Will of Thomas Deely, bricklayer, 1714

This will was copied in full into the 1714 court roll, but is not recorded as having been proved at St Albans in the normal way

In the name of God Amen I Thomas Deely of Winslow in the County of Bucks Bricklayer being weake in body but of sound and perfect mind & memory praised be Almighty God therefore and calling to mind the certainty of Death and the uncertaine time thereof Doe this Eleventh Day of August Anno D(omi)ni 1714 Make and ordaine this my Last Will and Testament in manner and forme following (that is to say) First and principally I comend my Sole into the Hands of Almighty God my maker hopeing through the Merritts Death & Passion of Jesus Christ my Saviour to be made partaker of Everlasting life and my body I com(m)itt to the Earth to be decently buryed att the discretion of my Executors herein after named And as for such Temporall estate as it hath pleased Almighty God to bestow upon me I Give and dispose thereof as followeth  Impr(im)is I Give Will Devise and bequeath All and every my Coppyhold Mess(uag)es Lands Tenements and hereditaments whatsoever holden of the Mannor of Winslow cu(m) Membris in the County of Bucks with the appurtenances belonging to the same unto my Five Sonns John Deely Joseph Deely Mathew Deely Anthony Deely and Daniel Deely and their Heires In Trust to sell and dispose as Soon as conveniently they can at and for the best price they can get for the same And by and out of the money raised by Such Sale in the first place to pay and Satisfye Such of my just debts wh(i)ch I shall owe to any p(er)son or p(er)sons whatsoever at the time of my Decease as my Chattells and personall Estate herein after bequeathed unto the said Joseph Deely and Mathew Deely my Sonns for payment of my Debts & funerall expences will not pay and Satisfye And after all my debts & funeral expences Shall be paid and Satisfyed Then (in case the said John Deely Joseph Deely Mathew Deely Anthony Deely and Daniell Deely my Sonns Doe and Shall within One Month next after my Decease become bound unto Martha Deely my Wife in and by One Obliga(t)ion or writing Obligatory of the penalty of One Hundred pounds Condicon for the true payment of Five pounds per Ann(um) unto the said Martha Deely my Wife during the term of her Naturall life at four Quarterly payments in the year (that is to say) the Feast Day of St Michaell the Archangell St Thomas the Apostle the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St John the Baptist by even and equall porc(i)ons The first payment thereof to begin to be made at Such of the said Feasts as shall happen next after my Decease) to Divide Such overplus money as shall be and remaine in the hands of the said John Deely … and any or either of them Equally to and amongst them the said John Deely …  each of them equall Share thereof But in Case the said John Deely … my Sonns shall neglect or refuse to give my Wife Such Bond as aforesaid Then upon this Further Trust and Confidence in them the said John Deely Joseph Deely Mathew Deely Anthony Deely and Daniell Deely and their heirs reposed that they doe pay or cause to be paid such overplus money as shall be & remain in the hands of them the said John Deely Joseph Deely Mathew Deely Anthony Deely and Daniell Deely or any or either of them after my Debts Shall be paid and satisfied unto the said Martha Deely my Wife to doe with and dispose thereof at her Will and pleasure Item I give devise and bequeath unto the said Martha Deely my loving Wife All my Household goods and Implements of household to be delivered \unto/ her by my Executors herein after named within One Month \next/ after my Decease Item All the rest of my Chattells & P(er)sonall Estate whatsoever & wheresoever not herein before bequeathed  I Give Will Devise and Bequeath unto the said Joseph Deely and Mathew Deely my Sonns  In Trust to gett in such Debts as shall be due and Oweing to me at the time of my Decease And also to Sell and Dispose of such Stocke as I shall have by me at the time of my Decease so soon as conveniently they cann att and the best price they can gett for the Same and apply the money raised by Such Debts as shall be due and Oweing to me att the time of my Decease and Sale of my Stocke  (Except such part thereof as shall be disburst in Management of the Trust last men(t)ioned) towards the payment of my Just Debts and Funerall Expences  And I doe hereby make and ordaine the said Joseph Deely and Mathew Deely my Sonns my full & Sole Executors of this my last Will & Testament  And I doe hereby Revoke and make void All former Wills by me heretofore made and Doe declare this to be my Last Will & Testament In Witness whereof I have to this my last Will contained in Two sheets of pap(er) to the First sheet sett my hand And to the other my hand and Seale this Eleventh day of Aug(us)t Anno D(omi)ni 1714. Thomas Deely Signed Sealed Published & declared in the presence of us who have hereunto subscribed Our names as Witnesses in the presence of the Testator John Henley Tho(mas) Henley Peter Gouldsworth [remaining lines to bottom of page in Latin]

Notes

Thomas was the son of Thomas Deely (d.1687). He was born c.1650. He and his father became Baptists, and Thomas was buried at the Baptist Meeting House in 1714. His daughter Anne was bap. 4 Oct 1672, after which he probably joined the Baptists, unlike his brother Anthony whose children had Anglican baptisms. He carried on the family brickmaking business and supplied bricks for building Winslow Hall.

Thomas' house, which was in Sheep Street to the east of The Bell, was sold to William Lowndes in 1714, and demolished to improve the view from Winslow Hall. The Deelys sold their land, 4 acres in Hollow Furrow, to William Lowndes in 1716. Martha the widow was buried on 4 Feb 1716/17. Thomas' son Matthew (d.1761) stayed in Winslow. He and Daniel were among the new trustees of the Baptist Meeting House in 1722, and Matthew was still a trustee in 1747. Daniel was buried in 1741. Presumably the other brothers moved away from Winslow.