Will of John Deverell of Swanbourne, yeoman, 1704 (proved 1705)

Centre for Bucks Studies

In the Name of God Amen I John Deverell of Swanburne in the County of Bucks yeoman being weak in body but of perfect minde & memory thankes be to God for the same But knoweing \that/ it is appointed for all men once to dye and not knowing how short my life may be (in) this transitory world & being willing to sett my

[p.2] house in order while it hath pleased God to give me time & space Doe make this my will & Testament in manner & forme following First & principally I com(m)end my soule into the hands of Almighty God whoe gave it mee in hopes to be saved only by the merritts of my onely Lord & Saviour Jesus Christ And my body I doe co(m)mitt to the earth to be buryed in such a decent manner as my Executor hereafter nominated & appointed shall thinke fitting And as for such worldly Goods & Inheritance as it hath pleased God of his Infinite mercy \to bestow upon me/ I doe give grant & devise of as followeth Imprimis I doe give unto my sonne John all my Estate at Granborow & Winslow when he comes to the age of Twenty one yeares And to my sonne George I doe give all my estate in Swanburne when he cometh to the age of Twenty one yeares Item I give \un/to my daughter \Zillpa/ Deverell the sume of Five hundred pounds when shee comes to the age of Twenty Foure yeares if shee shall please her mother in her marriage if her mother shall be then liveing and if her mother shall be then Liveing and shee shall match contrary to her minde then my daughter Zillpa shall have noething Item I doe give unto my sonne William the sume of Foure hundred pounds to bee paid to \him at the age of one & twenty yeares two hundred to be paid him by my son J(oh)n Deverill & two hundred to be/ paid him by my sonne George Deverill when he comes to the age of one & twenty yeares as aforesaid And it is my will & pleasure that if my wife shall depart this life before my sonne William shall be capeable to looke after himselfe or bee at the age of one & twenty yeares then my sonne John shall take care of him & put him to a Trade And my will & pleasure is that what my stock & ready money will not amount towards the makeing upp of my daughter Zillpas Five hundred pound then my Sonne John shall make it up out of the Estate given him above mentioned And all the rest of my moneys goods & chattells I give unto my wife Mary Deverill that now is whom I constitute & appointe to be my full & whole Executor of this my last Will & Testament revokeing & making voide all

[p.3] other wills or Testaments or Executors \before/ by me heretofore whe[never?] made nominated & appointed And doe nominate & appointe this to be my last will and Testament In wittnesse whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seale the eighteenth day of November in the Fourth yeare of the Reigne of our Sovereign Lady Ann by the grace of God of England Scottland France & Ireland Queen Defender of the Faith And in the yeare of our Lord God according to the Church of England 1704 my Son John & my Son John [sic] shall pay my Sonne William Two hundred pound a peice at the Age of one & Twenty yeares out of their Estate as above mentioned

John Deverell

Sealed & delivered published & declared in the presence of us
the marke of Thomas Henly Sen(ior)
Thomas Henly Jun(ior)
Richard Ginger

[Probate 3 May 1705 at the court of the Archdeacon of Bucks to Mary Deverell widow of the deceased and executrix]

Notes

John Deverell was buried at Swanbourne on 21 Jan 1704/5. His wife Mary was the daughter of William Wyatt of Shipton (d.1696). The children mentioned in the will were baptised at Swanbourne (NB there were several John Deverells there at the same time):

Copyright 29 January, 2018