The transcripts of the documents are as accurate as possible although some words are indecipherable and those words are marked by a ▬. Copies of the original abstract documents precede the transcript
In the name of God Amen
William Parker of Kibworth Harcourt in the County of Leicestershire (the elder) being in good health of body and perfect and sound of mind and memory praise be given to Almighty God do make and ordain this my last will and testament in manner and form following (vizt) First I transmit and commend my soul unto the hands of Almighty God my Maker and of Jesus Christ his only son and Saviour and Redeemer by whose mercy and merits hope to receive free pardon and forgiveness for all my sins and offences and to inherit amongst the effort the happy fruition of Eternal Life my body commit to the earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my heirs after named in the Church yard of Kibworth aforesaid near to the old Church door on the north side of the said Church next unto Kibworth Harcourt aforesaid as near my first wife as may be And as to for and remembering all my temporal estate it hath pleased God through his mercy and my endeavours to bestow on me I dispose of as follows (vizt) First I give devise and bequeath unto my grandson Thomas Parker eldest son and heir apparent of my only son William Parker the sum of twenty pounds and to my grandson William Parker one other of the sons of my said son William Parker the sum of three hundred pounds and to my three grandchildren Ann Mary and Elizabeth Parker three of the daughters of my aforementioned son William Parker the sum of one hundred pounds apiece and to my three other grandchildren Grace Alice and Jeffery the three younger children of my said son William Parker the sum of £50 a piece all which I will and give and shall be paid by my executor to my said eight grandchildren Thomas William Ann Mary Elizabeth Grace Alice and Jeffery at their several and respective ages of one and twenty years or days of marriage which shall first happen And if it shall please God that any of my said grandchildren shall die and depart this life before his her or their respective legacy or legacies shall become due and payable as aforesaid then my will and mind is and I hereby give and dispose the legacy and legacies of him her or them so dying to and amongst the surviving or survivors of them which shall live to attain his her or their respective age or ages of one and twenty years or be married aforesaid to be equally divided amongst them share and share alike provided always and upon this condition that if my said eight grandchildren Thomas William Ann Mary Elizabeth Grace Alice and Jeffrey or any of them shall be married in the lifetime of their father the aforesaid William Parker my son without the consent or good liking of their said father my executor herein after named then my mind and will so that the legacy and legacies herein before to him her or them given that shall before married without the consent and good liking of their father as aforementioned shall cease and not be paid at all Then I give to nephew William Freestone forty shillings and to the poor of Kibworth Harcourt aforesaid and Kibworth Beauchamp and Smeeton Westerby in the county of Leicestershire ten shillings apiece to be paid by my executor within the month next after my death And lastly my debts and legacies being paid and funeral expenses discharged all my goods chattels monies rent bonds bills mortgages and personal estate whatsoever I give and bequeath to my aforesaid son William Parker whom I make sole executor of my last will and testament revoking and making void all former and other wills by me heretofore made in witness where I the said William Parker the elder have resolved to set my hand fifthteenth day of the third month Anno Domini 1687 William Parker the elder Signed Sealed and conferment by the said William Parker the elder as his last will and testament in the presence of Henry Willett John Lamplugh Hannah Roe
Copy and transcript of the last will and testament of William Parker (the younger)
In the name of God Amen
The thirtieth of April in the fourth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord William the third by the grant of God of England Scotland France and Ireland King and defender of the faith Anno Domni 1698 I William Parker of Kibworth Harcourt in the County of Leicestershire Gent being of good health of body and of perfect and sound mind and memory praise be to God Almighty for it revoking all former and other wills by me heretofore made do make this my last will and testament in manner following And in the first place I do with all humility consign my soul unto the hands of Holy blessed and divine Trinity beseeching Almighty God his mercy and for the merits of Jesus Christ my Savoir and Redeemer which are infinite to pardon all my sins and receive my spirit unto everlasting bliss I would have my body buried privately (yet with mercy) in the Church yard of Kibworth aforesaid near to the Church door on the north side of the said Church so near my father and mother as may be or else if leave be given by the Rector of the said Church in the Chancel near my children that be buried there in hopes of a joyful reunion And for the temporal estate it hath pleased God to bestow upon me and which by his blessing and my endeavours is much more than I received from my ancestors I dispose of the same as follows And first I give devise and bequeath to my first son and heir apparent Thomas Parker and his heirs and assigns for ever my manors messuages closes lands and hereditaments lately purchased of Richard Dawes Esq situate and being in Stapleton in the County of Leicestershire aforesaid And also the impropriation of Duston in the County of Northamptonshire and all glebe lands and tithes and hereditaments thereto belonging And the right of Patronage and Presentation to the Minaridge of Duston aforesaid I lately purchased with their and every of their appurtenances And I do hereby also give and bequeath my beloved wife for her life if she so long remain a widow all my freehold lands in Kibworth aforesaid not in her jointure all my tolls and profits of the farm and markets of Hinckley in the said County of Leicestershire in ▬ of her dowry and third and for an addition to her jointure the better to enable her to educate and provide for my younger children and show kindness to such of them as it shall please God may stand most in need of her assistance and immediately after her marriage again to a second husband and or death which shall first and next happen I