The Document Chest
The 1698 will of John King
Bodice Maker
I John King the elder of Yeovill
in the County of Somersett Bodice maker being sick and weak in body but of
perfect mind and
memory do make
this to be my
last will and
Testament
Inprimis I give
and bequeath
unto my wife
Edith King All
that my now
dwelling house
with the
appurtenances
for and during
her naturall
life and after
her decease my
will is and I
then give the
said dwelling
house and
appurtenances
unto my Son John
King for and
during his
naturall life
and from and
after his
Decease unto my
Son Johns now
wife for and
during her
naturall life
And from and
after her
decease I give
the same unto my
Son John Kings
two Sons (to
wit) Robert King
and John King
equally to be
divided between
them and the
longest liver to
take all Item my
will is further
that if in case
my two
Grandchildren
Robert and John
King shall
happen to Dye
before they come
to enjoy the
said house and
premises or Dye
without Issue
Then I give the
said house and
premises unto my
Daughter Mary
King and her
heirs for ever
Item I give unto
my said Wife All
the goods and
household stuff
that is now in
my said dwelling
(that is to say)
the use thereof
for and during
One yeare next
after my Decease
and after the
use of the said
goods for one
years time as
aforesaid I give
and bequeath
such Goods as is
hereafter
mentioned unto
my Daughter Mary
King (to wit) I
give unto my
said Daughter
Mary King in one
years time after
my Decease in
the middle
Chamber of my
said house one
feather bed and
bedstead and all
that thereunto
belongs two
boards three
joynt stooles
two leather
Chairs one forme
one Coffer one
flockbed and
bedsted that is
in the Street
Chamber of my
said house
together with
that thereunto
belongs two
Coffers three
Boxes and One
Chest Item I
give unto my
said Daughter
Mary King all my
pewter and brass
whatsoever that
I now dye
possessed of and
also two quarter
barrels all
which is to be
had and
delivered to my
said Daughter
Mary King in one
years time after
my decease Item
I give unto my
said Daughter
Mary King the
Sum of One
hundred pounds
[around £14,000
at today's
value] to be
paid her in One
yeares time
after my Decease
Item I give unto
my wife Edit
King the Sum of
Fifty pounds to
be paid her in
One yeares time
after my Decease
Item I give unto
my three
Grandchildren
ten pounds a
peece to wit
tenn pounds to
Robert King ten
pounds to John
King and ten
pounds Elizabeth
King Sonns and
Daughter of my
said Son John
King which said
Sumes of ten
pounds to each
person is not to
be paid to
either of them
untill they
severally and
respectively
attain their
several ages of
One and twenty
years and if
either of them
happen to Dye
before that age
of One and
twenty years
then his or her
part or sum
shall remain to
the longest
liver of eirther
of them. Mem[orandum
?] I do hereby
except out of
the brass above
bequeathed to
Mary my greatest
brass Crock and
biggest brass
Kettle Item I do
hereby nominate
make and Declare
my said Son John
King to be my
sole executor of
this my last
Will and
Testament And I
do declare this
to be my last
Will and
Testament In
Witness whereof
I have hereunto
set my hand and
seale this
Eighteenth Day
of July Anno
Domini One
thousand Six
hundred ninety
eight
John King
Sealed and Delivered published and Declared as the last Will and Testament
in the presence
of us
Charles Bewsey
John Perrey
Chris[topher]
Phellpes
Proved at London, 1698
Transcribed by Bob Osborn
