Last Will & Testament of the Reverend John Ferris; 1688

LW&T of John Ferris, 1688

The Reverend John Ferris (1613-1688). Will dated 1 March 1687. Inventory 1688. Probate 1689.

Notes:

1. The Last Will and Testament (LW&T) of John Ferris is dated 1 March 1687/88. His burial was on 1 June 1688, and his Inventory was appraised 4 June 1688. Probate is dated 15 July 1689.

2. John was the son of Leonard Ferris (about 1580-1643); he became Vicar of Sutton Benger (1642-1664), and then of Kington St Michael and Biddestone. However, he was buried in Sutton Benger, and his LW&T says ‘of Sutton Benger’.

3. He was initially a curate in Alderton, Wiltshire. The 1659 LW&T of the Reverend Elias Tyse of Alderton shows that John had married Ruth Tise / Tyse, daughter of the Vicar, in 1633.

4. This is one of the longest and fanciest of all Sutton Benger Wills (if not the longest and fanciest). It is written on one extremely large sheet of parchment, in landscape, and Ancestry has had to print it in several sections, making transcription slightly more difficult than usual.

5. The transcription has not been cross-checked or reviewed.

a. Square brackets and/or a question mark – eg [ ? ] – are used where a word is too difficult to decipher or where there is some doubt.
b. Normal brackets are only used where they appear in the original document.
c. Square brackets and italics – eg [ 12 pence ] – are used to provide a ‘modern translation’ of the previous text, especially where numerals and currency are shown in Latin script
d. Carets (^) are used where text has been inserted above the line or in the margins of the original.
e. A backslash with a line number (eg / [line 6] ) shows the line numbering of the original document, every 5 lines.

6. Spelling has been updated to modern usage where appropriate; similarly, punctuation and paragraph breaks have been added for ease of understanding.

7. Footnotes have been added to provide context or emphasis. (There are no footnotes in the original document.)

LW&T of John Ferris; 1 March 1687

In the Name of God Amen.

I, John Ferris of Sutton Benger in the County of Wilts, Clerke, being aged but of sound mind and memory, blessed be God, doe make and ordeyne this my last Will and Testament in manner and forme following.

First, I commend my soul into the hands of Allmighty God that made it, hopeing assuredly, through the merits of his blessed son my Saviour, to be made partaker of the Joyes of heaven. And my body I commit to the earth. And as for my worldly Estate, wherewith God hath bin pleased to bless me, I give & dispose thereof as followeth.

Imprimis. I give & devise unto my son, Edward Ferris, and to his heires male forever, all that close of pasture ground called Goscroft, containing by estimation three Acres or there abouts, lyeing in Seagry in the said County of Wilts.

[and]all those three pasture grounds as they are now divided, situate lying & being in Seagry aforesaid, called or / [line 6] known by the name of Wildings, which I formerly purchased of one John Hibbert of Little Sommerford, then lying togeather in one ground, dureing the terme of his naturall life;

Upon Condicon and subject nevertheless to the payment of the severall summes of money at the times and to the severall persons hereinafter named (sons and daughters of my late son Charles Ferris, deceased (vizt) Isaac, John, Charles, Edward, Susanna & Mary, the summe of ten pounds a peece, to be payd to them as they shall come to the respective ages of fourteen years;

And my will is, that the share or portion of any or either of them dying, shall equally remaine to the survivors; And after paying unto my daughter Ruth Bowsheire out of the same the yearly summe of foure pounds dureing her natural life; And after the decease of my said son Elias, I give and devize the same three grounds as they are now divided to Anne the present wife of my said son Elias Ferris, if she survive /

[line 11] my said son Elias during her natural life, paying to my said daughter Ruth Bowsheire foure pounds by the yeare out of the same during the natural life of my said daughter Ruth Bowsheire,

And from and after the decease of my said son Elias Ferris and Anne his now wife I give and devize the said pasture grounds called Wildings to my Grandson John Ferris, son of my said son Elias Ferris, and to his heirs forever, paying likewise th’ aforesaid yearely summe of foure pounds to my said daughter Ruth Bowsheire during her natural life;

And paying alsoe what shall happen to be left unpayd of the respective legacies of ten pounds a piece before by me bequeathed to my above named six Grandchildren, sons & daughters of my said late son Charles Ferris, or either of them as aforesaid, out of the same.

