27 February 1678 Will of Sir John Knight of Bristol, alderman (proved 16 February 1683)

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In the name of God Amen
the seven and twentieth day of february in the year of our Lord God One thousand
six hundred three score and Eighteene I Sr John Knight of the citty of Bristoll
knight and one of the Aldermen of the said Citty being Sick in body but thanks be 


to God of perfect mind and memory doe make ordaine and declare my last will and
Testament in manner and forme following First I Commend my Soule into the 
hands of Almighty God assuredly trusting that after this mortall life ended he will
through the merrits and for the sake of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ receive it into 
his heavenly kingdome and my body I committ to the Earth to be buried in the parish 
Church of Temple in Bristoll neare to the place where my decease father is buried 
and as touching my Worldly Estate which it hath pleased God to bestow upon mee
I dispose thereof as Followeth first I doe nominate Constitute ordaine and appoint 
my Deare and Loveing wife and Lady Martha Knight to be my whole Executrix of this 
my Last Will and Testament assureing my selfe that she with the assistance of my loveing 
sonn in Law Josep Chreswicke and my Deare sonne John Knight whome I doe name 
and apoint to be my Overseers of my said will and Testament will be carefull that the
same may be in all things truly and faithfully observed Executed and performed according 
to my true intent and meaning Item I give and appoint fourty shillings in mony to be 
given distributed and disposed to and amongst the poore sort of people inhabiteing in the 
parish of Temple in the Citty of Bristoll Item I give to twenty poore men that are house
keepers within the said parish to each of them tenn Shillings and to twenty poore women 
Liveing in the said parish to each of them tenn Shillings all which I appoint & desire
my said Executrix to pay to such of them as she shall Judge to be the fittest objects 
of Christian Charity Item I give and bequeath to the persons which at the time of 
my Death shalbe the feofees and Trustees of the Lands settled for Charitable and 
pious use within the said parish of Temple the summe of Twenty pounds to be paid 
to the Churchwardens and overseers of the poore of the same parish for the time then
being to and for the use of the said feofees and Trustees by my Executrix within 
three Months next after my decease and to be by them Imployed and secured 
in such sort as the profitt and Increase thereof may be weekly distributed in 
bread every Lords Day to such poore people inhabiteing in the said parish forever 
as other gifts of the like nature are distributed Item I give to Mr John Chetwind 
Minister of the said parish Twenty Shillings and to his sonne in Law Mr 
Thresher the summe of Twenty Shillings Item I give to my Loveing Brother 
Mr Isaac Knight the summe of five pounds to buy mourning and to my Sister 
Elizabeth Lamsud the summe of five pounds to buy her mourning at my Decease Item
I give to my Daughter Martha Creswicke the summe of five pounds in mony and
alsoe I give to her and her Husband Mr Joseph Creswicke the summe of Tenn
pounds to buy them Mourning Item I give to my Grandchildren Joseph Creswicke
and John Creswicke and Martha Creswicke the sonnes and Daughter of the said 
Mr Joseph Creswicke to each of Them five pounds to be paid their further within 
Six Months after my Decease and his Receipt given to my Executrix shall be a
Sufficient discharge to her for the same which said summes shall be Respectively paid 
to my said three grand Children by their said Father as they shall attaine to their severall
ages of one and Twenty yeares or be Married which shall first happen Item I give to 
my Daughter Mary Chamberlaine the summe of five pounds and alsoe I give to her 
Husband Edmund Chamberlaine the summe of Tenn pounds ??delicet to each of them
five pounds to buy them mourning Item I give and bequeath to my Daughter Kent 
the summe of five pounds and alsoe I give to her and to her Husband Mr John
Kent to each of them five pounds to buy them Mourning Item whereas my Deare 
Father Mr George Knight deceased did in and buy his last Will and Testament 
give unto my Daughter Abigall Knight the summe of one hundred pounds in mony
and alsoe whereas my Mother in Lawe Mrs Martha Cole did give by her last Will
to my said Daughter Abigall Knight the summe of fifteen pounds by their Respec-
tive Wills app????? the said summes to be paid mee for her use and to be paid her 
with the Incrase thereof at the day of her Marriage or Age of one and Twenty


