First my Will is That my wife now living Jane Smithson (if she doe survive me) shall during her naturall life have and enjoye
all my house=hold goods as it now stands or shall stand at the time of my death to use,
and att her death to keape? it in as reasonable and good condicon as now it is or as near as may be
Also I give unto her Two Cowes, two hogges and five sheep And all the corne and graine which shalbe growing upon my ground or in my
house and barne at the time of my death She likewise leaving it so well stocked at the time of her death
And to have the use of my said house and land during her life paying onely unto Gregorie Cullen the sonne of my daughter Jane Cullen
Three pounds by the yeare quarterly to be paid
And she my said wife to keepe the said house barne, outhouse or other buildings thereto belonging with all the fences and ditches well
and sufficiently repaired during the said time, and not to fell any timber or timber-like trees, nor make any wilfull wast in or about
the premisses
Item I give unto my eldest daughter Jane Strowd? that thirtie pounds which I lately lent unto her husband Richard Strowd (for which I have the Lease of his house in Bridge and his bond for in securitie) And also Tenn pounds more in money To be paid by mine Executor hereafter named at or within six moneths after my decease
Item I give unto my second daughter Judith the wife of William Richards Thirtie pounds of like good and Current English money, To
be paid by mine Executor at or within Six moneths after my decease
Item I give unto my third daughter Jane Cullen the wife of Anthonie Cullen fortie pounds of like good and Current money To be
paid by mine executor at or within Six moneths after my decease
Item I give unto my youngest daughter Mary the wife of William Holdstocke Thirtie pounds of like good and Current money To be
paid by mine executor at or within Six moneths after my decease
Item I give unto John Onslow (the sonne of Alice Onslow my daughter deceased) if he shall live to the age of sixteene yeares,
six shillings and eight pence to buy him Two lambs and to be paid by my executor at his said age
Item I give unto Gregorie Cullen the sonne of my daughter Jane Cullen my house and land which I now live in lying and being in the
parishes of Hackington and Saint Dunstan’s [in Canterbury] To him and his heires of his bodie lawfully begotten for ever immediately
after the decease of me and my wife and the longest liver of either of us, with the barne and other buildings as now it standeth
He paying unto my other three Grandchildren Gregorie Richards, Gregorie Strowd and Gregorie Holdstocke each of them fortie
shillings at or within one yeare after he shalbe possessed of the said house and lands
Also I give unto the said Gregorie Cullen Two beds, bedsteddles and all to them belonging as they now stand in my chamber and my chest and the presse and all other furniture in the Hall as it now stands And all the brewing vessells and the shelves and milke bowles, as they now stand and one brasse pot and Two pewter platters immediately after mine and my wives decease
And all the rest of my household goods, bills, bonds or whatsoever unbequeathed, My will is shalbe equally divided betweene my foure daughters
And further my will is concerning my house and land That if the abovesaid Gregorie Cullen shall happen to die without heires of his
bodie lawfully begotten, That then the abovesaid Gregorie Holdstocke shall have and enjoy the said house and land to him and to his
heires for ever
And for want of such heires Then to the eldest Gregorie of either of my daughters which shall survive and to their heires for ever
Item my sonne in law William Holdstocke I make sole executor of this my last will and Testament, He paying my debts and legacies and discharging funerall expences
In witnesse whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seale this one and twentieth day of May one thousand six hundreth and fiftie foure
Gregorie Smithson; his marke
Sealed, subscribed, declared and published to be my last will and Testament in the presence of
Tho: Mayne, Ralph Jenkinson
This will was proved at London before the Judges for Probate of wills and granting Administracons lawfully authorized the eighth day of June in the yeare of our Lord God one Thousand six hundred Fiftie seaven by the oath of William Holdstocke the sonne in law of the said deceased and sole executor named in the said will, To whome was committed Administracon of all and singular the said deceased’s goods Chattells and debts He being first in due forme of law sworne well and truly to administer the same.
Transcribed by Shelagh Mason 17th August 2021
Return to Kent GenealogyWill of Gregorie Smithson