[undated] Will of John Sweet of Lyons Inn, Middlesex, gentleman (proved 11 July 1691)

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In the name of God Amen
I John Sweete of Lyons Inn in the County of Middlesex
Gent being through the blessing of God of competent health and perfect
memory but weighing and considering the changes and chances of this 
mortall life Doe make and ordaine this my last Will and Testament 
in manner and forme following Imprimis I bequeath my Soule into the
hands of Allmighty God that gave it And my body to the earth to bee
decently buryed where and how my Loveing wife shall thinke fitt And for 
what Worldly Estate it has pleased God to blesse mee withall I bequeath 


and dispose thereof in manner and forme following First I give and 
bequeath the Reversion of all that Mansion House Brewhouse Malt
House orchard and gardens with all their appurtenances scituate lyeing 
and being within the Towne and County of Poole and now in possession 
of William Hily of the Middle Temple London Esqr his Tenant or 
Tenants Undertenant or Undertenants after the decease of him the said
William Hily unto my son John and his Heires and Assignes for ever
Item I give unto my said son John all the remainder of that terme in 
Reversion which shall bee unexpired at the time of my death of the Moiety 
of Westhall Farme in Blackford and other Parishes within the County of 
Somerset now in possession of Joane Andrews widdow her Tenant or 
Tennants after the death of her the said Joane Andrews which Lease of 
terme in Reversion I lately Purchased of the late Ralph Lord Stawell Item I give
unto my said son John all my Interest and terme unexpired if any shall 
happen to bee after the decease of my deare wife Joane Sweete on whome 
it is setled after my decease dureing her life of and in my parte or moyety 
of Westhall Farme aforesaid lyeing likewise in Blackford and other adjacent
Parishes as aforesaid and now in possession of mee and my Undertenant and 
likewise the privledge of renewing further estate therein for himselfe in
his Mothers life time Item I give unto my said son John that Lease 
or terme in Reversion which I lately bought of the Right Honourable
John Lord Stawell of and in a parcell of Pasture grounds called Weather 
Lease in the Parishes of Maperton and Holbon or one of them in the 
said County of Somerset and now in the possession of the Executors of 
John Martin lately deceased their Tenant or Tenants And Whereas 
I am possessed of a Moiety of Easthall Farme lyeing in the Parish of 
Blackford and other adjacent Parishes in the said County of Somerset
dureing the life of Richard Dampier Tanner which is alsoe setled upon 
my wife after my decease dureing her life if the said Richard Dampier
shall live soe long my will and meaning is that if my said loveing wife shall
happen to die before the said Richard Dampier that then my said son John
shall have and enjoy the remainder of the said terme of his use and behoofe 
And I doe Hereby give and bequeath him the same Item I give unto my
said son John all my time to come and which shall bee unexpired at the 
time of my death of and in my Chamber with the Appurtenances in Lyons
Inne in the county of Middlesex and all the goods and furniture thereunto
belonging with full power and authority to my Trustees hereinafter 
named or any two of them to sell and dispose of the same with the furniture 
aforesaid and the money to goe towards putting in my said sons life 
in the Lower Farmer aforesaid or some parte thereof Item I give unto
my said son John all my bookes both Printed and Manuscript except 
such Bibles Common Prayer books and six other such pious bookes 
as my wife shall please to choose and take which I hereby give her 
Item if it shall happen at the time of my death that my said son John
life bee not put into both Moyetyes of the said Farme called Westhall
Farme then I doe Hereby requeat and beg my Trustees hereinafter named 
to procure his life forthwith to bee put into both parts of the said Farme 
to his owne use allowing the Purchase money and such other charges 
as they shall bee at for doeing the same out of such money as shall bee due 
to mee at the time of my death and hereafter left him my said son John
by vertue of this my Will Item I give unto my Daughter Joane Sweet
one thousand pounds of good and lawfull money to bee paid her at her age 


