3 August 1659 Will of George Knight of Bristol, mercer (proved 13 December 1659)

Source: TNA, PROB 11/296

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In the name of God Amen the third day
of August in the yeare of our Lord God one thousand six hundred Fifty and nine
I George Knight of the Citty of Bristall mercer being weake in body in respect of
mine age but of good and perfect memorie I thanke allmighty God Consideringe
the uncertannetie of this mortall life Doe make and declare this my last Will and
Testament in manner and forme Following First I doe Comend my soule into ye
handes of Almighty God that gave it and my body to the Earth to bee decently interred
and as touching my Worldly estate which it hath pleased God to bestowe uppon mee
I doe dispose thereof in forme Following that is to say First I doe revoake all Former
Wills and Testaments by me Formerly made Alsoe I doe nominate consitute and
appointed my two sonnes Francis Knight and John Knight my full and whole Etors
of this my last Will and Testament assureing my selfe that they with the assistance of
my sonne in Law William Duckett Esquire and Richard Bubb Grocer whome I desire
to bee overseers thereof wilbe carefull that this my Will may bee in all things truely
and Faithfully observed executed and performed according to my intent and meaneing
										not


not doubting but that my Executors (notwithstandingthat this my ???ting
and Constituteing them Executors as aforesaid is a Release in law of the right
of Anon as to such debts or sumes of monie which they or either of them shall owe
unto me at my death) yet they wilbe met ni the discovery thereof which debts and
sumes of monie my will is shall neverthelesse be and be deemed to bee assetts for the
payment of my debts and legacies Alsoe I give and appointe five poundes in monie
to bee distributed given and desposed to and amongst the poorer sort of people inhabitinge
within the parish of Temple where I now dwell uppon the day of my funerall or the day Following
Alsoe I give to forty poore men forty gownes to bee made of the best sort of Welsh gray
F??ze And alsoe to each of the sorty poore men a hatt a paire of shooes and a paire
of Stockings to bee worne by them at my funerall and my will is that twentie
and Five of the said poore men shalbee of the sd parish of Temple and five poore men
shalbee taken out of the parish of St Nicholas and five more out of the parish of Redcliffe
and the other five out of the parish of St Thomas in this Citty Also I doe give and
bequeath to the persons that at the time of my death shalbee Feoffees and trustees of
lands settled for Caritable uses with the said parish of Temple thirty and six pounds
of lawfull money of England to bee paid into the Churchwardens and overssers of ye
poore of the same parish and to and for the use of the said Feoffees and trustees by my
Executors within three monthes after my death and to bee by them within twelve monthes
after my decease imployed or secured in such sort as that the proffitts thereof yearely
may bee disposed of in Forme Following that is to say tenne shillings yearely for the
preaching of a Sermon in the parish Church of the parish of the said parish of Temple on the five and
twentieth day of December yearely torever and two shillings and six pence to the Clerke
and Sexton of the same parish for ringing the bell on that day and the residue of the yearly
proffitts of the said thirty six poundes my will is shalbee wholly imployed and bestowed
in bread and distributed weekely ?? on the Sabbath day for ever to and amongest the poore
of the same parish as other guifts of that nature now are Alsoe I give to the persons that
at the time of my decease shalbe Feoffees and Trustees of the lands settled for good uses
within the parish of St Nicholas in Bristoll their heires and assignes for ever for the
better releife and maintenance of the poore of the same parish one annuity or yearely
rent Charge of tenne shillings Currant English monie to bee issueing out of the
Corner Messuage or Tenement scituate at thend of the Bridge in the said parish of
St Nicholas and now in the possession of George Champnyes Woollen Draper to bee pd
at these two most usuall Feasts in the yeare (That is to say) the Feast of thannunciacon of 
the Virgin Mary and St Michaell Tharchangell by equall porcons the First payment thereof
to bee made at that of the said Feasts as shall First happen after my decease And my will
is that if default of payment shalbee made of the said yearely rent of tenne shilling that 
then and soe often it shall and may bee lawfull for the said Feofees theire heires and assignes
to enter into and uppon the said Corner Messuage or Tenemeent with thappurtenances there
to distraine for the said yearely Rent and all arreares thereof (if any be) and the
same From time to time to kepe and retaine untill they shalbe fully satisfied thereof
for the use aforesaid Provided and my will and meaneing further is that inc ase the sd Feoffees
or trustees of the lands settled for good uses within the said parish of St Nicholas for the time
being who of late pretendee right to anuitie or rent of tenne shillings to bee anciently
issueing out of the said Corner Tenemt whereas in trueth there is noe such right shall
not withstanding this my Free guift at any time hereafter claime ane sue to have 
any former or other anuity or yearely rent out of the said Tenement other then the rent
Charge by mee given as aforesaid then my Will is that the anuity or rent charge by me
given to the said Feoffees and Trustees aforesaid shall from thenceforth cease and bee
void And as touching the said Corner Messuage or Tenement with thappurtenances
Charged and Chargeable with the said anuity or yearely Rent charge of tenne shillings
and powers of entry and distresse thereof as aforesaid I give and devise the same Corner
										Messuage


