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Will and Codicils of John (Potter), Archbishop of Canterbury

12 Aug 1745; codicils 10 Apr 1747; copy made 26 Oct 1747

From: 1745 To: 1747

Bequeathes to Mary Lomas ("my sister of the half blood"), an annuity of £100 issuing out of the Manors of Britons and Flamwells in Houghton Conquest; for life. To servant John Flexney an annuity of £10 issuing out of the said manors; for life. And devises to George Paul out of Doctors Commons, Doctor of Laws, John Andrew of same, Doctor of Laws, and the Reverend Dr. John Chapman (one of his chaplains), the Manors of Britons and Flamwells with appurtenances in Houghton Conquest, to hold, subject to the said annuities, to use of his younger son Thomas Potter for life, and then to use of sons of Thomas Potter; and in default of issue, to use of eldest son John Potter, and then to sons of John Potter; and then to use of his daughters Martha Sayer, Mary Tanner and Edith Milles, and all the daughters of said Thomas and John Potter (his sons), to take as tenants in common. Also devises his copyhold lands in Stotfold, to same uses as his freehold. Bequeathes his library and £100 to his son John Potter; £100 to John Gardiner, doctor in physic; £100 apiece to his executors [the said trustees]; £100 to the Corporation for the relief of poor widows of clergymen; £100 to the Society for the propagation of the Gospel in foreign parts; £100 to the Governors of the Free School near Wakefield (county Yorkshire); and all his options to his executors in trust for disposal to his eldest son Mr Potter, Archdeacon of Oxford, his sons-in-law, to his present and former chaplains, particularly to his chaplain Dr Tunstall, his librarian Mr Hall, and his friend Reverend Dr Richardson of Cambridge "who will I hope in due time find some opportunity to rectify those mistakes in his printed Account of my dear and most honered Patron Archbishop Tenison"; and to his servants one half-year's wages. (The residue of his personal estate to used for investment in some public fund and for purchase of real estate to be settled to the same uses as his property herein devised) Witnesses: Mary Rye, John Westley, T Faldo 12 Aug 1745 [codicil, dated 10 April 1747. Bequeathes rents due to him, to former librarian Mr Jones; £50 to [blank] Jones; an annuity of £15 to Mrs Venner (widow of Samuel Venner, the brother of testator's late wife), and annuities of £5 to Thomas and William Venner (2 other brothers of his late wife); and a further annuity of £100, to be charged as the first, to sister Mary Lomas. Witnesses: William Smart, John Westley and Samuel Baldwin Codicil, dated as before, appoints that if his 2 sons die without issue male, that on decease of survivor, the estates shall go to his daughter Martha Sayer for life, and then to her sons (in order) and the heirs male of their bodies; and then to daughter Mary and heirs male similarly; and then to daughter Edith Milles and heirs male similarly; and in event of death of the 3 daughters without issue male, to the eldest daughter of son Thomas Potter and her heirs male; and then to the other daughters of said Thomas Potter (in order) and their heirs male; and in the event of his son Thomas Potter having no issue female, to the use of the eldest daughter of son Dr. John Potter and her heirs male, and then of other daughters of said John Potter (in order) and their heirs male; and in the event of John Potter having no issue female, then to use of eldest daughter of his daughter Martha and heirs male of such daughter, and then to other said daughters and their heirs male; and likewise with Mary and Edith, the other daughters of testator, and their daughters, provided that every such granddaughter and heirs male and husbands shall take the surname Potter Witnesses: Richard Williams, John Hyde and Thomas Robertson] [19 folios] [copy] 26 Oct 1747

item

Potter, John,
Archbishop of Canterbury,
Lomas, Mary,
Flexney, John,
Paul, George,
Andrew, John,
Chapman, John,
Potter, Thomas,
Sayer, Martha,
Potter, Martha,
Tanner, Mary,
Potter, Mary,
Milles, Edith,
Potter, Edith,
Gardiner, John,
Corporation for the relief of poor widows of clergymen,
Society for the Propagation of the Gospel,
Tunstall,
Hall,
Richardson,
Tenison, Thomas,
Jones,
Venner,
Venner, Samuel,
Venner, Thomas,
Venner, William

wills, John will: Potter, Archbishop, annuities, manors, Flamwells & Brittons Manor, HOUGHTON CONQUEST, servant, Doctor of Law, Doctors Commons, clergy, chaplain, copyhold, Stotfold fields, STOTFOLD, private libraries, doctor in physic, trustees, charity, Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, overseas missions, school governors, Wakefield, trusts, archdeacon, Oxford, librarian, Cambridge, publication, BUILDINGS & LAND USE, family/personal financial affairs, rentals, general legal process