Nat Gould

Will Of Ann Eld 1769

Will of Ann Eld 1769 [[Widow of Francis Eld 1691-1760]

I Ann Eld of Bedford Row in the County of Middlesex Widow do make this my last Will and Testament [[in] the manner following In the first place I will and direct that all my just debts shall in the first place be fully paid and satisfied by my Executors hereinafter named and I desire to be buried in the Chancel belonging to the Parish Church of Longdon in the County of Stafford as near the Remains of my own Family as conveniently I can and that a small Vault be built in the said Chancel for that purpose at the Discretion of my said Executors and I desire that my Funeral may be performed in a decent Private manner and that my Body may be carried down to Longdon in an Hearse with a mourning Coach and to be attended by my own Servants and I direct that my Executors shall cause a Monument to be erected in the said Chancel with such Inscription thereon as my said Executors shall think proper and decent relating to myself and for preserving the Memory of my dear Father and Mother my Brother Edmund Arblaster and my two Sisters and Aunts who lye Intered there the Expence of which Monument I direct shall not exceed the Sum of One Hundred Pounds I give the Sum of ten Pounds among the poor of the Parish of Seighford in the said County of Stafford where my late dear Husband is buried to be distributed at the discretion of the Minister of the said parish [[I give devise and bequeath unto Mrs. Frances Walhouse Wife of Moreton Walhouse of Houghton in the said County of Stafford Esquire and her Heirs for ever the Advowson Donation Right of Patronage and Presentation of and in the Parish Church of Cheadleton in the County of Stafford aforesaid deleted] And I also give and bequeath unto the said Mrs. Francis Walhouse all the Pictures of the Relations of my own Family I give and bequeath to my Nephew Edward Arblaster the two diamond Rings that were my Dear Mothers and the Sum of Fifty Pounds for Mourning I give and bequeath to my Aunt Littleton my two Silver Sauce Boats and to my Cousin Francis Littleton my diamond Ear-Rings and the Silver Coffee-Pot that was my Aunts Hodgetts I give and bequeath to my Brother John Eld the Picture of my dear Husband And I give to Mrs. Eld his Wife the five Diamond Roses that were some time since made out of three diamond Buckles I give to Miss Jane Eld daughter of my Cousin Thomas Eld Esquire my diamond Hoop Ring I give and bequeath to my Niece Elizabeth Ashby my twelve Silver Table Spoons Soup Spoon and set of tea Spoons and Tea Tongs and also two pair of my best Sheets and four pillow Bears I give to my said Cousin Thomas Eld my large Silver Waiter and to my said Nephew Francis Eld I give all the books which were bequeathed to me by the Will of my late dear Husband [[I give to my Friend Michael Robinson of Ringley in the said County of Stafford the Sum of ten Guineas and also my silver Cup and eight Silver Candlesticks and Extinguisher deleted] I give and bequeath unto my Godson James Walhouse Son of the said Mrs. Francis Walhouse my Silver Tea Kettle and Lamp and the Sum of Ten Guineas and I give my Gold Watch and Chain and Ornaments thereto belonging and also a pair of diamond Ear-ring Tops to my Cousin Mrs. Girdler Wife of Mr. Joseph Girdler Esquire I give to Mr. William Ayrey Clerk to my late dear Husband the Sum of ten Guineas to buy Rings for himself and Wife I give to Sir Thomas Parker Knight Lord Chief Baron of His Majesty’s Court of Exchequer Sir Edward Littleton Baronet and Fisher Littleton Esquire his Brother a Ring each which I desire they will accept as a token of my Friendship I give to Mr. Edward Woodstock one of my Executors hereinafter named the Sum of One hundred Guineas as an Acknowledgment for his Trouble in the Execution of this my Will And I also give to Mrs. Woodcock his Wife a Diamond Ring not exceeding the value of three Guineas as a Mark of the Regard and Esteem I have for her. I give to such Maid Servant as shall attend my Person at the Time of my death the Sum of twenty Pounds over and above what shall then be due to her for Wages and all my Wearing Apparel and a full suit of Mourning of all sorts And I give to such other Maid Servant as shall be living with me at my death the Sum of ten Pounds over and above her Wages and also a full Suit of Mourning and also to my Footman one Years Wages over and above what shall then be due to him and a suit of mourning and to my Coachman a suit of Mourning And to the rest and Residue of my Estate Real and Personal after Payment of all my Debts Legacies and Funeral Expences I give devise and bequeath the same to the said Mrs. Frances Walhouse her Heirs Executors and Administrators for ever And I do nominate constitute and Appoint the said Frances Walhouse and Edward Woodcock of Lincolns Inn in the County of Middlesex Esquire Executors of this my Will hereby revoking all former Wills by me heretofore made and declare this only to be my last Will and Testament In Witness whereof I have to this my last Will and Testament contained in Three Sheets of Paper to the first and second Sheets whereof I have set my Hand, and to this third and last my Hand and Seal and also my Seal upon the Ribbon that confines them together at the Top this twenty second day of March in the Year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and sixty nine Ann Eld Signed Sealed Published and Declared by the said Testator as and for her last Will and Testament in the Presence of us who in her Presence and in the Presence of each other have subscribed our Names as Witnesses thereto The Legacy to Michael Robinson being first struck out Edward Bonham Edward Humphreys William Humphreys

