60 Will of John Doddridge

    [January 20 1658/59]

    No. 3 Copy of John Doddridge’s Will

    In the name of the Holy and blessed Trinity Amen I John Doddridge of Bremidge in the County of Devon Esq. being of perfect memory and understanding &c. and as touching and concerning my Temporal Estate wherein the Lord hath in Mercy blessed me I will and dispose the same as followeth. And first I give to the Town of Barnstaple £100 for the use of the poor there. Item I give to the Mayor and Alderman of the City of Bristol £40 to be bestowed in a piece of plate with my Coat of Arms engraven upon it and this inscription “Ex Dono Johannes Doddridge Recordatoris Curtatis Bristol.” Also I Give to the Poor of Ilfracombe £5 and to the poor of Fremington £5 and to the poor of Southmotton £5. And whereas I stand engaged by covenant to assure to my most Dear wife Judith £100 per annum for her life as an increase of her jointure I doe give and bequeath unto her the sum of £1500 in money in lieu of the said £100 per annum which is double to my promise provided that she thereupon releases the said Covenant and promise nothing thereby. Item I give unto my said Dear wife the one moiety of my Plate and other household stuff and utensils of Household. The other moiety except what is herein after bequeathed [particularly] I Give to my Dear Sisters Mrs. Elizabeth Crossing Mistress Dorothy Lovring and to my Nephew Mr. John Martin to be equally divided between them. Item I give to my Dear and honoured father in Law Sir Thomas Dacres of Cheshunt in the County of Hertford Knight my best Bason and Ewer gilt humbly desiring him to keep it and when he dies to leave it to my Brother Dacres and to his Heirs in memory of that true love and honour which I bear to that family. Item I Give to my Father in Law John Gurden Esq. and to my loving Brother John Hale Esq. Thomas Dacres Esq. Robert Gurden Esq. Master John Martin Master Richard Crossing Master John Lovering Master Joseph Jackson and to my Loving friends Master Robert Aldworth Master Edward Watts Master Richard Sherbrooke each of them a Ring of 40 Shillings to wear in remembrance of me. Item I give and bequeath my term and Estate of and in the Manor of Allford in the County of Somerset with the Appurtenances to my said loving Sisters Mistress Elizabeth Crossing and Mrs. Dorothy Lovering and to my Nephew John Martin equally to be divided betwixt them and my will is that my Brother in Law Thomas Dacres of Cheshunt in the County of Hertford Esq. do convey the Inheritance of the said Manor accordingly. Item I Give a rent charge of £50 a Year per annum forever clear of all Charges to be issuing and payable out of my Rectory of Fremington in the County of Devon unto Mr. John Martin the elder Mr. Richard Crossing and Mr. John Lovering the elder and their Heirs earnestly desiring them and the survivors and survivor of them to cause them to be settled by good advice of Counsel for the use of a Lecturer within the Parish of Fremington for ever. Item my will and meaning is and I do hereby give and bequeath to the Incumbent of the Church of Ilforcombe the sum of £50 per annum to continue so long as my Estate in the said Rectory shall last. Item I Give to Master Martin Blacket late Vicar of the Town of Barnstaple Forty shillings. Item I Give to [2] my loving friends Master Edmund Calamy Master Walton Master Case and Master Bates Three pounds a piece. Also I Give and bequeath unto the College in New England towards the maintenance of Scholars there the Yearly sum of £10 to be forever issuing and going forth out of my said Rectory of Fremington in the County of Devon. Also I Give and bequeath unto the Trustees for the maintenance of select Scholars at the University according to the model drawn up by Master Pool and other Godly ministers the like yearly sum of £10 to be forever issuing out of my said Rectory of Fremington. Also I Give and devise unto my said Dear wife Judith my mansion and Dwellinghouse in Barnstaple aforesaid built by my Grandfather to hold during the term of her natural life. Item I Give to my Cousin Dorothy Watts the wife of Master Edward Watts the sum of £10. Also I Give unto Sarah Walker Daughter of Thomas Walker Minister of Assington in the County of Suffolk the sum of £40 to be paid unto her at her age of one and twenty Years or day of marriage which shall first happen and in the mean time the profits thereof to be allowed her by her said Father towards her maintenance. Also I Give unto my worthy Friend and Cousin Roger Hill one of the Barons of the Exchequer forty shillings for rings. Also I Give unto my servant Phillip Atkins £10 and to his wife £5, To my servant Elizabeth May £5, To my servant Hugh Rowcliffe £20, To my servant Abigail Walker £5, To my servant Hannah Rowlins £3, To my servant Anthony Jennings £5, To my servant Humphy Bayle forty shillings and to my servant Henry Jesse forty shillings. Also I leave the disposition of my Library of books to Judith my said Dear Wife whom I make and ordain sole Executrix of this my last Will and Testament not doubting of her care in the due executing thereof according to my intent therein. Also I Give and devise to my said Brother John Hale Esq. my manor of Abbotsbury in Pombury in the County of Somerset and to the Heirs of his Body lawfully begotten and for default of such issue to my own right Heirs forever. Also I Give to my Good friend and physician Doctor Muckthwayle the sum of £5 and to Master Green the Apothecary forty shillings. Also I Give to my Cousin John Dodderidge Minister of Shepperton in the County of Middlesex the sum of £10 and to my loving friend Ma[s]ter Robert Blaney forty shillings for a ring and to my niece Jane Martin the sum of £10 and in Testimony that this is my last will and Testament containing two sheets of paper I have to both the said sheets put my hand and seal this Twentieth day of January in the Year of our Lord 1658.

    John Dodderidge

    Signed Sealed and published to be the last will and Testament of the above named John Dodderidge in the presence of Roger Mill Robert Blaney James Gurdon Edward Watts and Robert Blaney Junior.

    This will was proved at London the Twentieth day of the month of June in the Year of our Lord God 1659 before the Judges for probate of wills and granting Administration lawfully authorized by the Oath of Judith Dodderidge the Relict Nole and only executrix named in the above written last will and Testament of the deceased to whom Administration of all and singular the Goods Chattles and Debts of the said Deceased was granted and committed she being first legally sworn truely and faithfully to administer the same.

    380 Pell

    Southwaite Farrant Register

    Deputa Dassumpt

    Wills, Gifts and Grants, p. 53; this is an eighteenth-century copy. For John Doddridge’s gift see Morison, Seventeenth Century ii. 382–383. See No. 199 and subsequent items for efforts to collect this bequest in the 1720s.