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In the Name of God Amen I John Rudge of Grart Lane in the parish of Allhallows Staining London being of Sound mind and memory considering the uncertainty of Life Do revoke all former wills by me made and do make this my last will and testament in manner following, that is to say I will and desire that my body as soon as conveniently may be after my decease be with all privacy interred in the vault I have lately made within the parish church of Wheatfield in the county of -- without any fluriseal pomp Efruthious or other Tropheys whatsoever and without any supporters of the pall or other. Attendance save those of my and Sons household ffamilies and servants to us belonging and I will that my Informent Go as late in the Evening as the Season of the year will admit to house it done without candles and as to my worldly Estate I give devise and bequeath the same as follows viz. I give my Manour of Evesham with the Lands thereto belonging with County of Worchester and all other my manours and parts of manours Messuages Lands Tenements and -- whatsoever situated by me and being in the Season -- of -- of Worcestershire -- Northhamptonshire and in the City of London or afterwhere -- my son Edward Rudge of -- during the course of his natural Life without -- and with power to make Leases of all or any part or parts of the same for any possession at or for the Cost -- Rents that may be outstanding -- the same -- after the Determination of their Estate unto Mr. William Myers and Dr. John Bisoe and their heirs during the Life of my said son in trust support and preserve the continuous comities herein after mentioned from being defeated or destroyed yet nothing to permit my Said son and his assigns to receive andtake the Rents House and profits of [all] the said properties during his Life and after the decease of my said son unto the first second third and all and every other son and sons of my said Son Edward lawfully to be begotten severally successively in remainder one after another inorder and course as they respectively shall be in priority of Birth and the several and respective heirs Male of the body and bodies of all and every such son and sons lawfully Issuing every Elder of Such Sons and the heirs Male of his body being always to be preferrd before the younger of them and the heirs Male of his body and in default of such Issue unto my Godson John Rudge son of my Brother the Reverend Esr. Benjamin Rudge Rector of Thornhaugh in Northamptonshire Clerk and to his assigns for his Life without impearhment of Wast with such power to make Leases and aforesaid and after the Determination of that Estate unto the said Wm. Myers and John Biscoe and their heris during the
[259B]
the Life of the said John Rudge in trust in draft to preserve the counting out remainders yet to permit the said John Rudge and his assigns to receive the Rents and profits of the said premises during his Life and immediately after the death of the said John Rudge unto the first second third and alll and every other the son and sons of the heirs of Jon. Rudge lawfully to be begotten severally and successively and remainder are after another in order and course as they respectively shall be in priority of Birth and the several and respective heirs male of the body and bodies of all and every such Son and Sons lawfully Issuing every elder of such sons and the heirs Male of his body being 'always' preferd and to take before a younger and the heirs shall be of his Body and in Default of such Issue Unto Benjamin Rudge the eldest son of my said Brother Benjamin Rudge Rector of Thornborough and to his assigns for his life with power to make such Leases as aforesaid and immediately after the death of the said Benjamin Rudge unto Samuel Rudge the next son of my said Brother and to his assigns for his Life with power to make such Leases as aforesaid and immediately after the decease of the said Samuel Rudge unto Thomas Rudge the youngest son of my said Brother and to his heirs for his Life without impeachment of cost with such power to make Leases as aforesaid and after the determination of that Estate unto the said Wm. Myers and John Bistoe and their heirs during the life of the said Thomas Rudge in Trust to preserve the contingent Remainders yet to permit the said Thomas Rudge and his Assigns to receive the Rents and Profits of the said premises during his life and immediately after the death of the said Thomas Rudge unto the first second third and all and every other Heir and sons of the said Thomas Rudge lawfully to be begotten severally and successively and in remainder one after another in order and course as they respectively shall be in priority of birth and the several and respective heirs male of the body and bodies