8 January 1695 Will of Martha Knight of Bristol, widow (proved 19 April 1697)

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In the name of God Amen
the eighth day of January in the yeare of our Lord Christ one
thousand six hundred ninety and five I Martha Knight widow 
being mindfull of my latter end and considering mine age and that 
it is appointed for all men once to dye doe make this my last Will
and Testament in manner following First I commend my soul into 
the hands of Almighty God my most mercifull Creator assuredly 
trusting to find pardon for all my sinns through the alone merrits 
and mediation of my saviour and Redeemer Jesus Christ and 
my body I commit to the earth to be buryed in Temple Church in
Bristoll as near as may be to the boy of my dear sonn John
Knight and as to that small estate that it hath pleased God to bestow


upon me I doe give and dispose thereof as followeth Imprimis 
I give and appoint three pound in money or the vallue thereof in bread
to be distributed to and among the poor of Temple Parish on the
day of my Funerall or in some conventient time after Item I give to
my sister in Law Mrs Elizabeth Lawford one Guinea to buy her a Ring
Item I give to my sonn in Law Mr Joseph Creswick twenty shillings 
and to y daughter his wife twenty shillings more to buy each of them
a Ring and alsoe five pounds a peice more to buy them mourning 
Item Item I give to my said daughter Creswick one Flaxen table
cloath and my suit of laid work Napkins that she helpt me to worke 
and to her daughter Martha my best suit of Damask Table Linnen
Item I give to my grandchildren Joseph Creswick and the said Martha 
Creswick and John Creswick three of the Children of my said daughter
Creswick five pounds apeice Item I give to Thomas Creswick and
Frances Creswick two other children of my said daughter Creswick 
five pound a peice to be paid to their mother for their use and her
receipt to be a discharge to my Executors for the same Item I give to 
my grandaughter Mary Creswick the summe of threescore pound 
to be paid into her owne hands within six monethes after my decease 
and her receipt to be a sufficient discharge for the same Item I give
to my Grandaughter Anne Creswick the life summe of threescore
pounds to be paid to her mother for her use within six monethes 
after my decease and her mothers receipt to be a sufficient discharge 
for the same and my will is that the said threescore pounds shall
from time to time be let out at Interest for the benefit of the said 
Anne Creswick And if any losse shall happen thereupon my said 
daughter Creswick shall not be charged therewith but shall be
accountable only for soe much as remaines of the said Principall
and Interest which I will shall be paid to the said Anne Creswick
at her age of sixteen yeares or day of marriage which shall first 
happen Item I give to my sonn in Law Mr Edmond Chamberlayne 
and to my daughter his wife (vizt) to each of them twenty shillings to buy
each of them a Ring and five pound apeice more to buy them
mourning nad to John Chamberlayne and Thomas Chamberlayne
their two sonns I give two Guineas (vizt) one to each of them to
be paid to their Father for their use Item I give to my daughter Kent 
twenty shillings to buy a ring and five pound more to buy her mourning 
Item I give give to my said daughter kent my great silver Bason my
worser suit of wrought Curtaines and Vallens and the inside 
Curtaines used with the same alsoe my best white woosted Rugg
and to her sonn Thomas Kent five pound in money Item I give to 
my Grandsonne John Knight sonn of my said sonn John Knight 
one of my great peices of gold of which sort there are but two in 
my Chest both Spanish or Portugall and the other of the said 
peices I give to my sonn Thomas Knight to whom I alsoe give tenn
pound more in white money Item I give to my grandson Jacob Knight 
another of the sonns of my said sonne John Knight five pounds and 
to his mother to buy her a ring twenty shillings Item I give to my
sonn in Law Doctor Thomas Dixon and to my daughter his wife 
to each of them twenty shillings to buy them Rings and five pound
apeice more to buy them mourning and to their daughter Martha
Dixon I give one Guinea to be paid to her Father for her use Item I