Messuage or Tenemt with thappurtenances unto my grandsonne George Knight
one of the sonnes of my sonne John Knight and the heires of the body of the same
George Knight lawfully to bee begotten and for want of such heires I will the same
Tenement shall remaine and come to his brother Thomas Knight one other of the 
sonnes of my said sonne John Knight and to the heires of this body lawfully to be
begotten and for want of such heires then I give the same Tenemt with thappurtences
to my said sonne John Knight his heires and assignes for ever And my will is that
my said sonne John Knight dureing the minority of his said sonne George shall
receive the Rents and profitts of the same Tenement for the use of the said George and
shall pay the same with the increase thereof after the rate of Five poundes for one hundred
poundes for one whole yeare to him the said George within three monthes next after
hee shall have atteined the age of twentie and one yeares ^ then my will is that the			^ if hee shall be then liveing But
same Rents and proffitts with the interst as aforesaid shalbee paid to my grandsonne			  case hee shall dye before hee shall
Thomas Knight aforesaid when hee shall have attained his said Age Alsoe I give				  have attayned the Age of twenty 
and Devise unto my said grandsonne Thomas Knight all those my two Messuages or				  and one yeares
Tenemts withall and singuler their appurtenances scituate lying and being in St Tho-
mas Strete within the parish of St Thomas in the Citty of Bristoll now or late in ey
Holding of John Morris and his sister Sibell Cooper or of one of them to hold to my
said grandsonne Thomas Knight and the heires of his body lawfully to be begotten
and for want of such issue I will the same Tenements shall remaine and come
to his brother John Knight and the heires of his body lawfully to bee begotten and
for want of such issue to remaine to his brother George Knight and to the heires of his
body lawfully to be begotten and for want of such issue then to my said sonne John Knight
his heires and assignes for ever and my will is that my said sonne John Knight shall
dureing the minority of my said grandsonne Thomas Knight receive ye PROfits of ye
same two Tenements to and for the use of my said grandsonne Thomas Knight
and shall pay the same with the interest thereof after the rate of five pounds for one
hundred poundes for one Whole yeare within three monthes next after my and grand
sonne Thomas Knight shalbee of the age of one and twenty yeares unto my said grandson
Thomas Knight in case hee shall live to and accomplish his said age) But in case my said
grandsonne Thomas Knight shall dye before such accomplishment of his said age
then my will is that the same Rents and proffitts shalbee paid to my said grand
sonne John Knight in Case he live to and accomplish the age of one and twentye
yeares and if hee dye before such accomplishment of age then to bee paid to my rand
sonne George Knight in like manner at his age of one and twenty yeares Alsoe
I give unto Martha Knight one of the daughters of my sonne John Knight
and to the heires of her body lawfully begotten All that my Messuage or Tenement
with all and singuler the appurtenances thereunto belonging scituate lying and being in
St Thomas Streete aforesaid in the said Citty of Bristoll in the tenure occupacon or possion
of Henry Rich Sopemaker and for want of such issue I will it shall remained and
come to her sister Mary Knight one other of the daughters of the same John Knight
my sonne and to the heires of her body lawfully to bee begotten And for want of such
issue I will it shall remaine and come to her sister Anne Knight and to the heires
of her body lawfully to bee begotten and for want of such heires then to her sister
Bridgett and her heires for ever Also I give unto the said Mary Knight one of
the daughters of my sonne John Knight all those two Messuages or Tenements
with all and singuler their appurtenances scituate lying and being in St Thomas
Streete aforesaid in the said parish of St Thomas within the said Citty of Bristoll
now or late in the severall holdings or occupacons of John Fa???er and John
Redwood To hold to her the said Mary and the heires of her body lawfully to bee
begotten And for want of such heires I will it shall remaine to her sister Anne
Knight and to the heires of her body lawfully to bee begotten And for want of such
									  heires


