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Will of Rebecca Gerard (nee Fige), 1662/3
National Archives PROB 11/312/30
In the name of God Amen
I Rebecca Gerard of Winslow in the county of Bucks widow being sick and weak in
body but of sound and perfect memory (praysed be God) doe make and declare
this my present my last will and testament in manner and forme following (That is to
say) First and principally I com(m)end my soule into the hands of God my creator expect-
ing my salvation onely in the meritts of Jesus Christ my body I com(m)itt to the earth to be
decently interred according to the discretion of my executor hereafter named And for all
such worldly goods and estate wherewith it shall please God to bless me at the time of
my decease I give devise and dispose thereof as followeth Imprimis I give and
bequeath unto the poore people of the parish of Winslow where I dwell the sume of Five
pounds of lawfull money of England to be disposed and distributed amongst them at
the tyme of my funerall as my Executor shall think fitt Item I give and bequeath
unto William Gerard the youngest sonne of my late husband John Gerard Clerk
deceased the sume of Fifty pounds of lawfull \English/ money being the legacy which was given
him by the last will and testament of his said father And Thirty pounds more of like
money which his part of his said Fathers goods came and amounted unto and Fifteene
pounds of like money over and abovethe sumes aforesaid And alsoe doe remitt and
[page 2]
Release unto the said William Gerard the sum(m)e of Six pounds and eight shillings
being so much \by me/ expended and laid forth for his use And alsoe I give and bequeath
unto the said William Gerard his fathers cloak and watch a silver spoone lynnen
stockings and other things which I shall put up and shall be left for him in the trunk
marked with M and V(?) together with the said trunk Item I give and bequeath unto the
other children of my late husband John Gerard Clerk John Francis Mary and Jane Tenne
pounds of lawfull English money a peece and unto Francis the sonne of the said Francis
Forty shillings of like money And alsoe I give unto my brother Peter Fyge and sister
Mary Egerton widow Tenn pounds of currant English money a pece Item I give and
bequeath unto Elizabeth Gill the daughter of my former husband John Brookes Clerk
deceased Five pounds of Currant English money And if she shall happen to dye before
the same shall be paid unto her my will and mind is that the same shall be paid and
devided to and amongst her children in such manner as my Executor shall think fitt
And my will and mind is that what Codecill or writing I shall hereafter subscribe
in the presence of one or more witnesses shall be annexed hereunto and \be/ taken as part
of this my last will and testament And that my Executor shall pay all and every the
Legacies therein mentoned to the severall persons to whom the same shalbe therein
respectively bequeathed And I doe hereby will and appoint that all and every the
legacies hereby given and bequeathed and hereafter by the said Codicill or writing
to be given or bequeathed shall be paid and delivered within six monthes next after
my decease All the rest and residue of my Goods chattells rights creditts and
personall estate whatsoever (after my debts and legacies shall be paid and funerall
expenses discharged) I give and bequeath unto my brother Valentine Fyge Cittizen
and Apothecary of London whom I doe hereby make and ordeyne the full and sole
Executor of this my last will and testament And doe hereby declare that all securities
for money which I have caused to be taken in his name are soe taken in his name and
made to him in trust onely to and for the performance of my last will and testament
In witnesse whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seale the six and twentieth
day of February in the yeare of our Lord God one thousand six hundred
sixty and two. Rebecca Gerard signed sealed and published in the presence of
Sam Bell Thomas Allin the marke of Thomas Glenister
The Codicill or writing mentoned in my last will and testament whereby I
give the severall legacies following unto the respective persons hereinafter named
vizt to my brother Valentines wife and my Cozen Lea Cresty Forty shillings a peece
To my Brother Valentines Foure sonnes twenty shillings a peece To my Cosen
Richard Carter twenty shillings and to his sonne George Forty shillings To my
Brother Peters two daughters Forty shillings a peece To Martha Smith the
sister of my late husband John Brookes Forty shillings To Mary Brookes his
daughter twenty shillings To my Cosin Elizabeth Lowndes and Mary Wood Forty
shillings a peece To my Cosens Mary Carter and Rebecca Hesy Forty shillings
a peece To my Cosens Robert Lownds and Thomas Carter twenty shillings a
peece To John Pownell Clerk viccar of the Parish of Winslow Forty shillings
To my cosens Elizabeth Lowndes and Mary Carter my weareing apparell my
Bedding and furniture about the Roome where I now lye to be devided betweene
them in such manner as I have formerly appointed. Rebecca Gerard sub-
scribed and published in the presence of Sam Bell the marke of Thomas Glenister
Thomas Allin
[Probate at London 7 Aug 1663 to Valentine Fige]
Notes
See the Fige family page for more information about Rebecca and her relatives. Her husband's will is below. "Cosin" seems to include nephew/niece. Richard Carter was married to Rebecca's niece Jane Egerton, but Rebecca's grandmother Jane was also a Carter. The Elizabeth and Robert Lowndes in the will were probably the daughter and son of Frances Wendover, Rebecca's first cousin on her mother's side, and William Lowndes (m.1612). William Gerard, Rebecca's stepson, b.1642, graduated from Oxford and became rector of Aston Clinton, then of Westwell, Oxon., where he d.1706.
