This is the last will and testament of me Betty Strudwicke of Alfold in the County of Surry Widow
Ffirst I give and bequeath unto my son John Strudwicke my silver tankard also I give and bequeath unto my daughter Mary Coates all of every my wearing apparel whatsoever also give and bequeath to my said son John Strudwicke and daughter Mary Coates all and every my household furniture and household linen whatsoever equally to be divided between them share and share alike
Also I give and bequeath unto my said son John Strudwicke and John King of Alfold aforesaid yeoman their executors administrators the sum of 150 pounds upon the trusts hereinafter mentioned concerning the same that is to say upon trust that they my said trustees their executors or administrators surely do with all convenient speed after my decease place out the same at interest upon government or other good security and shall allow and do pay apply dispose of the yearly dividends interest and produce thereof as the same shall from time to time and during the natural life of my said daughter Mary Coates arise or be received unto the proper hands of the my said daughter Mary or otherwise permit and suffer her my said daughter to receive the same to and for her own sole and separate use and benefit to the intent that the same may not be at the disposal of or subject or liable to the control debts or engagement of the present or any after taken husband but only at her own sole and separate disposal
And upon further trust that they my said trustees their executors or administrators shall and do from and after the decease of my said daughter Mary Coates transfer pay apply and dispose of the said principal sum of 150 pounds unto and amongst such of the sons and daughters born or to be born of my late son Henry Strudwicke deceased of my said (obliterated in original)Son John Strudwicke and my said daughter Mary Coates as shall be then living equally to be divided between them share and share alike and the child or children of such of them as shall be then dead in manner aforesaid and such child or children to have his her or their fathers or mothers share only
And my will is that the receipt or receipts of my said daughter alone under her hand for the said yearly dividends interest and produce of the said 150 pounds shall from time to time notwithstanding her coverture be good and sufficient discharges to the person or persons paying the said dividends interest or produce of so much thereof for which such receipts shall respectively be given
And my will use that my said Trustees their executorss and administrators shall and may from time to time /during the natural life of my said daughter Mary Coates/ have full power and authority to sell or call in all or any part of the said 150 pounds so to be placed out on government or other securities and to place out the same or any part thereof upon such other security or securities as they in their discretion shall think proper
And my will further is and I do hereby expressly declare that my said trustees or either of them their or either of their executors or administrators shall not be charged or chargeable with or accountable for more of the said monies than he or she or they actually received nor with or for any loss which shall happen of the said monies or any part thereof so as such loss happen with out their wilful default nor the one of them for the other of them or for the acts deeds receipts defaults or disbursements of the other of them
And also that it shall and may be lawful for them my said trustees and each of them, their and each of their executors and administrators in the first place by and out of the premises aforesaid to deduct and reimburse him and themselves respectively all such loss costs charges and expenses as he or they shall sustain to be put unto for or by reason of the performance of this my will or the trusts hereby in them reposed or any other thing in any ways relating thereunto
And lastly as to for and concerning all the rest residue of ready money debts and securities the money plate effects and all other my personal estate whatsoever and wheresoever and of what nature kind or qualities soever the same may be and not otherwise by this my will given and disposed of as aforesaid after payment of my debts legacies and funeral expenses I give and bequeath the same in every part thereof unto and amongst the children of my said son Henry Strudwicke deceased (obliterated in original) my said son John Strudwicke and my said daughter Mary Coats to be divided in manner following /that is to say/ one third part thereof to the children of my said son Henry Strudwicke deceased (oblierated in original) on other third-party thereof to my said son John Strudwicke and the remaining third part thereof unto my said daughter Mary Coates
And I do hereby ordain constitute and appoint my said son John Strudwicke and the said John King executors of this my last will and testament hereby revoking and making void all former and other wills by me at any time heretofore made in witness whereof I the said Betty Strudwicke and to this my last will and testament contained into sheets of paper sealed together at the top to the first sheet set my hand and to the last my hand and seal this 29th day of July in the 11th year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George the third King of Great Britain and in the year of our lord 1771 Betty Strudwicke signed sealed published and declared by the said Betty Strudwicke as and for the last will and testament in the presence of us who have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses at her request in her presence and in the presence of each other the words ‘of’ and ‘of’ in the 20th line of the first sheet and the word ‘then’ in the 22nd line being first interlined Sarah Island Sarah Scutt
I desire Henry Strudwickefor he to xxx i mean my xxxxx (obliterated in original)
10 Nov 1772 on which day appeared personally John Strudwicke of Croydon in the county Surrey Mercer and Draper and John King of Alfold in the same county farmer and made oath as follows
And first the said John Strudwicke himself deposed that he the son and one of the executors named in the last will and testament of Betty Strudwicke late of Alfold aforesaid widow deceased here unto annexed containing two sheets of paper and bearing date the 29th day of July in the year of our lord 1771 and he further deposed that about four of five months after the day of the date of the said Will as he now best remembered as the time that this deponent received from the hands of his said Mother the said original will closely sealed up in an envelope or cover and being requested by her to deliver the same to the said John King the other executor he delivered the same that same day unopened to the said John King for safe custody closely sealed up as aforesaid
And the said John King for himself deposed that he is also one of the executor’s name in the said last will and testament of the said Betty Strudwicke widow deceased hereunto annexed and about for a five months after the day of the date of the said Will as he now best recollects the time to be he this deponent received the said original will closely sealed up in a cover from the hands of the said John Strudwicke the other executor in order to be by him this deponent safely kept and preserved until the said deceased death and that the same was never after opened or out of his this deponent’s custody until after the death of the said Betty Strudwicke and the deponents lastly jointly and severally deposed that a few days after the said testatrix’s death which happened in the month of September last the said cover being opened in the presence of the deponents and also of the testatrix’s daughter Mary Coates wife of James Coates the said original will was found in the same plight and condition in which it now appears particularly as to the obliteration in the 20th line of the first sheet thereof and the obliteration in the 14th and 16 lines in the second sheet and which the deponents believed to have been made by the said testatrix herself John Strudwicke John King the same date the said John Strudwicke John King were duly sworn to the truth of the premises before George Harris surrogate Henry major public notary
probatum February 26, 1773 to John Strudwicke son of the deceased and John King