1658 March 14 Probate Will of Elizabeth JACKSON
Will Elizabeth Jackson 1658 Canterbury widow
Original will 1654 January 12
Codicil 1657 Aug 26

In the name of God, Amen. The twelfth day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred fifty and four. I Elizabeth Jackson of the precinct of Christ Church Canterbury, widow being of sound and perfect health & memory blessed be God therefore, yet by reason of my great age daily expecting a dissolution, doe make and ordain this my last will and testament in manner and form following, that is to say, First I bequeath my soul unto God and my body I commit unto the Earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my Executors hereafter named. And for the defraying of all funeral expenses I do allow the sum of twenty pounds and no more. Item I give and bequeath unto Suzan the wife of Thomas Flood twenty shillings. Item I give unto the widow Lewis ten shillings. Item I give unto my servant which shall be living with me at the time of my decease twenty shillings. All which these legacies I will shall be now in lawful money of England within three months next after my decease. Item I give unto my grand-child Thomas the son of my son Thomas Jackson late deceased, twenty pounds, provided that if my said grandchild Thomas Jackson be either dead already or happen to dye before me then I give the said twenty pounds unto my son James Jackson as an addition to his portion. Item I give unto my grandchild Thomas the son of my son John Jackson late deceased twenty pounds which is the twenty pounds which his mother immediately after the death of her husband borrowed of my dear husband late deceased and is or should be remaining in the hands of his mother, executors or administrators of whom I will that her demand and require the same, but mine executors shall not be charged with the payment thereof. Item I give unto my grandchild and god-daughter Elizabeth, the wife of John Fanshawe twenty pounds Item I give unto my grandchild and my dear husband’s godson Thomas Bankes twenty pounds. Item I give unto my grandchildren Ann wife of George Gilpen, Elizabeth, the wife of Henry Catlum, Mary, the wife of (blank) Parker, Ann the wife of (blank) Cannon and James Barham the children of my daughter Ann Orchard, widow, late deceased to each of them fifty shillings a piece. Item I give unto Thomas the son of my son John Jackson late deceased fifty shillings. Item I give unto John Bankes, clerk my well-beloved son in law twenty pounds. Item I give unto my grandchild, Lodowick Jackson, fifty pounds besides the fifty pounds which I have already disbursed for him in money and clothes in placing him out. Item I give unto my son James Jackson ten pounds, Item I give unto my son Richard Jackson fifty pounds, all which respective legacies I will shall be paid in lawful money of England to the several Legatees respectively within one year next after my decease. Item I give unto my grandchild Ursula Jackson fifty pounds of like lawful money of England to be paid unto her within six months next after her marriage. And my will is that in the mean while it shall remain in the hands of mine executors to be improved by them according to their discretion toward her maintenance. Item I will that the gift and legacy bequeathed by my dear husband deceased by his last will and testament unto my daughter Jane the wife of Thomas Bedingfeild or Bodingfeild and to her two daughters shall stand firm and good in every particular. Item all my wearing apparel both linen and woolen I give unto my said daughter Jane Bedingfield immediately after my decease Item all my other linen (my funeral linen excepted) I give to my daughter or daughters which shall be living at the time of my death to be equally divided between them immediately after my decease. Item my will and meaning is that if my son in law Nicholas Bix doe pay unto mine executors ever after named within one year next after my decease the sum of two hundred and four score (260) pounds of lawful money of England then my executors shall convey and settle all those my houses and tenements which I hold by lease from the Mayor and commonalty of the city of Canterbury situate, lying and being within the said city unto three or more indifferent persons upon this trust following viz. that the said Trustees shall suffer the said Nicholas Bix and Elizabeth his wife to receive and take the profits thereof for and during the term of their natural lives and the natural life of the longest liver of them. And afterwards that the whole benefit of my said houses and tenements shall be equally divided between the children then in life of the said Nicholas [Bix] begotten on the body of the said Elizabeth my daughter. And in case there be then no such children in life the trust to be for the benefit of such of my owe immediate children as shall be then in life and after them for the benefit of my right heirs at common laws provided notwithstanding that if the said Nicholas Bix do not pay down to my executors the sum of two hundred & four score pounds within the time aforesaid then my will and meaning is that my said Executors hereafter named shall sell my said houses and tenements held by lease as aforesaid for the most that they can get for them unto any other who will buy the same. Item I will that my two houses in Mercery Lane in the said City of Canterbury (being fee simple) shall be sold by mine Executors hereafter named whom I do invest with full power and authority to make sale thereof accordingly for what they will yield. Item I do appoint & ordain that all my goods, plate, household stuff, ready moneys, movables and other chattel and chattels whatsoever shall be moderathe and indifferently apprised which with the valuation of my said houses both of fee simple and lease shall be all put together into one some. And my meaning is that my debts, funeral expenses and Legacies being all first discharged and paid the remainder shall be divided into so many equal shares and proportions as I shall have any immediate children surviving at the time of my decease and every one to have his or her share and part paid unto him or her or their heirs within one year next after my decease provided notwithstanding and my will and meaning is that the sum of thirty pounds which I have disbursed formerly at the earnest request of my son Richard and for his use shall be deducted out of the share and estate which shall arise and be due unto him by virtue of this my last will and testament. Likewise my will further is that my executor John Banke hereafter named shall be satisfied out of my said son Richard Jackson proportion and part all such debt as are owing and due unto him from my said son Richard Jackson which on his like earnest request I became bound to the said John Bankes in a bond of fifty pounds should be paid unto him within one month next after my decease, likewise my wish and meaning further is that my said son Richard Jackson shall before any legacy be paid either to him or to either of his children give unto my Executors a full and general release of all bonds, claims, interests and demands whatsoever as pretending to be due from me or any way arising to him after my