First I give and bequeath unto the poore people of the parish of Marden three pounds of Lawfull mony of England to bee distributed amongest them
on the day of my Funerall att the discretion of mine Executors
Item I give unto Mr. Wood, Vicar of Marden, twenty shillings to preach my funerall sermon
Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Anne Simons one hundred and fifty pounds of Lawfull mony of England to bee paid unto her within
six monthes after my decease by mine Executors
Item I give and bequeath unto Margaret Cornehill my grandchild five pounds to bee payd unto her at her day of Marriage or at her age of one
and twenty yeares, which shall first happen
Item I further give unto the said Margaret Cornehill one paire of fine sheets to be delivered unto her within one month next after my decease
Item I give and bequeath unto my sonne in Law Robert Maplisden twenty shillings in gould to make him a ringe in token of my love to him, to
bee paid unto him within one month after my decease
Item I give unto Elizabeth Maplisden my grandchild forty shillings to bee paid unto her at her age of thirteene yeares if shee bee then
liveing
Item I give & bequeath unto my sister Anne Hunt five pounds to bee paid unto her within one yeare next after my decease
Item I give and bequeath unto Margaret now wife of George Afford blacksmith, twenty shillings yearely dureing her naturall life to bee paid
by mine Executors every yeare on the first day of January
Item I give unto John Nash my sister's sonne tenn shillings to be paid p[rese]ntly after my decease
Item I give and bequeath unto William Swinnerton my apprentice Tenn pounds to bee paid unto him at his age of foure & twenty yeares
Item I give unto John Pawle my late servant tenn shillings to bee paid unto him wthin one yeare after my decease
Item I give unto John Wells my apprentice tenn shillings to bee paid wthin one yeare after my decease
Item I give unto my daughter Anne Simons afforesaid, one silver Cup, one silver salty and six silver spoones and one halfe of all my Linnen to be
equally devided and delivered unto her within three monthes after my decease by mine Executr.
Item I give unto my said daughter Anne one joyned bedstedle, one featherbedd and the Coverlett, pillowes, boulsters, blanketts, Curtaines and all
other things thereunto belonging, standing and being in the hall Chamber with the trundle bedd in the same Chamber and all such things as
thereunto belongeth As also the one halfe of all my pewter and one halfe of all my moveable brasse and one great pann and one great spitt, wch
pewter and brasse my will and minde is shall bee devided by mine Executors and delivered with the bedding and other things unto my said daughter
Anne Simons within six monthes next after my decease
Item I give unto my Godsonne Edward Simons forty shillings to bee paid within one yeare after my decease
Item I give unto Richard Merriam sonne of my brother in lawe John Merriam forty shillings to be paid unto him at his age of one and twenty
yeares
Item I doe give and bequeath unto my sonne Edward Simons all my Leases and houshold stuffe whatsoever not before bequeathed
And I doe by these present ordaine, nominate & appoint my brother in Law Henry Webb and my sonne in Lawe James Cornehill my Executors of this my last will and testament
Now as touching the dispoccon [disposition] of all my lands, tenements and hereditaments
First I give and bequeath unto my said daughter Anne Simons my Messuage and Lands in the occupation of widow Thatcher lying and being in
Marden afforesaid and containeing by estimacon foureteene acres and to the heires of her body,
and for want of such heires to my said sonne Edward Simons and the heires of his body and for want of such heires to the right heires of me the
said Edward Simons for ever
Item I give and bequeath unto my sonne William Simons my Messuage, barnes, outhouses, orchards, gardens, Closes and fiveteene peeces or
p[ar]cells of Land, containing by estimacon fourescore acres in the occupacon of Stephen Nash, comonly called or knowne by the name of
Stidalls and one peece of land Called Johnson's croft joyning to the Lands afforesaid and in the occupacon of the said Stephen Nash and one peece
of woodland Called the Stonepitts in the occupacon of mee the said Edward Simons, all which Lands are lying and being in Marden afforesaid
to my said sonne William and to the heires of his body
And for want of such heires to my said daughter Anne Simons and to the heires of her body And for want of such heires to the right heires
of mee the said Edward for ever
All the residue of my lands and tenements and hereditaments whatsoever lying and being in Marden or elsewhere I doe give and bequeath unto my said sonne Edward Simons and to the heires of his body, and for want of such heires, to my said daughter Anne Simons and her heires for ever
Item my will and minde is that my two Executors with the advise and assistance of George Mapilsden of Marden afforesaid Esqr. and my godsonne Edward Simons shall prize [appraise] all my Corne and Cattle, and all other my goods (Except my houshold stuffe) and that my Executors shall sell the same for and towards the payment of any debts and Legacies and dischargeing of my funerall expences
Item my will and minde is that my Corne, Cattle and goods afforesaid & the p[ro]fitts of all my
Lands, tenements, hereditaments and Leases formerly given to my said sonne Edward Simons shall
