Will of Samuel Horsmanden

In the Name of God Amen I Samuel Horsmanden Bachelor of Laws and Rector of Purleigh in the County of Essex do make this my Last Will and Testament in manner following my desire is to be buried in the Chancel of Purleigh aforesaid in the same Private Manner my Brother Barrington Horsmanden was I do give to my Brother Daniel Horsmanden Esquire a Ring of One Guinea a Ring of the same value to my Sister Ursula Horsmanden and the ffurniture in the Room where she lies I do desire my dear Wife Lucretia Horsmanden out of the Affection she hath for me to get a Proper Person soon after my death to value my Books and with part of the Money to Purchase a Service of Plate (I mean Silver) of the value of fforty pounds for the Communion Table in the Chancel of Purleigh aforesaid

I Give to my Servant Thomas Abbott if Living with me at my death Eighteen of my Strongest Coarse Shirts and Twelve Neck Cloths and one of my suits of Cloaths for Mourning and all my Wearing Apparel (Except my Gowns Cassocks and Scarves) and I Give to all my other Servants ffive pounds a peice for Mourning I leave the the Poor of Purleigh ffive pounds and to the Poor of Woodham Walter and St Mary in Maldon ffifty Shillings each for Bread to be given to those soon after my decease on the Sundays after Divine Service and to those who want it most and deserve it best such as are most frequent at Church and sober and diligent in Business

I also Give and Devise all that my Leasehold Messuage with the Buildings and appurts thereto belonging situate and being in Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex and all other my Messuages Lands and Tenements whatsoever and wheresoever with all the Interest and Term of Years I have or can have in them unto my dear Wife Lucretia Horsmanden and her Assigns for the Term of her natural Life and after her decease to my said Sister Ursula Horsmanden and her Assigns for the Term of her natural Life And after the decease of the Survivor of them to the Executors Admors and Assigns of my said Wife Lucretia Horsmanden for the remainder of my Term in the said Messuage and all my Right Title and Interest therein and thereto and I do give and bequeath unto my dear Wife Lucretia Horsmanden her Executors and Admors One Thousand Pounds Consolidated Bank Annuities now standing in my Name in the Books of the said Company and I do likewise give and bequeath unto my said Wife Lucretia Horsmanden her Executors and Admors all my Right Title and Interest of and in Two Thousand Pounds of the said Consolidated Bank Annuities which I am entitled to on the death of said Sister Ursula Horsmanden and I do give and bequeath unto my said Wife Lucretia Horsmanden all the rest and reisude of my Household Goods ffurniture Books Manuscripts Plate Rings Jewells Pictures ready Moneys Securities for Money Chattels and Real and Personal Estate whatsoever and I do earnestly request my said dear Wife Lucretia Horsmanden as soon as conveniently may be after my decease out of the Ample Provision which I have hereby made for her by such Proper Conveyance in the Law as shall be advised by able and Experienced Lawyers to Secure and Settle the Clear Yearly Sum or Income of Thirty Pounds in the Rectors of the several Parishes of Purleigh Woodham Walter and Woodham Mortimer in the County of Essex for the time being as Trustees to be for ever applied and appropriated by them from the decease of my said Wife Lucretia Horsmanden and Sister Ursula Horsmanden

To the uses following that is to say the Sum of Thirty Pounds a Year for the Maintenance of a School Master and School Mistress to Teach and Instruct all the Children Boys and Girls belonging to the Parish of Purleigh aforesaid in reading and writing Psalmody and Arithmetick and to teach the Girls Plain Needlework and Knitting I leave Shillings a year to entertain the Trustees when they meet together to settle accounts and Twenty Shillings a Year to Keep the Windows of the Chancell in repair what remains of that Sum every Year my Trustees may give to the Church Clerk that he may find out those that break them

I Desire my dear Wife to burn all my Sermons unless she desire a few for herself

I do constitute and appoint my said dear Wife Lucretia Horsmanden Sole Executrix of this my Will and Testament hereby revoking All former Wills by me made In Witness whereof I the said Samuel Horsmanden have to this my Last Will and Testament contained in three Sheets of Paper set my hand and Seal to this Last Sheet and my hand to the two ffirst Sheets this Twnety ffirst Day of November in the Year of our Lord one Thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty ffive_ Samuel Horsmanden

(Attestation Clause)

Tim Benson _ James Maskelin _ Thos Pocklington

Proved at London 6 June 1769

PCC Prob11/949

Will Transcribed and supplied to this site by Ros Dunning