| Office Copy of the Will of Jonathan Bennet proved 1760
Transcription of document SLY_005_001 in Deeds of Sleyes, Peldon
In this fifteen page Will Jonathan Bennet of East Mersea bequeaths Sleyes in Peldon to his daughter Elizabeth White and then to his grandson, Edward Ransome. His will is proved in 1760.
Extracted from the Registry of the Archdeaconry of Colchester
In the Name of God Amen
I Jonathan Bennet of East Mersey
in the County of Essex Farmer
being sick and weak in body
but of sound disposing mind memory
And understanding (Praised to God for
the same) Do make my last
will and Testament in manner and
form following (that is to say)
Imprimis I Give and Devise unto
my Daughter Elizabeth the Wife of
John White of Peldon in the
said County of Essex Butcher All
that my Freehold Cottage or Tenements
formerly called Sleyes but now the
Page 2
Chequer with the Orchard and half
of the Pond with the Appurtenances
thereunto belonging situate and being in
Peldon aforesaid and now in the
Occupation of him the said John
White unto my said Daughter Elizabeth
for and during the Term of
her natural life and from and
immediately after her decease Then I
Give and Devise the same unto
my Grandson Edward Ransome and to
his heirs and Assigns for ever
Item I Give and Bequeath unto
the said Elizabeth White the Sum
Of Eighty Pounds to be paid
Page 3
into her own hands by my
Executors herein after named within two
Months next after my decease for
which said Legacy of Eighty Pounds
the Separate Receipt of her the
said Elizabeth White shall be sufficient
Discharge to my Executors for the
Payment thereof Item I Give and
Devise unto the Rev[eren]d Naphali [Naphtali]Hussey
of Colchester in the said County
of Essex Clerk and John Spurden
of East Mersey aforesaid Yeoman and
to their Heirs and Assigns All
That my Farm called Spicers Containing
by Estimation Twenty Seven Acres more
Page 4
or less Situate and being in
the Parish of Layer de la Haye in the
County aforesaid with all the Rights
Members and Appurtenances whatsoever to the
same belonging or enjoyed therewith as
the same is now in the
Tenure of James Farthing his Undertenants
or Assigns Also All That my
Copyhold Messuage or Tenement (which I
have Surrendered to the use of
my Will) with the Com[m]on of
Pasture Lands and Appurtenances thereto belonging
Called Kynotts Containing by Estimation Ten
Acres more or less now in
my own Occupation And also All
Page 5
Those my Two Freehold Closes of
Land the One called Great Bulls
Containing by Estimation four Acres And
The Other called Penelesaze otherwise Little
Bulls Containing one Acre more or
Less with the Appurtenances as the
same are both in my own
Occupation In Trust to and for
the following Uses Intents and Purposes
(that is to say) As to
For touching and Concerning All That
Farm called Spicers to receive the
Rents and Profits thereof and to
Apply the same Towards the Maintenance
and Education of my said Grandson
Page 6
Edward Ransome until my Youngest Grand-
-daughter Hannah Ransome shall attain the
Age of Twenty one Years And
from and immediately after that time
Then I give and Devise my
said Farm called Spicers unto my
said Grandson Edward Ransome and to
his Heirs for ever Subject Nevertheless
and I do hereby Charge the same
to and with an Annuity or
clear yearly Rent Charge of Ten
Pounds p[e]r Annum issuing and to
be paid out of the said
Farm half yearly unto my said
Daughter Elizabeth White for and during
Page 7
the Term of her Natural Life
the first payment whereof shall begin
and be made within the Term
of Seven Years next after my
decease And as to for and
concerning my said Copyhold Estate
Kynotts for them to receive the
Rents and Profits thereof to pay
and apply the same for and
towards the Maintenance and Education of
my Granddaughter Elizabeth Ransome until her
Youngest Sister Hannah Ransome shall come
of age And Then I Give
the same from and immediately after
to the said Elizabeth Ransome and
Page 8
her Heirs for ever And as
to for and concerning my said
two Freehold Closes of Land the
One called Great Bulls Containing by
Estimation four Acres And the Other
called Penelasaze otherwise Little Bulls Containing
One Acre for them in like
manner to apply the Profits thereof
to apply and receive for and
