21 May 1655 Will of Francis Pyke of Crewkerne, Somerset, gentleman (proved 10 November 1655)

Source: TNA, PROB 11/251

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 Francis Pyke of Crewkerne in the County of Somersett gentleman beinge
sick of body but of perfect minde and memory (praysed bee god) revoakinge all
former wills by mee made doe make and ordaine this to bee my last will and Testamt
as Followeth First I give and bequeath my Soule into the hands of Allmighty
God my Creator and redeemer hopeinge by the merritts of Jesus Christ to live
with him in eternall Joy and happines And my body to Christian buriall
Alsoe I give the Land I bought of Mrs Hoskins unto my Sonne Francis
Pyke to bee enioyed by him when hee comes to bee of the age of one and twenty
yeares in the meanetyme Ruth the mother of the Sayd Francis is to holde
and enioy the Same and the proffitts thereof And after hee shall accomp
lish the Sayd age of one and twenty yeares hee the Sayd Francis the Sonn
payeinge or alloweinge his Sayd mother the thirds of the Same Lands dureinge
her life And my will is if my Sonne Francis Pyke doe depart this life before
hee shall accomplish the age of one and twenty yeares That the Sayd Lands
Shall remaine and bee to John Pyke my Second Sonne to bee enioyed by him
when hee Shall accomplish the age of one and twenty yeares And if it Shall
happen the Sayd John Shall depart this life before hee accomplish the age of 
one and twenty yeares Then to remaine to the Sayd Sisters of the Sayd Francis
and John equall to bee devided betweene them Nevertheles Ruth their Sayd
mother enioyeinge the Sayd Lands till the Sayd John Shall accomplish his
Sayd age And if it Shall happen the Sayd Francis Pyke and John Pyke or
either of them doe and shall accomplish the Sayd age of one and twenty yeares
and depart this life without issue Then the Sayd Lands to remaine and bee
as aforesayd Alsoe I give and bequeath unto my Sonne John Pyke all the Lands
I bought of Master Owsley and Clement Casewell and every part and parcell
thereof to bee enioyed by him when hee shall accomplish the age of one and
twenty yeares on the Same Condicons as above is expressed which is if hee
dye without issue to remaine to the Sayd Francis the Sonne Alsoe I give and
bequeath unto my Sonne John Fifty pounds of lawfull English money to bee
payd unto him by my executor when hee Shall accomplish the age of one
and twenty yeares if hee dye before to bee devided betweene the Sisters then liveing
Alsoe I give unto my daughter Sarah Pyke the Somme of one hundred pounds
of lawfull English monie to bee payd unto her at her day of marriage or when
Shee shall accomplish the age of Seaventeene yeares Provided Shee marry by the
Consent of her mother and the Overseers in trust of this my will And if shee
shall happen to depart this life remarried Then the Sayd hundred pounds to
remaine to her two other Sisters Ruth and Elizabeth equally to bee devided betwee
ne them Alsoe I give unto my daughters Ruth and Elizabeth one hundred pounds
a peece of lawfull English monie to bee payd unto them by my executor at
the day of their marriage or when they the Sayd Ruth and Elizabeth Shall accom
plish the age of Fifteene yeares And if it Shall happen that either of them
shall depart this life before marriage or shall accomplish the Sayd age of
Seaventeene yeares Then the portion of Such daughter or daughter soe dyeinge shall
remaine to the survivor or survivors of them equally to bee devided betweene the
Sayd daughter or daughters Alsoe I give unto my mother Forty shillings a yeare
as longe as shee liveth to bee payd tenn shillings a quarter accordinge to the
Limittacon hereafter expressed All the rest of my goods not herein given and be-
queathed I give and bequeath unto my wife Ruth Ryke whom I make my whole
and Sole executrix of this my last will and Testament And I doe desire my
welbeloved Freinds William Millard and John Cossins to bee my Overseers in trust
of this my Last will and Testament to See it performed And for their paines
therein I give unto the Sayd William Millard my gray Colt and to John Cossins
my ???? guildinge And further my will is that none of my householdgoods bee
									altered


householdstuffe implements of household bee altered or imbesselled by my
executrix but that shee shall enioy it dureinge such time as shall remaine
in my name and my widdowe And if it shall happen my executrix
shall marry such man as shee shall marry before his Sayd marriage hee
shall give a bond with two other Sufficient men as Security to my Overseers
such men as they shall like of in which hee and they shalbee bounded not
to alter or imbessell any of the Sayd householdstuffe or goods which if hee refuse to
doe Then the power wholy to lye in the power of my Overseers to take the goods
into their Custody to bee disposed of as followeth That is to Say after the death of 
their Sayd mother if in Case such bond and Security bee given that my Sonne
Francis shall have the halfendeale of my Sayd goods and householdstuffe and
the rest to bee devided equally between my children In witnes whereof I have
hereunto Sett my hand and Seale The one and twentith day of May in the 
yeare of our Lord god one thousand Six hundred fifty and five Francis Pyke
Witnesses hereunto Richard Lincoln Thomas Freke William Serrey

This will was proved at London the 10th
day of November in the yeare of our Lord god one thousand Six hundred fifty
and fyve before the Judges for probate of wills and grantinge Administracon
Lawfully authorized by the oath of Ruth Pyke the relict of the sayd deceased and
Sole executrix named in this Last will and Testament of the Sayd deceased
To whom was Committed Administration of all and Singuler the goods
Chattles and debts of the Sayd Francis Pyke late of Crewkerne in the County
of Somersett gentleman deceased Shee the Sayd Ruth Pyke the relict and
executrix beinge first Sworne in due forme of lawe by vertue of a Commission
well and truely to Administer the Same

Last Modified: Sunday, 19-Apr-2020 12:56:55 NDT