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 Robert Pyke Senr Citizen and Joyner of London being in health of body and of sound and perfect mind and memory (praised be God for the same) but calling to mind the certainty of death and the incertainty of the hour and time thereof do hereby make and declare this my last Will and Testament in manner and Form following (that is to say) First and principally I commit my soul into the hands of Almighty God my Heavenly Father and Creator my body I commit to the Earth to be decently interred according to the discretion of my Executor hereinafter named And as to that Wordly estate which God of his infinite mercy far above my deserts hath blessed me withall after my just debts paid and funeral expences discharged I give devise and bequeath the same in manner and Forme following Imprimis I give devise and bequeath unto my dear and loving Wife Henrietta Maria Pyke all those my Several Freehold Coppyhold and Leasehold Estates which are Scituate lyeing and being in the severall Countyes of Essex Surrey and London To have hold and enjoy the same and every part thereof for and during the Term of her naturall life and after her decease I give devise and bequeath All those my Freehold and Copyhold estates and every of them and every part thereof scituate lyeing and being in the severall Countyes of Essex and London And also all those my Three Messuages or Tenements in Hounsditch commonly called or knowne by the name or Signe of the Walnutt Tree the Angell and the Pestle and Mortar and every of them and the Remainder of the Term I have to come therein unto my dear and loving son Robert Pyke Junior Citizen and Haberdasher of London for and during the term of his naturall life and from and after his decease I give devise and bequeath the same and every part thereof unto the Heires of his body lawfully to be begotten upon the body of such Wife or Wives as he shall or may have o r intermarry withall And for default of such Issue of and from my said son Robert Pyke lawfully to be begotten as aforesaid I give devise and bequeath the said Freehold Coppyhold and Leasehold Estates and every of them unto my dear and loving Daughter Henrietta Maria Tantam Wife of Joseph Tantam Citizen and Draper of London for and during the term of her naturall life And from and imediately after her decease I give devise and bequeath the same and every part thereof unto the Heires of her body lawfully to be begotten and for want of such Issue of and from my said Daughter Henrietta Maria Tantam I give devise and bequeath the said severall estates and every part thereof unto my loving Nephew Robert Pyke son of my Brother Lawrence Pyke and his heires and assignes for ever Item after the decease of my said Wife Henrietta Maria Pyke I give devise and bequeath unto my said dear and loving Daughter Henrietta Maria Tantam All that my Messuage or Tenement Outhouses Tan Yard and premisses thereunto belonging Scituate and being in Long Lane in Southwarke And also all that my Messuage or Tenement Scituate and being in Hounsditch called or knowne by the name or signe of the Globe wherein my said son in Law Joseph Tantam now dwelleth and the Remainder of the Term I have therein now to come and unexpired for and during the Term of her natural life and from and imediately after her decease I give devise and bequeath the said house and Tan Yard in Southwarke and also my said House in Hounsditch unto the Heires of my said Daughter Henrietta Maria Tantam lawfully to be begotten on her body and for want of such Issue as aforesaid I give and bequeath the same unto my said loving son Robert Pyke Junr for and during the Term of his natural life and from and imediately after his decease I give devise and bequeath the same to the Heires of my said son Robert Pyke Junr begotten on the body of such Wife or Wives as he shall or may intermarry withall and for want of such Issue Then I give devise and bequeath the same and every of them unto my loving Nephew Robert Pyke aforesaid and to his Heires and assignes for and during the severall Terms that shall be then to come and unexpired as aforesaid Item I further give and bequeath unto my said loving Wife Henrietta Maria Pike all the proceed and increase of such principall stock I shall or may have in the Bank comonly called the Bank of England at the time of my decease for and during the Term of her natural life and after her decease I give devise and bequeath the said principal and all the Interest and proceed thereof unto my said loving son Robert Pyke in consideracon of his good Will so contentedly to admit my Sonin Law Joseph Tantam into an equall share and Interest in the Trade with himself still hopeing this will no wayes lessen or diminish the love of his Mother or in the least prevent her from being equally kind to him with his sister at her death Item I give and bequeath unto my said dear and loving Wife Henrietta Maria Pyke all my Right Title and Interest in parts of Shipps and also all my Household goods Linnen plate and Jewells of what nature or kind soever Item I further give and bequeath unto my said dear and loveing Wife Henrietta Maria Pyke the sume of Eight hundred pounds to be paid her by my Executors hereafter named within Eighteen Moneths after my decease Item I give and bequeath unto my loving Brother Laurence Pyke the sume of Ten pounds and to his son John Pyke the sume of Twenty Five pounds and to his son Robert Pyke my Nephew aforesaid the sume of Thirty pounds Item I give and bequeath unto his four Daughters Johanna Sarah Lydia and Henrietta Maria Pyke the sume of Twenty pounds apeice all which said severall Legacyes to my said Brother his Sons and Daughters my Will is shall only go to