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 the Nineteenth day of February in the year of our Lordone thousand seven hundred twenty and one I Thomas Pyke of London Gentleman being indisposed in body but of sound and perfect mind and memory praised be God do make and appoint this to be my last Will and Testament as followeth vizt first and principally I resign up my imortall soul into the hands of Almighty God my Creator my body I commit to the Earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my Executors hereinafter named and as for my temporal Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me I give and dispose thereof as followeth vizt Imprimis I give and devise all that my Freehold Messuage or Tenement with its appurtenances Scituate standing and being in Dover Street in the parish of St Martin in the Fields in the County of Middlesex now in the possession of the Lady Shelley and also all my Freehold Messuage Lands Tenements and Hereditaments with their and every of their appurtenances in the County of Wilts to my son Richard Pyke for and during the term of Ninety Nine years if he shall so long live and from and after the determination of that Estate to my Brother Henry Pyke Gentleman and my Cousin Simon Cheyney of Oare near Marlborough in the said County of Wilts Gentleman their heirs and assigns for and during the naturall life of my said son Richard pyke upon Trust only for preserving the contingent Estates herein after limitted and to make Entries for the same if need shall require but nevertheless to permit and suffer my said son Richard Pyke and his assigns to receive and take the the Rents Issues and profits thereof to his and their own proper use and from and imediately after the death of my said son Richard Pyke to the heirs of the body of my said son Richard Pyke lawfully to be begotten which said Devise hereby made to my said son I do declare to be inclusive of all moneys remaining in my hands which were given and bequeathed to him by his late Grandfather Richard Coates deceased or his late Grandmother Issabella Coates also deceased or either of them except a Silver Tankard since changed and on which is engraved my said sons name and for want of such Issue I give and devise the same to my Daughter Mary Waklen Wife of Mr James Walken for and during the term of Ninety Nine years if she shall so long live and after the determination of that Estate to my said Brother Henry Pyke and my said Cousin Simon Cheyney their heirs and assigns for and during the Natural life of my said Daughter Mary Waklen upon Trust only for preserving the Contingent Estates herein after limitted and to make Entries as aforesaid and permit and suffer my said Daughter and her assigns to receive and take the Rents and profits thereof to her and their own use and after the determination of that Estate to the heirs of the body of my said Daughter Mary Waklen lawfully begotten or to be begotten and for want of such Issue to the said James Waklen during his Naturall life and after his decease to my own right heirs for ever provided always nevertheless that is shall be lawfull for my said son Richard pyke and such person or persons who shall be in possession of the said Freehold Estates and premisses by virtue of this my Will from time to time to make and grant a Lease or Leases by Indenture or Indentures of all or any part of teh said premisses for any term or number of years in possession and not in Reversion not exceeding twenty one years at rack Rents without taking any Fines or Incomes and so as the same be not dispunishable for wast provided also and it is my Will and mind that it shall be lawfull for my said son Richard for his better preferment in the World to settle and Charge the said Freehold premisses or any part thereof with any annuity or annuities not exceeding Fifty pounds per annum by way of Joynture during the life only of such wife or wives as he my said son shall hereafter happen to marry so as such wife or wives do bring a Fortune in money answerable thereto Item I give devise and bequeath all that my Freehold Messuage or Tenement with the appurtenances Scituate in Dukes Street in the parish of St James Westminster in the said County of Middlesex unto my said daughter Mary Waklen for and during the term of Ninety Nine years if she shall so long live chargeable nevertheless with the payment of the sume of Two hundred pounds which I owe to my sister Elizabeth Kingsman in case the same or any part thereof shall not be paid at my decease and after the determination of that Estate to my said brother Henry Pyke and my said Cousin Simon Cheyney their heirs and assigns during the Natural life of the said Mary Waklen upon Trust for preserving the contingent Estates hereinafter limitted and to make Entries for the same if need shall require but nevertheless to permit and suffer my said Daughter Mary Waklen and her assigns to receive and take the rents Issues and profits thereof to her and their own proper use and after the determination of that Estate To my two Grandaughters Mary Waklen and Elizabeth Christmas Waklen equally for and during the term of their Natruall lives chargeable as aforesaid they to take as Tenants in Common and not as joynt Tenants and after the determination of that Estate To the said Henry Pyke and Simon Cheyney and their heirs during the Natural lives of my said Grandaughters upon Trust for preserving the contingent Estates hereinafter limitted and to make Entries as aforesaid and permit and suffer my said Grandaughters and their respective Assigns to receive and take the rents and profits thereof to their own respective uses and after the determination of that Estate to the heirs of the bodys of my said two Grandaughters Mary Waklen and Elizabeth Christmas Waklen lawfully begotten chargeable as aforesaid they to take as Tenants in Common and not as joynt Tenants and for want of such Issue to all the other Issue of my said Daughter Mary Waklen lawfully begotten or to be begotten Chargeable as aforesaid and to their heirs forever they to take as Tenants in Common and not as Joynt Tenants And in default of such other Issue to my said son Richard Pyke and his right heirs for ever Chargeable as aforesaid Item my Will and mind is and I do hereby declare order direct and appoint that the rents Issues and profits of the severall