In the name of God Amen The eighteenth day of September in the yeare of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ one thousand six hundred fiftye and six I Mathewe Strudwicke of the Burrough of Longport in the Countie of Kent yeoman beinge sicke in bodye but of good and perfect memorie sence and understandinge praised be Almightie God for the same consideringe the uncertainety of this mortall life and that it is appointed for all men once to dye and not knowinge howe soone the hande of death may happen doe therefore make and ordaine this mypresent last will and testament in manner and forme followinge
Imprimis I comend my soule into the handes of Almightie God my Creator hopeing to be saved by and through the onelie meritte Death and passion of Jesus Christ my Redeemer And my bodye I comitt to the earth whereof it was fromme
Item I give unto Mr Edward Aldaye minister of the parishe of St andrew in the Cittye of Canterburye Twentie shillings to preach my funerall Sermon
Item I give to Mr William I??nden minister of the parishe of St Paule twentie shillings
Item I give to the poore people of the Burrough of Longport aforesaid tha summe of ffower poundes ffourtie shillinges thereof to be paid and distributed amongst them by my Executor with the advice and assistance of the Churchwardens of the same Burrough of or neere the tyme of my funerall and the other ffortie shillinges within six moneths next after my decease
Item I give to my Deare and loveinge wife duringe the terme of her naturall life all those my landes and tenements situate lying and being in the parishe of Petham in the Countie aforesaid
And all those my landes and tenements situate lying and being in the parishe of Sturrey in the said Countie which heretofore I purchased to me and my heirs of my brother in Lawe Jonathan Dunkin She my said wife keepinge the aforesaid landes and tenements well repayred
Item I give unto my said wife yearlie and everie yeare duringe the terme of three yeares next after my decease the summe of twentie poundes to be paid unto her by my executor in or upon fower usuall feastes by equall portions (that is to say St Micheal the Archangel, the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, the annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Marie, and the nativity of St John the Baptist) the first payment thereof to begin and to be paid on that first of the aforesaid feastes which shall next happen after my decease
Item I give unto my said wife all my beddinge goodes and household stuffe usuallie in place and belonginge unto the chamber of my dowe dwellinge house called by the name of the middle chamber To be delivered unto her onelie and by my Executor presentlie after my decease
Item I give to my eldest daughter Sara the wife of my sonne in lawe Richard Harnett for a remeberance of me Tenne poundes unto her by my executor (that is to say) ffive pounds thereof within three moneths next after my decease and the other ffive pounds thereof within six moneths thereof after my decease
Item I give unto the two daughters of my said daughter Sara namelie Marie and Elizabeth the summe of tenne poundes a peece to be paid unto them by my executor at their seveerall ages of eighteene yeares of the day of their marriagees whichever shall first happen
Item I give unto my daughter Anne the wife of my sonne in lawe Besaliell Creake one hundred poundes to be paid unto her by my Executor within three monthes next after my decease
Item I give unto the daughter of my said daughter Anne namelie Marie Creake one hundred poundes to be paid her by my executor at her age of eighteene yeares or the daye of her marriage which shall first happen And that my Executor shall yearlie and every yeare next after my decease soe long as he shall detaine in his handes p?paid the same one hundred poundes well and trulie content and paid unto the ffather mother or friends of the said Marie Creake towards her education the summe of six poundes more upon the aforesaid fower feasts dayes by equall porcons The first payment thereof to begin and to be paid on that first of the aforesaid feasts which shall first happen next after my decease
Item I give unto my aforesaid loveinge wife besides her aforesaid legacies duringe the term of her naturall life all those my landes and tenements situate lyinge and beinge in Sturry aforesaid and now in the occupation of John Allen or of his assignes Shee keeping the same landes and tenements well repayred
Item I give to my youngest daughter Marie Strudwick three hundred pounde two hundred poundes thereof to be paid unto her by my executor at the age of eighteene yeares or the day of her marriage which shall first happen And the other hundred poundes thereof at her age of one and twentie years And that my Executor shall yearlie and everie yeare next after my decease soe long as he or they shall detayne in his handes p??paid the said three hundred poundes well and trulie contented pay unto the said Maria Strudwicke her Guardian or friend towards her education the summ of twelve pounds in or appon the aforesaid fower feasts Dayes by equall porcons The first payment thereof to begin and to be paid on that first of the aforesaid feastes which shall first happen next after my decease
