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Will of Anthony Dodsworth of Whaddon Park, gentleman, 1640 (proved 1641)
National Archives PROB 11/187/63
In the name of God Amen the seaventh day of May in the yeare of our Lord God one thowsand six hundred and fortie, I Anthonie Dodsworth of Whadden Parke in the Countie of Bucks and Dioces of Lincolne gent beinge weake of bodie but of good and perfect remembrance: thankes bee to God doe make this my last will and testament as followeth, First I com(m)end my sowle into the hands of Jesus Christ by whose mercie and precious death I assure my selfe of everlasting life, And I will that my bodie bee buried as becometh a christian and my worldlie goods I dispose as followeth Imprimis I give to the poore people of Whadden and Nash five pownds to bee distributed amongest them at my buriall by the appointement of my executors Item to Edward Lamb(er)t my nephew I give twentie pownds, Item to my Sister Elizabeth Dodsworth I give twentie shillinges. Item I give unto my grandchild William Maine of Hogston in the Countie of Buck gent being my godsonne twentie pownds together with the use and profitt of the same: to bee paid unto him when hee shall accomplishe the age of one and twentie yeares, Item I give unto James Kiplinge my nephew five pownds, and unto Francis his wife I give twentie shillinges, Item I give unto Elizabeth the wife of Henry Dodsworth twentie shillinges, And I give unto the said Henry her husband twentie nobles which is due to mee by anuitie from Mr Henry Smith of Durham, and if it shall happen that there became more due to mee of the said anuitie at the tyme of my death I doe give it alsoe to my aforesaid nephew Henry Dodsworth, Item I give unto Ann the wife of John Cartwrite of Beachampton fiftie shillinges, Item I give unto Thomas Maior of Preston Bisset my brother in lawe fiftie shillinges, Item I give unto John Skynner of Thornton my kinsman fiftie shillinges, Item I give unto Henry Eston of Maidsmorton my nephewe twentie shillinges, Item I give unto Elner my now loveinge wife five pounds, Item to my daughter Susanna Mayne I give tenn shillinges, Item Item [sic] I give unto Francis Dodsworth my nephewe my lease of Whadden Parke, and \all/ other leases that I hold of the right Noble the Earle of Antrim and of his right noble wife the Ladie Duches of Buckingham during the whole time which I have yet to come uppon the condic(i)ons following (viz) the said Francis shall well and sufficientlie maintayne my fower younger daughters, with meate drinck apparell fireings lodginge washing attendance and educac(i)on fitting their quallitie and ranke during the whole tyme that they shall live unmarried, But if the said Francis and my fower daughters shall dislike to live together in my now dwelling howse at Whadden Parke according as heretofore my children have done with mee, which is the true meaneinge of this my will, Then the said Francis shall pay yearely unto everie one of them fifteene pownds a yeare soe long as shee liveth unmarried, And after anie one of them is married Then shee that is married to have her porc(i)on and the fifteene pownds a yeare or dyett maintenance and educac(i)on before named to cease, and in lewe thereof the said Francis to pay unto all my five daughters onelie tenn pownds a yeare (viz) to everie one of them fortie shillinges a yeare, And soe in like manner after the marriage of everie one during the whole tenure of my aforenamed lease of Whaddon Parke, Item I give unto all my fower younger daughters aforesaid that is to say to Elizabeth Judith Anne and Hester twoe thousand pownds (viz) to everie one of them five hundred pownds a peece, to bee paid to everie one of them as soone as shee shall accomplishe the full age of one and twenty yeares together with the use of the sum(m)e or before whensoever my executors and freinds whome I put in trust in this my last will shall thincke fitt to dispose of them in marriage, And if the Inventory of my goods doe amount to above twoe thowsand pownds, my other legacies debts, funerall expences and leases aforesaid excepted Then the overplus to bee equallie devided amonge all my five daughters, And if anie of my said daughters departe this life before shee bee married or come to the age of one and twentie yeares then her legacie shalbee equallie devided amongest my other daughters then liveinge And my will is that when any of my daughters doe marrie a proviso shalbee made that if shee dye within three yeares after her day of marriage and leave not yssue liveinge then three hundred pownds of her porc(i)on to bee restored backe to bee devided amonge my daughters then liveinge And if anie of my said daughters doe marry with anie of my brothers or sisters sonne or with their mothers brothers or sisters sonn or without the consent of the overseer and executors of this my last will and testament or the maior parte of them, then that daughter soe marryeinge shall have onelie one hundred pownds for her porc(i)on and noe more, And the residue of that shee should have had shalbee equally devided amongest the rest of my daughters then liveinge And I intreate my much honoured and worthy good friend Sir Edmund Verney Knightmarshall of the Kings Ma(jes)ties household to bee overseer of this my last will and testament to whome I give the best horse or gelding that I have att the time of my death, Item I doe give to John Eston of Maidesmorton my brother in law to William Mayne of Hogston my sonne in lawe and to my nephew Francis Dodsworth aforenamed five pownds a peece, And I doe ordaine and make them three executors of this my last will and testament sealed with my seale and subscribed with my owne hand well knowne to manie the day and yeare first aforenamed in the p(re)sence of Thomas Maior Edward Lambart Anthony Dodsworth.
[oral codicil] Whereas Anthonie Dodsworth of Whadden Parke in the Countie of Bucks gent by his last will and testament beareinge date the seaventh day of May one thowsand six hundred and fortie did amongest other thinges therein conteyned declare his will and mind to bee that if anie of his daughters should happen to marry with anie of his brothers or sisters sonne or with their mothers brothers or sisters sonn, then that daughter soe marryeinge should have onely one hundred pownds for her porc(i)on and noe more as by the said will appeareth, Since which time hee the said testato(r) beinge of perfect mynde and memorie did in the p(re)sence of credible wittnesses manie and sundree tymes declare his will mind and meaninge to bee therein altered in that particuler only and that parte or clause in his said will to bee void, And aboute Easter one thowsand six hundred and forty one last past consented and agreed to a marriage to bee had and solemnized betweeene Francis Dodsworth gent his brothers sonne; and Elizabeth Dodsworth his second daughter, and promised in marriage with her five hundred pownds and an equall proporc(i)on with the rest of his daughters at the time of his death the said five hundred pownds being to bee accounted in the estate, And the said marriage was accordinglie solemnized to the greate content and good likeinge of the said testator whoe after the said marriage sundrie tymes expressed himselfe touching his intenc(i)on in manner as is above expressed in the presence of credible wittnesses. John Eston Edward Lambart
[Probate at London 20 Aug 1641 on the oaths of William Mayne and Francis Dodsworth, John Eston having renounced executorship.]
Notes
Anthony Dodsworth was connected to several prominent North Bucks families. His nephew Francis had a chequered relationship with the 2nd Duke of Buckingham, leased the manor of Winslow from him at one stage, and was involved in law suits against him. See his will.
Anthony Dodsworth may be the man of that name who was put in charge of the king's buckhounds in Feb 1634/5, receiving £100 p.a. and another £100 to keep "16 Coupple of Buckhoundes for his Ma(jesty')s service" (National Archives, SO 3/11).