Item I give to the poore people of the p[ar]ishe of Ickham xxs [20s] to bee destraibuted amongst prestt * of the same pishe within
one moneth next after my decease by my Executors heereafter Named
Item my will is that ther shall bee a Searmon at my buryall and for his paynes that shall then preach I
give him tenn shillings to be payd unto him by my Executors heereafter named
Item I give unto my well beloved wife Ann Wesenden all my houshold stuffe and Lynnen and wollen Beds & beddinge, Brasse and pewter
and all other my household stuffe whatsoever, for the terme of her Na[tu]rell life and after her decease to bee equallye devided
amongst my children that shalbe then alive
And allsoe I give unto Ann my beloved wife twentye pounds a yeare untill my sonne John shall
attayne thage of xxiij [23] yeares and the same to bee payd unto her quarterly vizt. five
pounds a quarter, and the first payment of five pounds to begin the Wednesday three Moneths next
after my decease, and soe every Wednesday three moneths five pounds for the terme and time
aforesayd, and the same to bee payd by my Executor heerafter Named untill that my Sonne John
Wessenden shall attayne the full age of three and twentye yeares if hee soe long shall live.
But in case he dep[ar]te this Naturall life before he shall attaine the age aforesayd, then my will is that the
same lesgasye of xx li p Annum to raise and ye daughter .... to be payd by .... that shall bee heyre [heire] of my landes
and my will is that the Benefitt and yearelye p[ro]fitt of all my houses and landes shall be yearely
taken xxx [?] by my Executors heerafter Named untill that my Sonne John shall attayne the age of xxiij yeares if hee soe long shall live
But in case hee dye without Issue and before the age afors[ai]d my will is that my righte heyres shall not medle with the profitts of my
houses neare Loonds untill that my Sonne John should have beene of the age aforesd.
And my will is that the aforesd legasies and the xx li by the yeare for the terme aforesd And after the tenn pounds the yeare for the terme of her Naturall life that I have before given unto Ann my beloved wife in this my Will, is and shalbee on lieu and full Satisfaction of her dowage and widdowright which shee may or any wayes cann challege out of any houses and Lands lying in Ickham aforesayd and I give unto her one quarter of wheat and one quarter of mault yeerly for the tearme of her widdowhood and the same to be payd by my Executors heereafter Named untill my sonne John shall bee of the age aforesd.
and after that hee shalbee of the age of xxiij yeares if shee continue a widdowe soe long then my will and meaninge is that the sayd legasyes afore given unto my wife shall bee payd by my Sonne John in Case hee bee alive But if dead then by her him or them that shall be right heyres of those my houses and lands
And my will and meaninge is that the aforesd legasyes that I have before given unto my wife in this my will shalbe well and truly payd unto her accordinge to the tymes afore mentioned in this my will, for it is in full satisfaction and recompence of her dowrys or ....... ...... cann or may any wayes questioned? or Challenge in those my hou.... ... Lands lyinge in Ickham aforesayd, and towards the Mayntenance and bringeinge upp of my Children Ann allbe I give unto her owne proper use the xx li which she is to receive of Vincent Billinghowse her Brother after the decease of the Widdowe Sackett of St. John’s in Thanet
And allsoe I doe give unto her all that ashen Topps that shall be topt or lost from my lands at Ickham or any pte thereof all the times that shee shall Contynue a widdow, and allsoe I doe give unto her one hop? and furthermore my will is that if my wife shalbe desirous to live and dwell in ... ................. .... that the sayd Ann my wife shall have the sayd house and orchard and hopgarden and three acres of land lyinge in tresay feild? payinge therfore yearelye unto my Executors heereafter Named five pounds of Lawfull English money
And allsoe my will is that Ann my wife shall within one moneth after my decease make her election
whether shee will waine and seeke for her widdowright or whether shee will accept of the guiftes
and legasies that I have heeretofore given unto her in this my will or whether shee will sue for
her dower or widdowright in these my houses and lands lying in Ickham aforesd Which if shee shall
of the xx li p. Annum for the terme of aforesd afterwards the tenn yeares the space for her
naturall life and the guifts & legasyes before given herein this my will
then my Will is that within tenn dayes after her election shee shall make a generall release uto my
Executors heereafter named under her hand & seale and give it unto my Executor for a full sessaction
[cessation] of her title of dower or widdowright in these my houses & lands, for the aforesaid
legasies and the xx li by the yeare for the terme aforesd and afterwards the tenn pounds by
the yeare hav her Naturall life that I have before given her in this my will is in full recompence
& Satisfaction of her right and title of dow[er]age or widdowright in these my houses and lands in Ickham aforesd
But if shee shall not accept of the legasies before given her in this my Will and the xx li per
annum and shall sue her title or Dower or widdowright in these my houses and lands Then my will
is that shee shall have noe Benefitt nor profitt at all by this my Will
And for non payment of the xx li by the yeare for the terme aforesd (if shee shall accept of it) it shall be lawful for her to Stresse and Strayne [distress and distrain] uppon any pte of those my houses and Lands lying in Ickham aforsd. and the stresses ther soe had and taken Lawfullye to load, drive or Cary and to Impound and keepe every ledgable unto the sayd Some of money shalbe satisfyed and and Chardges that shall Raise therby if any bee which she shall strayne for be fully satisfyed and payd
