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In the Name of God Amen I Edward Rudge of London Marchant being not abt in body but of a disposing minde and memory For which I bless God Doe this - Twelfth day of September in the yeare of our Lord Christ God one Thousand Six Hundred Ninety and Six make and ordaine this my last will and Testament whereby after humble Resignation of my Soule to God who gave it in ffaith and hope of being eternally saved by the -- meritts of Christ my Saviour and leaving my body to be buried at the -- direction of my dear wife and Sonn John Rudge I dispose of my worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased the Almighty to Bless me in manner following that is to say ffirst I will that my Executor herein after named doe will and truely pay satisfy and discharge all such debts and sums of money as I shall justly owe at the time of my decease. And alsoe my ffunerall charges and expenses. Item. I give and devise unto my deare and loving wife Susanna Rudge for the terme of her life All the rest and residue of my Manor of Evesham in the County of Worchr. over and beside what was settled on her in Foynture at the time of our intermarriage and from and after her decease. Then I give and devise my said mannor to my said Sonn John Rudge and to any heyres male of his body lawfully to be begotten and for default of such Issue Then I give and devise my said Mannor to my son Edward Rudge and to the heyres male of his body lawfully to be begotten and for default of such Issue Then I give and devise my said Manor to my Son Benjamin Rudge and to the heyres male of his body lawfully to be begotten and for default of such Issue then I give and devise the same to my owne right heyres for ever. Item I give and bequeath unto my said wife the sum of One Thousand pounds to be paid by my said Executor within one year after my decease. Item I give and bequeath unto my said wife all of my Jewells and also my Coach and house with the furniture thereunto belonging. Item I give and bequeath to my said wife such such pieces of my plate as amount in value to the sum of One hundred pounds to be [taken] at her Election and also all such peices of Gold as are in her possession. And I do hereby declare that the Legacies and bequests herein before given to my said wife are so given in full recompense case and satisfaction of her Dower and Thirds of Comon [Law] of my reall Estate and of all her customary share or part of my personal estate by cause of the Costs of of the Citty of London. And whereas I have given to Se John Lay the sum of ffour Thousand pounds as a portion upon his marriage with my daughter Susanna I doo hereby devise this to be in full of his advancement and in case of any further share or parte of my personal Estate by the Custome of the Citty of London [or otherwise]. And whereas upon the marriage of my daughter Elizabeth with Robert Eyrd Esq. I have given him the sum of ffour Thousand pounds as a portion with my said daughter I do hereby declare this to be in full of her advancement and in case of any further share or parte of my personal Estate by the Custome of the Citty of London or otherwise. Item. I give and bequeath to my son Edward Rudge the sum of ffour Thousand pounds over and above what I have already advanced upon his Amount to be paid within one year after
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my decease. Item. I give and bequeath unto my daughters Anne and Mary Rudge the sum of ffour Thousand pounds apeece to be paid them at their respective ages of Eighteen years or dayes of - marriage which shall first happen with the consent of my said wife and son John Rudge or the survivor of them if then living. Item. I give and bequeath to my sonn Benjamin Rudge the sum of ffour Thousand pounds to be paid at the age of One and Twenty yeares or day of marriage (with the her consent which shall first happen Provided always and upon Condition that if any of my said children, Anne Mary or Benjamin Rudge be or shall dispose of themselves in marriage without or against the consent of my said wife Susanna and son John Rudge or the survivour of them if then living then and in such case my minde and will is and I doo hereby give the sum of One Thousand pounds out of the portion or portions of the said Child or Children so disposing of themselves in marriage to my said wife and son John equally to be divided between them, if then living, if not, then I give the said sum of One Thousand pounds to the survivor of them Provided also that if there shall - happen any loss of the sum or sumes of money by me placed out at interest in the East India and African Companies or either of them Then and in such case my mind and will is that there shall be a --able and proportionable abatement made out of and in each such Child said share. And also