Item. I give and bequeath unto my son Thomas Ferris All that my Messuage or Teneament with appurtenances thereunto belonging, /

[line 16] situate lying and being in Seagry aforesaid.

And all that close of pasture ground thereunto belonging called the Heath containing by estimation one acre, be it more or less, one acre of meadow ground lyeing in the Downefield mead, one beast leaze in the same meadow, and one beast leaze in Hungerdown Mead in Seagry aforesaid, (which I heretofore purchased of and from one John Gale, late of [Bullhides Dorset?]) during the natural life of my said son Thomas Ferris.

And after his decease I give and devize the same Messuage or Teneament & appurtenances unto Thomas Ferris, son of my said son Thomas Ferris, and to his heires and Assignes for ever.

Provided my said son Thomas Ferris do come into the Court as shall be held for the Manor of Sutton Benger aforesaid when he shall be required and surrender that right he hath in my now dwelling house, and one acre of arable ground in Barret Fields of Sutton aforesaid, /

[line 21] into the hands of the Lord of the said Manor of Sutton.

Item. I give and devize to my Grandson John Ferris, eldest son of my late son John Ferris deceased, All that my Close of meadow or pasture ground called [Threshers ?] Leaze lying & being in Christian Malford in the County aforesaid (which I heretofore purchased of and from one John Stratton), during his natural life;

And after his decease, I give and devise the same to John Ferris, son of my said grandson John Ferris, and to his heires and Assignes for ever.

Item. I give and bequeath unto my loveing wife the summe of Twenty Marks of lawfull English money, to be payd within one year after my decease by my said son Elias Ferris, or in case he dye before then, to be payd by my said Grandson John, son of my said son Elias Ferris, out of th’ aforesaid devised ground called Wildings, provided she lay noe claime to any part or parcel of the Estate I am now possessed off, / [line 26] after my decease.

Item. I give unto the foure daughters of my said son Elias Ferris (vizt) Anne, Margret, Susanna and Elizabeth, five pounds apiece to be payd unto them by my Executor hereafter named, at their respective ages of eighteen years.

And my will is, that the share or portion of any or either of them dyeing shall equally remaine to the survivors.

Item. I give to the three daughters of my said son Thomas Ferris (vizt) Rachell, Susanna & Ruth, five pounds a piece to be payd by my Executor hereafter named, at their respective ages of fifteen years.

And my will is, that the share or portion of either them dyeing shall equally remaine to the survivors.

Item. I give and bequeath to my five Grandchildren, sons and daughter of my said daughter Ruth Bowsheire (vizt) John, William, Charles, Isaac and Susanna, five pounds a peece, to be payd by my Executor hereafter named, at their respective ages of fifteen years.

And my will is, / [line 31] that the share or portion of any or either of them dyeing shall equally remaine to the survivors.

Item. I give & bequeath to my said Grandchildren, sons and daughters of my said late son Charles Ferris (vizt) Isaac, John, Charles, Edward, Susanna and Mary, halfe the money that is due unto me from my daughter in law Susanna Ferris, their mother, upon bond, bill or otherwise, howsoever to be payd to them, and equally divided amongst them by their said mother Susanna Ferris within five years next after my decease.

I doe forgive and Acquitt unto my said daughter Ruth Bowsheire, All and all manner of money due to me from her, my said daughter Ruth Bowsheire, upon bond, bill or otherwise howsoever.

Item. I give and bequeath to my said daughter Ruth Bowsheire

All that messuage or Tenement with appurtenances situate in Biddeston in the said County of Wilts, called [the George?], for by and during the terme of her / [line 36] natural life.

And from and after her decease, I give and devize the same Messuage or Tenement to my foure Grandsons, sons of my said daughter Ruth Bowsheire (vizt) John, William, Charles and Isaac, either to be divided between them, or else to be sold and the money equally parted between them at the discretion of my said sons Elias Ferris & Thomas Ferris, and my loving kinsmen John Ferris and Henry Ferris, or any two of them, or the survivors of them.

And if any or either of my said Grandsons shall occasion any difference concerning his or their dividend, at the discretion of my said two sons Elias and Thomas, and my two kinsmen, John and Henry as aforesaid, then my will is that he or they soe occasioning any difference shall have noe part in his or their legacie or legacies by me bequeathed to them as aforesaid.

