The Last Will & Testament of RALPH IRONSIDE (1682) Rector of Long Bredy, Archdeacon of Dorset
Transcribed and donated to the Dorset OPC project by Justin Standfield
LAST WILL & TESTAMENT OF RALPH IRONSIDE, RECTOR OF LONG BRIDDY & ARCHDEACON OF DORSET - 1682
I beseech God for his great mercies sake in Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour, to forgive mee all my sinns and whensoever my dissolution shall be, that his holy angells may convey my soule into his heavenly kingdom. I desire my body may have Christian buryall according to the office prescribed in the Book of Common Prayer with little noise and ceremony.
My will is that my debts be honestly paid, viz. tenne pounds given by my father to the poore of the parish of Long Briddy with this limittacon that the said tenne pounds lye in my hands (whom he made his Executor) during my life, and after my decease in the hands of my successor in the parsonage of Long Briddy or in the hands of the overseers of the said parish, and soe to continue in a stock forever, if soe it shall please God.
Also fiftie pounds given to the poore of the said parish of Long Briddy by Hippolet Mockett of Long Briddy deceased, which at present doth rest in my hands, and by him was ordered to be disposed of after my decease in the same manner as the tenne pounds (given by my father) was, the poore receiving yearely onely the interest, the principall still remaining in stock.
Item ~ I give to the poore five pounds to be distributed amongst them at my funerall or as shortly after as my Executrix shall thinke.
Item ~ I doe give unto Valentine Jeffery my sonne in law, all my Latine bookes, St. Athanasius workes onely excepted.
Item ~ I doe give unto my sonne Robert Ironside five and twenty pounds to be paid unto him within the space of one whole yeare next after my decease. Also I doe give unto my sonne Robert Ironside one annuity of twenty pounds, which annuity is to continue for three yeares after my decease if my Executrix herein after named shall live soe long.
Item ~ I doe give unto my sonne Gilbert Ironside five and twenty pounds to be paid unto him within the space of one whole yeare next after my decease.
Item ~ I doe give unto Mrs Sarah Hodder one gold ring of tenne shillings price.
Item ~ I doe give unto my three daughters Jane, Elizabeth and Anne two hundred pounds a piece to be paid unto them within the space of one whole yeare next after my decease, and to each of them one feather bedd which they now call their owne.
Item ~ I doe give unto my three daughters Mary Jeffery, Joane Bryant and Sarah Brayne twenty shillings a piece and to all my grandchildren tenne shillings a piece, and to my servants two shillings and six pence a piece to be paid as aforesaid.
All the rest of my goods and chattles I give and bequeath unto Margaret my loving wife whom I make my full and sole Executrix of this my last will and testament, subscribed with my name and sealed with my seale the third day of November anno domini 1682.
The marke and seale of Ralph Ironside: Ralph Ironside.
Published in the presence of us the third of November: Edward Meller, Anne Meller, Rebeccah Herne, Richard Meadway.
Codicil
I Ralph Ironside of Long Briddy in the countie of Dorset, Rector and Archdeacon of the Archdeaconry of Dorset, considering the weake condicon of my wife whom I have nominated and appointed Executrix of my last will and testament, as in and by the same may appeare, doe by this my codicill which I desire may be annexed unto my said will hereby declaring this my codicill to be a part of my will, nominate and appoint my daughters Jane Ironside, Elizabeth Ironside and Anne Ironside, to be likewise Executrixes of my said last will and testament, as well for the aid and assistance of their said mother in case she survives mee, as for the better performance and execucon of my said will after the decease of my said wife. In witnesse whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seale the first of March one thousand six hundred eighty and two, the marke of Ralph Ironside: Ralph Ironside.
Sealed, delivered and published as part of my will in the presence of: Abraham Bryant, James Borven, Mary Everet, Mary Osmond. I beseech God for his great mercies sake in Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour, to forgive mee all my sinns and whensoever my dissolution shall be, that his holy angells may convey my soule into his heavenly kingdom.