give to my said son Thomas Parker and his heirs and assigns forever And I thereby give and bequeath to my first daughter Anna now the wife of Theophilus Judd Clerk the yearly annuity in the sum of twenty pounds to be paid at four quarterly payments (to wit) the twenty first day of December the twenty fifth day of March the twentieth day of June and the twenty ninth day of September by and in equal proportions for and during and until the said Theophilus Judd shall have and be possessed of my estate Spiritual or Temporal or next of the yearly value revenue stipend worth of one hundred pounds or upwards in case my said daughter or as she shall devote for her separate use and maintenance with which during the intermarriage between them the said Theophilus Judd shall not have to do or intermeddle now shall the same be liable or subject to his debts And my further will is that the receipt of my daughter as well which she is married as when sole or of my other person or persons she shall authorise and appoint to receive the same by any writing under hand shall be a good and efficient discharge to him her or them who by this my will is and or shall be required and appointed to pay the same And in case the said Theophilus Judd shall be possessed of any estate Spiritual or Temporal or mixed during the life of my said daughter of the yearly value stipend or works of one hundred pounds per annum or upwards that then and from henceforth the said yearly annuity of twenty pounds foreclose and be no longer paid during the then Theophilus Judd being possessed of such estate Spiritual Temporal or mixed aforesaid in case my said daughter Anna be then living my further will is and I from therefore yearly during the then remainder of their joint lives give the sum of twenty pounds per annum as to be put out yearly by and in the names of the Honourable George Henry Clerk and of my aforesaid son and heir Thomas Parker or the survivors of them his executors to invest until the interest thereof shall amount to the sum of four hundred pounds in case the said Theophilus Judd and my said daughter his now wife shall both of them so long live And from and after such sum shall be raised aforesaid the said sum of four hundred pounds if so much shall be raised as aforesaid during the joint lives of Theophilus Judd and Anna his wife or so much money as shall by the said annuity of twenty pounds per annum to remunerate from and after the said Theophilus Judd being possessed by such estate during the then remainder of their two joint lives be raised and made not exceeding four hundred pounds it being valued no greater sum shall be thereby raised shall be laid out in the purchase of lands of inheritance in possession and not in reversion by the said George Henry and my said son Thomas Parker or the survivor of them his executors or administrators to be settled to the uses following (to witt) to my said daughter Anna for her life in case she be then living and after her demise to the heirs of her body lawfully begotten or to be begotten And for want of such issue to my right heirs forever And in case of the said Theophilus Judd’s death before his said wife then I give over and above such money as shall or may happen to be raised for the purchasing of lands to be settled as aforesaid in case four hundred pounds shall not then be raises so such amount to be so added to and what shall be then raised by ways and means aforesaid make up the sum of four hundred pounds to be settled to the aforesaid And also in such case I further hereby give my said daughter Judd the annuity or sum of ten pounds to be from henceforth yearly paid her for the remainder of her natural life at the four days of payment aforesaid by and in equal proportions the first payment thereof to begin and to be made on such of the said days as shall first and next happen after the death of the said Theophilus Judd And I also hereby order and direct my said son Thomas Parker and his heirs executors and administrators freely to present my said son in law Theophilus Judd in case he be then living to such Parsonage and Church I have purchased the next presentation of where the same shall next become void I also give and devise to my second daughter Mary the now wife of John Lamplugh Gent all my messuages lands and hereditaments whatsoever in Islip in the County of Northamptonshire purchased of the said John Lamplugh for the term of her life And after her demise to the said John Lamplugh for the tenure of his natural life And after their demises and the demise of the survivors of them then I give and bequeath the same to the first and eldest son of the body of my said daughter Mary by the said John Lamplugh begotten or to be begotten And for want of such issue to the second third and forth and all and every of the son and sons of my said daughter Lamplugh by the said John Lamplugh begotten or to be begotten And of the heirs male of the body and bodies of all and every such son and sons lawfully to be begotten And for want of such issue to the heirs female to the body of my said daughter Lamplugh by her said husband lawfully to be begotten And for want of such issues to the right heir of me William Parker for ever I also give and bequeath to my said daughter Lamplugh one hundred and eighty pounds her said husband John Lamplugh owes me on bonds and the fifteen pounds owed on bills provided and upon consideration she and her husband release and discharge my executor of and from all accounts sums and sums of money dues and demands promises contracts legacies and agreements whatsoever which he shall or may be liable or responsible to answer for or pay as my executor or otherwise howsoever I also give and bequeath to my second son William Parker the annuity of twenty pounds per annum for his life and not more by reason of his wildness and in case of his safe return from Turkey wherever he is now gone I leave to my eldest son to take such further care of him as he shall think fit And I also give to my daughter Grace Parker five hundred pounds to my daughter Alice Parker five hundred pounds to my son Jeffrey Parker five hundred pounds and my son Benjamin Parker five hundred pounds which said legacies so as aforesaid given to my said two younger daughters Alice and Grace will and require shall be paid by my executor herein after named to them and each of them at and upon the day or days of the several and respective marriages age or ages of one and twenty years which shall first and next happen And the aforesaid legacies given to my two younger sons Jeffrey and Benjamin at their several and respective