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.
This is the last Will and testament of me John Pyke of Fitzhead in the County of Somerset Gentleman First I ratify and confirm the Settlement made previous and in order to my Marriage with Betty Wills Pyke my present Wife whereby my Messuage and tenement with its appurts called Southwi??? situate in the Parish of Broadclist in the County of Devon is settled on my said Wife for life Also I Give and bequeath unto my said Wife the Sum of Thirty Pounds in lieu and satisfaction of a Legacy of thirty pounds which her late Father bequeathed her by his Will also my Will is that my Executor hereinafter named shall pay unto William Bird the Husband of my Daughter Betty Moore in twelve Months after my decease if he shall be then living or to my said Daughter in case her said Husband should be then dead the Sum of Five hundred pounds of lawful Money in addition to the provision which I made for her on her Marriage but upon Condition that the said William Bird or my said Daughter if the same be paid to her do give unto my said Executor his or her Bond or other sufficient Security to repay the said Sum of Five hundred pounds unto my Son and Executor his Executors admors or assigns if and when my said Daughter shall happen to die without Issue living at her death begotten by the said William Bird and I Give the said Sum of Five hundred pounds accordingly I give and devise unto my good Friends John Rowe of cove in the parish of Tiverton Thomas Sowdon of the same place Esquire and to my son John Chick Pyke my Freehold Messuage or tenemant called James's situated in the parish of Elworthy To hold to them their Executors admors and assigns for the Term of Five hundred years upon the trusts hereinafter declared and I also Give unto them the said John Row Thomas Sowdon and John Chick Pyke my Copyhold Estate situated in the Parish of Fitzhead called Miltons and I do hereby declare that the said Term of Five hundred years is so limitted and the said Copyhold Tenement so devised to the said John Row Thomas Sowdon and John Chick Pyke upon trust that they and the Survivors and Survivor of them his Executors Admors and assigns do and shall with and out of the Rents and profits of the Lands comprised in the said Term and of the said Copyhold Tenement raise and levy the yearly Sum of Seventy pounds for the Maintenance and support of my Daughter Sarah Pyke during such time as she shall have her Mental Faculties but when she shall be labouring under a derangement of mind which she is unhappily at times afflicted with then I direct that the Sum of Thirty pounds a year only or such annual Sum not exceeding Seventy Pounds as they my said Trustees shall think proper to be raised by the means aforesaid for the maintenance and support of my said daughter Sarah and I declare that the said term of five hundred years is so limited to the said John Row Thoams Lowdon and John Chick Pyke Upon further Trust that they and the Survivor of them and the Executors Admors and Assigns of such Survivor do and shall after the decease of my said Daughter by Mortgage or Sale of the said Term of Five hundred years and the Lands therein comprised raise and levy the Sum of Five hundred pounds for the benefit of the Child or Children of my said Daughter Sarah that shall be living at her Death in equal proportions and if my said Daughter Sarah shall marry with the Consent of my said Trustees the said John Row Thomas Sowdon and John Chick Pyke or the Survivors or Survivor of them his Executors or Admors then to raise and levy the Sum of One thousand pounds for the benefit of the Child or Children of my said daughter Sarah that shall be living at her death in equal proportions and if my said Daughter Sarah shall die without Issue of her body lawfully begotten that shall be living at her death then I direct that the said Sum of Five hundred pounds or one thousand pounds shall not be raised and subject to the said term and to the Trusts aforesaid I give and devise my said Tenement in Elworthy and the said Copyhold Messuage in Fitzhead to my Son John Chick Pyke his Heirs Executors Admors and Assigns for his and their own use and benefit Also I Give and bequeath unto my said two Daughter Betty Moore and Sarah Pyke Ten Pounds each to be laid out for them in Mourning Cloaths at my decease Also I remit and forgive my Constant daily Labourers in Husbandry such Sum and Sums of Money as they may be indebted to me at the time of my decease either on Book or for Rent for the Cottages they occupy Also I Give unto James Parsons if he should be living with me at the time of my decease (but not otherwise) the Sum of Ten Guineas to my Servant Mary Mansfield the Sum of Ten Guineas the Sum of Five pounds to my Servant William Swanger to Jane Hobbs Five pounds and Five pounds to my Servant Thomas Swanger but upon the same Condition as to each of them provided always and my Will is that the provision hereinbefore made for my said Daughter Sarah was and is meant and intended to be in lieu and full recompence and satisfaction for all Right and Interest which she can or may have or Claim in or to all or any of the Copyhold Estate or Estates Lands or tenements which I hold for her life situate within the Manor of Wiveliscombe and Fitzhead in the said County of Somerset and that in case my said Daughter or any person or persons claiming under her shall at any time hereafter when required by my said Son John Chick Pyke his Executors or Admors neglect or refuse to surrender into the hands of the Lord of the said Manor according to the Custom thereof To the use of my said Son his Executors or Admors during all her right and Interest of in or to any such copyhold premises that the Limitations and Trusts hereinbefore declared of and concerning the said Lands and premises for the benefit of my said Daughter Sarah and her Children shall be utterly void and of none effect and my said Trustees shall immediately upon such neglect or refusal stand possessed of the same Lands and premises to and for the only use and behoof of my said Son John Chick Pyke his Heirs Executors Admors and Assigns for ever Also I Give unto my said Son all other my Leasehold and Copyhold Messuages and Lands situated in the said Parish of Fitzhead for and during so much of my Interest therein as shall expire in his life time and after his decease I Give the same to the Eldest Son of my said Son that shall be living at his death for all the residue of my Interest therein all the rest and residue of my Messuages Lands and tenements of what nature or holding soever the same are of situated in the several parishs of Lydeard St Lawrence Stockland Bristol Broadclist and elsewhere I Give devise limit and bequeath unto my said Son John Chick Pyke his Heirs Executors Admors and assigns for his and their own use and benefit and I do constitute and appoint him my said Son Sole Executor of this my Will provided always and it is my Will that my Trustees herein before named and the Survivors and Survivor of them their and his Executors and Admors shall and may at all times reimburse and Indemnify themselves and himself respectively out of the said Trust premises all such Costs Charges and Expences as they or either of them shall pay lay out or expend for or by reason of the Trusts hereby in them reposed and that neither of them shall be answerable or accountable for any more of the said Trust Monies than shall actually come to their respective hands nor for any loss which may happen of the same premises unless such Loss happen thro' their or his wilful neglect or default nor one of them for the other or others of them but each of them for his own Acts Deeds receipts neglects and defaults only In Testimony whereof I the said John Pyke the Testator have to this my last Will and testament which is contained in three Sheets of paper set my hand to the two first sheets thereof and my hand and seal to this third and last sheet the nineteenth day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and three John Pyke LS Signed Sealed published and declared by the said John Pyke the Testator as and for his last will and Testament in the presence of us who in his presence at his request and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names as witnesses hereto the words the Sum of Ten Guineas and the words to Jane Hobbs five pounds being first interlined in the second Sheet W Kinglake Richd Bridge Tho Ley This Will was proved at London the ninth day of August in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and five before the Right Honorable Sir William Wynne Knight Doctor of Laws Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the Oath of John Chick Pyke the Son of the deceased and Sole Executor named in the said Will to whom Admon was granted of all and singular the Goods Chattels and Credits of the said deceased having been first sworn by Commission duly to administer
Last Modified: Saturday, 06-Jun-2020 18:38:34 NDT