Arthur Ayshford Will 20 July 1669
In the name of God, Amen The twentieth day of July in the year of Our Lord (according to the
computation of the Church of England) One thousand six hundred, sixty and nyne. And in the one and
twentieth yeare of the reigne of our Sovereign Lord Charles the Second, by the grace of God, of
England, Scotland, France and Ireland, King and defender of the faith. I, Arthur Ayshford, of
Ayshford in the County of Devon, Esquire, being infirm and weak in body, but of a perfect and
discerning memory (thanks be given to Almighty God) do make and ordain this my last Will and
Testament in manner and form following, hereby revoking all other Wills by me formerly made,
whatsoever. First I do commend my soul into the hands of God who gave it to me, hoping///// to be
eternally saved by the merits of Jesus Christ, my only Saviour and Redeemer. And my body to be
buried in such decent manner as to my trusty friends and executors shall seem fitting and convenient,
but with as much privacy as may conveniently be. And concerning my temporal estate, wherewith it
has pleased Almighty God to bless me, I do give and dispose of the same as followeth (viz) First I do
give and bequeath unto Grace my dear wife, one third part of all my goods and chattels personall which
I shall be possessed of at the time of my death (my funeral expenses being first discharged) excepting
my children's plate, the tankard with the CouRtneys Arms engraved thereon, and all her jewels and
wedding apparel which I do give unto my said dear wife wholly and solely.
Item
I do give and bequeath unto my three sisters, viz Frances, Catherine? And Elizabeth and to
any of them the sum of two hundred pounds.
Item
I do give and bequeath unto my aunt, Cecilia Ayshford, the wife of Thomas Ayshford
Esquire, deceased the sum of twenty pounds.
Item
I do give and bequeath unto Nicholas Ayshford the eldest son of the said Thomas Ayshford,
the like sum of twenty pounds.
Item
I do give and bequeath unto Robert Ayshford, of Burlescombe in the County of Devon, gent,
second son of the said Thomas Ayshford, the like sum of twenty pounds.
Item
I do give and bequeath unto my kinswoman, Mrs Ellynot Bowdon, now the wife of William
Bowdon, of CLEHANGER In the county of Devon aforesaid, gent, the sum of ten pounds.
Item
I do give and bequeath unto Margaret Courtenay, my kinswoman and servant, the sum of
fifteen pounds.
Item
I do give and bequeath unto John Broome, my servant, the like sum of fifteen pounds
Item
I do give and bequeath unto my two servants, viz Elizabeth Mark and Prudence Davey, and to
each of them, the sum of five pounds.
Item
I do give and bequeath unto all and every of such other servants of mine which shall be living
with me at the time of my death, the sum of forty shillings, except the said SEVERAL LEGACIES
heretofore given and bequeathed, to be raised and paid out of my lands, goods and chattels, by my
trustees hereafter mentioned, with all convenient speed.
Item
I do give and bequeath unto the poor of the parish of Burlescombe aforesaid, the sum of ten
pounds, the same to be paid by my trustees within six months next after my decease
Item
I do give and bequeath unto and do order, allot and appoint the sum of seven hundred pounds
for and towards the payment and discharge of part of the debt of my cozen Henry Ayshford, late of
Ayshford aforesaid, Esquire, deceased, with this, my further direction, that my said trustees shall, in the
first place, pay to George Pitts of Exeter, tailor, his executor, or assigns, the sum of one hundred
pounds, part of the said sum of seven hundred pounds. And the other six hundred pounds remaining to
such person or persons as my said trustees, or the survivors or survivor of them shall deem most meet
and expedient.
