Will detail

Will of John Thorpe of Hastings, All Saints

Date signed: 08 Sep 1693, Probate date: 17 Jan 1699

In the name of God Amen the eighth day of September in the fifth year of the reign of our sovereign Lord and Lady William and Mary by the grace of God, King and Queen of England and in the year of our lord one thousand six hundred and ninety three I John Thorpe of the parish of All Saints in the town and port of Hastings in the county of Sussex, yeoman, being well in body and of good and perfect remembrance thanks be to God do make and ordain this my last will and testament in writing in manor and form following, that is to say, Imprimis. I commend my soul into the hands of God hoping in his mercy through the merits of Jesus Christ to receive remission of my sins and eternal salvation and my body I yield to the earth to be buried in decent manner and as touching that temporal estate which God hath given me, I will and dispose the same as herein after followeth that is to say, I will give and bequeath unto my daughters Sarah Geery, Elizabeth Thomysett and Mary Cooper, twelve pounds apiece.

Item – I will, give, devise and bequeath unto my loving wife Martha Thorpe all that my one piece or parcel of freehold land with the appurtenances lying and being in the parish of Playden in the county of Sussex, aforesaid adjoining to my copyhold land there and now in the use or occupation of Abraham Kennet or the assigns to have and to hold to my said wife for and during her natural life, and after her decease then I will, give, devise and bequeath the same to my son Samuel Thorpe to have and to hold to him and to the heirs of his body lawfully to begotten for ever and for default of such issue then to my daughter Martha Thorpe to have and to hold to my said daughter Martha and to her heirs and assigns for ever;

Item – Whereas I have made a surrender of my two pieces of copyhold land with their appurtenances in Playden aforesaid to the use of this my last will and testament, I do hereby will, devise and bequeath the same unto my said wife Martha Thorpe for and during her natural life, and after her decease, to return to my right heirs according to the custom of the manner whereof the same is holden;

Item - It is my mind and will that my said wife shall have half the rent of my land in Wittersham in the Isle of Oxney in the county of Kent during her natural life and afterwards the same to go together with the half according as I have already settled it by deed;

Item – I will, give, devise and bequeath unto my said daughter Martha Thorpe all that my messuage or tenement wherein I know dwell with the garden and appurtenances thereunto belonging, situate, lying and being in the said parish of All Saints in Hastings aforesaid to have and to hold to my said daughter Martha Thorpe and to the heirs of her body lawfully to be begotten for ever And for default of such issue then I will, devise and bequeath one moiety thereof to my said son Samuel Thorpe and his heirs and assigns for ever and the other moiety thereof to my said daughter Mary Hooper her heirs and assigns forever; Nevertheless it is my will and mind that my said wife Martha Thorpe shall have her dwelling in the said messuage freely during her natural life without payment of any rent therefore and I do hereby give her her dwelling therein accordingly any thing herein above mentioned to the contrary notwithstanding 

Item – I give and bequeath to my said son Samuel Thorpe one feather bed with the furniture thereunto belonging and three pair of sheets;

Item - All the reside of my goods, chattels and personal estate whatsoever (after my debts are paid and my funeral expenses with the probate of this my last will and testament discharged) I will, give and bequeath unto my said daughter Martha Thorpe nevertheless it is my mind and will that my said wife shall have the use of any of my household stuff that she thinks fit to use during her life she not giving away nor lending any bit of it; and also it is my mind and will that is my said daughter Martha shall die without leaving child that then such of my household stuffs and goods as shall remain unaltered shall be equally divided between my said son Samuel Thorpe and daughter Mary Cooper;

Item – I make, ordain, nominate and appoint my said daughter Martha Thorpe to be the sole executrix of this my last will and testament and lastly I do hereby revoke and make void all former wills whatsoever by me made or declared. In witness whereof I the said John Thorpe hereunto set my hand and seal dated the day and year first above written.

John Thorpe

Signed, sealed, delivered, published and declared in the presence of

Joseph Benet

Elizabeth Benet

Anne Benet

17 January 1699 … Martha Thorpe Extrix …

Transcribed by:

Domonic Motto.

Source:

Unknown.

This will also mentions these parishes:

Playden, Wittersham.

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