and advantage.
Also I give and bequeath unto my said loving Wife JUDITH MATSON the sum of one hundred pounds and all the household furniture of my dwelling house and all my plate and linen.
Also I give and bequeath all my Ready Money and all the Rest and Residue of my Goods Chattels and Personal Estate whatsoever and wheresoever unto and among all and every my child and children male and female (except my Son JOHN MATSON) that shall be living at the time of my decease or born afterwards equally to be divided between them share and share alike to be paid unto them severally at their several ages of one and twenty years or Days of Marriage which shall first happen.
And if any of my said children shall happen to dye before their said ages or Days of Marriage then I give
and bequeath the part of him her or them so dying unto and among the survivor or survivors of my said
children (except the said JOHN MATSON) equally to be divided between them share and share alike to
be paid unto them at the time aforesaid.
But if all of my said children (except the said JOHN MATSON) shall happen to dye before their said ages or Days of Marriage then and in
that case I give and bequeath unto my said Son JOHN MATSON his Executors Administrators and Assigns all the Rest and Residue of
my said Personal Estate that shall remain after deducting all such sums of money as my said Wife shall
have paid and expended there out for the Maintenance and Education of my said Children or on their account.
And I do hereby order and direct my said Wife to cause the Rest and Residue of my said Personal Estate to be valued and appraised as soon after my decease as conveniently may be and do authorize and impower her during her widowhood to manage and imploy the Rest and Residue of my said Personal Estate for the better improvement thereof in such manner as she shall think fit. And to sell dispose of and turn into ready money all or any part of such of the particulars whereof the same shall consist and be put and place out at Interest in her own name during her widowhood.
And in case of her Marriage again then I do hereby do authorize and impower her and my said Brother THOMAS MATSON to put and place out at Interest in their joint names all such sum and sums of money as shall arise or be made of and from the Rest and Residue of my said Personal Estate or Mortgages Bonds or in Parliamentary Securities or in the purchase of any Publick Stocks or Funds or any other Securities as my said Wife during her widowhood or in case of her Marriage again as she and my said Brother THOMAS MATSON shall think fit or continue at Interest such sums of money as I may have on any Security at my death. And from time to time to call in and receive the same or any part thereof at her discretion during her widowhood or after marrying again at the discretion of her and my said Brother THOMAS MATSON. And so from time to time as often as the same shall be called or paid in again to put out the same at Interest on such Securities or any of the Stocks as aforesaid.
And I do direct authorize and impower her my said Wife during her widowhood and after her Marriage again I direct authorize and impower her and my said Brother THOMAS MATSON to pay apply and expend the Interest Profit and Proceeds of the said Rest and Residue of my said Personal Estate or any part of the Principal Money arising from the same for and towards the Maintenance Education or placing out my said Children or any of them in such manner at such time or in such proportions as she my said Wife during her widowhood and after her Marriage again as she and my said Brother THOMAS MATSON in her and their discretions shall think fit.
And in case any loss shall happen in the managing or imploying my said Personal Estate or in any receiving keeping placing out or disposing any of the moneys arising from the same or any part thereof or in any of the Interest Profit and Proceeds thereof by bad or insufficient Securities or by the Death or Insolvency of any person or persons or otherwise I do hereby will order and direct that my said Wife or my said Brother THOMAS MATSON or either of them shall not be answerable or accountable for or lyable to make good or pay such loss or anymore other or greater sum or sums of Money then shall in the end and event of her or their management of my said Personal Estate effectually really and truly come to or remain in her or their Hands possession or power.
Also I give and devise unto my said Son JOHN MATSON all those my two messuages with the
barns stables buildings and seventeen acres of Land more or less thereunto belonging with their
appurtenances situate lying and being in the Parish of Nonnington in the said County of Kent and
now or late in the Tenures or Occupations of NICHOLAS ALLEN and MATTHEW STEED or their Assigns.
And also all those my four acres more or less with the appurtenances situate lying
and being in the Parish of Shebbertswold in the said County and now or late in the Tenure or
Occupation of RICHARD DEALE or his Assign.
And all that my messuage or tenement with the barn stable buildings and sixteen acres of Land more or less thereunto belonging with their and
every of their appurtenances situate lying and being in the several Parishes of Staple and
Woodnesborough or one of them in the said County of Kent and now or late in the Tenure or
Occupation of WILLIAM BURVILL or his Assigns
And also all those my two third parts (the whole in three equal parts to be divided) of all those fifteen acres of Marshland more or less lying
and being in the Parish of Ash-next-Sandwich in the said County and now in my own Occupation.
And all other my messuages Lands tenements and hereditaments whatsoever and wheresoever to have
and to hold the said messuages Lands two third parts and all other the premises with their appurtenances
unto my said Son JOHN MATSON his Heirs and Assigns forever.
Also I do hereby order and direct my said my Executrix hereafter named within two months after my decease to pay and distribute the sum of five pounds of lawful money of Gt. Britain unto and among such poor persons of the Parish of Wingham aforesaid as she may said my Executrix in her judgment shall think to be the greatest objects of charity leaving the choice of the persons and the sum to be given to each poor person intirely to her discretion.
And lastly I do hereby ordain make and constitute my said Wife JUDITH MATSON Executrix of this my last Will and Testament.
And I do hereby revoke frustrate and make void all former and other Wills by me at anytime
heretofore made And I do make ordain publish and declare this to be my last Will and Testament.
In Witness whereof to this my last Will and Testament contained in five sheets of paper I
have to every of the said sheets set my Hand and to the last sheet my Hand and Seal the 7th Day of
April in the twentieth year of the Reign of Our Sovereign Lord George the Second by the Grace of
God of Gt. Britain France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith etc and in the year of Our Lord 1747
CHA'S MATSON
Signed sealed published and declared as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us
who subscribed our names as witnesses hereunto in the presence of the said Testator CHARLES MATSON
JO'N POMFRETT Jun. - THOMAS BROWNE - JAMES HANSON
Probate 15 May 1750
Return to Kent GenealogyWill of Charles Matson