Estates herein before devised to and intended for my said Daughter Mary Waklen during the term of her Natural life as aforesaid shall be had taken and received unto and by her only to and for her sole and separate use whose receipt alone notwithstanding her Coverture shall be a good discharge for the same and that the said James Waklen her husband shall not in any wise intermeddle therewith or have any controuling or disposing power thereof the same being intended as a seperate provision for her exclusive of her said husband provided nevertheless and it is my Will and mind that in Case my said Daughter and Grandaughters shall happen to dye without any surviving Issue as aforesaid and my said son in Law James Waklen living that then my said son James Waklen shall and may receive and take to his own use the rents and profits of the said last mentioned Messuage or Tenement in Duke Street aforesaid which I give to him during the term of his Natural life Chargeable nevertheless as aforesaid Item I give and bequeath to my said son in Law James Waklen my Leasehold Messuage or Tenement in Norris Street near St James Market in the said parish of St James Westminster with its appurtenances during the residue of my term of years therein subject to the rents and Covenants whereby I hold the same and I do further give and confirm unto the said James Waklen all my household Goods and plate except the Cambletbed and bedding compleat on which I lye which I give unto my said son Richard Pyke Item I do hereby forgive and Release unto my said son in Law James Waklen all such sume and sums of money as he shall stand indebted to me at the time of my decease by Note or Notes under his hand upon Condition that he my said son in law James Waklen do and shall give and execute to my Executors hereafter named a good and sufficient Release and discharge in the Law of all demands due from me to him for my board and Lodging & not otherwise Item I give devise and bequeath unto my two Grandaughters Mary Waklen and Elizabeth Christmas Waklen equally between them all that my Leasehold Messuage or Tenement with its appurtenances scituate in Poland Street in the said parish of St James Westminster during the residue of my term of years therein Chargeable nevertheless with the said sume of two hundred pounds to my said sister Elizabeth Kingsman as before mentioned and subject to the rent and Covenants whereby I hold the same but if my said Grandaughters shall happen to dye before they attain their respective ages of twenty one years and without issue lawfully begotten then and in such Case I give and devise the said Messuage or Tenement in Poland Street aforesaid to all other the Issue of my said Daughter Mary Waklen lawfully begotten or to be begotten for all the residue of my Term of years therein Chargeable as aforesaid And in default of such other Issue to my said Daughter Mary Waklen if living and in Case of her Death to the said James Waklen for all the residue of my term of years therein then to come chargeable as aforesaid Item my Will is and I do order and appoint that my Executors hereinafter named shall receiv and take the rents and profits of the said Messuage or Tenement and premisses in Poland Street aforesaid herein before given to and appointed for my said two Grandaughters during their Minorities to and for their use and benefit Item I give and bequeath unto my Nephew Vincent Head the sume of Fifty pounds to be paid him by my Executors hereinafter named out of the Residuary part of my Estate when he hath served out the term of his apprenticeship Item I give to my Cousin William Pyke the sume of ten pounds and to my Cousin Robert Webb the sume of ten pounds Item from and after my Debts Legacies and Funerall Charges are all paid and discharged I give leave and bequeath all the rest residue and remainder of my Estate both real and personal Goods and Chattells whatsoever not herein by me before disposed of unto and amongst all and every the Child and Chidlren of my said Daughter Mary Waklen lawfully begotten or to be begotten which shall live to attain the age of Twenty one years or be married and in Case my said daughter shall dye without any such Issue then I give and bequeath the same residuary part of my said Estate to my said son James Waklen if living and if dead to my nearest kindred Item I do make ordaine and appoint my said Cousins William Pyke and Robert Webb Executors of this my Will Item my Will is and I do order and appoint that my said Executors shall be paid and reimbursed and shall and may take and deduct to themselves out of my Estate all their lawfull and reasonable Costs Charges and Expences in and about the execution of the Trust hereby in them reposed and that my said Executors shall not be chargeable with any Loss or Losses that may happen in the management of my Estate which may come their hands contrary to their ?? Will and Intention nor ??be lyable or chargeable with the receipts or payments acts or Deeds of each other but for his own respective receipts and payments acts and Deeds only and lastly I do revoke and make void all former and other Wills by me heretofore made and do declare this to be my last Will and Testament In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year first above written Thomas Pyke Signed sealed published and declared by the within named Testator for and as his last Will and Testament in the presence of us and attested in his presence Joseph Feram James Swift Huntley Shrimpton Probatum fuit [this paragraph continues in Latin to grant probate on 9 August 1725] Nono die Mensis augusti Anno Domini Millesimo Septingesimo vicesimo quinto [to] Gulielmi Pyke et Roberti Webb On the first day of august in the year of our Lord 1736 issued forth a Comon to Mary Waklen widow the Guardn lawfully assigned to Mary Waklen spinster a Minor the natural & lawfull Daughter and only Child of her the sd Mary Waklen widow and as such the residuary Legatee named in the Will of the said Thomas Pyke deced to administer the Goods Chatts and Credits of the said deced according to the tenor of his said Will left unadmistred by Robert Webb the Surviving Extor therein named now also deced for the use & benefit of the said Minor & untill she shall attaine the age of 21 years being first sworn duly to administer
Last Modified: Sunday, 03-May-2020 16:10:07 NDT