First I give to the poor of the parish of Chiddingstone four pounds and ten shillings of
lawful money of England to be paid by my executors in manner following that is to
say thirty shillings payable thereof within one year after my decease and twenty
shillings by the year for three years following.
Also I give to the poor of the parish of Penshurst in the County of Kent three pounds
of like money to be paid by my executors twenty shillings per annum within three
years after my decease.
Also I give and bequeath unto Thomas my youngest son the sum of twelve hundred
pounds of lawful money of England to be paid unto him at his age of one and twenty
years by William my oldest son out of my messuages lands and tenements.
Also I give unto Anne my daughter the sum of five hundred pounds of lawful money
of England to be paid unto her at her age of one and twenty years or day of marriage
which shall first happen by my aforesaid son William.
And I give unto Anne my loving wife such goods and household stuff as she had
with her upon our marriage.
All the rest and residue of my goods and chattels credits
and stock I give to my executors for the use and benefit of William my eldest son.
And I do hereby nominate ordain and appoint my loving brother Joell Woodgate of Penshurst in the County of Kent yeoman and my brother-in-law Thomas Bassett of Chiddingstone aforesaid yeoman full and sole executors of this my last Will and Testament upon trust and confidence in them that they shall receive the rents and profits of my lands in Sussex and the profits of such money and shares at interest and also the rents of my lands in Kent if my wife desires to marry again and to dispose of the said money so to be received on them to the best advantage they can and to give a just account thereof unto my aforesaid son William.
Also I do hereby declare my will
and meaning to be that Anne my loving wife shall hold and enjoy this house I now
live in and all the lands and appurtenances thereto belonging for and during so long
time she shall keep herself a widow and unmarried for and towards her maintenance
and educating my three children she the said Anne keeping the said premises in good
repair and felling no timber but for reservations now ploughing and of the meadow
grounds or committing and wasting the premises.
And also my will and mind is that
my said wife Anne shall towards the bringing up of my said children for and during so
long time as she shall keep herself a widow hold use and enjoy all my stock of cattle
corn chattels and household stuff as the same are now used by me and in my
possession upon this condition that my wife shall within one month after my decease
give formally by her own bond unto my said executors that she shall not waste or
embezzle my said goods and chattels which shall remain in her custody during her
widowhood but shall yield deliver and pay unto my executors before she shall
intermarry again or unto my son William at his age of one and twenty years all such
goods and chattels as my executors shall deem with her or pay money for so many of
the goods and chattels as the property of the said goods and chattels shall be altered of
according as the same shall be by honest men valued and appraised by my inventory
to be made within a month after my decease.
And if my wife chance to marry again then I will that my executors shall provide for and
maintain my three children out of the yield and profit of my lands.
And my will and mind further is that my executors shall immediately after my
decease shall wise let and dispose of my messuage and tenement and lands called
Geeres lying in Chiddingstone aforesaid to such person or persons as they shall think
fit for the most rent they can find to receive the rent thereof towards raising of my
younger children�s portions. And I do further declare my will to be that my executors
shall keep in their hands all such monies as they shall receive by rent or other profits
of my estate until my son Thomas shall attain to his age of one and twenty years and
then the said money to be paid him towards his portion.
And also my will is that if either of my sons shall die before they shall attain unto
their several ages of one and twenty years the I do hereby give and devise unto my
daughter Anne the full sum of five hundred pounds of lawful money of England for
her portion to be paid unto her at her age of one and twenty years or day of marriage
which shall first happen out of my lands and tenements whatsoever.
Also I do hereby give devise and bequeath unto my oldest son William and to his
heirs forever all my messuages lands tenements and hereditaments with their
appurtenances situate lying and being in the counties of Kent and Sussex or either of
them and also certain lands called Seale Fields which I hold by leasehold for two
thousand years of Walter Woodgate Senior of Lingfield in the County of Surrey at a
peppercorn a year to have and to hold my said messuages lands and tenements with
their appurtenances unto my said son William and his heirs and assignees for ever
upon condition that he the said William shall pay unto my said son Thomas the
aforesaid sum of twelve hundred pounds of lawful money of England at his age of one
and twenty years and also the said two hundred pounds to my said daughter Anne at
her age of one and twenty years or day of marriage which shall first happen.
And I do also further declare my will and mind to be that my son Thomas upon the receiving of
the said sum of twelve hundred pounds of his brother William give unto my son
William a good and sufficient release or such conveyance in law as counsel shall
think fit of all his right title or interest which he shall or may have in or to certain
lands called Robert Lands to have and to hold the same lands immediately after my
wife�s decease unto my said son William and his heirs and assignees for ever.
And I do herein give full power and authority to my executors to devise let and
dispose of my lands and tenements by lease or otherwise as they shall think fit until
such time as my son William shall attain his age of one and twenty years.
In witness to this my last Will and Testament containing four sheets of paper I have to
each sheet of paper set my hand and seal the sixteenth day of April in the one and
twentieth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord Charles the Second by the grace of
God King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the Faith or Anno
Domini one thousand six hundred and sixty nine. Thomas Woodgate. Signed sealed
published and declared to be the last Will and Testament of the said Thomas
Woodgate in the presence of
Henry Pigott Edward Weekes.
This will was proved before the Worshipful Richard Lloyd Doctor of Laws and Surrogate of the Right Worshipful Lionel Jenkins Doctor of Laws Master Keeper and Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on the sixteenth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred and sixty nine authorized by the oath of Joell Woodgate and Thomas Bassett the executors named in the Will having been first sworn on the Holy Gospels to administer.
Return to Kent GenealogyWill of Thomas Woodgate