FREE - Birth, Marriage & Death Records

[ Home ] - [ Search By Surname ] - [ Search By County ] - [ Links ] - [ ] - [ ] - [ ]

I Tristram Stevens of Dover Chirurgeon being sicke and weake of bodye but of sound and perfect memorie praised be God therefore do make and ordayne this my last will and testament in manner and forme following that is to say ffirst I will and bequeath unto Elizabeth my wife during the terme of her naturall life my messuage and Lands with the appurtenances at Petham in the County of Kent in the occupation of Thomas Henteyman or his Assigns and not doing or committing any waste except my woodlands at Petham aforesaid Also I do give to my wife during her naturall life my Messuage with the Appurtenances in Dover aforesaid in the Occupation of Edward Dyer or his Assigns And for and towards the maintenance education and bringing up of my Children I do will and give unto her the yearely Rents and proffitts of all other my messuages Lands Tenements goods and Chattells whatsoever until my youngest child shall attaine to the Ages of Twentie one yeares And then I will and appoint that my house and Lands at or neere Cowgate at Dover aforesaid in the parish of Huffam or St Maries in Dover aforesaid and my goods and Chattells if any be remaining if my wife be then liveing Shalbe equally divided amongst my Children that I now have And that Child or Children my wife goeth with and their heires And after my wife's decease I do will and give to my children and that child or children my wife beareth in her bodie all my Lands and Woodland att Petham aforesaid and the aforesaid messuage in the occupation of Edward Dyer and their heires forever equallie to be divided And in case my wife shall die before my youngest child shall attaine to the Age of Twenty one yeares Then I will and give all my Lands Testaments goods Chattells aforementioned to my said Children and their heires equally to be divided And my will and meaning is and I do hereby will and appoint that if my said wife find Inst occaion for the better maintenance of my children and payment of my Legacyes that shee may dispose and sell the house wherein I now dwell or ainy of my personall estate And whereas there are certaine Legacyes unpaid by the will of my ffather and also my Brother Richard I do will and desire that my Executrix hereunder named once in Two or Three yeares will pay and discharge the same Item I do will and give to my Cosen Jane Stevens daughter of my brother Robert Stevens one hundred pounds to be raised out of the proffitts of my woodlands at Petham aforesaid so soone as by the felling of the said woods at seasonable tymes according to the custom of the country the same can be raised and then paid unto her any thing to before written to the contrarie notwithstanding And if my said cosen Jane Stevens shall dye before the said one hundred pounds can in due tyme be raised then I will and give the same among my Children but if shee live my will is that upon every ffellet of the said wood the mney thereof arising be kept for the better and sooner raising of the same one hundred pounds to be paid unto her And of this my last will and Testament I do make and ordaine Elizabeth my deare wife my full and sole Executrix And I desire my ffather Richard Jacob and my cosen Jacob Winford to be overseers of this my will and to be Aiding and assisting to my wife in the due Execution thereof And even Soe I conclude this my last will and Testament In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seale Dated the second day of August in the yeare of our Lord Christ one thousand six hundred ffiftie and eight Tristram StevensSigned sealed and published in the presence of Richard Jacob Thomas Tiddiman Chyrurgeon William Stratfold Scrivener

Proved 12th October 1658
PCC
Prob11/283
 

This Will was kindly  transcribed and sent in by Ros.

If you feel that any of the persons named in the above will is a person that you are researching, then you can