First I give and bequeath unto my eldest daughter Anne Simons fortie pounds of lawfull money to be payed unto the said Anne Simmons by my
Executor when shee shall attaine to be of the age of one and twenty yeares
Further I give and bequeath unto my said daughter Anne Simmons that my house and land scituate
lying and being in the parish of Goudhurst in the countye aforesaid lately purchased of William
Allen and John Hucksted and now in the occupacon of James Browne or his assignes withall and
singular the appurtennct [appurtenances] thereunto belonging I give and bequeath the said house and
lands with the appurtennces to her the said Anne and to her heires for ever
And my minde and will is that my said daughter Anne shall enioy the said house and land when shee shall attaine the age of nineteene yeares
But if it should happen my daughter Anne Symons should dye before shee come to be of the age of nineteene yeares, Then my minde and will is and I
give and bequeath the said house and land with th'appurtenccs unto my sonne William Simmons and unto my daughter Elizabeth Simons and unto
theire heieres equally to be devided betweene them
Item I give and bequeath unto my youngest daughter Elizabeth Simmons that my house and land lying and being in the parish of Cranbrooke in the
County aforesaid now in the occupation of Richard Cruttall or his assignes with all and singular the appurts thereunto belonging To her the
said Elizabeth when shee shall attaine to the age of nineteene yeares and to her heires for ever
But if it should happen that my said daughter Elizabeth should dye before the age of nineteene
yeares or without heires of her body Then my will and minde is and I give and bequeath the said
house and land with the Appurts to my sonne William Simmons and to my daughter Anne Simons and to theire heires for ever, equally to be devided betweene them
Further I give and bequeath unto my daughter Elizabeth one hundred and three score pounds to be paid unto her by my Executor when shee shall attaine to be of the age of one and twenty yeares but if it happen that shee the said Elizabeth should dye without issue lawfully begotten of her body before shee attaine unto the said age of one and twenty yeares then my minde and will is and I give and bequeath the said one hundred and threescore pounds to my sonne William Simmons and to my daughter Anne Simmons equally to be devided betweene them
Item I give and bequeath unto my sonne William Simmons all my part and share in a certaine house
and Land comonly knowne and called by the name of Dunberrie scituate lying and being in the
parish of Staplehurst in the county aforesaid and now in the tenure or occupacon of mee the said
Edward Simmons or my assignes I give and bequeath that my said part and share of the said house
and land called Dunberry to him the said William and to his heires for ever And my minde and will
is that hee the said William Simmons shall enioy the said house and land when hee shall attaine to be of the age of one and twenty yeares
Further I give and bequeath unto my said sonne William a messuage called Southlands with all and
singular the appurts to him the said William and his heires for ever
Item I give and bequeath my houshold stuffe in manner and forme following (that is to say)
I give and bequeath the one halfe of my houshold stuffe unto my sonne William Simons and the
other halfe thereof I give and bequeath unto my two daughters Anne and Elizabeth equally to be
divided betweene them And if it shall happen that any of the said children should dye before hee
shee or they shall attaine to the age of nineteene yeares Then hee shee or they that shall survive and
ouetlive the other shall enjoy the said houshold stuffe
Furthermore I give and bequeath unto my sonne William Simmons all other my goods, chattles,
cattells and money not formerly bequeathed to be enjoyed by him the said William att the age of twentie yeares
But if it shall happen that my Sonne William Simmons should dye before hee attaine
to the age of one and twenty yeares or without heires of his body Then my minde and will is And I
give and bequeath all my share and part in the afore mentioned house and lands called Dunberry
and all other my lands and goods, chattells, cattells and money whatsoever (before bequeathed unto
my sonne William Simmons) unto my two daughters Anne and Elizabeth and unto theire heires equally to be divided betweene them
Furthermore my minde and will is and I give and bequeath that if it should happen that all my children should dye before they come to enjoy thereie legacies before given and bequeathed unto them then my minde and will is and I give and bequeath unto my Executor William Allen thirtie pounds
Furthermore if it should happen that all my children should dye before they come to enjoy theire legacies as aforesaid then my minde and will is and I give and bequeath unto my brother William Simmons his sonne Edward Simmons my nephew all my houses, lands, goods, money, cattells, chattells before bequeathed unto my children if they had lived (except the thirtie pounds before bequeathed unto my Executor William Allen) I give and bequeath all the said houses, lands, goods, money, chattells and cattells aforesaid (except before excepted) to the said Edward Simmons and to his heires for ever
Furthermore my minde and will is that my executor William Allen shall be accountable to the Overseers of this my last will and testament And unto my children for the payment and allowance of four pounds and ten shillings a yeare for the use and interest of every hundred pounds and soe after the same rate for a greater or lesser annuity of the money that hee shall come to have in his hands of mine and the said use and interest shall be fore and toward the bringing up of my children untill they come of age as aforesaid
Lastly I doe make ordaine and constitute my loving kinsman William Allen of Marden in the county aforesaid Yeoman my full and sole executor
of this my Last will and testament
And my minde and will is that what chardges my executor shalbe at for my funerall expenses and all other chardges
whatsoever in the performance of his executorship shall be allowed him out of the use of the money aforesaid, or otherwise
And if it happen that William Allen of Marden aforesaid doe refuse to accept
of the execucon of this my will as Executor or should dye before mee the testator, then my minde and
will is that my brother John Allen of Yalding in the County of Kent be and is hereby constituted and ordained my sole Executor
Furthermore I desire my loving friends Mr. Edward Simmons of Marden in the county aforesaid
and my loving brother in Law John Allen of Yalding in the countie aforesaid to be the overseers of
this my last will and testament
And my minde and will is that the overseers of this my last will and testament shall by payed by my executor for theire time they shall spend and
expenses they may any wayes be att withe taking care and oversight that this my last will and testam[en]t be fulfilled
In witnes to the premises and that this is my last will and testament I have heereunto sett my hand
and sealed dated the day and yeare first above written
Edward Simmons his marke
Signed sealed and acknowledged in the prsence of and the enterlyning was before the signing, sealing and acknowledging heereof
Witnes: The marke of Anne Sharpen; The marke of Elizabeth Browne; Joshua Sharpen
Probatum fuit: 14th June 1662
Transcribed by Mrs. Shelagh A. Mason, 25th April 2023
Return to Kent GenealogyWill of Edward Simmons