years which should first happen and whereas I did receive the said Legacies for the use 
of my said Daughter accordingly and the same with the Interest thereof upon the five 
and Twentieth day of March One Thousand six hundred Threescore and Nineteene 
doeth amount unto the summe of Two hundred Threescore and tenn pounds or thereabouts 
I doe therefore desire that the said summe may be paid her and for to make up her 
portion to be five hundred pounds I doe give unto my said daughter Abigall Knight the
summe of Two hundred and Thirty pounds more to be paid her by my Executrix
within six Months after my decease she my said Daughter giveing to my said Executrix 
sufficient Releases under her hand and Seale for the said Legacies given by her 
said Grandfather Mr George Knight and her said Grandmother Mrs Martha 
Cole Respectively Item I give and bequeath to my daughter Joan Knight the summe 
of four hundred threescore and Tenn pounds of Lawfull English mony to be paid her
on the Last day of November which shall be in the yeare of our Lord One thousand six
hundred and fourscore or at the day of her Marriage which of them shall first happen
and my Will is that my said Executrix shall pay her the summe of thirty pounds 
more for and in full satisfaction of a Legacy of fifteen pounds given by her grandmother 
Mrs Martha Cole she giveing a sufficient discharge for the same Item I give and
bequeath to my daughter Sarah Knight the summe of four hundred threescore and 
Tenn pounds to be paid her by my Executrix at or upon the Last day of April which 
shall be in the yeare of our Lord One Thousand Six hundred forescore and Three
or on the day or her Marraige which of them shall first happen and my Will is that 
my said Executrix shall then also pay her the summe of Thirty pounds more for and 
in full Satisfaction of a Legacy of fifteen pounds bequeathed to her in and by the Last 
Will and Testament of her Grandmother Mrs Martha Cole she giveing to my
said Executrix a sufficient discharge for the same Legacy Item I give to my sonn John
Knight the summe of five pounds and to my Grandsonn John Knight the summe
of five pounds to be paid to his said Father my sonn John Knight for his use 
by my Executrix and he to pay the same to his said sonn at the Age of Twenty one
yeares Item I give to my Grandsonnes John Kent and Thomas Kent the sonnes
of my Daughter Elizabeth Kent to each of them five pounds to be paid to their Father 
Mr John Kent within three Months after my decease by my Executrix for the 
use of my said Grandchildren and he to pay the said summes Respectively to them
when they shall attaine their severall Ages of twenty one yeares Item I give to my
sonne John Knight to buy him Mourning the summe of five pounds Item whereas 
my sonne George Knight have spend and Consumed great summes of mony over 
and above the moneys he Received of mee for the Legacies given him by his Grandmo-
ther Knight and his GrandMother Cole and the mony he had of mee by the sale 
of A House on the Bridge in Bristoll and doth owe mee A very Considerable summe 
of mony that he hath also spend and consumed I doe freely forgive him what mony hee
oweth unto mee and doe beseech Allmighty God to give him Repentance and grace
to amend his life and I doe give and bequeath unto him the summe of Twenty pounds 
in mony to be paid to such as he shall appoint within three Months after my decease 
Item I doe give and bequeath to my Grandsonn John Knight the sonne of my 
said sonne George Knight the summe of Fifty pounds to be paid him when he 
shall attaine to the Age of one and Twenty yeares and in case he shall live in 
England my desire is that he may be placed out an apprentice to some honest calling
and that soe much of the said sumem of fifty pounds as shall be needfull and thought 
fitt by my Executrix shall be paid for the doeing thereof Item for the better support 
and maintenance of my said sonne George Knight and the maintenance and
Education of my said Grandsonne John Knight the sonne of the said George
Knight I doe give and bqueath to my Loveing sonnes in Law Joseph Creswicke 
Edmund Chamberlayne John Kent and to the Survivours and Survivour of them


