Will of John Watson late of Cullompton, Clothier
Proved 03 January 1695
© Crown Copyright
National Archives Catalogue Reference PROB 11/424/15 Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Irby Quire Numbers: 1 – 41
Transcribed by Art Ames
In the name of God Amen I John Watson of Collompton in the county of Devon clothyer being sick and weake in body but of sound and perfect mind and memory thanks be given to Almighty God for the same do make publish and declare this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following
Impris I commend my soul into the hands of Almighty God that gave it me trusting and steadfastly believing that in and through the merioriotus death and passion of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ I shall receive full remission of all my sins and inherit everlasting life and my body I committ to the earth to be buried in a decent manner by my executrix hereafter named
And as touching such worldly estate as it hath pleased Almighty God in his goodness and bounty to bestow upon me I give devise and bequeath the same in manner following vizt
I give devise and bequeath unto Joane my now wife besides such joynture as I have already settled on her the summe of seaven pounds of lawfull money of England to be paid her by my executrix hereinafter named within six months next after my decease and the use of all my household goods during her naturall life
Item I give and bequeath unto Peter Watson my son (besides such lands as I have settled on him in marriage) the sum of five pounds of lawfull money of England to be also paid him by my executrix hereinafter named within six months next after my decease
Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Elianor now the wife of John Forse of Collompton aforesaid yeoman (besides what I gave her in marriage) the summe of tenn pounds of lawful money of England to be also paid her by my executrix hereinafter named within six months next after my decease
Item I give devise and bequeath all that the messuage tenement and dwelling house lying within the town and parish of Collompton aforesaid formally called Berryes house with the courtlages and gardens thereunto belonging with the appurtenances and which is now converted into severall tenements or dwelling houses and are now in the severall possessions of Francis Fry William Thomas Crozye Langbridge the younger Mary Coombe widdow Thomas James Francis Bidgood and John Baunton as my under tenants unto Joane Watson my daughter and her assignes during the terme of her naturall life
And after her decease I give devise and bequeath the same premises with the appurtenances unto such person as shall happen to be her husband at the time of her death dureing the terme of his naturall life
And from and after the death and decease of her the said Joane Watson and such person as shall be her husband at the time of her death (if any) then I give devise and bequeath the same premises with the appurtenances unto the heires males of the body of her the said Joane Watson lawfully to be begotten
And for default of such issue I give devise and bequeath the same premises with the appurtenances unto the heires female of the body of her the said Joane Watson lawfully to be begotten
And for default of such issue I give devise and bequeath the same premises with the appurtenances unto my daughter Elianor now the wife of the said John Forse and her assignes for and dureing the terme of her naturall life
And from and after her decease I give devise and bequeath the same premises unto John Forse my grandson and eldest son of the said John Forse on the body of my said daughter Elianor begotten and his heires (he the said John Forse the son paying unto William Forse Mary Forse and James Forse his two brothers and sister the sum of twenty pounds apiece within twelve months next after he the said John Forse the son shall have the possession and enjoyment of the said premises by virtue of this bequest)
And for default of such issue I give devise and bequeath the same premises unto the said William Forse my grandson and second son of the said John Forse the father and his heires (he the said William Forse paying to the said James and Mary his brother and sister the sum of twenty pounds in manner as aforesaid)
And for default of such issue I give devise and bequeath the same premises unto the said James Forse my grandson and his heires (he paying unto the said Mary Forse his sister the sum of twenty pounds in manner as aforesaid)
And for default of such issue I give devise and bequeath the same premises unto all and every other son and sons on the body of her the said Elianor Forse my daughter by him the said John Forse the father or any other husband lawfully to be begotten and their heires severally and successively issuing the elder of such son and sons and the heires of his body being always preferred before the younger of such son and sons and the heires of his body
And for default of such issue I give devise and bequeath the same premises unto all and every the daughter and daughters of her the said Elianor Forse lawfully begotten or to be begotten and their heires equally to be divided between them
