Will of William Bence the elder, wheelwright, 1720 (proved 1722)

Herts RO 159AW3

In the Name of God Amen I William Bence the Elder of Winslow in the County of Bucks Wheelwright being infirme but of sound minde praysed be Almighty God for the same and considering the Certainty of Death and the uncertain time thereof doe make and ordeyne this my Last Will and Testament in Manner followeing  First and principally I Comend my Soul to Almighty God who gave it Trusting assuredly to receive Forgivenesse of all my sinns through the Merritts and Satisfaction of Jesus Christ my Saviour and Redeemer My Body I Comitt to the earth to be Decently buryed att the Discretion of my Executrix herein after named  And as for such Temporall Estate as it hath pleased Almighty God to bestow upon me I Give and Bequeath the same as Followeth.

Imprimis I give unto William Bence my Eldest Sonn All my Wearing Apparrell and Tooles belonging to the Trade of a Wheelwright and all the Timber and Wood that shall be lying in and about My Outhouses Yards or Backside in Winslow aforesaid belonging to the trade of Wheelwright and all my Debts oweing to me from any person whatsoever for the businesse of my Trade Upon this Condic(i)on that he pay all my Debts for Timber and wood bought for the use of my Trade  And in Case he shall not accept thereof or shall refuse to give my Wife security by bond to my such Debts  Then I give the same Tooles Timber and Wood unto the said Alice my Wife for the purpose aforesaid  Item I give unto my kinde Friend Master John Markham of Little Horwood one pair of Gloves as a token of my respect to him  Item haveing made a surrender of All my Coppy hold Lands Tenements and Hereditaments held of the Mannor of Winslow cu(m)membris and All my Estate right Title Interest claime and demand whatsoever of in and to the same I give and bequeath unto Alice Bence my Wife and to her Heirs  All That Bay of building with the Leanto thereto belonging Fronting southward to the Com(m)on street there  And my will is that the Partition Wall thereof Southward shall soe remaine  Provided alwayes and my will is That the Heirs and Assigns of my said Wife shall permitt and suffer the said William Bence my sonn and Pricilla his wife after the Death of the said Alice my wife To Hold occupy and enjoy the said Bay and Leanto Dureing the Terme of their Naturall Lives and the life of the Longer liver of them  Or pay unto them or the survivour of them the yearely sum(m)e of Twenty Shillings by Quarterly payments the First payment to be made att the end of Three months from the time the said William Bence my son shall be disposs(ess)ed of the said premisses discharged of All payments and Taxes whatsoever and in six months after the Decease of the Survivour of them the said William Bence and Pricilla shall alsoe pay unto William Bence my Granson [sic] the sum(m)e of Twenty Pounds of Lawfull Brittish money  But in Case the Heirs and Assigns of the said Alice my wife shall neglect or refuse to permitt and suffer the said William Bence my sonn and Pricilla his wife To hold

[signed] W. Bens

[f.2] And occupy the said premisses for the Terme of their naturall lives and the Life of the longer of liver of them as aforesaid  Then I doe hereby bequeath the same premisses  To the use of the said William Bence my Sonn and Pricilla his Wife for the Terme of their naturall lives and the life of the Longer liver of them and after their sev(er)all deceases  If the Heirs and Assigns of the said Alice my Wife shall neglect or refuse to pay unto the said William Bence my Granson the said sum(m)e of Twenty pounds Then I Give and bequeath the same premisses to the use and Behoofe of the said William Bence my Granson and his Heirs for ever  Item I give and bequeath unto the said Alice Bence my Wife and her Heirs All other my Coppy hold Lands Tenements and Hereditaments held of the said Mannor  To the Use of her and her Heirs To the Intent and purpose she should hold and enjoy the same premisses during the Terme of her Naturall life paying the Interest duely of such Principall money as is charged thereupon from time to time untill the same premisses shall be sold  And to this further Intent that she the said Alice my Wife (if she shall thinck fitt) or her heirs shall sell and dispose of the same premisses for the best price that cann be gotten for the same and place out att Interest the money Ariseing  by such sale from time to time in the name of Thomas Foster of Winslow afores(ai)d  Tallo [sic] Chandler if he shall be then liveing and if not then liveing in the name of such person or persons as she shall thinck fitt  And that the said Alice shall receive the Interest and product thereof dureing her life \and after her Decease/ Then to the Intent and purpose That Thomas Bence my Sonn Ann Bence and Alice Bence my Daughters and their respective Representatives shall have receive and take to his her and their own Use and Uses all the said principall money (for which the said premisses shall be sold) soe placed out att Interest as aforesaid equally share and share alike  And in Case the said premisses shall not be sold in the life time of the said Alice my Wife  Then to the Intent and purpose that the Heirs of the said Alice my Wife untill sale of the said premisses shall permitt and suffer Thomas Bence my Sonn Ann Bence and Alice Bence my Daughters and their respective Representatives to have receive and take to his her and their own Use and Uses the Rents Issues and proffitts of the said premisses from time to time and after Sale thereof  Then upon this Further Trust that the Heirs of the said Alice my Wife shall pay unto the said Thomas Bence my Sonn and Ann Bence and Alice Bence my Daughters and their respective Representatives all the money ariseing by sale of the said premisses  And in Case the Heirs of the said Alice my Wife shall neglect or refuse to pay such money unto my said younger Sonn and the said Ann Bence and Alice Bence my Daughters and their respective Representatives  Then my Will is and I doe hereby bequeath the same premisses  And all my Estate Right Title Equity of Redemption  Claime and demand whatsoever of in