and be paid to such of them as shall be alive at the time of my Decease and within two yeares after the same And in Case of any of their deaths before me then the Legacy of such deceasing party shall returne and goe to my Executors hereafter named Item I give and bequeath unto my Grand Nephew Charles Jones son of Jacob Jones shooemaker in Southwark the sume of Four pounds per annum for during and untill he shall arive at the Age of Fifteen yeares if he shall so long live towards his maintenance and after his arrival at the Age of fifteen yeares aforesaid I give and bequeath the sume of Ten pounds to put him out Apprentice which I desire may be to a Joyner if he Approves the same or to such other Trade as he shall like Item I give devise and bequeath unto my Grand Nephew Robert Jones son of the said Jacob Jones the like sume of Ten pounds when he shall arrive at the age of Fifteen yeares to put him out Apprentice to a Joyner if he shall Approve thereof or otherwise to some other Trade as he shall like Item I give and bequeath unto my loving Kinswoman Mary Thomas Daughter of Samuel Thomas the sume of Five pounds to be paid her at her age of one and Twenty yeares or day of Marriage which shall first happen Item I give and bequeath unto my loving Kinsworman Mary Dickson Daughter of Thomas Dickson the sume of Five pounds to be paid within Twelve moneths after my decease Item I give and bequeath unto my loving Kinsworman Katherine Allen Daughter of Thomas and Mary Allen the sume of Ten pounds to be paid her within Twelve moneths after my decease Item I give devise and bequeath unto my said Dear and loving Wife Henrietta Maria Pyke and my Two Sons Robert Pyke Junr and Joseph Tantam my two Executors hereafter named the sume of fifty pounds to be disposed of in such manner and for such uses as they or the Major part of them shall think fit Item all the rest and residue of my estate of what nature or kind soever after all my just debts paid and Funeral expences discharged I give devise and bequeath unto my loving son Robert Pyke Junr and my loving son in Law Joseph Tantam aforesaid to be equally divided between them share and share alike And I do hereby constitute nominate and appoint my Two sons Robert Pyke Jun and Joseph Tantam to be the Sole and only Executors of this my last Will and Testament hereby revoking all former and other Wills by me heretofore made Item and lastly that whereas I stand obliged by vertue of a contract or Articles at or before the marriage of my said Daughter Henrietta to her present Husband Joseph Tantam to pay and advance to him the sume of five hundred pounds Now I do hereby declare that such equall part and share of the residue of my estate as I have by this my Will given to him and the severall Revercons to his Wife and the Heires of her body by him is in full Barr of all Claims and Demands whatsoever which he shall or may have by vertue of the said Marriage or by any other wayes or meanes whatsoever In Witness whereof I the said Robert Pyke have to this my last Will and Testament contained in these six sheets of paper have subscribed my name and affixed my seal to the Top of the same and near the middle of this sheet for the whole the Eleaventh Day of May Anno Domini 1715 And in the first year of the Reign of our Soveraigne Lord George by the Grace of God of great Britain France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith &c Robert Pyke Signed Sealed published and declared by the within named Robert Pyke the Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who have subscribed our names in the presence of the said Testator Tho Perkinson Amsterdam Coffee house Even Tull Girdlers Hall Wm Cooper his Servt Robert Pyke Senr being in sound having made my Will dated on or about the 11th day of May 1715 do by this my Codicil which I order to be annexed to the same make the alteration following First I do appoint my loving Wife Hannah Henrietta Maria Pyke to be Joint Executrix with my son in Law Joseph Tantam instead and in the roome of my son Robt whom I now appoint noe Executor and as to that estate in Hounsditch which I lately purchased nd in my Will have lately given to my son Robert after the decease of my Wife in my said Will I now by this my Codicil give and bequeath all that part only which is now unbuilt and which I bought of Dr Lloyd after the decease of my said Wife to my son Robert and his Heires for ever And I give devise and bequeath after the decease of my said Wife all that part of the said Estate in Hounsditch which is built since my purchase of the same to my Daughter Henrietta Maria Tantam Wife said son in Law Joseph Tantam and her Issue and for want of Issue to my Right Heires for ever any thing in the said Will to the contrary notwithstanding In Witness whereof to this my Codicil I have hereunto set my hand and Seale and declare the same to be my Mind and as part of my Will this Fourth day of June Anno Domini 1719 I give out of my houses in Gravell Lane the sume of Five pounds per Annum to my Cousin Jno Pyke and his Heires and Assignes for ever before sealing R Pyke Signed sealed published and declared to be as part of the Will of the Testator by him in the presence of us who have sett our hands in his presence seald after the interlineacon of these words (and which I bought of Dr Loyd) and these words (Daughter Henrietta Maria Tantum Wife) and these words (her Issue and for want of Issue to my Right Heires 5 June executed again Eben Tull John Knight Ro Hall Probatum fuit [this paragraph continues in Latin to grant probate on 27 May 1720] vicesimo septimo Die mensis Maii Anno Domini Millesimo Septingentesimo vicesimo [to] Joseph Tantum Executoris
Last Modified: Sunday, 03-May-2020 17:48:42 NDT