Provided also that ten pounds of lawfully English / [line 41] money be payd out of the same Messuage or Tenement to my Granddaughter Susanna Bowsheire, their sister, (vizt) if the said Messuage or Tenement be divided, to be payd by such portion or portions of each of my aforesaid Garandsons as my said sons Elias & Thomas and kinsmen John & Henry as aforesaid shall appoint & think fit.

And if the said Messuage or Tenement be sold, then to be payd out of the respective dividends ^of money ^ of my aforesaid Grandsons as my said sons Elias & Thomas & my kinsmen John & Henry shall think fitt, within two years after the decease of my said daughter Ruth Bowsheire.

And if either of them dye before the Division shall be made as aforesaid, my will is his or their share or portion soe dying shall remaine equally to the survivors.

Item. I give and bequeath to my daughter Ultra Hollis and to her son and daughter, vizt John and Mary, the summe of / [line 46] fifteen pounds, equally to be divided among them, and to be payd unto them by my Executor hereafter named within three years after my decease, and if either of them dye before, my will is that his or theire share or portion so dyeing shall equally remaine to the Survivors.

Item. I give unto my loving sister Susanna Oustin forty shillings to buy her a ring.

Item. I give unto my Granddaughter Ruth, wife of my said Grandson John Ferris, and her son John Ferris, twenty shillings a piece.

Item. I give unto my loving wife and to all my daughters & daughters in law ten shillings a peece to buy each of them a ring.

Item. I give unto my three Grandchildren, sons & daughter of my late son John Ferris, ten shillings a piece.

Item. I give unto the poore people of Sutton aforesaid twenty shillings. And for the poore of the parish of Kinton St Michael the like summe of twenty shillings, to be / [ line 51] distributed among them within one yeare next after my decease.

Item. I give to my servant John Keene twenty shillings.

Item. I give unto my said son Edward Ferris one halfe of my plow harness; the Bed & Bedsteed he usually lay on; one paire of Blanketts; and one Red Coverlead belonging to the same.

Item. I give unto my daughter Susanna Ferris my best bed in my best chamber next the street; the Bolster Pillow; one paire of Blanketts and Red Rugg belonging to the same; and one paire of sheetes.

Item. I give to my Grandson Elias, son of my said son Elias Ferris, forty shillings.

Item. Whereas I am possessed with one tableboard, one forme, one side board and one cupboard standing in the hall of my now dwelling house, and of one shelf, one press for cloaths in the Upper Chamber, & one furnace with grates, my will & Meaning is that the same shall remaine in my said house as standing goods, there for the / [line 56] use & benefitt of Isaac Ferris, John Ferris & Charles Ferris, sons of my said late son Charles Ferris,

whom I intend to make tenants in reversion of the said Messuage by Coppy of Court Roll of the Manor of Sutton Benger aforesaid, for them to use & enjoy the same successively as they shall become tenants in possession of the said Copyhold Messuage, and the right & property thereof to remaine and come to the survivor of them.

Item. My will and meaning is that my said son Elias Ferris shall purchase a Coppy of Court Roll of the Lord of the Manor of Sutton aforesaid, for the three lives of my said three Grandsons Isaac, John and Charles (son of my said late son Charles) in my Coppyhold Messuage or Tenement with the appurtenances, wherein I now live, one Acre of arable ground in Barrett Field, and two Acres of arable in [Worvys ?] field, which I lately bought of John Turner the younger of Malmesbury, all situate lying being in Sutton aforesaid,

And what charges he / [line 61] [shall be at for ?], or by reason of the purchase of the said Coppy of Court Roll, my will is shall be deducted out of the respective legacies by me before bequeathed to the said Isaac, John & Charles apportionately, for the doeing thereof.

And lastly, I doe hereby revoke all former Wills by me made,

And doe nominate and appoint my aforesaid son Elias Ferris full and sole Executor of this my last will and testament.

In witness whereof I have here unto sett my hand & seale the first day of March in the fourth yeare of the Reigne of our Soveraigne Lord James the Second by the grace of God, of England & Scotland, France & Ireland, King, Defender of the faith. Anno Domini 1687, [1 March 1687/88]

[signed by] John Ferris

Sealed, published and declared in the presence of

[signed by] Martin Dorrington
[her mark] Margret Eaton
[signed by] Will. Martyn

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