of all and every such son and sons lawfully Having every Elder of such sons before the younger of them and His heirs male of his body and in Default of such Issue to my own right heirs for ever. I give unto my Daughter Lady Stanhope one thousand pounds for her own separate use. I give to unto my granddaughter Elizabeth Stanhope Two thousand pounds to be paid her by my Executor hereafter named at the age of one and twenty years or day of marriage which shall first happen. I give unto my cousin Robert Hilton five hundred pounds desiring him to be assistant to my son in recovering of any adventuros that shall be standing out at the time of my decease. I give to the Governors of Christ-Hospital one hundred pounds. I give unto Sr. Wm. Sanhope Knt. of the Bath as a mourning Legacy one hundred pounds and to my Daughter Lady Stanhope for the same use one hundred pounds to my my sister Anne Rudge as mourning Twenty Guineas to my sister Mary Wightwirk Twenty Guineas to John Lary Esqr. Ten Guineas to coz. Eliz Bistoe [Ten Guineas to Cousin] Mary Stevenson. Ten Guineas to Robert Eyre Esqr. Ten Guineas to the Reverend Jos: Samuel Eyre. Ten guineas to Cozen Edward Eyre Ten guineas to conzen Elizabeth Lee ten Guineas to cozen Mary Wightwirk. Ten Guineas To Coper Hromris Whitewirk ten guneas to the poor of the
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parish of St. Allhallows Staining London Ten pounds to the poor of the parish of -- Ten pounds to my brother Rev Benjamin Rudge as mourning Twenty Guineas and to my sister his wife Twenty Guineas both of which ought to have come before in their proper place and I had always intended a lasting charity to the corporation of Evesham had not their behaviour towards me on the last election justly forfeited any claim thereto between. I desire those in the Chamber of that corporation who voted for me on the last election may have rings of twenty shillings Value in Gold besides ffashion and I desire all others given in remembrance of me may be not using the present ffashion and always preferring a -- of -- as most proper If I shall be in the Direction of the Bank at my decease I desire that Governour Deputy and Directors may have Rings as usual all further I leave to the Direction of my Executor All the cost and residue of my Estate whatsoever I give to my said son Edward Rudge and doe make him sole Executor of this my Will contained in this sheet of paper whereunto I have set my hand and seal the Twentieth day of April 1737. I give to Brother Edward Esquire Ten Guineas and to Dr. Wm. Myres Ten guineas. Jon. Rudge signed and sealed by the Testator John Rudge and by him published and declared to be his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who have subscribed our Names as witnessess to the same in the presence of the said Testator- Willm. Myres Geo: Myres Seth Harrison.
I give unto my servant Benjamin Maybury if he shall be living with me at my decease ffifty pounds. I give to my housekeeper Thomasine Stevens if she shall then be in my service Twenty pounds to all other of my servants who shall be living with me at the time of my Death and that shall have lived in my house two years or upwards to each of them a years wages the 21st April 1737. Jon. Rudge.
Whereas I John Rudge of London Esquire have already made my Will and have thereby appointed my son Edward Rudge Sole Executor there of Now I do by this present writing which I declare to be a Codicil to and part of my said Will make constitute and appoint my kinsman Er: Revert Hilton to be an Executor of my said will jointly with my said son and I do hereby ratifye and confirm in all other reports my said will and all and every codicil or codicils by me made there to be witness whereof I have here unto set my hand and seal this fourth day of March 1739 Jno Rudge signed & Sealed published and declared by the said John rudge to be a codicil to and part of his last will and testament in the presence of us who subscribed our names as witnesses [hereto] in the presence of the said John Rudge- R. Eyre James Peirce Gabriel Greve. This
[260B]
This Will was proved at London with a Codicil annexed before the worshipfull George Lee Doctor of Laws surrogate to the right worshipfull John Bottisworth also Doctor of Laws Masterkeeper or commissary of the prerogative court of Canterbury lawfully constituted the [twenty] sixth day of March in the year of our Lord One Thousand seven hundred and fforty by the Oath of Edward Rudge Esquire the son of the deceased and Executor named in the Will to Administration of all and Singular the Goods Chattels and Credits of the said deceased being first sworn duly to Administer power reserved of making the life Grant to Robert Hilton the Executor named in the said Codicil when he shall apply for the same.