Source: TNA, PROB 11/296
If you came to this page directly, then you might want to know that I have additional family history information on my website.
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