All the rest of my goods and chattels, both real and personal, both real and personal, and also all those
lands and MANNORS and messuages, tenements, rents, reversions, ….. and hereditaments with their
and every of those appurtenances situate, lying and being in the Counties of Devon and Somersett, both
and either of them whereof or wherein of the said Arthur Ayshford am now seized, that is to say, the
manors of Burlescombe, Ayshford, Holditch, Shaugh, Honyton, North Radworthy, and the MOIETY
OF THE manor of UPTON PRUDHAM the manors of WollaVington, Knapp, Milverton,
HOUNDSMORE?, CURLAND IN LE ROACH,/////// the moiety of the farm of Cofin(?) HAYES the
manor of BRUSHford with the appurtenances, the barton of AYSHFORD THE BARTON OR farm of
STEVENSTONE. I give, bequeath and devise unto my trusty and wellbeloved friends John BLUETT
of Holcombe Regis in the said county of Devon, Esquire, Thomas Clark of the Quick Temple, London,
Esquire. And to the said Robert Ayshford, whom I do appoint and ordain trustees and Executors of this
my last Will and Testament. And to the survivors and survivor of them, and to the executors and
administrators of them, the said goods and chattels unto whom the said John Blewett, Thomas Clarke
and Robert Ayshford, their executors and assigns. And the said lands udnto the said John Blewett,
Thomas Clark and Robert Ayshford. And to the survivors and survivor of them. And to the executors
and administrators of the survivor of them for and during the full tyme and terme of two hundred
yeares from the tyme of my death, fully to be compleat, expired and ended, giving and granting unto
my said trustees and to the survivors and survivor of them, and to the executors and administrators of
the survivors of them full power and lawful authority to devise, lease and grant any estate or estates
unto any person or persons in all or any parts of the manors aforesaid. The same estate or estates to be
granted as aforesaid, not exceeding one, two or three lives at the most AT ANY ONE TIME Or for any
number of years determinable on the deaths of three persons at the most upon this …… all trust and
confidence nevertheless in THEM The said John Blewett, Thomas Clark, and Robert Ayshford. And
the survivors and survivor of them and the executors and administrators of such survivor …… that
they, the said trustees and the survivors of them and the executors and administrators of such survivor
shall, out of the goods and chattels to them hereby given and bequeathed. And out of the said lands
and premises to them hereby devised imploy all such sum and sums of money as shall, from tyme to
tyme …… for and towards the discharge and payment of all such legacies and bequests as shall
become due and payable by virtue of this, my last Will and Testament. And the overplus? of such
moneys …… as aforesaid shall be paid to such person or persons unto whom the inheritance of the said
lands and premises shall appertayne or belong. And to no other purpose or intent whatsoever.
Item My Will is that after the expiration of the said tyme of two hundred years or the full execution of
the trust aforesaid, as well the said lands and premises above mentioned, as all my other lands shall be
and REMANE to the use of the heirs, males? of my body lawfully begotten or to be begotten. And for
default of such issue, then to John Ayshford, my brother, and to the heirs males of his body, lawfully
begotten. And for want of such issue, then to the said Nicholas Ayshford, and heirs males of his body,
lawfully begotten or to be begotten. And for want of such issue, then to the said Robert Ayshford, and
to the heirs males of his body lawfully begotten or to be begotten. And for want of such issue, then to
the right heirs of me, Arthur Ayshford, forever.
And it is further my Will that if it shall happen my said wife at the time of my death, to be pregnant of
a female child, then I DOE GIVE UNTO to the said female. And the sum of three thousand and five
hundred pounds, the said sum to be paid by my said trustees or by the survivors or survivor of them, or
by the executors or administrators of ////// of the survivor of them, out of the lands and premises to
them hereby devised when the(y) shall come to attain to the age of sixteen years, or be lawfully
married, which sooner of them shall first happen. And that before she shall attain the said age of
sixteen years, the said trustees or survivors, or survivor of them, or the executors of administrators of
such survivor, shall pay out of the trust aforesaid fifty pounds yearly towards her maintenance and
education.
Item
I do give and bequeath unto my said trustees, John Blewett, Thomas Clark, and Robert
Ayshford, tenn pounds apeace to buy them a peace of plate.
Item
I do give more to the said Robert Ayshford the sum of twenty pounds yearly to be issueing
and going out of the lands and premises for long as the said Robert Ayshford shall take the care and
charge of this my trust in him imposed.
In witness whereof, I the said Arthur Ayshford, unto the first and last leaves of this my last Will
containing five leaves, have sett my hand AND SEAL the day and year first above written – Ar
Ayshford – Declared and published to be my last Will and testament the said twentieth day of July
above mentioned, in the presence of John Blewett, George Wal?ond, …… …….. the mark of Daniell
Bowerman