heires I will the same shall remaine and Come to her sister Bridgett Knight
and to the heires of her body lawfully begotten and for want of such issue then to her
Sister Elizabeth Knight her heires and assignes for ever Alsoe I give and devise unto
my said grandchild Bridgett Knight one other of the daughters of my sonne John
Knight All that little close or parcell of Meadow comonly called G??nts Mead lying
without Laffordsgate within the hundred of Barton Regis and County of Gloucr
to hould to her the said Bridgett and to the heires of her body lawfully to be begotten
and for want of such issue I will the same close or parcell of Meadow shall remaine
and come to her sister Elizabeth Knight and to the heires of her body lawfully to be
begotten and for want of such issue then to her sister Anne Knight her heires and
assignes for ever Alsoe I give and evise to my said grandchild Anne Knight one
of the daughters of my said sonne John Knight all those two Tenements and
gardens with thappurtenances and all the right terme and interest which I have
therein scituate in Temple streete within the Cittie of Bristoll the one whereof
is granted for a certaine terme of yeares to Ralfe Kyson and the other Tenemt
is granted to Lease for a certaine terme of yeares to James Sharpe both which I
hold from the Chamber of Bristoll Provided and my will and meaneing is that
if my said grandchild Anne shall happen to dye before her age of one and twenty
yeares being unmarried then I give the same two Tenements and all the
remainder of my Terme and interst therein after the death of the said Ann
unto her Sister Elizabeth Knight And further my will is that my said sonne
John Knight shall dureing the minority of his said daughters respectively
receive per?e??ie and take to and for the severall and respective use and uses
of my said granddaughters the severall rents and proffitts of all & singuler ye
premisses before by mee to them respectively given as aforesaid and shall pay the
same unto his said daughters respectively at their severall and respective ages
of one and twenty yeares or dayes of marriage which shall first happen
happen But my will is that if any of the said daughters shall happen to dye before
her part of the Rents and proffitts shalbee to her payable as aforesaid that then ye
part and interest of such Rents and proffitts of her soe dying shall remaine and
bee paid over to such other of her Sisters to whome the Messuage Tenemt or lands devised
to her soe dying as aforesaid and out of which such Rents and proffitts shall arise
shall or ought to remaine by the true meaneing of this my will And I Further
Declare my will to bee that the monies soe paid to my said grand daughters shalbe
paid to them with increase after the rate of five poundes for one hudnred poundes
for onw whole yeare Also I give unto my grandchildren John Knight and Mary
Knight the sonne and daughter of my sonne Francis Knight the sume of twenty
poundes in Currant money vizt to each of them tenne poundes  their father
to have it for their use but my will is in case either of them dye before accomplish
-ment of his or her age of one and twenty yeares not haveing been married that
the part of him or her soe dying shall remaine to the Survivor of them Also
I doe give and devise to my said sonne Francis Knight All those Meadowes &
Meadow groundes comonly called Temple meades lying within or neere the said
Citty of Bristoll and all my estate right title and interest therein (which wth 
other things I hold by ye grannt of the Maior and Cominaltie ^ to the end that			^ of Bristoll ?????der the yearly Rent
the rest and residue of the landes grannted Together with Temple meades				  of Tenn pounds which Rent I ??? that
may dureing the said terme bee free From paying any part of the said rent			  sonne Francis Knight shall yearly
alsoe I give unto my said sonne in law Mr William Duckett tenne poundes in 			  ???? discharge ??? the ??????
monie for mourneing Alsoe I give and bequeath to my daughter Mary Hart				  granted by the said Maior & Co????
the sume of Fifty poundes of lawfull monie of England to my daughter Anne
Duckett the sume of Fifty poundes like mony To my daughter Elizabeth Bubb
the sume of Fifty pounds like monie the same severall sumes to bee paid to my
									said


