|
The will of Matthew Gregory Lewis - this
is very, very long, so this is a summary
In the Name of God Amen I MATTHEW GREGORY LEWIS of Albany,
Piccadilly, in the County of Middlesex Esq do make publish and
declare this my last will and testament in manner following that is
to say I give devise and bequeath unto my dear Mother FANNY MARIA
LEWIS an annuity or yearly rent charge of £1,000 for and during the
term of her natural life exclusive of and besides any jointure or
rent she may be otherwise entitled to out of my estates and property
hereinto mentioned, to commence at my decease and to be paid half
yearly the first years payment to be made six months after my
decease and the said annuity to be payable on the Royal Exchange of
the City of London free from all charges and expences whatsoever of
Remittances premiums on Bills or otherwise howsoever and Interest at
5% ....... and payable out of all and every my Plantations of Sugar
Works Premises Lands Slaves Tenements and Hereditaments in the
Island of Jamaica ...... I give devise and bequeath .... all my said
Plantations Sugar works, Premises Lands Slaves tenements and
Hereditaments in the said Island of Jamaica with theri and every of
their rights members and appurtenances and Instruments of Planting
and Husbandry and all other Property and Land and all the rest
residue and remainder of my Estate Real personal or mixed ... to the
use of my friends and Uncle WILLIAM LUTHER SEWELL of Twyford in the
County of Sussex and ROBERT SEWELL of Oak End Lodge in the County
of Bucks, Esq and my friend CYRILL JACKSON of Folkham [of Felpham]
near Chichester in the Countty of Sussex, Doctor of Divinity ....
they shall manage and cultivate the plantations and sugar works ...
to the best advantage ... and hire such slaves as they think proper
... and pay unto my mother one moiety of the clear net proceeds
rents profits ... of my Plantaions in Jamaica. And of personal
estate in Great Britain my sister FANNY MARIA LUSHINGTON wife of Sir
HENRY LUSHINGTON baronet one full half part undivided of all and
singular my Plantations of Sugar works Premises Lands Slaves
hereditaments Cattle and other effects upon and belonging my
Plantations subject to the payment of one moiety of the said
annuity of £1,000 to my mother if she be then living... and to the
children of my sister FANNY MARIA LUSHINGTON ...... Unto my sister
SOPHIA ELIZABTH SHEDDON wife of Lieutenant Colonel JOHN SHEDDON of
Prospect ?Large? Hants .....one full half part undivided of all and
singular my Plantations of Sugar works Premises Lands Slaves
hereditaments Cattle and other effects upon and belonging my
Plantations subject to the payment of one moiety of the said
annuity of £1,000 to my mother if she be then living... [then
provision made for any children of either of his sisters] ..... And
lastly I do revoke all former wills ... and declare this only to be
my last will and testament in witnesses whereof I have hereunto set
my hand and seal this 5th June 1812
witnesses Richard Grant of Russell Place, Charles Haddon, Charles
Hill
Codicil - There will probably be found a will [insertion above the
line – it was .....? destroyed ..........?] made many years ago as
another will since my father's death If anything contained in this
codicil should be contradictory to any part of these two wills it is
my injunction that the preference should be given to this codicil
and to the second will before the first. In other respects I mean
the instructions in those wills as to the dispertion of my Property
are to stand good I have left a Book containing a full account of
my property November 1st 1815 I possess besides my two estates in
Jamaica, £2,000. Still in the hands of my father's executors
probably £6,000 or £7,000. Also 5 shares of £100 each in Drury Lane
Theatre. I have £1,800 in 5%s and either £200 or £400 in 3%s. I have
also lent £1,000 in 5%s to the Hon. F Stapleton which his father
Lord L Despencer has engaged .... I grant and bequeath £1,000 to my
eldest sister FANNY MARIA LUSHINGTON and £1,000 to my sister SOPHIA
ELIZABETH SHEDDON To the Rt Hon Lord JOHN CAMPBELL £1,000 and all my
plate except the gilt silver inkstand which I bequeath first to LADY
LUSHINGTON and her heirs and in default to Mrs S SHEDDON ....
according to my father's wish. I bequeath to the Hon THOMAS
STAPLETON £1,200 being the account of Lord Despencer's Bond ... and
my chambers in Albany for which I paid 600 guineas with all my
furniture ... and my books of all kind except such books as are in
my portfolio to the Hon WILLIAM LAMB I bequeath all my letters,
Journals, written papers and books to Sir HENRY LUSHINGTON
suggesting him to burn all such as he may judge improper to be seen.
if there are any he wishes to keep for himself or fopr my sister he
is at liberty to do so.
I bequeath my diamond ring left by my Uncle William Lewis to my
father and containing his hair, to my mother requesting her to put
some of my hair in the place of that which is there at present
should this ring be disposed of she is to have her choice among such
of any of my trinkets ......
I freely remit to GEORGE AUGUSTUS FREDERICK DAWKINS all sums which I
have lent to him. I bequeath him also £1,000 ... and a seal of his
choice. I bequeath my 5 shares of £100 each in Drury Lane Theatre to
WILLIAM MARTIN KELLY requesting him never to part with them ... and
£500 when he is 21 years .... I bequeath to my servants two years
wages ....as have lived with me for 12 months and are in my service
at the time of my decease.
I bequeath £100 to each of my executors.
To my servant THOMAS BROWN now a farmer on Sir Thomas Clavering's
estate near Durham £100.
£100 to Mrs ?H? JOHNSTONS late of Covent Garden Theatre to purchase
some trinket to wear constantly in remembrance of me .... My book of
cariacatures to the Rt Hon LORD HOLLAND .... a gold watch and chain
and the ?A..otly? and Seal which was given me by the Lord Henry
Cadogan to the Hon WILLIAM FRASER and a legacy of £1,000. ....
£1,000 to the Hon CHARLES DOUGLAS and one of my seals at his choice.
If I have enemies I forgive them but God be thanked I know of none.
My estates bequeathed to my sisters should be equally divided
between them but in proportion to the number of children they ahve
at the time of my decease ....
witnessed by John Hatchard, Benjamin Wood Dobson.
To prevent disputes I leave to my eldest sister LADY LUSHINGTON ....
the estate of Cornwall and to my younger sister Mrs JOHN SHEDDON the
estate in Hordley in St Thomas's in East Jamaica. To my servant
ELIZABETH ?SPELLER? now married, I know not her husband's name, £50.
My Aunt BLAKE may have her own choice of one of these seals .....
November 1st 1815
Proved at London with 3 codicils 30 Sept 1818.
PROB 11/1608 |