And for default of such issue I give devise and bequeath all and singular the same premises unto the said Peter Watson my son and his heires for ever
Item I give devise and bequeath unto the said John Forse my grandson the summe of six pounds to be paid him by my executrix hereinafter named when he shall attain the age of one and twenty years
Item I give and bequeath unto the said William Forse and Mary Forse my grandson and granddaughter the summe of five pounds apiece to be severally paid them by my said executrix hereinafter named when they shall severally attain the age of one and twenty years
Item I give and bequeath unto my grandson James Forse the sum of fouer pounds of lawful money of England to be also paid him by my executrix hereinafter named when he shall attain the age of one and twenty yeares
And my will is that if in case any or either of my said four grandchildren John Forse William Forse Mary Forse and James Forse happen to dye before he she or they soe dyeing shall have attained the age of one and twenty years that then the legacie or legacies of him her or them so dyeing shall be equally divided amongst and paid unto such survivor and survivors of them as shall attain to that age
Item I give devise and bequeath until Mary Watson my granddaughter and daughter of the said Peter Watson my son the summe of forty shillings of lawfull money of England to be paid her by my executrix hereinafter named at her age of one and twenty years
Item if in case my said son in law John Forse shall at any time during the lifetime of the said Elianor my daughter his now wife and during the lifetime of my executrix hereinafter named purchase my said daughter Elianor’s life and legacy and actually putt in the same on a certain tenement lying within the parish of Bradninch in the said county of Devon called Gingerland soe as that she may have hold and enjoy the same immediately from and after his death and his mothers during the terme of her naturall life that then and in such case my will is and I doe hereby devise and bequeath unto the said John Forse the sum of fifty pounds of lawfull money of England to be paid him by my executrix hereinafter mentioned within six months next after such time as he shall have purchased and ensured her life in the said tenement called Gingerland in manner as aforesaid and not otherwise
Item All the rest of my goods and chattells not hereinbefore given and devised after my debts legacies and funerall expenses are discharged I give devise and bequeath unto the said Joane Watson my daughter whom I make and ordain whole and sole executrix of this my last Will and Testament hereby revoking all former Wills and devises by me made
And I doe hereby desire my trusty and well beloved friends John Muddford of Collompton aforesaid merchant and John James of the same place mercer to be Rulers in Trust and Overseers of this my last Will and Testament desiring them to be aiding and assisting in the best manner they can to my said executrix in the execution of this my last Will
In witness whereof I the said John Watson have hereunto sett my hand and seal this three and twentith day of February in the fourth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord and Lady William and Mary by the grace of God of England Scotland France and Ireland King and Queen Defenders of the Faith etc Anno Domini one thousand six hundred and ninety one John Watson
Signed sealed and published by the said John Watson to be his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who all subscribed our names in the presence of the testator Nosse Clapp Robert Gird John Stephens
I John Watson the testator above named having outlived severall of the legatees above also named vizt. Joane my late wife and William Forse Mary Forse and James Forse three of my grandchildren above mentioned have thought fitt to make void the severall legacies to them given in and by my Will above written and doe this by my codicil annexed null and make void the same accordingly
And I doe hereby give devise and bequeath the same severall legacies and every one of them unto the above named Elianor Forse my daughter to be paid her by my executrix above also named within one yeare next after my decease
And whereas also since the makeing of my Will above the above named John Forse my then son in law is likewise decd and I having otherwise provided for the above named John Forse my grandson I do hereby also null and make void the legacy of six pounds above to him given and doe hereby give devise and bequeath the same to the said Elianor his mother and my executrix above named to be equally divided between them
And I doe hereby order that this my codicill shall alwayes be accepted and taken as part of my Will above hereby ratifying and confirming all other legacies whatsoever contained in my Will above written In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seale this thirtieth day of October 1694 John Watson
Signed sealed and published by the said John Watson to be part of his last Will and Testament above written in the presence of us who all subscribed our names in the present of the testator Nosse Clapp John Case Wm Toup
Probate in Latin