said daughter by my said Executors within one yeare next after my decease
in respect thereof I will my said daughters shall find themselves mourneing Also
I give and bequeath to my said grand daughters Mary Bubb now wife of Richard
Bubb the the sume of one hundred poundes of lawfull monie of England and therein
her mourneing to bee ???luded Alsoe I give to the foure Children of my said grand
daughter Mary Bubb tenne poundes a pieece to every of them to bee paid at their
Respective ages of one and twenty yeares or dayes of marriage which shall First
happen and that if any of the same Children shall dye before his or her part shall
grow due as aforesaid that then the part of him or her soe dyeing shall remaine to
the survivors and survivor of them and my will is that the monies soe given
to the said Children shalbee paid unto their Father for their use within twelve
monthes after my decease Alsoe For the better livelyhood and maintenance of my
daughter in law Ursula Knight Widdow the Relict and Administratrix of my son
William Knight deceased and of her children I forgive and Release unto the said
Ursula the bond which she gave me for payment of Foure hundred poundes which bond
she gave me in sattisfacon of a debt of Foure hundred poundes oweing to me by her
husband and my will is that her said bond shall bee delivered upp to her at my decease
And I doe forgive and Release unto her all such other debts and demanndes as were
by my sonne William Knight due and oweing unto mee at the time of his death
Alsoe I give unto my grandsonne Fitz Knight sonne of the said William Twenty
poundes in monie to bee paid to him at his age of one and twenty yeares Provided
and my Will is that in case my said grandsonne shall in the meane time bee bond
apprentice then in such case my Executors shall pay and apply the same twentie
poundes towards the bonding him apprentice in such manner as they in their discrecons
shall thincke Fitt And I will that together with and at the time of payment of the same
twenty poundes my Executors shall pay and allow interest therefore to bee accompted from
the time of my death after the rate of five poundes for one hundred poundes for one whole
yeare Alsoe I give unto my grand daughter Judith Browne wife of Robert Browne
Mercer to buy her mourneing to weare at my funerall tenne poundes and to my grand
sonne Richard Hart in like manner for mourneing I give tenne poundes in monie
And I give to the five other Children of my daughter Mary Hart tenne poundes a
peice to every of them respectively at their respective ages of one and twenty yeares
or dayes of Marriage which shall First happen and if any one of them dye before his or her
legacye shall growe due then the legacie of him or her soe dying shall remaine and
bee divided to and amongst the survivors and survivor of them part and part alike
I give alsoe to my grandsonne William Chapman ^ and my granddaughter Jane Duckett			^ Ten pounds to buy him Mourning
tenne poundes a peice to every of them to bee paid over to my sonne in law Mr Willm			  Also I give to my Grandchildren
Duckett for their use within one yeare after my death and to bee paid to them Respectively		  George Walter & Anne Chapman
in such manner as the monies by mee given to my daughter Harts five Children
as aforesaid are Limitted or appointed to bee paid Alsoe I give and bequeath to ye
five children of my daughter Elizabeth Bubb tenne poundes a peice to every of them
to bee paid to them in like manner as the legacies by me given to my daughter Harts
five Children are Limitted to bee paid as aforesaid Alsoe I give unto Bridgett Holbrooke
the wife of John Holbrooke Goldsmith the sume of Fifty poundes in monie to bee
paid within twelve monthes after my death in Respect whereof she is to mourne at
her owne Charges at my funerall Alsoe I give unto Mr Jacob Brent now Ministr
of Temple five poundes in monie Alsoe to my servant maid Frances Harris
I give six poundes and to Margarett Browne forty shillings Alsoe I give unto my
sonne Isaac Knight tenne poundes in monie Alsoe for the better support and
maintenance of my said sonne Isaac Knight I doe give Limitt and appointe
that there shalbe paid by my sd Executors out of my estate yearely dureing the
naturall life of the said Isaac unto the said William Duckett and Richard Bubb
									And


