16 January 1694 Will of Mary Pyke of Weston, Hertford (proved 17 November 1696)

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In the name of God Amen
the sixteenth day of January in the sixth yeare of the raigne of our
soveraigne Lord William by the grace of God of England &c Annoq Dni
one Thousand six hundred ninety foure I Mary Pyke the wife of John
Pyke of Weston in the County of Hertford Clerke haveing before marriage
with my said husband reserved to my selfe the power to dispose of 
my personall Estate which I had before marriage with my said husband
and being now of perfect health mind and memory praised be God 
doe make this my last Will and Testament in manner and forme 
following Imprimis I now and ever committ and recommend my soule
into the hands of God my great Creator and mercifull redeemer
and my body to the Earth to be decently buried if it may bee in the parish
Church of Wethersfeild in the County of Essex as neare as may be unto
the head of my late husband Mr Henry ??lsant who was buried at the desk


door in the said church and as for my personall Estate I dispose thereof 
as followeth Imprimis I give to the Poor of the Parish of Wethersfeild
aforesaid the sume of three pounds to be distributed according to the
discretion of my Executor hereafter named Item I give and bequeath 
to the poore of the Parish of Weston aforesaid the sume of forty shillings
to be distributed according to the discretion of my Executor hereafter 
named Item I give and bequeath unto my loveing friend Mr John
Orsely of Pamfeild in the County of Essex and to Mr William Pike of
Black Notley in the same County and to Mr John Carter of Brantree
in the same County and to their heires and assignes the sume of six
score pounds of lawfull money of England in trust and for this use
following that is to say to be placed out att Interest by my said Trustees
untill they can buy and purchase Lands in the Parish of Wethersfeild 
aforesaid or in any other adjacent Parish the Issues rents and 
proffitts of the said sixscore pounds att Interest or of the Lands therewith
purchased it is my will shall quarterly be paid to my loveing and only
sister Rebecca Cole of Cambridge widdow for and dureing the terme of 
her naturall life and after her decease it is my will that the rents Issues
and proffitts of the said sixscore pounds att Interest or the lands therewith
purchased shall be disposed of by my Trustes aforesaid as they shall
think fitt to and for the use and benefitt of the poor of the Parish of 
Wethersfeild aforesaid dureing the natureall life of Mr Joseph Shipp of
Wethersfeild if he shall so long continue vicar of Wethersfeild aforesaid
and after his decease or ceaseing to be vicar of Wetherfeild it is my will
and meaneing that my Trustees aforesaid their heires and assignes 
shall pay the Interest of the said six pounds if it be not laid out in Lands
to the next succeeding vicar to the said Joseph Shipp till a convenient 
purchase may and shall be made and after such purchase it is my will
and meaneing that the lands soe bought shall be setteled and lett by my
said Trustees their heires and assignes by way of Lease or otherwise 
to and upon the next succeeding vickar to the aforesaid Joseph Shipp
if the aforesaid Rebecca Cole be dead and to and upon his successor
and successors forever who shallbe legally vicaars of Wethersfeild 
aforesaid upon this condition and upon this rent and service only that 
is to say that such succeeding vickar and vicars of Wethersfeild 
aforesaid shall yearely and every yeare preach or cause to be preached 
a Sermon in the Parish Church of Wethersfeild upon mortallity or 
works of charity upon that day in the yeare in which it shall please God 
to take me out of this miserable world Item I give to each of my said friends
and Trustees a ring of the vallue of Twenty shillings hopeing they will
see this my will fulfilled Item I give to my sonn Thomas Pike my silver 
Tankard and silver salt which have coats of Arms engraven upon them
Item I give to my daughter Mary Pike my other silver Tankard and
three silver spoons marked with H.M.P Item I give to my daughter
Rhoda Pike my silver sugar box and silver Cupp Item I give unto
my loveing Husband Mr John Pike the sume of six score pounds
upon this condition that he shall enter into sufficient bond to my sister
Rebecca Cole aforesaid to pay her one pound and tenn shillings quarterly
and every quarter of a yeare for and dureing the time of her naturall
life the first payment to be made att the end of the first three months
next after my decease and in default of such security being given within
six weekes next after my decease I bequeath the said sume of sixscore


pounds to my sister aforesaid Item I make and constitute my loveing 
husband Mr John Pike my whole and sole Executor of this my last 
will and Testament and doe utterly revoke and annull all former wills
by me made and doe publish and declare this to be my last Will and 
Testament In Wittness whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and
seale the day and yeare first above written Mary Pyke sealed and 
delivered in the presence of us Rob Hide the marke of Elizabeth Reynolds

Probatum fuit [this paragraph continues in Latin to grant probate on 17 November 1696]
Decimo septimo die Mensis Novembris 
Anno Domini Millimo Sexcemmo Nonagemo Sexto 
[to]
Johannis Pyke Executoris

Last Modified: Sunday, 03-May-2020 14:18:09 NDT