Will of Thomas Grimes of Steeple Claydon, yeoman, 1721 (proved 1723)

National Archives PROB 11/594/247

In the name of God Amen I Thomas Grimes of the parish of Steeple Claydon in the County of Bucks yeoman being Something Indisposed in body but of Sound and perfect mind and memory praised be Almighty God therefore and calling to mind the Certainty of death and the uncertain tyme thereof do this First day of December Anno Domini 1721 make and ordaine this my last will and Testament in manner and form following (that is to say) First and principally I commend my Soul into the hands of Allmighty God my Maker hopeing through the meritts death and passion of Jesus Christ my Saviour to be made partaker of everlasting life and my body I commit to the Earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my Executor hereinafter named and as for such Temporall Estate as it hath pleased Almighty God to bestow upon me I give and dispose thereof as followeth Imprimis I give will Devise and bequeath all those my three Closes of pasture and Meadow Ground in the parish of Steeple Claydon in the Said County of Bucks which I purchased of Mr. Joseph Churchill and the House and out houses lately built there upon \together/ with the Hedges Stiles Trees Mounds Fences Freeboards and Appurtenances thereto belonging (being all the lands and premises which I purchased of Mr. Joseph Churchill except for the little Meadow called Ox Close) unto Sarah Perkins my Daughter for and during the term of her Naturall life, and from and after her decease then to Grimes Perkins my Grandson and the heirs of his body lawfully begotten or to be begotten or for ever and for default of Such Issue to the Right Heirs of me the Said Thomas Grimes for ever Item I give . . . all that my Messuage or Tenement in . . . Steeple Claydon . . .  which is now in the Tenure or Occupation of John Norcott with the outhouses Barne Stable and Pott ash worke thereto belonging and also . . .  my three Closes or inclosed Grounds . . . containing by Estimation Forty Acres more or less lying and being on the South Side of the Said messuage . . . called . . . the Edom[?] crofts and now also [p.2] in the Tenure . . . of the Said John Norcott the Common Feild of Steeple Claydon lyeing on the East part thereof and the Common Feild of Charndon lying on the west part thereof together with all the Hedges . . . Common profitts thereto belonging or in anywise Appertaining unto Thomas Grimes my Grandson and his Heirs for ever providing allways and upon this Condition nevertheless that if the said Thomas Grimes and his Heirs doe and Shall out of the Same yearly and every year during the naturall life of John Seaton my Grandson well and truly pay or cause to be paid unto the said John Seaton . . .one Annuity or yearly Sume of five pounds of lawful money of Great Britain without any deduction or abatement for Taxes or otherwise howsoever by Quarterly payments the First payment to become due and payable three months next after my decease but if . . .Thomas Grimes . . . shall Neglect or refuse to pay . . . John Seaton the Said Annuity . . . or any part or parcell thereof in the manner aforesaid . . .  then I give . . . the least of the three Closes . . . unto . . .  John Seaton . . . for and during the Term of his naturall life and . . . after his decease unto  . . . Thomas Grimes . . .  Item I give unto my Trusty and well beloved Friends Richard Abell of the Inner Temple London Esquire and Thomas Busby of Addington of the said County of Bucks Doctor of Laws my other three Closes . . .in the parish of Steeple Claydon . . . in the Tenure of . . .  John Norcott together with all the Hedges . . . to hold to them and their Heirs untill Such time as John Grimes my Grandson . . . Shall attaine to the age of one and twenty years upon this Speciall Trust and Confidence in them reposed and to the Intent that they . . . Richard Abell and Thomas Busby . . . Shall and will during Such time receive and take the rent Issues and profitts thereof and apply So much thereof as Shall be needfull and necessary towards the Maintenance and Education of John Grimes . . .  and also out of the Same to pay . . . during So long time of the Said time as . . .  John Seaton shall happen to live unto . . . John Seaton one Annuity or yearly Sume of five pounds [previous conditions and payment schedule are repeated]. . .  