died 1680
of Baythorne in Birdbrooke, Essex
This Will has a lot of symbols such as a Y with a raised e in place of ‘the’… For ease of reading I have written ‘the’ rather that writing Y with a raised e…. Similarly letters are missed out – so Parish is written as Pish – this has been written below as P(ar)ish. Where the phrase ‘Exe(cutor)s or Ex Exe(cutor)s’ appears the writer may have meant Executors or Executrixes?
Created 17th Feb 1679
In the Name of God Amen the seventh day of February in the Year of our Ld God 1679.
I George Pyke of Baythorne in Birdbrooke in the County of Essex Esq being weak in body but praised be God of sound mind & p(er)fect memory doe make & Declare this my last will & testam(en)t in manner & forme following.
T(ha)t is to say ffirst I comitt my soule into the hands of my most mercifull God that gave it me & my body to the Earth from whence it was taken decently to be interred within the p(ar)ish church of Birdbrooke afores(ai)d And I doe hereby order & appoint the summe of three score & ten pounds of lawfull money money of England to be paid out by my Exe(cutor)s or Ex Exe(cutor)s hereafter names for the erecting & setting up a Monum(en)t of Marble over my Tombe & place of buriall within the time & space of 15 months next ensueing after my decease
Item I do give & bequeath unto twenty of the poorest & most indigent people of the p(ar)ish of Birdbrooke afores(ai)d the sume of 20£ of lawfull money of England to be paid & equally distributed amongst them by my Exe(cutor)s or Ex Exe(cutor)s
Item I doe give & bequeath unto my wife Mrs Anne Pyke the sume of 10£ as a legacy unto her
Item I doe give & bequeath unto my sister Mrs Elizabeth Crouch the sume of 10£ as a legacy unto her & to her foure children vist(?) to my Godson Pyke Crouch to her Daughter Elizabeth Crouch & to her other 2 sons John Crouch & Thomas Crouch to each of them I doe give & bequeath the sume of 10£ a peice as a legacy unto them
Item I doe give & bequeath unto my Nephew Mr George Violett the sume of 10£ as a legacy unto him
Item I give & bequeath unto my sister Mrs Mary Whitlock the sume of 10£ as a leg(acy) unto her
Item I give & bequeath unto my sister Mrs Cicilia Coop(er) the sume of 10£ as (a) legacy unto her
Item I doe give & bequeath unto these my servants who shall be living with me at the time of my decease the sume of 5£ apeice to be paid to each (of) them over & above their wages w(hi)ch shall be then due unto them
Item I doe give & bequeath Demise settle & confirme unto & upon John Crouch second son of my sister Mrs Elizabeth Crouch afores(ai)d all those my mannors lands tenem(en)ts hereditam(en)ts & reversions with all & singular the premisses thereunto belonging lyeing & being within the p(ar)ish & p(ar)ishes of Meldreth & Melbourne called & knowne by the name & names of Sheen & the Mannors of Sheene & Streets within the County of Cambridge As also all those my houses meadows pastures & lands aswell copyhold as freehold with a customary chaine thereunto belonging called & knowne by the name & names Preisthouses lyeing & being within the p(ar)ish of Littleport in the Isle of Ely in s(ai)d County of Cambridge And likewise all those my Mannors lands messuages tenem(en)ts hereditam(en)ts & reversions called & knowne by the names & names of Baythorne End House & Baythorne Hall Farme with all & singular the premisses scituate lyeing & being within the p(ar)ish & p(ar)ishes of Birdbrooke Bumstead & Redgwell in the County of Essex afores(ai)d And likewise all that mesuage & farme now in the occupation of _______ Plum with the houses & tenem(en)ts meadows pastures & arable lands thereunto belonging lyeing & being within the parish of Stradshill(?) & elsewhere in the County of Suffolke And also all the ffarme called & knowne by the name & names of Laffeild & the ffeild farme with all the meadows brooke ground pastures wood grounds & lands thereunto belonging scituate lyeing & being within the p(ar)ish & p(ar)ishes of Broad Udimore & Selscombe & elsewhere in the County of Sussex as also all the annuity & rent charge of 20£ of currant money of England payable out of certaine Mannors & lands lyeing within the p(ar)ishes of Pakenham Sandringham & Snoreing within the County of Norfolke & late in the poss(ess)ion of ________ Cobb And all other my houses lands tenem(en)ts & hereditam(en)ts whatsoever aswell freehold as copyhold or leasehold scituate lyeing & being within the kingdome of England but upon these conditions & limitations & with this especiall p(ro)visoe following that is to say That he the s(ai)d John Crouch doe & shall legally or by Act of P(ar)liam(en)t or any other wayes binding in the Law alter & change that his Sirname being Crouch to the Sirname of him the Testator being Pyke and that he the s(ai)d John Crouch shall be called by noe other name from the time that he makes entrance & takes poss(ess)ion of the s(ai)d Mannors land tenem(en)ts hereditam(en)ts & Reversions soe given bequeathed Devised settled & confirmed as afores(ai)d to have & to hold unto him the s(ai)d John Crouch soe qualifyed & made capable as afores(ai)d by the alteration & change of ? his Sirname being Crouch to the Sirname of the testator hereof being Pyke as afores(ai)d All the said Mannors lands tenem(en)ts hereditam(en)ts Reversions for & during the terme of his naturall life and after his decease to the heires male lawfully by him begotten or to be begotten soe qualifyed as afores(ai)d by & with the Sirname of him the Testator hereof as afores(ai)d
And for want & in default of such heires male soe qualifyed as afores(ai)d I doe give & bequeath Devise settle & confirme unto & upon Thomas Crouch the third son of my s(ai)d sister Mrs Elizabeth Crouch All those my s(ai)d Mannors Lands tenem(en)ts aswell copyhold as freehold hereditam(en)ts & reversions aforementioned scituate lyeing & being within the severall counties & respective places as afores(ai)d But upon these Conditions & lymitations & with this especiall p(ro)visoe following that is to say That he the s(ai)d Thomas Crouch doe & shall legally or by Act of P(ar)liam(en)t or by any other wayes binding in the Law alter & change that his Sirname being Crouch to the Sirname of him the Testator hereof being Pyke And that he the s(ai)d Thomas Crouch shall be called by noe other name from the time he makes entrance & takes poss(ess)ion of the said Mannors lands tenem(en)ts hereditam(en)ts & reversions soe given bequeathed Devised settled & confirmed as afores(ai)d to have & to hold unto him the s(ai)d Thomas Crouch soe qualifyed & made capable as afores(ai)d by the alteration & change of his Sirname being Crouch to the Sirname of the Testator hereof being Pyke as aforesaid All the said Mannor lands Tenem(en)ts hereditam(en)ts & reversions for & during the terme of his naturall life & after his decease to the heires male lawfully by him begotten or to bee begotten & soe qualified as aforesaid by & with the Sirname of him the Testator hereof as afores(ai)d
And for want & in defect of such heires male soe qualifyed as afores(ai)d I doe give & bequeath Devise settle & confirme unto & upon Mr Thomas Pyke son to Mr William Pyke of Comte St Nicholas near Chard in the County of Somersett All those my Mannors Lands tenem(en)ts hereditam(en)ts & reversions with all & singular the p(re)misses hereunto belonging lyeing & being within the p(ar)ish & p(ar)ishes of Meldreth & Melbourne called & knowne by the name & names of Sheene & the Mannor of Sheene & Streets within the County of Cambridge As also all those my houses meadows pastures & Lands aswell Copyhold & freehold with a customary chaine thereunto belonging called & knowne by the name & names of Preisthouses lyeing & being within the p(ar)ish of Littleporte in the Isle of Ely in the s(ai)d County of Cambridge And likewise all those my Mannors Lands Messuages tenementts hereditam(en)ts & reversions called & knowne by the name & names of Baythorne End House and Baythorne Hall farme with all & singular the p(re)misses scituate lyeing & being within the p(ar)ish & p(ar)ishes of Birdbrooke Bumstead & Redgwell in the County of Essex afores(ai)d And likewise all the mesuage & farme now in the occupation of _______ Plum with the houses tenem(en)ts meadows pastures & arable lands thereunto