and the Executors and Administrators of such Survivours my Tenement Called 
the Corner Messuage and Tenament Scituate on the Bridge of Bristoll and now in
the Occupation of William Redward for and dureing the terme of fifty years from 
the day or the date of this my Will If my said sonne George Knight shall happen soe
Long to live upon Speciall trust and Confidence in them Reposed that they and the 
Survivours and Survivor of them and the Executors and Administrators of
Such Survivour shall pay weekly to the said George Knight the one halfe part of 
the Rents and profitts as shall be made and receaved out of the cleare profitts of the 
said Messauge and Tenement dureing his naturall life and shall pay and 
disburst the other halfe part thereof dureing the life of my said sonne George Knight 
for the maintenance and education of his sd son and my Grandsonne John Knight 
and as to the inheritance and fee simple of my said Messuage and Tenement I
give and bequeath the same to my said Grandsonne John Knight the sonne of the 
said George Knight and to the heires of his body for ever and my Will and 
meaning is that in case his father George Knight shall depart this life before his 
said sonne John Knight shall attaine to his Age of One and Twenty yeares that 
then my said sonnes in Lawe Joseph Creswick Edmund Chamberlayne and John
Kent and the Survivours and Survivor of them shall Receive the Rents Issues 
and profitts of the said Messauge and Tenement after the death of the said George 
Knight and out of the same to disburst and pay what shall be yearly needfull for 
the maintenance and Education of my said Grandsonne dureing such his Minority 
and to pay him what shall be resting over and above at his age of Twenty and
One yeares Execepting onely the yearly rent of tenn shillings payable yearly out 
of the same tenement to the Churchwardens of the parish of St Nicholas which I 
desire them to pay accordingly and I desire my said sonnes in Law and the
Surviviours and Surviviour of them to let and sett the said Tenement dureing such 
termes soe Limited by this my Will and dureing the minority of my said
Grandsonne for the most Rent it will yeild from time to time as need shall
require Item I give and bequeath to my deare and Loveing Daughter Anne Knight 
all my right Title and Interest that I have by a terme of yeares in the three houses
newly built by mee neare unto Temple gate in Temple Street within the said Citty
and all monys that I have paid out and disbursed in new building of the said tenements
and also that messuage and Tenement lying near Temple Church in the possestion 
of the Widdow Hipsley for the building of which said three Tenements I have paid 
above two hundred and twenty pounds and alsoe I forgive her all monys due to 
mee and Laid out in Suite of Law for the Parke and other Tenements at St
Michaells Hill and in the Parish of St Augustines which amounts to at least
fifty pounds and alsoe I give to my said Daughter Ann Knight in mony the summe
of Two hundred and fifty pounds to be paid at the day of her Marriage or within 
six Moneths after my decease which of them shall first happen provided alwaies 
and my Will and meaning is that in Consideration of All the said Legacies soe
given her and summes of mony that I have by this my Will forgiven for she the
said Ann Knight shall within Twenty daies next after my decease signe seale 
and deliver as her Act and deed to my Executrix a Sufficient generall release 
of all Legacies and summes of mony whatsoever due and payable to her and given
her by my deare and Loveing father Mr George Knight and alsoe by my
loveing Mother in Lawe Mrs Martha Cole in and by their last wills Respectively 
and in case my said Daughter Ann Knight shall Refuse to seale signe and
deliver to my said Executrix as her Act and deed such a sufficient generall
Release as may discharge my said Executrix Concerning the said Legacies and all
other dues and demands whatsoever due to her from mee then my Will is That 
my said Daughter shall pay to my Executrix all such sum and summes of mony