of one and twenty yeares the Interest thereof in the meane time or soe 
much as can bee made thereof to goe towards her breeding education and 
maintenance Item my will and meaning is that if either of my said 
children shall happen to dye before the age of one and twenty yeares 
and without Issue of his or her body lawfully begotten liveing at the time 
of his or her death that all and every parte of my estate reall or personall
hereby given and devised to such child soe dyeing shall goe bee and remaine 
to the survivor of them and his or her Heires or Assignes for ever And in
case both my said children shall happen to die without Issue and before 
the age of one and twenty yeares then my whole estate both reall and personall
herein before devised to goe bee and remaine to my deare and loveing wife 
Joane sweete and to her Heires for ever and all matter of trust hereinafter 
mentioned from thenceforth to cease Item I give unto my son John one 
thousand pounds of lawfull money of England to bee paid him at his age 
of one and twenty yeares if my Trustees shall have soe much money 
in their hands oweing them after my other Legacyes & debts if any are 
paid all such Purchase money or other charges aforementioned for 
putting in his life or any other life or lifes to his use upon Westhall
Farme or any parts thereof being first deducted and allowed as parte 
thereof Item I give ten pounds to my deare wife to buy her Mourning 
and fifty shillings to her Maid Mary Andrews to buy her Mourning 
if then liveing with her said Mistress Item my will is that my servant
James Hasket bee put into decent Mourning all these little Legacyes
for mourning and the like being to bee allowed and paid within a weeke 
after my funerall Item it is my will and I doe Hereby order and appoint 
that my deare wife have the whole and sole custody use and command 
of all my Household goods and plate whatsoever both here and in London
or Middlesex all my books and furniture of my Chamber as aforesaid 
excepted dureing her life if shee shall continue unmarryed soe long 
or otherwise untill such time as shee shall bee marryed unto or cohabite 
as wife with another man shee giveing unto my Trustees in the meane 
time upon demand a compleate perticular or Inventory of the said plate
and other goods with their perticular values Item I give to the Poore 
of Blackford five pounds to bee disposed of by my deare wife as shee shall
thinke fit immediately after my funeralls Item I give unto my Honoured
freind William Hyley of the Middle Temple Esqr and my brother in 
Law Joseph Andrews and his now wife William Ryall and Elizabeth 
his now wife such of them I meane as shall be liveing at the time of my
death twenty shillings apeece to buy them a ring to bee paid immediately 
after my funeralls Item I give unto my Honoured freinds Henry Goold
of the Middle Temple London Esqr Thomsa Napper  the Elder 
of Tintenhull in the County of Somerset Gent and Miles Corbet of 
Lyons Inne in the County of Middlesex Gent or such of them as shall
bee liveing at the time of my death six pounds apeece to buy them mourning 
which said Henry Good Thomas Napper and Miles Corbet I doe
Hereby appoint Trustees and Executors in trust of this my Last Will
and Testament dureing the minority of my two said children John Sweete
and Joane Sweete which said trouble and trust I doe hereby earnestly begg
them to accept of and performe to preserve my two Poore children from 
ruine which two said children John Sweete and Joane Sweete I doe hereby
constintute make and appoint my whole and sole Executors of this my last 
Will and Testament and to whome I doe hereby give and desire all and


the rest of my estate reall and personall all goods and chattells whatsoever
all moneys due to mee upon any Account whatsoever and all manner of 
Securityes for the same as all bonds bills Mortgages Judgements notes 
under hand or other Securityes whatsoever And Whereas the cheifest
parte of my estate doe consist in moneys the major parte whereof is out 
at Interest in small summes on severall securityes I doe Hereby
authorize and impower my said Trustees or any two of them where they
dislike or doubt any Securityes to call in any summe or summes of money
and either keepe the same by them or put it out againe on other Security
according to their owne discretion doeing therein as they would for themselves 
hereby ratefyeing and confirming whatsoever my said Trustees or any
two of them shall doe or act in the Premisses Lastly I doe Hereby ordaine 
constitute and appoint and my will and mind is that my said Trustees shall
not bee chargeable one for the act or neglect of the other but that they or
such of them as shall live and bee acting in this trust giveing a Gentlemans 
Account upon oath of their managry and Execution of the said trusts 
at the determinacon and Expiration thereof and paying and dischargeing 
unto my said children or survivors of them or to his or their Executors or 
Administrators all such moneys as shall appeare due upon such Account
shall bee immediately released and discharged from the said trust and 
from all other matters and accounts relateing to the same by my said children
or survivor of them his or their Executors or Administrators and shall
not in any sorte drawne in sued or troubled at Law or Equity for any 
act matter or thing whatsoever relateing to the said trust John Sweet 
Signed Sealed Published and Declared In the presence of Henry Dampier 
Christo Slade the marke of William Ryall Elizabeth Ryall James Hasket 

Probatum apud London fuit huinsmodi Testamentum
coram venerabili ...
decimo die Mensis Julii Anno
Domini Millesimo Sexcentesimo Nonagesimo Primo Juramentis 
Henrici Goold Armigeri et Milanis Corbett Gen ...

Probatum apud London fuit hujusmodi Testamentum
coram venerabili ...
vicesimo die Mensis Junii Anno Domini
Millesimo Sexcentesimo Nonagesimo Secundo Juramento Thoma
Napper alterius Executorm ...

Last Modified: Sunday, 26-Jan-2025 15:39:36 NST