The Document Chest
1722 Will of John Prowse
Gentleman, Lord of the Manor of Kingston
I John Prowse of Kingstone
Juxta Yeovil in
the County of
Somerset Gent
doe make and
declare this to
be my last Will
and Testament in
manner following
(that is to say)
I give all my
household goods
and utensills of
household unto
Amos Prowse of
South Petherton
in the County of
Somersett Gent
my Brother in
Law Robert
Stevens of
Stourminster in
the County of
Dorset Gent and
to my Sons
George Prowse
and James Prowse
In Trust for the
use of my
Loveing Wife for
so long time as
she shall keep
her self sole
and unmarried
She giveing
Security by her
Bond unto my Son
& Trustees to
oblige herself
not to sell
imbezell or
dispose of any
of the Said
Goods and after
the marriage or
death of my Said
Wife I give all
my Said goods
and utensills
unto my Said Son
George Also I
give unto my
Sonn James
Prowse Two
hundred pounds
in Lawfull money
to buy him
mourning hopeing
he will accept
thereof as a
Token of my Love
he being
otherwise well
provided for and
I hope he will
out of his great
abundance help
his Mother
Brothers and
Sisters or such
of them as shall
most and best
deserve his
favours Also I
give unto my
Daughter Anne
Three hundred
pounds in
Lawfull money to
be paid unto her
on her day of
marriage or at
her Age of One
and Twenty
Yeares which
shall first
happen Also I
give and devise
unto each of my
four children
John, William
Younge Elizabeth
and Thomas the
sume of Five
hundred pounds
Lawfull money of
Great Brittain
to be paid unto
them
respectively at
their respective
age of of One
and Twenty Years
or day of
Marriage which
shall first
happen but in
case any or
either of my
said Children
Shall happen to
die before his
her or their
Legacy or
Legacies shall
become payable
as aforesaid
Then my Will is
that the Legacy
and Legacyes of
such Child or
Children so
dying shall not
be paid to the
Survivor of them
but shall
remaine for the
benefitt of my
Heir and
Executor herein
after named And
my Will further
is That in case
my Sonnes John
William Young
and Thomas shall
happen to live
and attaine to a
fitt age for
their or any or
either of their
binding or
placeing out to
any Trade
occupation or
calling Then I
dow hereby give
and allow unto
my said Trustees
Soe much money
as they in their
discretion shall
think fitt to
agree with any
person or
persons to give
with such Child
or Children for
soe binding or
placeing them or
any or other of
them out as
aforesaid not
exceeding the
Summe of One
hundred and
Twenty pounds
with any one of
my said Sonns
Also I doe
hereby give unto
or to the use of
my Sid Children
Anne John
William Younge
Elizabeth and
Thomas and unto
or to the use of
each of them the
sume of Tenn
pounds Yearly
for the
maintenance of
each of them
respectively
untill their
respective
Legacys shall
become payable
as aforesaid And
my will is that
the Legacys
herby given unto
my said Children
is by me
intended to be
in full
discharge of all
such Sume and
Sumes of money
as they or any
or either of
them may might
or can have or
clayme to have
out of any part
of my Lands or
Estate by vertue
of the
Settlement on
the marriage
between me and
my Wife or
otherwise and
upon condition
That my said
Children
respectively
shall on the
Receipt or
theire
respective
Legacys Release
theire
respective Right
and Interest
into and out of
my [Setled ?]
Lands and Estate
And also upon
this further
condition That
they shall also
respectively
Release and
Assigne unto my
Sonn George
Prowse his
Executors and
Assigns their
respective right
share and
Interest which
they
respectively can
or may hereafter
have in and to a
certaine Legacy
of Five hundred
pounds given and
devised by
Thomas Compton
Esq deceased in
and by his last
Will and
Testament unto
Thomas my Sonn
also deceased
Also I give and
devise unto my
Sonn George
Prowse All and
every part of my
mannor of
Kingston juxta
Yeovill and the
donation or
right of
Presentation to
the parish of
Pitney or
Kingstone juxta
Yeovill within
the parish of
Yeovill
aforesaid or
elsewhere and
all other my
Messuages Lands
Tenements and
Hereditaments
with their and
every of their
appurtenances
whatsoever To
hold the Same
unto my said Son
George his heirs
and assigns for
ever upon
Condition That
my said Sonn his
Heirs and
Assigns shall
pay unto my
other Children
the respective
Legacyes herein
before given
unto them as and
when they shall
become
respectively due
and payable
according to the
true intent and
meaning of this
my Will but in
case my said
Sonn George his
Heirs and
Assignes shall
neglect or
refuse to pay
the same or any
part thereof
according to the
purport of this
my Will Then
upon such
neglect or
refuseall I give
and devise All
my said Mannor
Messuages Lands
and
Hereditaments
unto my Kinsman
the said Amos
Prowse and my
Brother in Law
Robert Stevens
their Executors
Administrators
and Assignes for
and dureing the
full time and
Terme of One
Thousand Yeares
In Trust to be
by them sold for
the renering and
paying the
Legacyes herein
by me given
Alsoe I give
unto my Wife and
Children the
Summe of Sixty
pounds to buy
the Mourning All
the Rest of my
Goods and
Chattells I give
and bequeath
unto my said
Sonn George
Prowse whom I
make sole
Executor of this
my last Will and
Testament And my
Will further is
and I doe hereby
give unto my
Said Wife All
the [Broad ?]
and other Gold
she hath in her
Custody and all
my Plate Rings
and Jewells Also
I give my Cozen
Amos Prowse Five
Guineas In
Witness whereof
I have hereunto
sett my hand
seal this
twentieth day of
Aprill in the
Yeare of our
Lord God One
Thousand Seaven
hundred Twenty
and Two
John Prowse
Signed Sealed
Published and
Declared by the
above named John
Prowse to be his
last Will and
testament In the
presence of us
who subscribed
our Names as
Witnesses
thereto in his
presence
W[illia]m Bull
John
Newman
William
Arnold
Proved
in London, 1722
Transcribed by Bob Osborn
