Scope and Content
- appointing her burial at Saint Margaret’s, Westminster “near the bodys of my son and Daughter which lye buried in that Church”;
- directing up to £150 to be laid out in funeral expenses, including mourning rings;
- reciting she had had several grants and assurances from William Gotobed of South Peckingham [South Pickenham, Norfolk], clerk and Nathaniel Morin and Ursula his wife (daughter of William Gotobed) and others of real estate near Griston [Norfolk];
- reciting she had lately purchased a farm at Great Barford formerly in the occupation of George Favell, now in occupation of Oliver Stockdale conveyed in June 1693;
- devising the estates in Griston and Great Barford to her executors in trust to disburse rents and profits during the life of her daughter Ursula Ridges as her daughter instructed, they being for her sole and separate use and, if she survived her husband, the monies to be paid to her and, after her death the rents and profits of the Norfolk estate be paid equally amongst her daughters;
- devising, after the death of Ursula Ridges, the farm in Great Barford to her daughter Dame Judith, wife of Sir Nicholas Waite for her separate use, remainder, in default of a will by Judith Waite, to her son Henry Waite and his heirs, in default of heirs to her son George Waite and his heirs, in default of heirs to her daughters and heirs;
- dividing her messuage and lands in Great Barford purchased in the name of John (now Sir John) Buckworth of London on 16-17 March 1687 and also third part of the Manor of Creakers conveyed on the same date into three parts - the rents and profits of two parts to be paid as directed by Ursula Ridges, they being intended for her sole and separate use and, if she survived her husband, the rents and profits to be paid to her and; the remaining third (and the other two thirds after the death of Ursula Ridges) to be paid as directed by her daughter Ann Chandler, it being for her separate use and, after the death of her husband, to be paid to her, remainder to Ann’s daughter Ann and her heirs and, for want of heirs to the testatrix’s granddaughter Abigail Chandler and her heirs, in default of heirs to Elizabeth Chandler and her heirs, in default of heirs to Ursula Chandler and her heirs, in default of heirs to Judith Chandler and her heirs, in default of heirs to Sarah Chandler and her heirs, in default to Thomas Chandler and his heirs;
- reciting £200 due to her on mortgage and £300 making a total of £500 as well as a moiety of real estate in Saint Dunstan in the West [City of London] was lately granted in trust to Thomas Meriton, clerk for 99 years for the lives of the testatrix, Daniel and Ann Chandler;
- devising the estate in Saint Dunstan in the West to Thomas Meriton to pay rents and profits to person appointed by Ann Chandler as intended for her separate use;
- bequeathing the £200 due on mortgage of marsh lands in Essex under the management of Edward Northey of Middle Temple (her part of £800 due to her and others on mortgage) to her daughter Judith Waite on conditions: she or her husband, before taking any benefit from the testatrix’s will, seal and deliver to her executors two good releases of all accounts, debts, dues, claims and demands had against the testatrix’s executors by will of her late husband Thomas Garrett; that Nicholas and Judith Waite permitted the testatrix’s copyhold lands in Norfolk to be held by her executors according to her will, although not surrendered by her to the use of her will, and should make surrender if requested by her executors; if Nicholas and Judith Waite did not comply with either condition all devises and bequests to them were to be void in which case real estate purchased by the testatrix in 1693 and the £200 were to be devised and bequeathed to her executors in trust to be dealt with in the same way as her estate in Norfolk;
- reciting that John Ridges owed her £300 by mortgage;
- bequeathing the £300 to her executors in trust to pay interest to persons appointed by Ursula Ridges, being for her separate use, and, if she survived her husband, for payment to her and, after her death bequeathing the principal sum of £300 to her three grandchildren, Elizabeth, Ursula and Sarah Ridges;
- reciting that John Ridges owed her £600 and interest on a bond;
- releasing John Ridge the £600 debt ordering the bond delivered up and cancelled so long as the following conditions were observed: John Ridges did not obstruct her will; that he and Ursula, after the testatrix’s death, deliver to her executors two good releases of all accounts, debts, dues, claims and demands had against the testatrix’s executors by will of her late husband Thomas Garrett; that if both John and Ursula Ridges were living at the testatrix’s death they settled Ursula’s lands in Bedfordshire on Ursula and her issue so that neither of them could bar or defeat her issue; that neither John nor Ursula Ridges in the lifetime of John do anything to bar her or her issue after his death; that John Ridges did not root up any coppice or cut down any timber or commit any waste on his wife’s land in Bedfordshire; that her executors enjoy the benefit of the mortgage for £300;
