Thomas Johnson of Billsby

Thanks to Lea Dowd for finding this and other wills in the Public Record Office of the British National Archives. A Crown Copyright extends over these images, thus posting the image of the three pages on this web site is not an option . This particular will is identified as Catalogue Reference: prob 11/452; Image Ref: 394.  This transcription by Linda Sparks Starr (with the assistance of husband Gerald ) is as true to the original as their ability at reading the colonial handwriting.  Paragraphing and highlighting of names was added by the transcriber. Words the transcribers are unsure about are underlined. In a few instances, one clerk underlined between two "same words" written by another clerk; these remain within the transcription.  

 IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN.  I Thomas Johnson of Billsby in the County of Lincolne gent being sicke and infirme in body but of sound and perfect memory (praised be God) doe make this my last Will and Testament in manner and forme following  

Imprimis  I recommend my Soul into the hands of Almighty God trusting through the merrits of Christ to receive  remission and pardon for all my Sinns And my body I commit to the Earth to be decently interred according to the Discretion of my Executrix hereinafter named in the Parish church of Billsby aforesaid And as to my temporall Estate wherewith it hath pleased Almighty God to bless me I Dispose of the same as followeth

Item I give and bequeath unto my niece Judith Johnson Daughter to Mr. Richard Johnson of Virginiah Merchant All and singular my messuages cottages Lands Tenements and hereditaments lying and being in Sutton in the Marsh Mannby Manor  by ruin Chappell Loggsthlupe Oxby And all the Land I lately purchased of John Willerton [Millerton] in Christhorpe for and During the terme of her naturall life and to the Heires of her body lawfully begotten And for want of such Issue I give the same Lands Tenements and premises to my Sonn in Law William Duncumbe and his Heires for ever But my further mind will and meaning is that the profitts rents issues of the said Lands from the time of my decease my Executrix and Trustees hereinafter named shall be accountable to her for the same when or as soon as she attains the age of one and twenty years or day of marriage which shall first happen 

And as to all other my messuages cottages Lands Tenemants and hereditaments lying and being in Spittoste Billsby Thurlby  Hill [well] and Northorpe Spaynuby cum Mumby together with eighteen acres of pasture lying in Crustion Pr and purchased with Mumby Farme of Squire Don  I Doe give and bequeath unto my loving wife Judith Johnson for and During the terme of her naturall life and from and after her decease I give the same to my said niece and her Heires forever.   And for want of issue of her body lawfully begotten I give all and singular the said messuages lands tenements and premises to my said Sonn in Law William Duncombe and to his Heires forever All which said premises are situate lying and being in the said County of Lincolne

 Item  I give and bequeath unto my said Sonn in Law William Duncombe and to his Heires forever All that my close of pasture ground containing four acres be the same more or less lyeing in Mablethorpe in the said County

Item I give and bequeath unto Mr Anthony Garley Vicar of Billsby and to his successors for ever All that my Piece or parcell of ground adjoyning to the churchyard of Billsby aforesaid and comonly called or knowne by the name of the Carr  [Carr:  low-lying area.]

 Item I give and bequeath unto my said niece Judith Johnson the summe of fifteen hundred pounds to be paid her by my Executrix when she attaine the age of one and twenty years or day of marriage which shall first happen  

And my further will and mind is that my Executrix shall have the care tuition guardianship educacon and bringing up off my said niece till she shall attaine to the said age of one and twenty yeares or day of marriage which shall first happen. And provided my said Executrix shall depart this life before my said niece shall attaine the said age of one and twenty years or day of marriage then my will and mind is that Mr. Anthony Garley aforesaid and my said Sonn in Law William Duncombe shall have the

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 whole Sole full and the same power as my Executrix now hath by this my last Will and Testament And if my said niece Judith shall marry or take or accept any person to be her husband contrary to the advise consent and approbacon of my said Executrix or of the said Anthony Garley and the said William Duncombe then she shall have only the sume of five hundred pounds to be paid her upon the day of her marriage and shall have not other benefit of this will.  

And if it shall happen that if the said Mr. Richardson (sic) ffather to my said niece shall at any time after my decease pretend to the Guardianshipp  educacon and bringing up of my said niece as being her ffather or otherwise or offer to take her away from my Executrix in her life time or from the  said Anthony or William after her decease or pretend  _sn __ form in order to obtaine or gett any part of the said porcon either Land or money then my mind and will is she shall only have the summe of five hundred pounds to be paid to her upon the day of her marriage. 

And if my said niece when she shall attaine the age of fourteen yeares shall offer to elect or choose any other Guardians than what are above named then my further mind and will is upon any such election she shall have noe benefit of this my will but only the said Sum of five hundred pounds to be paid as aforesaid and if he or she shall make any such defaults contrary to this my will then my Will and mind is that all the said Lands shall goe to the use and behoof of my said Sonn in Law William  Duncombe and his Heirs for ever 

Item I Doe give and bequeath unto the said Anthony Garley and  my Sonn in Law William Duncombe who I doe hereby authorize and appoint to collect all the said rents of all the Lands and to Dispose of them according to the uses of this my last will and for their trouble I give them tenn pounds apiece yearely to be deducted out of the profits of the said Lands which I direct them to accept as a Gratuity for their trouble.   

Item I give and bequeath to the Inhabitants of Billsby for the teaching of tenn poor children of the said parish to read the Bible and be instructed in the Protestant Religion according to the Rebrice of the Church of England the sume of five pounds a yeare out of my Lands in Billsby to be paid quarterly by the  Executrix in her life time and by my Heires afterwards which are to be recommended to them by the Viccar and Overseers of the said parish Successively.

Item  I give and bequeath to the poor of the parish of Billsby aforesaid yearly for ever the sume of twenty shillings to be paid at two payments in the yeare upon Easter Day St Thomas Day tenn shillings to the most indigent and Deserving poor of the said parish according  according to the Discrecon of the Vicar and Overseers of the said Parish to be paid out of my Lands in Billsby.

Item I give twenty shillings to the poor of Lanhoste to be Distributed as abovesaid out of my Lands in Sunshoste

Item I give to my Coz Sussan Barrisford [Barristor] etc tenn pounds and my Cozen Wyld tenn pounds  To Mrs Wood a Guinea to buy her a Ring To Mrs Garley a Guinea to buy her a Ring twenty shillings apiece to such Servants as shall live with me at the time of my decease.

 Item I give to Mr Garley four Guineas to buy him what mourning he thinks  fit over and above a Guinea which I give him to make a short Exhortation at my Funerall.  

All the rest of my goods and chattalls I give unto my loveing wife whom I make whole and sole Executrix of this my last Will and Testament revaking all all former Wills by me heretofore made. I doe hereby declare this to be my last Will In witness where of I have hereunto Set my hand and Seale this Sixteenth Day of November Anno Dio one thousand

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Six hundred ninety eight.  Tho: Johnson     Sealed published and declared in the presence of with some interlinacons  Tho. Veale   Robert Hardy   John Johnson

    

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