[signed] W. Bens

[f.3] And to the same unto the said Thomas Bence my Sonn Ann Bence and Alice Bence my Daughters and their respective Heirs Equally to be devided Between them  Provided Further That in Case my Wife shall thinck itt necessary to charge the said premisses or any part thereof with the further sum(m)e of Twenty Pounds or in Case she sells the same and shall have Ocasion \for/ Twenty pounds for her support and maintenance  Then my Will is that she shall deteyne the Sum(m)e of Twenty pounds out of the money she shall sell the same premisses for or charge the same with the further sum(m)e of Twenty pounds  And my Will Further is that all charges and Expences whatsoever in for or about the Execution defence or performance of any the Trusts herein before mentioned shall be paid and borne out of the money ariseing out of the proffitts of the said premisses till Sale thereof or out of the product of the money ariseing by Sale thereof  And I doe hereby give and bequeath unto Abigail Cooke and Ellen Bence my Daughters the sum(m)e of five pounds apiece to be paid them within Twelve months after the Death of my said Wife if they respectively or their respective Issue \shalbe/ then liveing  Item all the rest of my Goods and Chattells whatsoever and wheresoever I give and bequeath unto the said Alice my Wife whom I make sole Executrix of this my Last Will and Testament  And Lastly I doe hereby revoke all former Wills by me heretofore made and doe make declare this to be my Last Will and Testament  In Wittnesse whereof I have to this my Last will conteyned in Three Sheets of paper to each of them sett my hand and to the Last my seale this Seventh day of December in the Year of our Lord 1720.

[signed] W Bens

Signed Sealed published and Declared in the p(re)sence of us who have subscribed our names in the p(re)sence of the Testater
Tho(mas) Foster
James Budd
Nic(h)o(las) C(o)tton

[Latin] 17 May 1722 Alice Bens, widow, executrix named within, sworn before me, Samuel Spateman, surrogate,

Inventory of William Bence the elder, wheelwright, 1720/1

Herts RO A25/4693

25 Feb: 1720:1
A Inventary of the Goods and Chatels of William Bence the Elder Lately deseased
£
s
d
Itam His ware in aparil
1
0
0
in the kitchin: 2 tables stwols and Chars Brass and pewter and other Impliments of Hous hold stuf
1
5
6
in the paler a Cubard 3 Chears and a Baril
0
4
6
In the Roome over the kitchin 2 Bedsteds and bedin 2 Chestis with other Impliments of hous hold stuf
01
7
3
in the Roome over the paler a Chest a desk a Gine Chare with other Lumber
0
4
4
in the shop and yard Hubs spoks and feleys and tools
0
13
9

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4
15
4

made by us
Simon Hogson
W(illia)m Shelton Jun(ior)

Notes

William was baptised on 1 June 1650, the son of Thomas and Ellen Bence. He was buried on 9 Feb 1720/1. His wife Alice (b. 1656) was the daughter of William and Abigail Glenister. They had these children:

William gave evidence in 1720 in a case concerning the estate of Margaret Deverell of Swanbourne (National Archives, C11/421/7). He was said to be a wheelwright of Winslow aged 70. He said he had lived with her father William Deverell at Swanbourne as a servant 54 years ago.

feleys = felloe / felly: a curved piece in the circumference of a wheel