- reciting that Daniel Chandler was bound to her in two bonds for £30/14/- and £50;
- releasing Daniel Chandler the £80/14/- debt ordering the bond delivered up and cancelled so long as the following conditions were observed: that Daniel and Ann Chandler, after the testatrix’s death, deliver to her executors two good releases of all accounts, debts, dues, claims and demands had against the testatrix’s executors by will of her late husband Thomas Garrett; that Daniel and Ann Chandler shouls surrender copyhold land to the use of her executors;
- reciting that the testatrix had plate and jewels left her by her husband Thomas Garrett and which she had bought or acquired by exchange since his death;
- reciting she had given Ursula Ridges after her marriage several pieces of plate and a pearl necklace; she had given Ann Chandler after her marriage several pieces of plate and two small diamond roses and small pearl necklace; she had given Judith Waite since her marriage a pearl necklace and pair of large silver candlesticks and large silver tankard and silver dish; she had given each of her daughters after their marriages six tablecloths and six dozen napkins, some damask and some diaper as well as other linen and goods “so that I am very well assured that I have fully complied with the will of the said Thomas Garrett and given portions with every of my said daughters and given plate and linen and other things to every of them much more than could be justly demanded from me and what I have given them in my life time was intended in full of all demands yet I do expect that my sons and daughters give my executors such releases as aforesaid”;
- bequeathing to Judith Waite her diamond ring of one stone “which she hath in her custody”;
- bequeathing the residue of her plate, jewels, linen and wearing apparel to her executors for division into three equal parts and delivery to those appointed by each daughter;
- bequeathing £5 to her cousin Ursula Morin;
- bequeathing £10 to each executor;
- bequeathing £3 to the churchwardens of Fincham [Norfolk] “where I was born” for distribution to the poor;
- appointing that her crimson silk bed with all thigs belonging be sold by her executors and the money raised, as wel las arrears of rents due at the time of her death and all her ready money used to pay her debts;
- devising her house in Charterhouse Yard for the remainder of the four years of the lease to her executors in trust to pay all rents on it tp persons appointed by Ursula Ridges and Ann Chandler;
- permitting her executors to allow Ursula Ridges and Ann Chandler to live in the house in Charterhouse Yard during the unexpired term of the lease;
- allowing her executors to keep all expenses incurred in administering her will;
- bequeathing 10/- to each grandchild to buy mourning rings;
- bequeathing the residue of her personal estate to her executors in trust for her granddaughters Elizabeth and Ursula Ridges and Ann Chandler and grandson Thomas Chandler equally, Ursula having Elizabeth’s share if she died in the testatrix’s lifetime;
- appointing her kinsman John Buckworth and Thomas Meriton as executors;
- proviso that out of the interest after the testatrix’s death on the £200 on mortgage of marshes in Essex £20 be given to Ursula Ridges for her separate use or, if she died in the testatrix’s lifetime, her daughters Elizabeth and Ursula to have it and, after the £20 was raised, Ann Chandler to have £10 from the same source, to be paid to her son Thomas if she died in the testatrix’s lifetime; the sums to be paid before Judith Waite received the £200;
- bequeathing £3 for mourning to Mary Wilkinson “my woman” if living with her at the time of her death;
- remitting all money owed her by Daniel Chandler on any other bond or note;
- witnesses: Moses Peter; Phillip Averit; Henry Becher;
- note that since making her will Moses Peter and Henry Becher had died so she resigned and republished it on 11 May 1703 witnessed by William Lugger junior, John Lester and John Dodson
- codicil of 11 May 1704 revoking bequest of the £300 mortgage owed her by John Ridges and bequesthing it to persons appointed by Ursula Ridges, intending it for her separate use; bequeathing £20 each to Ursula Ridges and Ann Chandler from arrears of rents due from Richard Willis, tenant of her Bedfordshire lands for their separate uses; bequeathing £5 to Mary Wilkinson in addition to the £3 already bequeathed; bequeathing that the £200 owed her by John Buckworth be laid out in mourning and other funeral expenses; witnessed by William Lugger junior, John Lester and John Dodson