in case any of the said Children shall - happen to dye before their said shares and bequests to become payable then the one Majority of the share and bequest shared and bequested of him or them so dying shall got and be paid unto and equally divided amongs the Survivors and Survivor of them as such surviving Child or children shall become payable respectively by virtue of this my will and the other Majority thereof shall cease and be to and for the benefit of my said son John Rudge his Executors and Administrators provided always that in case all the said children shall happen to dye before any of their shares and bequests shall become payable. Then I will that all and every such shares and - bequests shall cease and be to and for the benefit of my said son John Rudge his Executors and Administrators And I doo hereby declare and my mind and memory is and I do hereby will and require That in the meane time and untill their said shares and bequests shall become payable as aforesaid my Executor herein after named shall and doe from time to time will and verily pay or cause to be paid unto such of my said Children Edward Anne Mary and Benjamin Rudge the sum of One hundred pounds a yeare for their maintenance and education. Item. I give and bequeath to Rebecca Luther Thirty pounds to Edward Luther Twenty pounds to Jane Luther Twenty pounds to William Hitchcock Twenty pounds. Item I give to Cozen Edward Rudge of Lawrence Waltham and Jane his daughter ffifty pounds apeice and to his daughter Thomazin ffive and Twenty pounds and to theire - Grandsonns Edward and Anthony Thirty pounds apeice. Item. I give unto Edward Rudge son of my Cozen William Rudge of Evesham ffifty pounds and amongst the rest of his children One hundred pounds to be equally divided amongst them. Item. I give to Cozen Mary Hilton and Aunt Godfry Ten pounds apeice for mourning and to Cozen John Pawling ffifty pounds. Item. I give to Cozen John Rudge sonn of Gorsham Twenty pounds and to Cozen Thomas Rudges -
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Children Twenty pounds. Item. I give to Cozen Philip Broot and his wife Tenn pounds [for mourning and to each of his children ten pounds apiece, to Anne Simons ten pounds]. Item. I give to Se John Bankes and his Lady and Children ffifty pounds for mourning and to brother Benjamin Dethick and his wife Twenty pounds for mourning and to Cozen Edward Dethick Tenn pounds for mourning. Item I give to Madam Mary Gardner and to Mr. John - Gardner Tenn pounds a peice for mourning. Item. I give to Cozen Martha Lewis late widow of James Rudge Twenty pounds for mourning. Item. I give to poore Ministers One hundred pounds to be disposed of as my wife shall think fitt. And to Christ Church Hospital One hundred pounds. Item. I give to the poore of the Corporation of Evesham One hundred pounds to be layed out by the approbation of my wife and from John Rudge. Item. I give to the poor of the parish of St. Andrews Undershaft Tenn pounds to be disposed of as my Executor shall think fitt. Item. I give bequeath and devise all the rest and residue of my reall and personal estate whatsoever not herein before particularly given and divised unto my said son John Rudge his heyres Exec. and Administrators respectively. And I doe hereby make ordaine constitute and appoint my said Sonn John Rudge sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament and doo hereby revoke all and every other Will and Wills by me at any time heretofore made. In Witness whereof I the first above named Edward Rudge the Testator have to this my Will contained in this and the next [three] preceeding sheets to sett my hand and state that is to say my hand and seale to this sheet and my hand to the said three preceeding sheets and have also affixed my seale to the ffirst sheet thereof in the place where the said sheets are tyed together the day and year first abovewritten. Edward Rudge This writing contained in this and the said three preceeding sheets was signed and sealed by the first above named Edward Rudge the Testator and by him published and declared as and for his last will and Testament in the presence of as who have heare under written our names as witnesses in the prsence of the said Edward Rudge the Testator. Thomas Hoart, Thomas Basset John Winder Edward asman.
Probatum opud London fuit humoi Tessamum Coran voubli virs Guilialion Clements Logun Dorfere Surogate bonblic of ogrogy viri In Rimardi Raines Militis Legum Hiam Des Curice Purerogat Cantuar. Magri Cuffodis sive Coun ffini conjitur Duodovimo die mousis Octobrio almo Domini Millino Sepremo houagnis Septo Furamento Johannis Rudge fify divi deffi if Epitutorie in derti Testamento nominal. Cui toumissa fuif Advisto vinim if singular vouir jur. of modifier di deffi Do bout of fidelifen Administrando audeme id Sta Dei Evangelica Furat Exe.