The Last Will & Testament of FRANCES BYTHEWOOD (1773) Spinster of Bridport
Transcribed and donated to the Dorset OPC project by Ros Dunning
This is the last Will and Testamt of me ffrances Bythewood of Bridport in the County of Dorset Spinster being of sound and disposing Mind Memory and understanding (thanks be to God) made and published this twenty second day of September in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy
ffirst I Give unto my Aunt Ann Cribb the wife of William Cribb the Sum of Thirty Pounds of Lawful Money of Great Britain
Also I Give unto my Cousin Ann Lamb the wife of the Revd Mr Timothy Lamb the sum of Twenty Pounds of like Money and unto my Cousin
ffrances Selby the wife of Mr Peter Selby the like sum of Twenty Pounds and unto my Cousin
Mary Cribb (daughter of the said William Cribb) the Like sum of Twenty Pounds and to
John Bythewood Cribb (son of my cousin William Cribb the Younger Surgeon) the like sum of Twenty Pounds which said Legacy to the said John Bythewood Cribb I will shall be paid him at his age of Twenty one Years and if he dies under that age then the same shall be considered as a Lapsed Legacy and not to be paid or payable
Also I Give to my Cousins George Brixey and Joseph Brixey the Younger unto each of them the Like sum of Twenty Pounds equally to be divided between them when and as they attain their several ages of twenty one years or marriage which shall first happen and if either of them die under Age unmarried then the part or parts share or shares of him her or them so dying shall come and go and paid and payable unto the Survivors and Survivor of them
Also I Give unto my Brother in Law Mr John Downe the Sum of Twenty ffive Pounds of Lawful Money and unto my Brother in Law
Mr Stephen Hallett the like sum of Twenty ffive Pounds
Also I Give unto my Niece Mary Downe Spinster (Daughter of the said John Downe) the Sum of ffifty Pounds of Lawful Money of Great Britain and I also Give her and I also Give her my Silver waiter my Gold Necklace and my Best Diamond Ring
Also I Give unto my Cousin John Hitt the Sum of one hundred pounds of Lawful Money over and beside the Legacys given him by
Mrs Katherine Hitt my late deceased Aunt and in Case he shall dye before the Attainment of his said Age of Twenty one Years Then I give the said Legacy of one hundred pounds unto the said John Downe requesting that he will apply the same to some Charitable Use or Uses as he and his Wife or the other Survivor of them his or her Executors or Admors shall think proper Also I do father Give unto the said John Hitt All such Debt or Debts Sum or Sums of Money as may be due and owing from him to me at the time of my decease and I also give him the ffeather Bed Bolster Pillows and Quilt which was my late Aunts
Also I Give unto my Cousin Edward Hitt all such debt or debts Sum or Sums of Money as may be due and owing from him to me at the time of my decease
Also I Give unto the Revd Mr James Rooker of Bridport aforesaid the sum of Ten Guineas And unto Mr his Sister
Ann the Wife of Mr John Champ the like sum of Ten Guineas and unto
John Daniel of Beaminster in the said County of Dorset Surgeon the Like sum of Ten Guineas and unto
Mr George Goulding Junior of Bridport aforesaid ffive Guineas and unto
Ann Golding Spinster the Like sum of ffive Guineas And unto
Grace Gale (my sister Downe’s servant ) the sum of ffour Guineas and unto
Thomas Hart of Bridport aforesaid Cordwainer the like sum of ffour Guineas and unto
Sarah Monk Widow Elizabeth Gully Spinster and
Elizabeth Croome Spinster all of Bridport aforesaid unto Each and every of them Two Guineas all which several Pecuniary Legacies above mentioned whereof no time is Limitted for the Payment I will shall be respectively paid in one year next after my decease
Also I give unto the said John Daniel and Stephen Hallett the sum of Twenty Pounds in Lawfull Money to be paid them in Six Months next after my Decease In Trust to be paid them and the Survivors of them his Executors and Admors put placed put and kept out at Interest from time to time paid out and applyed unto the Minister or Ministers for the time being of the Society or Congregation of Presbyterians or Protestant Dissenters who Assemble for Religious Worship in the Town of Beaminster aforesd (of whom the
Revd Mr John Bryant is the now Minister) for his her or their better and more Comfortable Support and as long as such Congregation or Assembly of Protestant Dissenters shall continue to assemble for Religious Worship in the said Town or Neighbourhood but in case there shall hereafter be no Congregation or Assembly of Protestant Dissenters of the Town of Beaminster aforesaid or if such Congregation or Assembly shall not be allowed or permitted by the Laws or Statutes of this Realm Then in Trust that my Trustees for the time being do and shall pay and apply the said Twenty Pounds and Interest to such Charity and Charities or Charitable and other uses persons and purposes and in such manner as to them my said Trustees shall seem Meet and my Will is and it shall be Lawfull for them my said Trustees their Executors and Admors at all times hereafter at all times hereafter assign over the said Trust Moneys unto any New or other Trustee or Trustees upon the Trusts aforesd and for such future Trustees again to renew the Trustees as often as shall be thought fit
Also I Give unto John Downe and Stephen Hallett the sum of ffifty Pounds in Lawfull Money to be paid them in Six Months next after my Decease In Trust to be by them and the Survivor of them his Executors and Admors put placed put and kept out at Interest and the Interest from time to time Paid and Applied inn manner following (Vizt) the Clear Yearly Interest of twenty ffive pounds part of the said ffifty Pounds unto and for the use and benefit of the Minister for the time being of the Society or Congregation of Presbyterians or Protestant Dissenters who Assemble for Religious Worship at Kingsdown in the County of Somerset of whom the Revd Mr Morris is the now Minister for so long time as such Congregation or Assembly of Protestant Dissenters shall continue to meet for the Worship of God in their present place of Religious Worship or Elsewhere in that Neighbourhood and from and after the Dissolution Society whether by Law or otherwise Then on Trust as to the said Twenty ffive Pounds part of the said ffifty Pounds with the Interest thereof my Will is that the same be Paid and applied to such Charities or Charitable and other uses persons and Purposes and in such manner as my Trustees for the time being shall seem Meet and as touching the Clear Yearly Interest of the other Twenty ffive Pounds residue of the said ffifty Pounds In Trust that they my said Trustees last mentioned shall from time to time pay and apply the same for the use and benefit of the Minister for the time being of the Society or Congregation of Presbyterians or Protestant Dissenters who Assemble for Religious Worship at Cerne in the said County of Dorset (of whom the