bee diposed of by my Executors for the payment of all my debts & Legacies and for the bringe
up and good educacon of my said sonne Edward untill hee shall attaine unto the age of one and twenty yeares
And the surplus and overplus that shall remaine of the pfitts of my said Lands,
tenem[en]ts, hereditamts. and Leases and of my Corne, cattle & goods afforesaid, my debts, Legacies &
funerall expences discharged and paid, and my sonne Edward educated and provided for as
afforesaid, shall be to and for the use and benefitt of my said sonne Edward his Executors, adm[inist]rators and assignes
Item my will and minde is that once every two yeares after my decease my said Executors or the survivor of them shall give Accompt to the said George Maplisden and my Godsonne Edward Simons how much they have expended in the p'formannce of this my will And my will and minde is that for so much as shall remaine in their hands payable to my said sonne Edward according to this my will at his age of one and twenty yeares that my Executors or the survivor of them give their owne bonds unto the said George Mapilsden and Edward Simon my godsonne for the payment of such overplus as afforesaid to my sonne Edward Symons according to this my will with use for the same according to the rate of five pounds p cent [per centum] for one whole yeare
Item my will and minde is that my Executors receive and take the rents and pfitts of all such my
lands, tenements and hereditaments given and bequeathed unto my said sonne William Simons
untill his age of one and twenty yeares and out of the same shall give and allow unto my said sonne
William Simons thirteene pounds by the yeare untill his age of twelve yeares, and
after his age of twelve yeares, fifteene pounds by the yeare untill his age of one and
twenty yeares for his better education and maintenance And my will and minde is that the same bee
half yearely paid to his mother my Loveing wife for his benefitt & behoofe
And my will and minde is that of the overplus of the rent and pfitts of the lands afforesaid given to
my said sonne William, my said Executors or the survivor of them give Accompt and give Security for
the same to the use of my said sonne William as before is ordered and appointed for my said sonne Edward Simons
Item I give and bequeath unto my brother in Law Henry Webb and to my sonne in Law James Cornehill five pound a peece over besides their ordinary Charges which they shall expend about the execution and p'formannce of this my will, whome I have appointed Executors of this my will
And Whereas by deeds, Indented made betweene mee the said Edward [Simons] of the one p[ar]te and the said George Mapilsden and James Cornehill of the other part and beareing date the fourteenth day of this p[rese]nte March [1641/2] I the said Edward Simons have given, granted and confirmed unto the said George and James one rent Charge of Twenty pounds issueing and goeing out of the lands devised to my said sonne William to the use and behoofe of Francis my beloved wife as by the said deede indented now at Large doth and may appeare
And Whereas by this my p'nt will I have given unto my daughter Anne my Messuage and Lands in the occupacon of widow Thatcher If the said Frances my wife shall molest or trouble the said Anne my daughter or her assignes or any other the assignes of mee the said Edward in the enjoying of the said Messuage and Lands according to this my will whereby her rent of twenty pounds cease according to the Condicon in the said deede indented Then my will and minde is that my said Executrs pay out of the messuage and lands given to my said sonne William twenty pounds by the yeare to my daughter Anne dureing the life of the said Francis my wife
Item I give and bequeath unto the said Franncis my beloved wife five pounds to bee paid her by mine Executrs within three months after my decease
Item I give unto my beloved wife one paire of my finest sheets and one paire of the middle sort to bee delivered her within one month after my
decease
Item I doe give and bequeath unto the said George Mapilsden forty shillings formerly given to my godsonne Edward Simons is in recompence of his paines over & above the ordinary charges they shall expend about the p'formannce of this the trust in them reposed
In witnes whereof this my will containeth three sheets of pap(er) to the first & second I have
subscribed my hand and to the Last I have sette my hand and seale
Edward Symons
Subscribed sealed & published in the prsence of
Sibell Parkham, the marke of Anne Brithred
Probatum fuit: 17th May 1643 The Notary Public was William Somner.
9 May 1645 The original Will of the said Mr. Edward Simons decd. [deceased] according to the Judge his de..? that behalf this day made.
31 July ..... George Mapilsden et Sibella Packham
Notes:
Edward Simons was buried on 19 Apr 1643 at St. Michael & All Angels, Marden, Kent.
Edward Simons married Frances Mainard widow, 11 Jul 1637 at Marden, by Licence from London.
James Cornehill married Margaret Simons 17 May 1625 at Marden.
Robert Maplisden, Bachelor, about 27, Gentleman and Elizabeth Symons, 20, virgin, d. of Edward Symons who consents - all of Marden, at Marden on 9
Apr 1635 by Licence. Note in ML: This allegation is signed by Robert Maplisden and John Maplisden.
Sister Margaret (Margery) Simon married firstly Robert Swinnerton 3 Dec 1593 at Marden and secondly: George Afford 10 Jun 1628 at Marden.
Transcribed by Mrs. Shelagh A. Mason, 30th April 2023
Return to Kent GenealogyWill of Edward Simons