ages of three and twenty years of age And my further will and mind is that what my personal estate shall fall short to pay of my aforesaid legacies and also of my aforesaid several annuities after my debts are paid and funeral expenses discharged shall be charged upon and payable out of my aforesaid manors messuages closes lands and hereditaments in Stapleton aforesaid and I also hereby charge the same forthwith and require my son Thomas and his heirs to be very just in paying the said annuities and legacies according to this my last will without disturbance or suit in law or equity provided always and act this condition and my further will and mind is that in case either of my said two younger daughters shall be preferred in marriage by me in my lifetime or otherwise in case my said two younger daughters or either of them shall be married before their or either of them attain her or their age or ages of one and twenty years without the consent and good liking of their mother and my then eldest son or the survivor of them him her portion of her or them so marrying in my lifetime or after my death without such consent shall cease and not be paid provided further and by will and pleasure is that in case any of my such four younger children Grace Alice Jeffery Benjamin shall happen to die and depart this life before his her or their marriage or marriages age or ages of one and twenty years that then the portion or portions of his or her or their so dying shall cease and not be paid at all And my further will is I hereby direct and appoint that during the several and respective annuities of my said two younger daughters Grace and Alice and until their several and respective marriages age or ages of one and twenty years which shall first and next happen my aforesaid eldest son Thomas his heirs shall pay to my wife if she be living or for so long time as she shall live and if dead to their severally or their several and respective livelihoods maintenance education and paying the several and respective annuities or payment of fifteen pounds apiece yearly at the Feast of St Michael the Arch Angel and the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary by equal proportions the first thereof to begin and be made on such of the said Feast or days which shall first and next happen after my decease by and out of the interest and release of my personal estate that shall remain after my debts and funeral expenses are paid and discharged in case the same will amount to so much if not what and how much the same shall fall short to be raised and made up by and out of the rents and profits of my aforesaid lands and hereditaments in Stapleton aforesaid And my mind and desire is that my said son Jeffery Parker be put or placed out to the University when he shall be thought capable by the Rector of Kibworth aforesaid and Schoolmaster of the same for the time being And that from thenceforth an allowance of fifty pounds a year be made him by my executor until he shall attain his age of three and twenty years that his aforesaid portion becomes payable or if he shall not be thought fit or capable to be put to the University then to put him to be a Clerk or to some trade if he shall be thought most capable of or fit for at the cost and charges of my executor or his heirs and not out of his aforesaid legacy or portion I have herein before bequeathed to him And my further will and mind is that my youngest son Benjamin Parker when he shall be capable be put out to be a Clerk to an Attorney or Clerk in Chancery or some trade he shall be thought most fit for And that my said son Thomas Parker or his heirs put and place him out at his or their own cost and charge and not out of his aforesaid portion of five hundred pounds I have before herein set my said son Benjamin I also give to my cozen Freestone’s three children the sum of ten pounds equally to be divided between them share and share alike and to be paid them when and as they shall attain to the several and respective ages of one and twenty years And whereas I have received some former businesses from Edward Gilbert of Newton Harcourt Yeoman who (I am afraid) with his family is now reduced to some extremity and wants I therefore give to him and his wife thirty shillings a year to be paid them or one of them for their joint lives and after to the longer lives of them or his or her life at the Feast of St John the Baptist and St Thomas the Apostle by equal proportions the first payment thereof to be made at such of the said Feasts as shall next happen after my decease I further give to everyone of my servants that shall live with me at the time of my decease ten shillings To the poor of Kibworth Harcourt forty shillings and the poor of Kibworth Beauchamp twenty shillings and the poor of Smeeton Westerby twenty shillings to be paid by my executors within one month after my decease My furniture and plate in my house which I direct shall not be sold to raise or pay my debts or legacies I give to my wife for the term of her natural life in case she so long continue a widow And after her death or marriage again which shall first and next happen I give and bequeath the same to my son Thomas Parker his executor and assigns for ever I also give the guardianship of my aforesaid four younger children Grace Alice Jeffery and Benjamin to my wife during her widowhood and after her marriage again or death which shall first and next happen I give the guardianship thereof to my eldest son Thomas Parker with this charge to deal kindly and justly by them And lastly my debts being paid and funeral expenses discharged all my mortgages judgements bills bonds securities ready money debts and other my personal estate whatsoever not before herein bequeathed I hereby give to my aforesaid son and heir Thomas Parker whom I make sole executor of my last will and testament In witness whereof I the said William Parker the testator have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year first above written Will Parker signed sealed and published and declared by the said William Parker the testator as his last will and testament in the presence of us whose names are hereinto subscribed and set as witnesses thereto who immediately after and before our departing out of the said William Parkers presence subscribed and wrote our names as witnesses to the said William Parker’s said signature stating and publishing the said will as aforesaid after several interlineations therein in several places as above J Champante Ben Brown Witt Inge
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Transcribed by David Adams