decease out of the estate which I now stand seized of except so much as will be due unto him or them by virtue of this my last will and testament provided also. And my will and meaning is that my said daughter Jane Bedingfeild shall receive no profit, benefit or share among my surviving children until she first there in (same?) houses held by lease aforesaid of an disbursement? (adjudgment?) of one hundred pounds with the interest which shall be then come due unto Mr. John Cogan [Cozan?] of the same City of Canterbury, gent. which is the n( )tier and peculiar debt of my said daughter Jane. Item, I do make, constitute and ordain my well-beloved son James Jackson and my son in law John Bankes, clerk, the joint Executors of this my last will and testament, and I do hereby revoke and renounce all other wills by me formerly made and in particular I renounced my will be( ) date February one thousand six hundred forty six which I made in ( )rsuance of my late dear husband charge unto me in his last will and testament, but cannot continue it in four by reason of the great alterations happening by ye death of so many of my children since that time. And, I do ratify and confirm this present writing containing one whole sheet of pap(er) for my last will and testament. And further my will and meaning is that if any of my said sons or daughters or any other person or persons interested in any legacy or to any benefit by this my will shall or doe at any time after my decease endeavor, attempt or go about by entry suit in law or otherwise to overthrow or impeach this my will and testament or any part thereof, shall have no benefit by this my will. And that all my gifts and legacies therein contained unto him or them bequeathed, given or appointed shall be utterly void and of none effect and his, her or their legacies so attempting or endeavoring to overthrow or impeach this my will, or any ways to trouble or molest my said Executors or either of them, I absolutely give, will and bequeath unto my said executors or executor so troubled to be by him or them enjoyed to his or their own use or uses without any limitation or account whatsoever. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year first above written Elizabeth Jackson, sealed, subscribed, acknowledged, declared and published by the said Testatrix for her last will and testament in the presence of John Bankes, Jane Bedingfeilde, Edward Hirst, Thomas Swafler.
Whereas I Elizabeth Jackson of the precinct of Christ Church Canterbury have made my last will and testament in writing bearing date the twelfth day of January in the year of our Lord God one thousand six hundred fifty-four, Now for as much as by reason of the death of my loving son in law Jo. Bankes, clerk, and other accidents since happening I have changed my mind touching some things in the said last will mentioned their four son? the better and clearer explanation of the true intent and meaning of my said last will and some additions to be made thereto. I do by this my present writing and Codicil which I do declare shall be taken as part of my last will to al intent and purposes and shall be annexed unto my said last will as part thereof and be of the same for efficacy and virtue as my said last will. Further I will and declare that my said last will shall stand in full force in all other things not hereby otherwise disposed of. And first whereas I have by my said last will made & constituted the said John Banke lately deceased one of my Executors thereof and given him the sum of twenty pounds for a Legacy which is since made void by his death. I do therefore in his place and stead hereby constitute and appoint my daughter Jane Bedingfeild is my said last will named Executrix of my said last will ( ) then with my son James Jackson one of my Executors former by names in my said will and doe hereby give unto her the like power given unto the said John Banke as one of my said Executors by my said will in all respect whatsoever. And, I do also hereby give unto her the sum of twenty pounds more besides what is formerly given her by my said last will in leave of the like some thereby given unto my said son in law John Bankes to be paid her in like manner as the said some given to the said John Bankes was there in ( )mitted to be paid. And whereas likewise ( ) the making of the said last will, I stand engaged by bond with my said son James Jackson to Sir Anthony Aucher, knight with some of one hundred pounds for the payment of the sum of fifty one pounds and ten shillings at a day since past and have likewise joined with him in one mortgage by Indenture bearing date the sixteenth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred fifty and four of two of any messuages with the appertenences in Mercery Lane in the City of Canterbury to Richard Barrowe for ninety-nine years conditioned for the payment of the sum of fifty one pounds and ten shillings more at a day since likewise part being for the proper debts of the said James Jackson and for which he hath given me two several counterbonds to pay the said several sum accordingly. I do therefore hereby further will and declare that unless the said James Jackson, his executors or assigns shall satisfy and pay the said several debts within six months after my decease and ( ) and ( ) estate from the same that so much as shall be then really due for the said several debts shall be deducted out of his legacies given to him by my said last will and that the same shall be equally distributed to and amongst my other own immediate children then living in like manner as the surplusage of my estate is by my said last will limited and appointed. And whereas by the said will I have appointed that my houses and tenements held by lease and two houses in Mercery Lane in the said City of Canterbury to be sold by my Executors therein named. I do hereby further will and declare that until sale shall be made thereof that my Executors shall take and receive the rents issued and profits of the same to be shared as distributed according as the residue of my estate is therein mentioned to be divided And whereas I have also by my said will declared that the remainder of my estate should be divided into so many shares as I have own immediate children surviving at my death and every one of them to have his or her share and part. I do hereby declare that I do mean by my said own immediate children by said sons and daughters James Jackson, Richard Jackson, Jane Bedingfeild and Eliz. Bix and none others. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal dated this twenty-six day of August in the year of our Lord God one thousand six hundred fifty-seven 1657. Elizabeth Jackson.
Signed sealed, published and declared as the Codicil of the said Elizabeth Jackson in the presence of Thomas Bridge, Thomas Staynel, Phill Seaward, Margaret Jackson.
Probate This will & codicil was proved (before the judges) at London the fourteenth day of March one thousand six hundred fifty-seven [1657/8] by the oath of James Jackson the son and Jane Bedingfeild Joynt Executives to whence Admonition was committed ( ) they being first given truly to administer.
NOTE: Elizabeth JACKSON was buried 27 Jan 1657.