and also pay . . . the overplus thereof which Shall not be disburst as aforesaid and which Shall be and remain in their hands (after they shall have deducted thereout to themselves what is reasonable for their Charges and Expences concerning the Management of the Trusts aforesaid) unto . . . John Grimes . . .at Such time as he shall have attained the . . .  age of one and twenty years then I give . . . the . . . last mentioned three Closes called Edom[?] Crofts . . . unto John Grimes . . . provided Allways . . .  [terms and conditions stated earlier stipulating Thomas Grimes’ obligation to John Seaton is repeated as being binding on John Grimes. In the event of default the legacy to pass to John Seaton for his lifetime before reverting back to John Grimes] . . but in case  . . . John Grimes shall depart this life before he shall attain the said age . . . the I give . . . the . . . last mentioned three Closes . . . unto . .  . Thomas Grimes . . . [terms and conditions of the John Seaton clause repeated again] Item I give . . . unto John Seaton . . . all [p.3] my wearing Apparell both Woollen and Linnen to be delivered unto him by my Executor hereinafter named within one month next after my death. Item I give unto . . . Sarah Perkins my Daughter my bedds Bedding and other goods in the Chambers over the Hall and parlour and also my Chest wherein her Mothers Cloaths lye and all that shall be in that Chest at the time of my Death to be delivered unto her by my Executor . . . within one month next after my death. Item I give . . .unto . . .  John Grimes the Sume of one hundred and Fifty pounds . . . to be paid unto him at Such time as he shall have attained the age on one and twenty years by my Executor . . . Item I give . . . unto Rodah Holton and Hester Grimes my Grandaughters Fifty pounds apiece . . . to be paid to them respectively as they shall Attaine the age of one and twenty years or within Six months next after my death which Shall last happen .  . . Item I give . . . all the rest of my Household goods unto my Grandchildren Thomas Grimes Rodah Holton Hester Grimes and John Grimes to be equally divided between them Share and Share alike. Item I give . . . unto Augustin Seaton and Hugh Seaton my Grandsons five pounds apiece . . . to be paid to them as they shall respectively Attaine the age of one and twenty years . . . . Item I give . . . unto my Kinswoman Rebeccah Goldsworth of Winslow the Sume of five and twenty pounds . .  . to be paid unto her her Executors or Administrators within Six months next after my death . . . . Item I give . . . unto the poor of the parish of Middle Claydon aforesaid the Sume of Forty Shillings . . . to be distributed between them by the Churchwardens of the Parish as they Shall See Occasion to be paid unto the Churchwardens for that purpose . .  within one month next after my Death. Item I give . . . unto . . .  Richard Abell and Thomas Busby and my Kinsman Peter Goldsworth of Winslow each of them a Guinea to buy them Rings to be paid . . . immediately after my Death. Item I give . . . all the rest of my goods Chattels and personal Estate whatsoever and wheresoever unto. . . Thomas Grimes . . . he paying my debts Legacies and Funerall Expences and I do hereby make constitute and Appoint Thomas Grimes my full and Sole Executor of this my last will and Testament. And Lastly I do hereby Revoke and make Void all former Wills by me heretofore made and do declare this to be my last will and testament in Witness whereof I have to this my will Conteyned in four Sheets of paper to the First Sheets Set my hand and to the last Sheet my hand and Seale this first day of December Anno Domini 1721 the mark of Thomas Grimes Signed Sealed published and declared in the presence of us who hereunto Subscribed our names as Witnesses in the presence of the Testator the marke of Martha Norcott  Tho: Jenkinson Tho: Miller

Probate at London 17 Dec 1723 on the oath of Thomas Grimes, executor.

Notes

Thomas Grimes owned 4 acres of copyhold land in Winslow which passed to his grandson Thomas Grimes (see 1724 manor court). He had acquired them from the Seatons (see 1717 manor court). Thomas the grandson sold them to John Goldsworth (see 1727 manor court).

The other Winslow connections were:

Copyright 12 May, 2020