Will of Eleanor Watson late of Cullompton, Widow
Proved 03 December 1678
© Crown Copyright
National Archives Catalogue Reference PROB 11/358/420 Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Reeve Quire Numbers: 106 – 156
Transcribed by Art Ames
In the name of God Amen the twentieth day of February in the yeare of our Lord God one thousand six hundred seventy and seven I Eleanor Watson of Collumpton in the county of Devon widdow being of sound and perfect memory (praised be God) though weake in body (Revoking all former Wills) doe make this my last Will and Testament in manner and forme following
First I give and bequeath my soule into the hands of Almighty God my Maker hoping to be saved by the meritts and satisfaction of Jesus Christ my Redeemer and my body to the earth to be buried with Christian buryall
Item I doe give devise and bequeath unto the poore ancient old people of the parish of Collompton aforesaid tenn shillings to be bestowed in bread
Item I doe give devise and bequeath unto Mary Watson my daughter the sum of tenn pounds lawfull English money to be paid unto her in six months next after my decease
Item I doe give devise and bequeath unto Sarah Watson my daughter the summe of twenty pounds lawful English money to be paid unto her in twelve months next after my decease and also I doe give unto her my said daughter Sarah the feather bed boulster ruggs and blanketts in the kitchen chamber which I now lye on
Item I doe give devise and bequeath unto Elizabeth Watson my daughter the summe of twenty pounds lawfull English money to be paid unto her within two years next after my decease and also I doe give unto her my said daughter Elizabeth the best featherbed now in the hall chamber and the bolster blanketts and ruggs belonging to the same bed
Item I do give devise and bequeath unto Alice the wife of Mathew Wilkins of Tedbury in the county of Gloucester carrier my daughter the summe of tenn pounds lawfull money to be paid four years next after my decease
Item I do give and bequeath unto John Watson my sonne five shillings lawfull money of England to be paid in one month next after my decease
Item I give and bequeath unto Charles Watson my sonne five shillings lawfull English money to be paid one month after my decease
Item whereas I the said Eleanor Watson heretofore purchased the inheritance and fee simple to me my heires and assignes of all that one messuage tenement courtelage garden and orchard with the appurtenances wherein I now live in Collompton aforesaid of Edward Fortescue of Spridleston in the said county of Devon esquire by deed bearing date the foureth day of November in the thirtieth yeare of the reigne of our Sovereign Lord King Charles the second over England etc now I the said Eleanor Watson for the love and affection which I now have unto Mary Watson my daughter and for her better livelyhood and maintenance doe give devise and bequeath unto the said Mary my said daughter the annuall or yearly rent of foure pounds lawfull money of England to be paid unto her the said Mary or her assignes for and during the terme of her naturall life by quarterly payments and to be issuing and payable out of the said messuage tenement and premises aforesaid the first payment quarterly to commence and begine upon such feast or quarterly day which shall first happen next after my decease
And if it shall happen the said summe or summes of money by me given as aforesaid to be behind or unpaid in part or in all by the space of twenty days next after any the said feast or quarterly dayes aforesaid being lawfully demanded and then not paid that then it shall and may be lawful to and for the said Mary or her assignes to enter on the said premises and the same to distrain and keep untill she shall be fully satisfied and paid of all such rent as shall be behind and unpaid together with such moderate costs as she shall be forced to expend in getting thereof
Item I do give devise and bequeath unto Jonas Watson my sonne for and during the terme of foure score and nyneteen yeares (if he shall soe long live) the aforesaid messuage tenement garden and orchard with the appurtenances he paying his said sister Mary during her life the aforesaid yearly rent of foure pounds to be paid as aforesaid out of the aforesaid premises and upon his non payment of the said rent accordingly as above mentioned the said premises messuage and premises to be payable and chargeable as aforesaid
Item I doe give devise and bequeath unto such woman as shall be the wife of the said Jonas at the time of his death the like terme of foure score and nyneteen years determinable on her death the aforesaid premises still to be charged in manner and forme aforesaid with the said yearly rent payable as aforesaid
And after the severall deaths and deceases of the said Jonas and such woman as shall be his wife at the time of his death then I doe give devise and bequeath the inheritance of the aforesaid messuage tenement and premises unto the issue of the said Jonas Watson lawfully begotten and to his heires forever yet nevertheless lyable to pay the said annual rent above mentioned payable unto the said Mary as aforesaid
And for want of issue lawfully begotten of the body of the said Jonas then I doe give and bequeath after the severall deaths of the said Jonas and such woman as shall be his wife att the time of his death the inheritance of the aforesaid messuage tenement and premises unto the above said Mary Watson Sarah Watson Elizabeth Watson and Alice the wife of Mathew Wilkins of Tedbury in the county of Gloucester carrier my four daughters and to their heires forever still lyable to the aforesaid yearly rent by me given to the said Mary as aforesaid
And for want of issue of my said foure daughters or any or either of them lawfully begotten then to the right heires of me the said Eleanor Watson for evermore
Item whereas I the said Eleanor Watson heretofore had an estate in the aforesaid messuage tenement and premises with its appurtenances for nynety and nyne years determinable on three lives which said terme before I purchased the inheritance thereof was by me granted by deed bearing date the twentieth day of October in the twentieth year of the reigne of our said Sovereign Lord King Charles the second over England etc unto Jonas Watson my sonne in trust for my use with a clause or covenant in the said deed mentioned that he the said Jonas shall reconvey the same premises unto me or my assignes att such time as I the said Elenor should require the same from him the which said Jonas have accordingly conveyed unto me as by his deeds bearing date the twentieth day of March in the eight and twentieth year of the reign of our said Sovereigne Lord King Charles the second over England etc it doth and may appear and whereas the whole estate and chattels by virtue of the said deed is conveyed in me by which I the said Eleanor have power to give the same as aforesaid and I do hereby order declare and appoint that the aforesaid land or premises with the appurtenances shall be enjoyed by each legatee in manner and forme aforesaid
All the rest of my goods and chattles before not given and bequeathed (my debts and legacies being first paid and my funerall expenses discharged) I give and bequeath unto Jonas Watson my sonne whom I doe make my whole and sole executor of this my last Will and Testament
In witness whereof I the said Eleanor Watson have hereunto this my Will contayning two sheets of paper sett my hand and seale at the foote of each leafe the day and yeare first within written 1677
The mark of Eleanor Watson
Signed sealed and published in the presence of us John Prowse Edward Axe Tho Hill
Probate in Latin
transcriber note -estate is possibly in BretembottomWood, Halberton (Devon Heritage Centre 1186M/1/1/60)