that I have paid for erecting and new building of the said three Tenements and that
I have paid out for her in suite of Law for the said Parke and alsoe the said Legacie
of Two hundred and Fifty pounds my Will is shall be void and in such case I give 
to my said Daughter onely the summe of Twenty pounds in mony and noe more of the
said Summe of Two hundred and fifty pounds shall be paid her but my said Executrix 
shall Account to her for the said Legacies due by mee to her that was given by her
said Grandfather and Grandmother and defaulte out of the same and out of what 
else shall be due to her all such moneys as I have laid out in building the said Tenements 
and for the suite of Law as aforesaid Item whereas my dear Father did by his last 
Will give to my sonne Thomas Knight and to the Heires of his body two Ruinous 
Tenements in St Thomas Street in the said Citty of Bristoll of the then yearly value 
of about fourteene pounds PER Annum which at last being not fitt for any Tenants to live 
in became void and yeilded nothing and by meanes thereof I was Constrained to new
build the said Tenements which cost the summe of five hundred and twenty pounds 
and upwards and thereby I advanced the Rents thereof to the summe of fifty Eight 
pounds yearly which otherwise would have layen dead and have yeilded nothing and 
whereas also my said father did give to my said sonne Thomas Knight one hundred and 
fifty pounds in mony and my Mother in Law Mrs Martha Cole did give him fifteene 
pounds in mony with which summes I paid out in part of the said summe of five hundred
and Twenty pounds Laid out in building the said Houses and the Remainder of the 
said monyes soe paid out for building I have been Reimbursed by the Rents Issues 
and profitts Receaved by mee dureing my sonnes Minority out of the said Houses 
and there Resteth due upon Account to my said sonne the summe of One hundred 
Thirty seaven pounds nine shillings as by my Ledger book appeareth my Will is 
that my said Executrix doe pay to my said sonne Thomas Knight the said summe 
of one hundred and thirty seaven pounds nine shillings he giveing to my said Executrix 
a full and generall discharge for the said Legacies and for all and other demands and Accounts
whatsoever due from mee unto him to the time of my decease Item I give to my sonnne
Thomas Knight all my Right Interst and terme of yeares which I have to come 
of my Tenement And the Lands thereunto belonging Called hidall Lying in the Parish 
of Cleavedon in the county of Somrset which I lately bought of the Right Honourable 
John Earle of Bristoll together with the Lease thereof he paying the Lords Rent Reserved 
and all others dues payable for the same Item my Will Intent and true meaneing 
is that my deare and Loveing Wife and Lady Martha Knight shall hold and 
enjoy my halfe part and Interest of my Tenement at Bedminster in the County of 
Somrsett dureing her naturall life and alsoe my Tenement at Abbots Leight in the said
County and all things thereunto belonging dureing her naturall life and from and 
after her decease my Will is That the same Tenement and Lands at Abbots Leight 
shall come to my sonne Thomas Knight for all the Rest and Residue of the terme 
that shall be then to come In the said Tenement to whome in his behalfe I give and 
bequeath the same Item I give to my sonne Thomas Knight and to the Heires 
of his body for ever my Close of Grounds Lying on the Hill neare Knowle in the 
Parish of Bedminster in the County of Sommerset that I bought of Mr Brookes 
Decease alsoe I give to my said sonne Thomas Knight and to the Heires of his 
body for ever my Two Tenements Lying in the Inell Chester als Ilchester in the County
of Somrsett That I purchased of John Ford of Bristoll Butcher Item I give to my
said sonne Thomas Knight all my right and terme of yeares that I have pruchased by 
Lease from Collonell Thomas Piggot and his Lady deceased and from Sr Hugh
Smith determinable on the death of my said sonne Thomas Knight that is to commence
after the death of my said Wife Item my will and meaning is that my Deare wife 
shall hold and enjoy dureing her life my Tenement at Cleavedon now in the possession
of John G?dman and my Tenement at Clevedon now in my possession Called Dales