towards the Maintenance and Education of
my Grand daughter Hannah Ransome until she
shall attaine her said Age of
Twenty one Years And then I
Give the same to the said
Hannah Ransome and her Heirs and
Page 9
Assigns for ever And in Case
Of the death of either of
my said Grandchildren before they shall
attain their respective Ages aforesaid Then
I Give the Part or Share
of any such one so dying
to and amongst the Survivors Share
and Share alike And if only
One Survivor Then to that Survivor
only Item I Give and Bequeath
unto my Loving Wife Esther Bennet
an Annuity of Eleven Pounds p[e]r
Annum to be paid her by
my Executors herein after named out
of the Interest and Produce of
Page 10
my Personal Estate for and during
her natural life Upon Condition That
She Releases all Claim of Dower
or Thirds of in or to
any of my Real Estates which
said Annuity I Do hereby Give
her to be paid the next
half Year after my decease And
in Case She shall not Survive
me long enough to have received
from the Payment of the said
Annuity so much money as shall
Amount to the Sum of One
Hundred and Ten Pounds in the
whole Than so much as shall
Page 11
fall short thereof I Do hereby
desire my Executors to pay to
such Person as She shall Nominate
by Will I Also Give and
Bequeath unto my said Wife the
Sum of Five Pounds to be
paid her by my Executors within
one Month after my decease I
Also Give her the Furniture of
one Room and Bed at the
Discretion of my Executors I also
Give and Bequeath unto my said
Grand daughter Elizabeth Ransome the Sum of
Twenty five Pounds which I desire
my Executors would pay her at
Page 12
such time as She shall be
Admitted to the Copyhold Estate above
given to her I Also Give
and Bequeath unto the said Napthali
Hussey and John Spurden for their
trouble in Acting under the above
Trust the Sum of Ten Pounds
apiece and that they shall Reimburse
themselves all such reasonable Charges and
Expences they may be put to
in the Execution thereof And as
to for touching and concerning all
the Rest and Residue of my
Personal Estate whatever the same may
Consist of after payment of my
Page 13
just Debts Legacys Annuity and Funeral
Charges I Give the same and
every part thereof to the said
Napthali Hussey and John Spurden to
Apply the Interest and Produce thereof
towards the Maintenance and bringing up
my said Grandchildren until the Youngest
of them shall attain the age
of Twenty one Years Then I
do hereby Order them the said
Napthali Hussey and John Spurden to
divide the Residuum of my said
Personal Estate to and amongst my
said Grandchildren share and share alike
my Intention being that my said
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Trustees shall not be accountable for
any Loss that shall happen [in the] torn section
Execution of my part of torn section
Trust hereby reposed in them torn section
than from any of their own
wilful Fault And of my said
Will I Do hereby Nominate and
Appoint the said Napthali Hussey and
John Spurden joint Executors And so
revoking all former Will or Wills
by me at any time heretofore
made Declare this to be and
Contain my last In Witness
whereof I the said Jonathan Bennet
have hereunto set my hand and
Page 15
Seal this Nineteenth day torn section
in the year of Our torn section
One Thousand Seven Hundred and torn section
Eight. Jonathan Bennet torn section
Signed Sealed Published and Declared by the
said Testator as and for his last
Will and Testament in the Presence of
us and by us attested in his
Presence and in the Presence of each
Other the Words and to his Heirs
For ever and Elizabeth Ransome being first
Interlined Ann Stephens Rich[ar]d Freman
The mark of Samuel Brown
This will was Proved on the Twelfth day of July in the Year of our Lord
One Thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty Before the Rev[eren]d Philip Morant Clerk Surrogate
&c [etc] by the Oaths of the Rev[eren]d Napthali Hussey and John Spurden the Executors to whom
Administration of all and Singular the Goods Chattels and Credits of the Deceased was
Granted and Committed (on the nineteenth day of the said month of July) they being first
Sworn duly to Administer. Ja[me]s Taylor Dep[u]ty Reg[istra]r
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