Source: TNA, PROB 11/493
Also, if you are a male Pike/Pyke (or you know one) who may be willing to do a genealogical DNA test, then please check out the Pike DNA Project for which I am a volunteer coordinator. There are several Pike/Pyke families that are not yet represented in the project, and for whom participants are wanted.
In the Name of God Amen I Christopher Pike of East Greenwich in the County of Kent Gentleman being sick and weake in body but of sound and perfect mind and memory (praise be therefore given to Almighty God for the same) And considering the uncertainty of the humane life Subject to infinite and numberless Casualties doe make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner and forme following (that is to Say) First and principally I recomend my Soul into the hands of Almight God my Creator hoping through the merits Death and Passion of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to have free pardon and forgiveness of all my Sinns and to inherit Everlasting life And my body I commit to the Earth in hopes of a blessed Resurrection to be decently buried in the parish Church of East Greenwich aforesaid at the discretion of my Executrix hereafter named And as touching the disposall of all Such Reall and personall Estate as it hath pleased Almighty God to bestow upon me I doe give devise and bequeath the same in manner and forme hereafter mentioned (that is to say) First I will that all my just debts which I shall owe to any person or persons at the time of my decease and my Funerall Expences be first paid and discharged Item I doe give devise and bequeath unto such and soe many of the poor of the parish of East Greenwich as doe receive pentions from the Overseers thereof the sume of five Shillings apeice to be paid by my Executrix hereafter named within some convenient time after my decease Item I doe give devise and bequeath unto the Feeoffees of the Foundation or Charity of Mr John Roane deceased commonly known by the name of the Grey Coat School in East Greenwich aforesaid the sume of four pounds in order for them to buy Twenty Bibles for such and soe many of the poor Children of the said Foundation as doe wear the Donors Badges which sume of four pounds I doe desire may be paid by my Executrix hereafter named within some convenient time after my decease And as for all the rest and residue of my said Estate either Reall or personall whether it be goods or Chattells Rings Jewells Debts Bonds Mortgages Specialties Rent-charges and Annuities whatsoever I doe give devise and bequeath unto my dearly loved Wife for and during the terme of her naturall life and no longer (Except the sume of One hundred pounds of lawfull money of England which I give devise and bequeath unto my said loving Wife to be by her disposed of to any person or persons whatsoever at or before the time of her decease either by Will or otherwise which sume of One Hundred pounds I doe hereby appoint my Overseers and Executors hereafter named to pay to her Executors Administrators or assigns within three moneths after the decease of my said Wife) And from and after her decease I doe give devise and bequeath unto One Hundred poor and indigent Housekeepers of the said parish of East Greenwich as doe receive no Alms from the same the sume of Two hundred pounds of lawfull money of England to be distributed in manner and forme folloing (that is to say) the sume of Forty Shillings to each poor person of which number I would have the Widow Fox now living near me (if she be then alive) to be one Item I doe give devise and bequeath unto the Children of my Brother William Mandrell Confectioner hereafter named the sume of Sixty pounds of like lawfull money (that is to say) To his Daughter Mary the sume of Twenty pounds To his sonn Richard the sume of Twenty pounds and To his sonn Jonas the sume of Twenty pounds Item I doe give devise and bequeath unto my Nephew Richard Stevens Marriner the sume of Fifty pounds of like lawfull money Item I doe give devise and bequeath unto my Nephew Walter Steevens of East Greenwich Cordwayner the sume of Thirty pounds of like lawfull money besides the sume of Twenty pounds which he now stands indebted to me Item I doe give devise and bequeath unto Joanna Parr Wife of John Parr Cooper the sume of Fifty pounds of like lawful money All which gifts and bequests last mentioned I doe desire may be paid by my Overseers and Executors hereafter named within some convenient time after the decease of my said Wife And I doe hereby appoint my said loving Wife Mary Pike to be full Sole and absolute Executrix of this my last Will and Testament And doe nominate and appoint my esteemed and loving friends Mr George Meaddowes Currier and Mr John Fisher Baker both of the said parish of East Greenwich to be Overseers thereof And from and imediately after the decease of my said loving Wife Mary Pike I doe give devise and bequeath unto them the said George Meaddowes and John Fisher All my Reall and personal Estate whether it be goods Chattells Rings Jewells Debts Bonds Mortgages Specialties Rent-charges and Annuities whatsoever Upon this Special Trust and Confidence Nevertheless in them reposed that they the said George Meaddowes and John Fisher doe well and truly in all point pay the Legacies and bequests above devised and bequeathed which I trust they will doe as they will answer the same to Almight God And from and after the true payment of the same All the Residue and Remainder of my said Reall and personall Estate whatsoever I doe give devise and bequeath the same to them the said George Meaddowes and John Fisher for theire own proper use and as theire own proper goods and Chattells to be equally divided betweene them Share and Share alike And after the decease of my said Wife I doe make them my Sole and absolute Executors And I doe hereby revoke disannull and vacat all former Wills and Testaments by me at any time heretofore made and doe make this to stand and be for and as my only last Will and Testament contained in this one Single Sheet of paper In Witness whereof I the said Christopher Pike to this my last Will and Testament have hereunto sett my hand and Seale this fifth day of February in the fifth year of the Reigne of our Sovereigne Lady Ann by the grace of God over England &c Queene Defender of the Faith &c Annoq Domini 1706/7 Christopher Pike Signed Sealed read published owned declared and delivered up by the above named Testator Christopher Pike to be his last Will and Testament in the presence of us the Witnesses whose names in the presence of him the Testator are hereunto subscribed S Grimston Ja Christie Richd Barber Edwd Owens Scr Probatum fuit [this paragraph continues in Latin to grant probate at London on 5 March 1706] Quinto die mensis Marchii Anno Domini Millimo Septingesimo Sexto [to] Maria Pike Relicta dicti defuncti et Executricis [written in the column beside the will is the following:] Probatum Londini ?????ente vizo Joh? Exton Legum ?? Surrey Undecimo die mensis Septembris Anno Dni 1711 Juramtis Georgii Meadowes et Johannis Fisher Extorum substiturorum in die Testo ?orat quibus de bene &c jurat prob?? Test dci defti nomine Maria Pike Relicte et Extricis &c als mense Marchii 1706/7 habitaet fastaratione ?uortis dicta maria Pike cessata et expirata
Last Modified: Sunday, 19-Apr-2020 12:08:48 NDT