In the name of God Amen.

This eighth day of January 1698/9, I William Gapper the Elder, of Winsham in the County of Somerset, clothier, being weak in body but of sound and perfect memory, (praised be God), do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following, that is to say:

First, I commit my soul into the hands of Almighty God my Maker hoping through the meritorious death and passion of Jesus Christ my Saviour to receive forgiveness of all my sins, and my body to be committed to the earth by Christian burial according to the discretion of my Executors hereafter named.

Item, I do appoint that all such debts as I shall owe at the time of my death, in law and equity, shall be speedily paid by my said Executers hereafter named.

Item, I give and bequeath unto Joan my wife two of my cows to be by her chosen out of those I shall die possessed of, also I give and bequeath unto my said wife all my corn both in mow and in house and all the household provisions that I shall have at the time of my death.

Item, I give and bequeath unto my mother Joan Reed of  Hewish within the parish of Crewkerne, widow, the sum of one shilling a week to be paid her weekly by my Executors hereafter named for and during the term of her natural life.

Item, I give and bequeath unto my son John Gapper my cloth press in the parlour and my table board in the same room from and immediately after the death of my said wife, with this condition, that my said son John shall within three months after he shall enjoy the same by virtue hereof give unto or buy for his brother William Gapper another such like press and of like value.

Item, I give and bequeath unto my said son William Gapper my great brass pan which was formerly the Widow Bulford’s and one little brass pan and one skillet.

Item, I give, grant and devise unto my said son William Gapper all those three closes of pasture and moory ground commonly called and known by the name of Brackom containing by estimation eleven acres or thereabouts within the parish of Burstock in the County of Dorset, and all my other close of pasture ground hereunto adjoining commonly called and known by the name of Brackoms, Churchways Hill, containing by estimation eight acres, and all my five acres of land lying in the west corner of a close called Sandon now severed and inclosed, and the dwelling house hereupon of late erected and built, lying and being within the parish of Broadwindsor in the said County of  Dorset, and all and singular the rights, members and appurtenances thereof, to have and to hold the same closes and premises with the appurtenances, unto my said son William Gapper, his Executors, Administrators and Assigns, for and during so many years of a certain term of four score and nineteen years, as by an Indenture of Lease thereof heretofore made by William Bragg of Sadbarrow, in the County of Devon, Esquire, bearing date this sixth and twentieth day of October now last past, to commence from thenceforth, are yet to come and unexpired, if the lives nominated in the said Lease are either of them so long shall happen to live. Together with the original Indenture of Lease thereof to me made, and under the rents and covenants by which I hold and enjoy the same. Provided nevertheless that until my said son William shall be lawfully married, my said wife shall take receive and enjoy the rents, issues and profits thereof and of every part thereof after the five and twentieth day of March next she paying and discharging all such duties, rates, taxes and impositions as shall become due and payable out of and for the same.

Item, I give, grant and devise unto my said son William Gapper all that my close of meadow or pasture commonly called or known by the name of Brackhams Mead containing by estimation one acre and half. And all my two closes of pasture called or known by the names of Higher Brackhams containing by estimation three acres, situate, lying and being within the said parish of Burstock in the said County of Dorset, and all and singular the rights, members and appurtenances thereof, to have and to hold the same closes and premises with the appurtenances to my said son William Gapper, his Executors, Administrators and Assigns for and during so many years of a certain term of four score and nineteen years as by an Indenture of Lease thereof heretofore made by George Bryant of Dunchideock within the County of Devon, Gent, bearing date the twenty fifth day of June in the first year of the reign of his Majesty that now is and of the late Queen Mary, deceased, to commence from thenceforth, yet to come and unexpired, if my said sons John Gapper and William Gapper or either of them so long shall live, together with the original Lease thereof to me made, and under the rents and covenants by which I hold and enjoy the same. But with this proviso, also and not otherwise:

That my said son William, his Executors, Administrators and Assigns shall pay or cause to be paid unto my said wife yearly and every year during the term of her natural life the sum of three pounds of lawful English money at the four most usual feasts or days of payment in each year by even and equal quarterly payments without any deduction, abatement or allowance whatsoever, the first quarterly payment thereof to be made on such of the said feasts or days of payment as shall next happen after my decease.

Item, my will is that whatsoever rent or rents or arrearages of rent shall be due and payable from the tenant or tenants of my estates above mentioned on the said five and twentieth day of March next shall be by my said tenant or tenants, or by my said Executors if they receive the same, paid unto William Parker of Winsham to be by him employed and disposed of according to a particular and positive order by me to him given before the making of this my Will.

Lastly, all the rest and residue of my goods and chattels and personal estate whatsoever not herein before by me given and distributed I give and bequeath unto my said two sons John Gapper and William Gapper (reserving only the use of all my household goods unto Joan my said wife for and during the term of her natural life) and I do make, ordain and constitute my said two sons to be Joint Executors of this my last Will and Testament, and withal I desire my trusty and well beloved friends John Whitty and the said William Parker to be my Trustees in this behalf, to see this my last Will and Testament duly and truly executed, and for their pains taken therein I also give to each of them the sum of five shillings, and this I do declare to be my last Will and Testament, revoking and disannulling all former Wills and Testaments whatsoever.

And whereas I may hereafter be minded to give further and other Legacies, which at present I have not an opportunity to do, my will and mind is that all and every codicil and codicils, schedule and schedules, which shall be made by me hereafter, and in which I shall give any further or other Legacies or shall make any addition to or alteration of this my last Will and Testament, shall not be any ways interpreted to be a revocation thereof but to be consistent therewith, and to be in form in the right of a codicil in the best manner that may be.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year first above written.

The mark of William Gapper the Elder.

Signed, sealed, declared and published by the same William Gapper the Elder, and subscribed and attested in the presence of the said Testator by us Matthew Paul, Snr, Edward Bulford, Daniel Palfrey.

Probate.

This Will was proved at London before our venerable John Bridges, Doctor of Laws, surrogate of the venerable and distinguished Sir Richard Raines, Doctor of Law, Master Keeper Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, on the twenty first day of March in the year of our Lord sixteen hundred and ninety eight, lawfully constituted by the oaths of John Gapper and William Gapper, Executors named in this Will, to whom administration was granted to all and singular of the goods, rights and credits of the said deceased, for well and faithfully administering the same, having sworn on the Holy Gospel of God.

This is listed on Documents Online as ‘Will of William Gapper, Clothier of Winsham, Somerset, 21 March 1699,

Catalogue Reference PROB 11/449.

Note:

However, when I translated the Probate section of the Will, I realised that it actually says 21 March 1698 (i.e. ‘viresimo primo die mensis Martij anno Dom (Stilo Angliae) Millesimo Sexcentesimo Nonagesimo Octavo’). I thought I should point this out in case it causes a problem for anyone. The Will was made before the Gregorian Calendar was in force in Britain.