Revd Mr John Smart is the now Minister) for so long time as such Congregation or Assembly of Protestant Dissenters shall continue to meet for the Worship of God in their present place of Religious Worship in Cerne aforesaid or Elsewhere in that Neighbourhood and from and after the Dissolution Society whether by Law or otherwise Then on Trust as to the said last mentioned Twenty ffive Pounds and Interest my Will is that the same be Paid and applied to such Charities or Charitable and other uses persons and Purposes and in such manner as my Trustees for the time being shall seem meet and my Will is and it shall be Lawfull for them my said Trustees their Executors and Admors at all times hereafter at all times hereafter assign over the said Trust Moneys unto any New or other Trustee or Trustees upon the Trusts aforesaid and for such future Trustees again to renew the Trustees as often as shall be thought fit
Also I give unto the said John Downe and unto Daniel Taylor of Bridport aforesaid Mercer
John Symes of the same Gent Robert Gummer of the same Sail Cloth maker and
Elias Pinfield of the same Malster the Sum of ffifty Pounds in Lawfull Money to be paid them in Six Months next after my Decease In Trust to be by them and the Survivors and Survivor of then his Executors and Admors put placed put and kept out at Interest and the Clear Yearly Interest thereof from time to time Paid and Applied unto and for the use and benefit of the Minister or Ministers for the time being of the Society or Congregation of Presbyterians or Protestant Dissenters who Assemble for Religious Worship at the now Meeting House or Place of Religious Worship in Stake Lane in Bridport aforesaid (of whom the said James Rooker is now Minister) for so long time as such Society or Congregation of Protestant Dissenters shall continue to meet for the Worship of God in their said Meeting House or Place of Religious Worship in Stale Lane aforesaid or Else Where in Bridport aforesaid or its Neighbourhood and from and after the Dissolution Society whether by Law or otherwise Then in Trust that my Trustees for the time being do and shall pay and apply the Last Mentioned Sum of ffifty Pounds and Interest to such Charities or Charitable and other uses persons and Purposes and in such manner as my Trustees for the time being shall seem most meet and my Will is that when the said Trustees last named and hereby nominated shall be by Death reduced to two That then two such surviving Trustees shall and I do hereby impower and request them to grant assign and Transfer the said last mentioned ffifty Pounds and the Securities of and for the same unto such five or more other persons as such two Trustees shall think fit and Convenient upon the Trusts and for the Ends and Intents and for a like power for removing the Trustees as is in this my Will mentioned and do from time to time and at all times in the like manner and Order for ever
Also I Give unto the said John Downe the Sum of Twenty ffive Pounds in Lawfull Money to be paid him in Six Months next after my decease In Trust to be by him his Executors and Admors put and placed out at Interest and the Clear Yearly Interest thereof from time to time paid in to the hands of the said
James Rooker for and during so long time as he shall continue Tutor of an Academy for training and bringing up young Men to the Ministry among Protestant Dissenters such Interest to be by him Applied in Carrying on the Designs of the said Academy And from and after the decease of the said James Rooker or as soon as he shall cease to be Tutor of the said Academy which shall ffirst happen then in Trust that he the said John Downe and
my Sister Hannah his now Wife or the Survivor of them his or her Executors or Admors do and shall do and shall pay and apply the said Twenty ffive Pounds and Interest to such Charity and Charities or Charitable and other uses persons and purposes and in such Manner as he the said John Downe and my Sister Hannah his Wife or the Survivor of them his or her Exors or Admors shall think fit Also I Give the sum of ffive Pounds in Lawfull Money unto the Treasurer and Secretary for the time being of a Voluntary Society commonly called or known by the Name of the Society for Promoting Religious Knowledge among the Poor (which said Society now usually meet or did lately meet at ffounders Hall in London the same to be paid within Six Months after my decease and to be applied to the uses and purposes of that Society
Also as touching and concerning all the rest and residue of my Goods Chattels Moneys and Securities for Money Personal Estate and Effects whatsoever and wheresoever after Payment of my Debts Legacies and ffuneral Expences I Give and bequeath the same unto my Sisters Hannah Wife of the said John Downe Mary Wife of the said Stephen Hallett and the said Mary Downe my said Neice their Executors Admors and Assigns equally to be divided between them And I do nominate and Appoint them my said Sisters and Niece Hannah Downe Mary Hallett and Mary Downe Executrixes of this my Last Will and Testament hereby revoking all former Wills by me made In Witness whereof I the said ffrances Bythewood the Testatrix have to this my Last Will and Testament contained in ffour sheets of Paper to each of them set my hand and seal the Day and Year ffirst above written Frances Bythewood
(Attestation Clause)
Eliz: Sumpter
Phil Clark
Proved at London 7 May 1773 to Hannah Downe, Mary Hallett and Mary Golding formerly Downe (Wife of George Golding)
PCC Prob11/987