The will of Rebecca's second husband is given below. She was his second wife, and he was the executor of his brother Richard Gerard of Dunton, but apparently did not have much property of his own to leave. He was apparently a strong Puritan.
Will of John Gerard of Drayton Beauchamp, clerk, 1649 (proved 1650)
National Archives PROB 11/214/214
In the name of God the father sonne and Holy Ghost one god blessed for evermore I John Gerard of Drayton Beacham in the County of Buckingham Clarke in perfect memory and in comfortable use of my intellectualls (God be praysed) being well assured of the frailty of our comen nature And conscious to my selfe of my own debiltie and weaknes of body to the honor and praise of Almighty god to my owne satisfaction and contentment and for the good of them whom it may concerne Doe make this my last will and testament in manner and forme following First in all possible thankfullness to him who made it through faith in his name (whose I am) and whom I serve with my most humble desire to be accepted of him through the tender mercye of the same god. And through the pretious merritte and mediation of his sonne Jesus Christ And through the gratious and powerfull assistance of the holy Ghost the Comforter I give and bequeath my soule into the hands of the same god blessed forever that made me and it That Redeemed me and susteynd me by his [....] through a lively hope in him And my body to the grave to be decently interred at the discretion of my Executors hereafter menc(i)oned in full hope of the pardon of all [p.2] my sinns and of the Resurrection to life againe at the last day And that this corruptible body of myne shall put in incorruption this mortal shall putt on im(m)ortalitie in such hope of obteyneing of an inheritance incorruptible purchased for me in the heavens in which faith and blessed hope I am fully persuaded that he which made me will preserve and keepe me unto my end and in my end. Item I devise and bequeath unto my deare and welbeloved wife Rebecca Gerard the full su(m)me of fifty pounds ster to be paid within one yeare after my decease Item I doe give and bequeath as Executor to my Brother Richard Gerard deceased unto my daughter Mary the full su(m)me of one hundred pounds ster [Similar legacies of fifty pounds each are given as his brother’s executor to his other children – John, Francis, Dorothy, Jane, Elizabeth and William] All which said Legacies so given and bequeathed to be paid respectively to every one of them at their and every one of their attaineing the age of one and twenty yeares of age or sooner at the discretion of my executors The residue of my goods I doe give ad bequeath One third part to my dear and welbeloved wife Rebecca Gerard and the other two parts to be devided in equall porc(i)ons amongst all of my above named children And if it shall happen after my decease that any of my said Children shall dye before they come to the age of one and twenty years or at or before or any of them have not received their said Legacies by the discretion of my executors as aforesaid That then my will is That my said Executors shall distribute and pay the said Legacie or Legacies in equall porc(i)ons to the rest of the Survivors of them Item I give and bequeath twenty shillings to the poore of the parish of Drayton Beacham which are most needy and best deserving to be paid at the discretion of my executors within two months after my decease Item I give and bequeath to my executors hereafter menc(i)oned each of them the full su(m)me of forty shillings. And it is my will that my funeral charges shall be first paid and discharged out of the estate I shall die seized of And I doe herby nominate appoint and make executors of this my last will and testament my welbeloved brother Sir Gilbert Gerard barronett my welbeloved brother William Gerard of Aston Clinton Clerke my welbeloved brother Henry Vintner of Westonturvil Clerke and my welbeloved brother George Symcotte Cittizen and Grocer of London to see this my last will and testament to be truly observed and performed In Witness hereof I have hereunto putt to my hand and seale this first of December Anno Dmi 1649 Signed and sealed in the presence of Robert Cabcott [signature] Tho : Fyge [signature] William Montagu his marke
[Latin] 7 Nov 1650: commission sent out to Rebecca Gerard the widow to administer after the executors named in the will renounced execution.