give to my said daughter Dixon one silber Trencher Plate one silver
chafendish six plaine silver spoones and six silver trencher salts 
alsoe the best pair of my largest and Finest holland sheetes two
holland Pillow cases and one side board Cloath and my worser suit
of Damask Table Linnen Item I give to my wicked sonn George
Knight two Guineas to be sent him in Cloath or other materialls
of that vallue and I bessech God to give him a sight of his sinns
and to turne him from his wicked courses and to have mercy on him
and to his sonn John Knight I give three Guineas to be laid out by my
Execurices hereafter named as they shall judge for his most advantage 
and I will and devise that my said Executrices shall pay and dispose 
the residue of the fifty pounds given by my husbands Will which
remaines in my hands over and above what I have paid for binding
him apprentice in such manner as by the said Will is directed Item 
whereas by my Deed indented beareing date on or about the tenth
day of December which was in the yeare of our Lord one thousand
six hundred eighty and seaven I have setled and conveyed a certaine 
Tenement or Farme in the Parish of Cleavedon in the County of 
Somersett for the maintenance and educacon of Isaac Knight and 
George Knight two of the children of my said sonn George Knight and
if they dye on such other lawfully begotten children as my said sonne
George Knight should happen to have in such manner as by the said 
Deed is provided I doe hereby ratify and confirme the said Deed
and doe declare my will intent and meaning to be that my said
grandchildren in the said Deed named shall hold and enjoy the
tenement in such manner as by the said Deed is directed Item I 
give to my sonns in Law Mr Nathaniell Shute and to my daughter 
his wife to each of them twenty shillings to buy them rings and give
pound apeice more to buy them mourning Alsoe I give to my said
daughter Shute one silver Trencher Plate twelve silver Apostle
spoones my lesser silver guilt salt eight silver trencher salts my
best wrought Bedd with the inside Cartaines and Vallens and the
wrought Covers for Chaires and Stooles commonly used with the same
and one pair of my largest Holland sheetes Item I give to my
daughter Sarah Knight the summer of fifty pounds alsoe one Colledge
Cupp one silver Porringer my largest silver Tankard and the three
silver Casters that is to say the sugar Caster the Pepper Caster and 
the Mustard Box my white suite of Curtaines and Coverlid used with
the same one pair of Holland Sheetes two pillow cases one cupboard
cloath and one child bedd sheete Item I give to my sonn Thomas Knight 
my pair of silver candlesticks with the snuffers and snuff pann
belonging to the same alsoe my best Featherbedd and bedstead with
my Suit of green Curtaines and Vallens and the Counterpaine chaires
and stooles of the same alsoe two pair of Holland Sheets and a pair
of Holland Pillow Cases Item I give to my grandson John Knight sonn
of my said sonn John Knight my other great silver Tankard alsoe my
my three great Tables in the Hall great Parlour and Kitchen and
the little round Table in the Little parlour together with the Furnace
Cupbords Cranes and Dogwheeles Fastened to the Freehold All the
rest of my goods and chattells money plate jewells rings householdstuff
and implements of household whatsoever (except certain Lumber goods
being at my said sonn Thomas Knights house and else where in the 


Parish of Cleavedon in the County of Somerset which I hereby give to 
my said sonn Thomas Knight) after my debts Legacyes and Funerall
expences are satisfyed and paid I give and devise to my said daughters
Joane Shute and Sarah Knight equally to be divided between them
And I make and appoint my said two daughters Joane Shute and Sarah
Knight to be my full and whole Executrices of this my Will hereby
revokeing all former Wills by me at any time heretofore made And
I beseech God to blesse all my said Children and grandchildren and 
desire them to live in peace and love one with another In witnesse whereof
I have to this my Will written in three sheetes of paper (vizt) to the two
first set my hand and to the last sheet set my hand and seale the day
and yeare first above written 1695 Martha Knight signed sealed
published and declared by the said Martha Knight as her last Will
and Testament in the presence of us Arthur Bedford Matt Nicklus
Richard Nash

Probatum fuit ... apud London
[this paragraph continues in Latin to grant probate on 19 April 1697]
decimo nono die mensis Aprilis
Anno Domini millimo sexcemmo nonagemo septimo 
[to]
Joanna Shute als Knight (ux) Nathanielis Shute Clerici et Sara Knight
Executricum

Last Modified: Wednesday, 10-Nov-2021 18:55:06 NST