[[First Codicil]

I the under written Ann Eld desire this Paper Writing may be accepted as a Codicil to my Will I give to my Nephew Francis Waldron one Pair of Silver Saults And I give to Mrs. Peak Widdow at St. Thomas One pair of Silver Saults and five Pounds I give to my Servant Harrison twenty pounds and the Feather Bed and Boulster, Curtains Bedstead of the Yellow Bed in the back Room two pair Stairs I give her two pair of Sheets two Pillow bears and Pillows two Chairs I give to Mrs. Mary Deakin five Pounds the Goods that must be parted with I desire may not be sold by Auction in my House but parted with to a broker in Witness I desire to be buried whereof I hereto set my Hand in a lead Coffin Ann Eld July 11th. 1769 Witness Philip Hanson Elizabeth Baker

And my Will is in Case my Health or Understanding should be impaired that I cannot Manage the Affairs of my Family and Housekeeping which I desire may be continued in the same manner it now is now at present Excepting keeping my Coach Ann Eld
July 11th. 1769

[[Second Codicil]

I the under written Ann Eld desire this Paper writing may be accepted as a Codicil to my Will I give to my Cousin Thomas Eld and his Wife each ten guineas and to Mrs. Eld my Cousin Eld’s Wife I give my Silver Cup I give ten Pounds to the poor of the Parish of Longdon to be given by the Clergymen and Church wardens soon after my Decease I likewise give half Guinea a piece to the Poor men at Longdon that carry me to the grave In Witness I hereto set my Hand Ann Eld September 4th. 1770

[[Third Codicil]

I give one pair of Silver Candlesticks to my Nephew Arblaster and I do reverse the Article in my Will whereby I give to Mrs. Walhouse the Advowson Donation Right of Patronage and Presentation of and in the Parish Church of Cheadleton in the County of Stafford and to Mrs Ford her Sister I give five Pounds In Witness I have set my Hand Ann Eld November 6th. 1770. Witness my Hand Susannah Harrison

[[Memorandum to Third Codicil]

I desire my Debts and Legacies may be paid a Month after my Decease or soon after.

[[Fourth Codicil]

I give to Major Ashby and to Mrs. Ashby Each a Ring I give a Ring to Mrs. Price and to Mrs. Fothergill I give a Ring to my Brother and Sister Eld and Family Rings And I give a Ring to Doctor Stebing and a ring to Mrs. Stebing

[[Affidavit] 3rd. February 1772

On which day appeared John Ingledew of the Parish of Saint George the Martyr in the County of Middlesex Fruiterer and Elizabeth Baker of the Parish of Saint Andrew Holborn in the County of Middlesex Spinster and by Virtue of their Corporate Oaths deposed as follows to wit that they were well acquainted with Ann Eld late of the Parish of Saint Andrew Holborn aforesaid Widow deceased and have often seen her write and write and subscribe her name whereby they and each of them became well acquainted with her manner and character of Hand writing and subscription and having now carefully viewed and perused the Paper Writing hereunto annexed purporting to be the 2nd. 3rd. and 4th. Codicils to the last Will and Testament of the said deceased the second Codicil beginning thus – I the Under written Ann Eld desire this paper writing may be accepted as a Codicil to my Will & ending thus – In Witness I hereto set my Hand and – and thus subscribed Ann Eld September 4th. 1770 The third Codicil beginning thus – I give one Pair of Silver Candlesticks to my Nephew Arblaster – and ending thus – In Witness I hereto set my Hand and thus subscribed Ann Eld November 6th. 1770 and the memorandum following wrote underneath the said Codicil I desire my Debts and Legacies be paid a Month after my Decease or soon after and the fourth Codicil beginning thus - I give to Major Ashby and Elizabeth Ashby each a Ring and ending thus – and a Ring to Mrs. Stebing do say that they verily and in their Consciences believe the said three Codicils beginning ending and subscribed as aforesaid and the whole Series thereof and the Memorandum wrote underneath the said third Codicil to be totally wrote and Subscribed by and with the Proper Hand writing of her the said Ann Eld Widow Deceased John Ingledew Elizabeth Baker Same day the said John Ingledew and Elizabeth Baker Spinster were sworn to the truth of this affidavit Before me Jas. Simpson Surrogate Present John Clarke Not[[ary] Pub[lic].

[[Probate]

This Will was proved at London with four Codicils the sixth day of February in the Year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and seventy two before the Worshipful George Hay also Doctor of Laws and Surrogate Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the Oath of Edward Woodcock Esquire one of the Executors named in the Will to whom Administration was granted of all and singular the Goods Chattles and Credits of the said deceased He having been first sworn duly to Administer Power reserved of making the like Grant to Frances Walhouse Wife of Moreton Walhouse Esquire the other Executor named in the said Will when she shall apply for the same. Ex[[amine]d.