Item my further will and mind is that if my said daughter Marie Strudwicke happen to dye before her said age of eighteen yeares and Daye of her marriage then I give unto my sonne Mathewe Strudwicke one hundred poundes parcell of the said Three hundred poundes and the other two hundred to be and remaine to my executor at his age of one and twenty yeares and that my executor shall yearlie and every year next after my decease soe long as he shall detayne in his handes p??paid the said three hundred poundes well and trulie content and paid unto the said Mathewe Strudwick his guardian or friend towards his education the summe of twelve pounds in or upon the aforesadi fower feastes dayes be equall porcons the first payment thereof to begin and to be made on that first of the aforesdaid feastes which shall first happem next after my decease
Item my further will and mind is that if my said sonne Mathewe Strudwicke happen to dye before his said age of one and twentie yeares then I give out of his said three hundred poundes unto his three sisters namelie Sara Anne and Marie ffortie poundes a peece to be paid unto them by my executor and the residue of the same three hundred poundes to be and remayne to him my executor
Item my will and meaninge is that my said executor before he intermeddle with my estate shalle become bound too settle unto my said wife and children in severall obligacions for the payment of their severall lagacies aforesaid in double the summe of the said legacies
Item I hereby require and charge all my said children to be dutifull and obedient to their said Mother and live loveinglie together
Item I doe hereby nominate and appoint my loveinge brother in lawe John Dunkin and my loveinge friendes Michael Terry the Attxxxxxx and John Ffowle to be overseers of this my will and to be aydeinge and assistinge to my said wife and children upon all occacions And for their paines and part therein to be taken I will unto my said brother in lawe John Dunkin ffortie shillinge and to the other two overseers twentie shillinges a peece to be paid unto them by my executor
And I doe hereby revoke all former wills by me at any former times heretofore made and declared
Item all the rest of my goods chattell cattell readie money and plate whatsoever unbequeathed paid and discharged I will and bequeath them all unto my eldest sonne James Strudwicke whom I make and ordayne to be the full whole and sole executor of this my last will and testament Soe as the said James Strudwicke shall according to the plainest construction and intention of this will become bound in and to the aforesaid severall obligacions for the true payment of the aforesaid legacies and summes of money willed as aforesaid to my said wife and children
And if my said sonne James Strudwicke shall refuse to be bound as aforesaid Then I doe hereby make and ordaine my said sonne Mathewe Strudwicke to be sole Executor of this my will and to take and dispose of all my personall estate for and towards the due payment and satisfaction of all and singular the legacie and legacies herein and hereby by me given and bequeathed and then I will unto my said sonne James soe refusinge out of my personall estate onelie three hundred poundes to be paid unto him by my said Executor Mathewe Strudwicke within twelve monthes next after my decease
Providing always that if it shall happen after my death and before any sonnes and daughters shall be paid their severall porcons that any Armie Armies and Souldiers shall come into the Countie of Kent and by their meanes by plunder or otherwise my said executor shall suffer visible losse and damage in his goods and chattells then my will and meaning is that my said sonne and daughters shall beare the proportionable part of such losse or damage equallie with my said executor to be reted by my overseers aforesaid And that then my said executor shall and may deduct such their said severall rates and proporcons of his said losses and damages sustayned as aforesaid out of their said severall porcons or legacies
Any thing wherein contayned to the contrary thereof in anywise notwithstanding This is the last will and testament of me the said Mathewe Strudwicke made and declared the day and yeare above written touchinge the disposinge of all my landes and tenements
Imprimus after the death of my said wife I give and devise unto my said sonne James Strudwicke all my landes and tenements lyinge and beinge in Petham aforesaid in the said Countie of Kent with all the appurtenances to him and to his heires for ever
Item I give and devise unto my said sonne Mathewe Strudwicike after the death of my said wife all my aforesaid landes and tenements on Sturry aforesaid and willed to her for life to him and to his heires forever
Item all other my landes and tenements whatsoever situate lyinge and beinge in Sturry aforesaid I will them all unto my said sonne Mathewe Strudwicke his heirs and assignes for ever In witness whereof to this my last will and testament written in fower sheetes of paper I have to each sheets hereof subscribed my name and to the topp of them sett my seale the day and yeare above written Mathewe Strudwicke
Signed sealed published and declared by the said Mathewe Strudwicke this to be his last will and testament in the presence of John Dunkin Michael Terry the elder and Richard Harnott Elizabeth Creake Michael Terry the younger
This will was proved at London the fifteenth day of October in the yeare of our Lord God one thousand six hundred and fiftye six before the Judges for probate wills and grantinge administrations lawfully authorised by the oathes of James Strudwicke the sonne and sole executor named in the last will and testament of the said deceased to whom administration was committed he beinge first legally sworn trulie and faithfullie to administor