And the survivor of them and the Executors and administrators of such survivor one annuity
or yearely sume of Forty poundes of lawfull monie of England to bee paid quarterly
by equall porcons uppon trust that they and the survivor of them and the Executors
and Administrators of such survivor shall and ought to dispose of the same anuity
or yearely sume in the necessary maintenance and livelyhood of the said Isaac
in such for?? as they or the Survivor of them or the Executors or Administrators
of such survivior shall from time to time thinke meete      & Convenient
one moity of which annuity or yearly sume my will is shalbee paid by my said sonne
Francis Knight his Executors and Administrators and the other moity thereof by
my sonne John Knight his Executors and Administrators and my will is that my
said Executors respectively shall within six monthes next after my decease give bond
or other good security to the said William Duckett and Richard Bubb or the Survivor
of them or the Executors or administrators of such Survivor ^ shall thinke fitt for the paymt		^ as they or the survivor of them or the
of the same annuity accordingly that soe the same may bee the better secured And as 			  Exrs or adrs of such survivor
touching all the pewter and other household stuffe that is in my greate Chest in one of the
upper Chamber fore streete of the now dwelling house my will is that the same shalbee
divided in to foure equall parts one fourth or quarter part whereof I give to my said sonne
Isaac Knight and the other three fourth or quarter parts thereof I give to my said
sonne John Knight Alsoe I give to Mary the wife of Richard Bubb one of my
spruce Chests Alsoe I give to my sonne John Knight all my bedsteads table boards
leaden Cisternes stooles pewter brasse Linnen woollen iron Chaires Cushions 
Carpetts Curtaines Coverletts Blanketts and bedding and all other my househould
stuffe and apparrell whatsoever in my now dwellinge house (my plate onely excepted)
Alsoe I give to my sonne Francis Knight the sume of Five hundred poundes of
lawfull monie of England and I will that hee may have and retaine the same
out of such monies as hee shall owe mee at my death in case he shall owe me soe
much Alsoe I give to my grandchildren John, George, Martha, Mary & Abigail
Knight five of the Children of my sonne John Knight to every of them one
hundred poundes a peece of lawfull money of England Alsoe I give unto Anne
Bridgett, Elizabeth and Thomas Knight the foure other Children of my sonne Jno
Knight to every of them the sume of one hundred and fifty poundes a peece like
lawfull monie and my Will is that the same severall sumes of monie soe given
to the same my grandchildren shall remaine in the handes and Custodie of their
father my said sonne John Knight and shalbee by him paid to his said Children 
together with interest thereof after the rate of five poundes for one hundred poundes
for one whole yeare in manner and Forme following (vizt) to every of the sonne 
Respectively at his age of one and twenty yeares ^ or day of marriage which shall			^ and to every of the daughters respectively
First happen provided and my Will and meaneing further is that in case any of				  at her Age of one & twenty yeares
the same my granchildren shall happen to dye before such time as the legacy or
sume of money to him or her soe given shall grow due or payable as aforesaid that
then the Legacie part or porcon to him or her soe dyeing given or accreweing by ye
true meaneing of this my last Will shall remaine and bee paid and I give and devise
the same to and amongst the Survivors and Survivor of them part and part
like at the time as the the other parts and porcons of such survivors or survivor shall
respectively growe due as aforesaid and my will is that my said sonne Johne Knight
shall not bee Compelled to give any security dureing his life time to ye Court of
Orphans for payment of the said Legacies to his Children but in case hee shall dye
before all the said Legacies shalbe paid unto his Children then my Will is that the
Executors or Administrators of my said sonne John bee Compelled to give security
to the Court of Orphans for payment of such of the same Legacies as shalbee
then unpaid according to the true meaneing of this my Will Also I give unto
my sonne Isaac Knight a featherbed and a flockbed Furnished with two paire of 
									sheetes


sheetes two Coverletts and a paire of Blancketts Alsoe I give and bequeath to my
said sonnes Francis Knight and John Knight (whome I have made Executors
as aforesaid) All the rest and residue of my plate monies debts jewells specialties
goods chattells and personall whatsoever not herein before given or bequeathed to bee
equally divided betweene them my debts legacies and funerall expences being First
paid and discharged And whereas I have heretofore settled and assured some landes and
Tenements to and on my Children by severall deedes I doe rattifie and approve of all
and every of the same deeds Alsoe I give to ye two children of the said Bridgett Holbrooke
tenne poundes a peece to bee paid to their Father for their use to bee paid to them respectively
at their respective ages of one and Twenty yeares or dayes of Marriage (which shall first
happen) but if either of them dye before his or her legacy shall growe due then the legacy
of such soe dyeing to goe to the Survivor of them In witnes whereof I have caused
two parts of this my last Will and Testament to bee made both of the same tenor and 
date and each part thereof consisting of Fifteene sheetes of Paper to every of which sheetes 
  I have subscribed my name and have sealed the same the day and yeare First
abovewritten George Knight Sealed and published in the presence of Humphry Brent
Matthew Wolfe Charles Owen Peter Buller

This will was proved at London ^ Before the Judges for pbat						^ ye 13th day of
of Wills and granting Administrations lawfully authorized by the oathes of Francis Knight		  Decemb 1659
and John Knight the sonnes of the said Deceased and Joynt Executors named in
the said Will To whome Adcon of all and singuler the goods chattells and debts of the said
Deceased was grannted The being First by Comission sworne truely to Adster the same
according to the tenor and effect of the said Will

Last Modified: Monday, 01-Jan-2018 10:56:48 NST