Gussage All Saints

Will of Mary Christophers of Gussage All Saints in Dorset - 1743

Transcribed by Michael Russell April 2005

In the name of God Amen I Mary CHRISTOPHERS of ye Parish of Gussage All Saints in the County of Dorset being sick & weak of body but of sound & perfect mind and memory thanks be to Almighty God for the same, do make this my Last Will and Testament as follows First I commend my soul into the hands of Almighty God & my Body I commit to ye ground to be buried in a Christian like manner as for my worldly goods etc I dispose of in the following manner Imps [ Latin abbreviation for Imprimis meaning In the first place]

I give to my Brother in law Thomas HUNT one shilling
I give to my kinswoman Mary BREWER of Gussage St Michael my two gold rings, and
to her two brothers Isaac BREWER & Robt [Robert] BREWER I give to each of them twenty shillings
I give to Eliz: [Elizabeth] ORMOND wife to Rich: [Richard] ORMOND my two best white handkerchiefs & one cambrick & other muslin
I give to her daughter Mary ORMOND my best pewter dish and ten shillings in money.
I give to Ann SHORT my camblett Gown, and
to her son William SHORT I give my next best pewter dish.
I give to my kinsman Isaac FRAMPTON Senior my table board and my biggest brass kettle, and
to his wife Eliz: [Elizabeth] FRAMPTON I give my two lined gowns and my darke colour large quilted coat.
I give to Mary BURROUGHS daughter of William BURROUGHs my camblet mantle.

all the rest of my household goods wearing apparel & linen and money and whatsoever I call mine except what is before mentioned I give and bequeath to Mary BREWER aforesaid whom I make my executrix of this my Last Will & Testament In witness whereof I sett my hand & seal this 25th day of January 1743/1744

Signed sealed published and declared to be ye last will and testament of the testator in presence of us

The mark M of Mary CHRISTOPHER

The mark X of John BURROWS senior
The mark X of William BURROWS

Richard MEEKES

[Probate]

24th February 1743

this Will of Mary CHRISTOPHERS Late deceased was proved by the Oaths of Mary BREWER the cousin of the said deceased and executrix aforesaid to whom Administration of all and singular the goods chattels and credits of the said deceased was granted this being first sworn upon the Holy Evangelists well and faithfully to administer the same and to make a true and perfect Inventory thereof and to exhibit the same unto the Registry of the Court of the Archdeacon of the Archdeaconry of Dorset and to pass a full account thereon when thereto lawfully required
Before Tho: [Thomas] SOLLEN Surrugty
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Bond of Mary Christophers

NOTE:- Bond A binding agreement with a penalty for non performance. A bond deed is in two parts, the Obligation and the Condition. Before 1733 the Obligation, which records the penalty, was written in Latin. The Condition describes what the bonded person has undertaken to do, or otherwise committed themselves to (e.g. the truth of a statement), and was always in English.

This is clearly what we have here. My Latin is not good enough to do a proper translation of the first paragraph so I have confined myself to a summary of key facts. I am the OPC for the Parish of Fordington and can be contacted in the usual way through the OPC site.

This would  appear to be like our Letters of Administration issued where someone dies without leaving a will and giving authority to distribute the estate. In this case her husband Charles in 1729. They are backed here however by a Bond and I think someone of wealth has to stand as surety so it’s a joint obligation with two Yeoman. This is presumably security to the Court to ensure correct distribution of the estate.

Latin Summary:
Know all men by this Presents that we Mary CHRISTOPHERS of Gussage All Saints in the County of Dorset widow and Robert MORE? of Witchampton and John CLENCH
are bound unto
Canon REYNOLD
?? lawful money
7th day of June 1729

The Condition of this obligation is such that if ye above bound Mary CHRISTOPHERS Widow Administrix of all and singular the goods chattels and credits of Charles CHRISTOPHER late of Gussage All Saints deceased, do make or cause to be made a true and perfect Inventory of all and singular the Goods Chattels and Credits of the said deceased which have or shall come to the hands, possession or knowledge of her the said Mary CHRISTOPHER or into the hands and possession of any person or persons for her and the same so made do exhibit or cause to be exhibited into the Registry of ye Bishop of Bristol in ye County of Dorset at or before the last day of December next ensuing And the same Goods, Chattels and Credits and all other the Goods, Chattels and Credits of the said deceased at the time of his death which at any time after shall come to the hands or possession of the said Mary CHRISTOPHERS Or into the hands and possession of any other person or persons for her do well and truly administer according to Law And further do make or cause to be made a true and just account of her said administration at or before ye last day of February 1730 And all the rest residue of the said Goods Chattels and Credits which shall be found remaining upon the said administration account the same being first examined and allowed of by the judge or judges for the time being of the said Court shall direct and pay unto such person or persons respectively as the said judge or judges by his order or their decree or sentence pursuant to the true intent and meaning of a late Act of Parliament made in the two and twentieth and three and twentieth years of the reign of our Late Sovereign Lord King Charles the second (Instituted an Act fro the ?? settling of Intestate Estates shall limit and appoint And if it shall hereafter appear that any Last Will and Testament was made by the said deceased and teh Executor or Executors therein named do exhibit the same into the said Court in??? request to have it allowed and approved accordingly if the said Mary CHRISTOPHERS above bound on being then unto required do render and deliver the said L??? of ---approbation of such Testament being first had and made in the said Court then obligation to be void and of non effect or to remain in full force and virtue.

Sealed and delivered in the person of                                                           
Rt [Robert] ERLE

Cln: BARNETT

7th die [day] Junii [June] 1729
Maria [Mary] Xtophus [Christophers]

The mark X of Mary Christophers
Robert MORE or MOW
John CLENCH
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[Inventory]

A True and perfect Inventory taken by us whose names are hear [here] under written ye 25 of Aprill 1729
of all singular the goods chattalls of Charls [Charles] CRISTFORS [Christophers] Late of Gussage All Saints in the County of Dorset cooper

John GIBBS
Robert MONO

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