Summary:

Testator:                Sares Boylston (1), Rector of Rock, Worcestershire

Daughter:              Frances Boylston (2)

Wife and executrix:    Anne Partington (3)

Son:                       Edward Boylston

Tenants:                 Mr. Bodenham, saddler, Samuel Jones, barber, James Compson, grocer

Sisters:                   Sarah Perkins, Anne Jennens

Sister-in-law:         Elizabeth Partington, relict of Walter Jones

Daughter:              Anne, wife of John Meysey

Property owners:   Mr. Gorges, Charles Cornwallis (4), Richard Chase, Richard Crundall

Brother-in-law:      Thomas Partington

Nephew:                John Perkins

Signed:                  8 September 1712

Witnesses:             Charles Cupper, Mary Mans, Ann Hay, Walter Bornston

Probate:                 granted at London 5th of March 1715 to Anne Boylston, executrix

Notes:

1. Testator was the son (baptized 1639) of Thomas Boylston of Ribbesford, Worcestershire; he was presented to the Rectory of Rock, Worcestershire by his father-in-law Edward Partington in 1672;

2. Testator’s eldest daughter Frances (b 1673) was buried in the chancel of Rock church while her father was yet living;

3. Testator’s wife Anne (b 1643) was a daughter of Edward Partington by his wife Mary Newce, whom he married at Rock in 1667; they had three daughters and a son, but the two elder girls, Frances and Mary, seem to have died young;

4. Charles Cornwallis (1619-1675, MP for Eye, Suffolk from 1662) was the husband of testator’s wife’s aunt Edith Newce; Edith inherited the advowson of Rock from her brother John, who inherited it from his mother Ann Roberts.

Source:

UK National Archives, Prob 11/551, Image 23

Text:

In the name of God, Amen.  The eighth day of September 1712, I, Sares Boylston of Rock in the county of Worcester, clerk, being of sound disposing mind, do make and ordain this my last will and testament in manner and form following:

First, I bequeath my soul into the hands of Almighty God my heavenly father, through Jesus Christ my blessed redeemer by whose precious merits and obedience I only expect the pardon of all my sins and to have my part in the resurrection of the just; my body to be buried in the grave which I caused to be digged in the chancel of Rock for my dear daughter Frances Boylston;

And for that worldly estate which it pleased God to give me, I give and dispose of it in manner following:

First, I give unto the poor of the parish of Rock aforesaid the sum of ten pounds to be distributed to poor honest housekeepers within one year after my decease by my executrix hereafter named at her discretion and of my son Edward Boylston;

Item, I give unto my dear wife Anne Boylston all those my freehold lands and tenements in Bewdly [Bewdley] and in the parish of Kidderminster and county of Worcester, and Whitton in the county of Radnor which were settled as a jointure upon her before our marriage, during her life, and after her decease to my son Edward Boylston and his heirs forever;

Item, I give unto my said dear wife all those my customary lands and tenements in the manor of Bewdly now in the possession of one Mr. Bodenham, saddler, and Samuel Jones, barber, for and during her life and then to descend to my son Edward Boylston and his heirs forever, but my desire and will is that my poor sister Sarah Perkins may have and receive the rents and profits of that house wherein Samuel Jones lives during her life, she upholding it in good repair;

Item, I give unto my son Edward Boylston the farm called Upper Snead in the parish of Rock with all its appurtenances to him and his heirs forever;

Item, I give unto my said son Edward all that my freehold messuage and tenement in Bewdly now in the possession of Mr. James Compson, grocer, and to his heirs for ever after my decease;

And whereas above two and twenty years since I let a lease of the said house for fifty years with divers reservations and covenants in which lease I bound myself to pay unto the said Mr. Compson four score pounds for to rebuild part and repair the said house and outhouses (which since has been duly long since paid to him) and whereas that four score pound was part of six hundred pound which I designed and intended as a portion for my dear daughter Anne Boylston (not then being able to give her any more) and being greatly desirous that the six hundred pound should be completed and fully made up I did agree that my dear wife Anne Boylston should (I being then very sick and not like to live) for ten year after my decease receive the rents of the said Mr. Compson’s house to make up the portion intended for my said daughter Anne, now it having pleased God to lengthen out my life for above 22 year above my expectation, so that I have received the rents myself and thereby enabled to complete the said six hundred pounds intended as her portion and have seen her married to Mr. John Meysey and have already paid him fourteen hundred pounds of current money of Great Britain, therefore the consideration being void and the just reason why I ordered my wife to receive the rents for the term aforesaid for my daughter Anne, my will and desire now is that my son Edward Boylston immediately after my decease shall have the house with the rents and profits of it to him and his heirs for ever;

Item, I give to my son Edward Boylston the farm called Coniswick [Conningswick] which I hold of Mr. ?Gorges for 99 years if Thomas Partington, Edward Boylston and John Perkins shall so long live and to the heirs of his body lawfully to be begotten during the said term;

Item, I give the advowson of Aka alias Rock which I purchased of Charles Cornwallis and his wife and Richard Chase and to his heirs forever;

Item, I give the estate of Ghorst [Gorst] Hill which I bought of Richard Crundall and to his heirs forever upon this special trust that he shall pay four score pounds towards what just debts I shall have at my decease;

Item, I give unto my son Edward all my books and writings of what nature and kind soever;

Item I give unto my loving son-in-law Mr. Meysey and his wife and my two sisters Mrs. Ann Jennens and Sarah Perkins and my nephew John Perkins twenty shillings apiece to buy each of them a ring to wear for my sake;

And whereas  by due course of law I obtained a judgment in Her Majesty’s Court of Common Pleas at Westminster in Michaelmas term 1676 against Walter Jones gentleman of Rock for four hundred pounds which I honestly lent him and eighty shillings damages and there being a considerable part unsatisfied, my will is that my executrix shall not release the said judgment but my will is for the love I bear to my sister Mrs. Elizabeth Jones the relict and administratrix of the said Walter Jones is if she will pay unto my son Edward Boylston twenty pounds it shall be accepted in full satisfaction of the said judgment;

All other my personal estate not before disposed of I give and bequeath unto my said dear wife Mrs. Anne Boylston whom I do make and constitute to be my sole executrix of this my last will according to the true intent and meaning of it;

In witness whereof I have set my hand and seal, revoking all former wills by me heretofore made, the day and year first above written.  // Sares Boylston //

Signed, sealed and published as my last will and testament in the presence of (with the words twenty pounds interlined) before sealing // Charles Cupper, signed // Mary Mans, signed // Ann Hay // Walter Bornston //

Probate (in Latin) of this will was granted at London before Dr John Bettesworth in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury the fifth day of March 1715 to Anne Boylston relict of the said deceased and executrix named in the will ……………

UK National Archives, Prob 11/551, Image 23