In the name of God Amen I John Durrant of Waldron in the County of Sussex mercer being weak in body but of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding (praised be God for the same) do this nineteenth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy six make publish and declare my last Will and Testament in manner and form following (that is to say) First I give and devise unto my brother Joseph Durrant of Easthoathly in the said County farmer all that my messuage or tenement wherein I now dwell together with one other messuage or tenement one brewhouse one stable one warehouse and one acre of land more or less to the said messuage or tenement belonging with their and every of their rights members and appurtenances to hold to him my said brother Joseph Durrant his heirs and assigns for ever. Also I give and devise unto my brother Joseph Durrant all that my barn buildings farm and lands thereto belonging containing by estimation twenty two acres be the same more or less called or known by the name of the Burnt Oake Farm scituate lyeing and being in Waldron aforesaid together with their and every of their rights members and appurtenances to hold to him my said brother Joseph Durrant his heirs and assigns for ever but subject to and charged and chargeable nevertheless to and with the payment of one annuity or clear yearly sum of twelve pounds of good and lawfull money of Great Britain which I give and bequeath thereout unto my dear and loving wife Sarah Durrant and her assigns for and during all the term of her natural life the same to be paid and payable to her clear of all deductions whatsoever by my said brother Joseph Durrant by two equal half yearly payments in the year (that is to say) on the feast day of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the feast day of Saint Michael the Archangel the first payment thereof to begin and be made on such of the feast days as shall first and next happen after my decease. And my will is and I do hereby order and direct that if it shall happen that the said annuity or clear yearly sum of twelve pounds by me given to my said wife shall be behind and unpaid over and above the space of twenty days next over or after any or either of the aforesaid feast days whereon the same shall become due it shall and may be lawfull to and for my said dear wife her agents or assigns to enter into and upon the said barn buildings farm and lands charged with the payment thereof and to distrain for the same or so much thereof as shall happen to be in arrear. And the distress and distresses by her from time to time taken to impound detain or keep or otherwise to lett and dispose of the same for satisfaction of her said annuity [text lost in crease. DW] though for which such distress shall have been made together with all costs and charges attending such distress and sale. And I charge all that my said barn buildings farm lands and hereditaments called Burnt Oake Farm with the payment of the said annuity or clear yearly sum of twelve pounds to my said wife accordingly. Also I give and devise unto my brother Christopher Durrant (or now commonly called or known by that name) of Warbleton in the said County servant man all that my copyhold messuage or tenement barn buildings farm and lands thereto belonging (holden of the Manor of Battle which I have surrendered to the use of my last Will and Testament) containing by estimation fifty acres be the same more or less scituate lying and being in the parish of Warbleton aforesaid and now in the occupation of Richard Norton to hold to him the said Christopher Durrant his heirs and assigns for ever but charged and chargeable nevertheless with the payment of one annuity or clear yearly sum of eight pounds of good and lawfull money of Great Britain which I give and bequeath thereout unto my said loving wife Sarah Durrant and her assigns for and during all the term of her natural life the same to be paid and payable to her clear of all deductions whatsoever by my said brother Christopher Durrant by two equal half yearly payments (that is to say) on the feat day of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Michael the Archangel the first payment thereof to begin and be made on such of the said feast days as shall first next happen after my decease and my will is and I do hereby order and direct that if it shall happen that the said annuity or clear yearly sum of eight pounds by me given to my said wife shall be behind and unpaid over and above the space of twenty days next over or after any or either of the said feast days whereon the same shall become due it shall and may be lawfull for my said dear wife her agents or assigns to have use and take the like means for recovery thereof as I have above given her respecting her aforesaid annuity or clear yearly sum of twelve pounds. And I charge my said copyhold messuage or tenement barn buildings farm and lands in Warbleton aforesaid with the payment of the said annuity or clear yearly sum of eight pounds to her my said dear wife accordingly. Also I give and devise unto my sister Elizabeth Start wife of John Start of Little Horsted in the said County all that my messuage or tenement garden land and hereditaments thereto belonging scituate lyeing and being in the parish of Wartling in the said County and now in the occupation of William Hollands mercer to hold to her my said sister Elizabeth Start her heirs and assigns for ever. Also I give and bequeath unto the poor of the parish of Waldron aforesaid the sum of five pounds the same to be paid by my executor hereafter named into the hands of the overseers of the poor of the said parish for the time being within three months next after my decease and the same to be paid and divided by them to such of the poor people of the said parish as they in their discretion shall think proper. Also I give and bequeath unto my said brother Christopher Durrant the sum of fifty pounds the same to be paid to him within six months next after my decease by my executor. Also I give and bequeath unto my sister Sarah Durrant of Rye in the said County spinster the sum of one hundred pounds the same to be paid to her within six months next after my decease by my executor. Also I give and bequeath unto my sister Elizabeth Start the sum of fifty pounds the same to be paid to her within six months next after my decease by my executor. Also I give and bequeath unto my said loving wife Sarah the sum of twenty pounds the same to be paid to her forthwith after my decease by my executor. Also I give and bequeath unto my cousin Mary Duke of Watlington in the said County widow the sum of one hundred pounds the same to be paid to her within six months next after my decease by my executor. Also I give and bequeath unto my servant maid Elizabeth Moon now living with me the sum of fifty pounds the same to be paid to her within six months next after my decease by my executor. All the rest residue and remainder of my estate whatsoever and wheresoever both real and personal (my just debts funeral expences legacies aforesaid and the charges of proving this my Will being thereout first paid and deducted) I give and bequeath unto my said brother Joseph Durrant to his own sole and proper use and benefitt. And lastly I make nominate constitute and appoint my said brother Joseph Durrant sole executor of this my last Will and Testament and do revoke all former Wills by me at any time heretofore made and declare this to be my last Will and Testament provided nevertheless that if I shall happen to leave my said dear wife Sarah ensient of a child at the time of my decease and such child shall afterwards be born alive then and in such case I do revoke disannull and make void this my last Will and Testament and all and every the devises and bequests herein contained and do declare [text lost in crease. DW] validite whatever. In witness whereof I the said John Durrant the testator to this my last Will and Testament contained in three sheets of paper have to each sheet thereof set my hand and seal the day and year first above written. John Durrant
Signed sealed published and declared by the said John Durrant the testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who in his presence and at his request and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names as witnesses thereto. Joseph Fuller, Thos Jones, John Farmer
1st Nov 1776. Then was sworn Joseph Durrant the sole executor named in this Will to whom was committed the burthen of the execution thereof. By us Peter G Croft. Sur:
Unknown.
Little Horsted, Warbleton, East Hoathly, Rye, Whatlington, Wartling.