Item I give unto John Wessenden my sonne xxs and the same to be payd unto him at the age of xxjtie [21] yeares if he soe long shall live
Item I give unto Ann Wessenden my daughter one hundred pounds of good and lawfull money of England to be payd unto her at the age
of xviij [18] yeares if shee soe long shall live by my Executor heereafter Named
Item I give unto that Child or Children that my wife is nowe with Child withall fiftye pounds of lawfull money of England to be payd unto
her him or them at thage of xxiij [23] yeares if hee, shee or they soe long shall live by my Executor heereafter Named and the same to be
equallye devided in case shee have two Children
Item I give unto Elizabeth Luckett my God daughter and the daughter of my Sister Margarett twentye pounds of lawfull English money
to bee payd unto her by my Executor heereafter Named
Furthermore it is my will and true meaninge of this my will that William Luckett of the p[ar]ishe of Wickhambreaux my brother in lawe
shall bee my full and whole Executor of this my last (will) and Testament
And if any of my Children departe this Naturall life before they accomplishe their severall ages aforesayd, then my will is that his her or their pte so dyinge shall be equallye devided beetweene her, him or them that shall bee then alive, and to be payd the same at the age that the same Child or Children should have had their legasie afore given In case hee shee oar they had lived to receive the same
Provided allwayes and It is my will and true Intent and meaninge that my Executor shall take and receive all the yeares, Rents and proffitts of all my lands untill my sonne John shall accomplishe the age of xxijtie yeares if hee soe long shall live, and all my moveable goods not before given in this my will Towards the payments of all my debts and legasies before given this my will and the dischardginge of my funerall expences ... ... which are due by him to be payd by the vertue off the execuccon of the Executorshippe of this ... .................... ... Legasies payd and my funerall expences and all other dutyes whatsoever dischardged that then all the reversion and overplus of my moveable goods and the benefitt of my lands if any bee shall bee wholye and absoelutelye to the benefitt of my youngest Child that shall bee alive at the age of my Sonne John afore mentioned which is xxiijtie yeares
And my Will is that when my Sonne John shall attayne thage of xxiijtie yeares that then my Executor shall give a full accompt unto him of all the payments of my debts and the payments of my legasies and the dischardginge of all other duties whatsoever yt ought to bee p[er]formed towards the dischardginge of this my Will .... ....... .... accompt and for his paynes I give him five pounds to be allowed as a legasie unto him ab....... ..... of my Children at the receipt of their legasies to give my Executor an accquitance for .... .... thereof
And allsoe my will is that my Executor shall not fell downe noe tymber .... .... proveinge uppon any pte of my lands aforesayd but onlye for the onedfull [wonderful?] and thereof ... .... and amendinge of all oar any of those my houses and buildings at Ickham aforesd. .... .... them Sufficientlye repayerd as order shall require forein tyme to tyme my sonnes to... .... to bee of the age of xxiijtie yeares
And I doe appoint and ordayne my beloved Frend and Father in lawe William Elnor of the pishe of Ickham to bee my Overseer of this my last Will and Testament and for his paynes I give him xxs to be p[ai]d by my Executor
This is the Last Will and Testament of mee John Wessenden made & declared the day and yeare Fyrst above written of all my houses and Lands orchards & gardens and Hereditam[en]ts lyinge in the pishe of Ickham in the Countye aforesd
Item I give and bequeath all those my houses and Lands Orchard and Gardens and Hereditamts whatsoever lyinge in Ickham and Countye aforesd
unto John Wessenden my Sonne to him and to his heyres foer ever when hee shall attayne thage of xxiijtie yeares if hee soe long live
But in case yt Condicon that hee shall pay unto his mother my wife tenn pounds by the year dureinge her Naturall life
But in case hee dep[ar]te this Naturall life and without Issue of his body lawfully begotten before hee attayne the age of xxiijtie yeares
then I give and bequeath all those my houses and Lands orchards and gardens and hereditaments
aforesayd unto that Child or Children that my wife is wth child withall in case yt bee a male Child or two male Children
But in case it bee a female Child or two female children then my will is that they
shall devide all those my houses and Lands orchards and gardens betweene all my children that shall
beyen alive when as my Sonne John should have been at thage of xxiijtie yeares and not before
... ...... ... ther former legasie unto their Mother dureinge her Naturall life wch my sonne John
should have done In case hee had been alive
And nowe am I at quiett Comittinge my Soule into the hands of Allmightye God Assureinge my selfe when death hath saezed uppon this my body
my soule shall rest with Christ my Saviour
And I doe publish this to bee my Last will and Testament that is heere written in the Compassand
difference of three sheets of paper and unto the two first Sheets I have sett my hand and unto this Last
Sheete I have sett my hand and Seale in the presence of
John Wessenden
Witnes heereunto William Ballkoine and Richard Cullinges
Probatum fuit: 20th October 1640
Note: * I believe he’s trying to say that the priest should distribute the twenty shillings amongst the poor people in Ickham parish.
Transcribed by Shelagh Mason 11th June 2021
Return to Kent GenealogyWill of John Wessenden