Tenements that was sometimes in the possession of hte said Dale and alsoe my other
Tenement and Warth in which Richard Thring formerly lived Lying neare the 
Sea together with the grounds Called Weekefeild and the ground Called Kenhams
and all other Lands in Cleavedon except the Tenement called Hidall given by this 
my Will to my said sonne Thomas Knight dureing the terme of her naturall life
and my Will is that in Case my sonne George Knight shall amend his life
and become a new man that then I leave it to my deare Wife to make such A
settlement of my Tenement at Cleavedon in the possession of John Goodman and
the Lands thereunto beloning that I hold by lease determinable on his life and the
Lives of John Knight and Martha Creswicke my sonne and Daughter as that
the same may come to himselfe The said George Knight or to his Children for the
Rest of the terme that shall be to come and unexpired at her Decease and for the other 
Two Tenements formerly in the possession of the said Richard Thring and of the said
dale I desire her to settle the same for the Respective termes that shall be then to Come 
at her death to and upon such of hte Rest of my Daughters which by the Casuallties 
and Accidents of this World may be most in want and in need of a Competent 
Maintenance Item I give to my Couzen Elizabeth Bubb now Dwelling with mee the
summe of five pounds and to such persons as shall live with mee in my House at
the Time of my Decease to each of them Twenty Shillings and y Will is that noe
other mony be given to buy mourning at my funerall then what I have appointed
by this my Will Excepting onely to my Children Item all the rest and Residue of my
??all Estate moneys Debts goods Chattells plate Householdstuffe and other things 
whatsoever belonging unto mee and not before given and bequeathed by this my Will
my Debts and Lagacies being paid and funerall Expences (which I desire may be
spareing) being discharged I give and bequeath to my Deare and Loveing Wife and Lady
Martha Knight praying God to give unto her and to all my Children his blessing and
and I desire my said Children to be dutifull unto her and not to Marry themselves without
the advice of their Mother and friends as they expect Gods blessing Item my Will is 
that my said wife shall not be Compelled to give Security or to pay any monyes given by
this my will into the court of Orphants of this Citty but shall keepe the same untill
the Respective Legacies shall become due and payable to my Children Respectively accord-
ing to my true intent and meaning and my Will is that my Daughters shall be maintain-
ed iwth Meat Drinke Lodging and Apparrell untill they shall be unmarried or shall 
Receive their Respective Legacyes by mee given unto them and I doe alsoe desire and
Require my Deare sonnes John Knight and Thomas Knight To be ayding assisting 
and helpfull to my Deare Wife their Mother in the Letting and Renting out the
Estate hereby given and bequeathed unto her and in the getting in and Securing of my Debts 
and in paying the Legacies by mee given and bequeathed and I doe hope and expect that 
my said sonnes will continue dutifull and obedient and assistant to their Mother and 
alsoe at all times and in all things will be helpfull and assisting to all their Sisters and
to my Grandchildren as need shall require and will endeavour as much their good and
preferment as if I my selfe were Liveing Item I doe forgive to my sonne George 
Knight all summe and summes of mony that he is Indebted unto mee and that I
have paid or lent to him or for him for his Debts to any person whatsoever Item whereas 
my sonne John Kent oweth mee by bond Two hundred pounds for mony I have lent 
him which bond is made paybable to my Daughter Abigall Knight I doe order and 
appoint that the same shall be part of the mony given and payable to her by this my
Will and shall goe in part of payment thereof accordingly In Witnesse whereof to this 
my Last will and Testament written with my owne hand In six several sheets of paper 
I have to every one of the said six sheets of paper set my hand and seale in Bristoll
the day and yeare first above written &c One Thousand Six hundred Seaventy Eight
John Knight Signed Sealed and published at Bristoll the seaven and Twentieth


day of February One Thousand Six hundred seaventy Eight by the said Sr John Knight
for his said last Will and Testament in the presence of Wm Douning John Bowring 
Jno Graye Will Turgis

Probatum fuit ... apud London
[this paragraph continues in Latin to grant probate on 16 February 1683]
Decimo Sexto die mensis Februarii Anno Dni
(Stila Anglia) Millimo Sexcemmo Octogemo tertio
[to]
Martha Knight vid Relca
dci Defti et Exris

Last Modified: Wednesday, 10-Nov-2021 19:01:57 NST