belonging lyeing & being within the p(ar)ish of Stradshill & elsewhere in the County of Suffolke And also all the farme called & knowne by the name & names of Laffeild & the feild farme with all the meadowes brooke grounds pastures wood grounds & Lands thereunto belonging scituate lyeing & being within the p(ar)ish & p(ar)ishes of Broad Udimore & Selscombe & elsewhere in the County of Sussex As also all the annuity & rent charge of 20£ of currant money of England payable out of certaine Mannors & Lands lyeing within the p(ar)ishes of Pakenham Sandringham & Snoreing within the County of Norfolke & late the poss(ess)ion of _______ Cobb And all other my houses Lands tenem(en)ts & hereditam(en)ts w(ha)tsoever aswell freehold as copyhold or Leasehold scituate lyeing & being within the Kingdome of England To have & to hold to him the s(ai)d Thomas Pyke for & during the terme of his n(atu)rall life & after his decease to the heires male lawfully by him begotten or to be begotten
And for want & in defect of such heires male as afores(ai)d I doe give bequeath Devise Settle & confirme unto & upon John Pyke’s other son of him the s(ai)d William as afores(ai)d All those my said mannor Lands & tenem(en)ts aswell copyhold as freehold hereditam(en)ts & revertions with all & singular the p(re)misses & Emolum(en)ts hereunto belonging to have & to hold unto him the s(ai)d John Pyke for & during the terme of his naturall life & after his decease to the heires male lawfully by him begotten or to bee begotten And for want & in defect of such heires male as afores(ai)d to the right heires of me the said George Pyke for ever
Item I doe hereby make constitute & ordaine my wife Mrs Anne Pyke & my sister Mrs Elizabeth Crouch the Ex(ecuto)rs or Ex Exe(cuto)rs of this my last will & Testam(en)t And doe hereby disannull revoke & make void all former & other Grants Wills Testaments Codicills Legacies Deeds of ?ruft Assignm(en)ts & Conveyances of any of my Mannors or Lands aswell copyhold as freehold hereditam(en)ts or reversions as also all Bequests Assurances Demises by Lease or any other ?rufts in the behalfe or future benefit or behoofe of any other p(er)son or p(er)sons whatsoever by me heretofore made passed published and Declared
Item my will & desire is that Ralph ffreeman of Aspendon Hall in the County Of Herford Esq Mr Thomas Crouch ffellow of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge Mr Robert Hancock ffellow of Clare Hall in Cambridge afores(ai)d & Mr ffrancis ?uthill Apothecary in Bridgewater in the County of Som(er)sett ^would^ bee aiders & assistants to my Ex(ecuto)rs or Ex Ex(ecuto)rs in the Execution of this my last will & Testem(en)t & for a compensation of their paines & trouble herein I doe give unto each of them the sume of 20£ of lawfull money of England to be paid unto them by my s(ai)d Ex(ecuto)rs or Ex Executrix(?) of this my last will & Testem(en)t
In witness whereof I the s(ai)d George Pyke have hereunto sett my hand & seale this seventh day of ffebruary in the yeare of our Lord 1679 first herein mentioned (signed) G Peyke Richard Bartlett Edmund Davies John Lines Anne Scott Bee it remembered that before the sealeing & publishing hereof I the said George Pyke doe hereby declare & signify my will & Determination as followeth that is to say That if it shall soe happen that any Issue male shall or may be by me begotten on the body of my wife that now is Mrs Anne Pyke or on the body of any other woman whatsoever within lawfull wedlock that then and in such case all those my Mannors Lands & hereditam(en)ts soe given Devised settled & confirmed as aforesaid doe and Shall descend and enure(?) to the said Issue male soe gotten or to bee begotten & bee to his or their onely use benefit & behoofe without the hinderance or molestation of any p(er)son or p(er)sons whatsoever Witness hereunto my hand & seale the day & yeare first above written G Pyke signed sealed & published by the s(ai)d George Pyke & attested & subscribed by us whose names are under written in his p(re)sence Richard Barnett Edmund Davies John Lines Anne Scott
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