Will of Martha Norman, widow, 1742 (proved 1742/3)

National Archives, PROB 11/723/119

[some of the repetitive phrases have been omitted]

In the name of God Amen I Martha Norman of Winslowe in  the County of Bucks Widow being weak in Body but of sound and perfect Mind and Memory praised be God therefore And considering the Certainty of Death and the uncertain time thereof Do make and Ordain this my last Will and Testament in  manner following First and Principally I commend my Soul into the hands of Almighty God who gave it trusting through the Meritts and Intercession of Jesus Christ my Saviour to be made Partaker of Everlasting life  And my Body I Commit to the Earth to be decently buryed at the Discretion  of my Executor herein after named  And as for such Worldly Estate as it hath pleased God to bless me with I give and dispose thereof as followeth First I give and bequeath unto Samuel Norman my Grandson the sum of One Hundred and twenty pounds of Lawfull money of Great Britain to be payd unto him by my Executor ... within six Months next after my death  Also I give ... unto Mary Norman my Grand Daughter the sum of One Hundred pounds ... Also I give and bequeath unto ... Mary Norman ... my Gold Chain and two Silver Salts One Silver tankard One Silver Cup and two Silver Spoons to be delivered unto her by my Executor ... within One  Month next after my Death Also I give and bequeath unto my Brother Daniel Gyles the twenty pounds and Interest which he owes me upon Bond And I do direct that my Executor ... shall within One month next after my Death give and deliver up unto ... Daniel Gyles ... the said Bond to be Cancelled Also I give ... unto ... Daniel Gyles ... one of my Black  Mourning rings ... Also I give and bequeath unto my Kinsman Daniel Gyles the Son of my Kinsman William Gyles of Torcester and unto Daniel Gyles and Mary Gyles the Children of my Kinsman Daniel Gyles and unto my Kinsman Samuel Homes the Sum of Five pounds each ... to be paid unto them as they shall respectively attain the Age of One and twenty years by my Executor ... But in case any or either of them shall happen to depart this Life before his her or their Legacy or Legacys shall become due and payable Then I give and bequeath the Legacy ... of him her or them so dying unto my Executor ... Also I give and bequeath unto Matthew Hicks and Elizabeth Hicks the Children of John Hicks of

[p.2] Winslowe Malster the sum of Five pounds Each ... to be payd unto them as they shall respectively attain the Age of One and twenty years ... by my Executor ... But in case Matthew Hicks and Elizabeth Hicks or either of them shall happen to depart this Life ... Then and in such case I give and bequeath the Legacy ... of him her or them so dying unto ... John Hicks their Father  to be payd unto him by my Executor ... within One Month next after the Death of him her or them so dying  Also I give and bequeath unto my Kinswoman Sarah Gyles the Wife of my Kinsman William Gyles of Torcester my best Fann studded with Gold ... Also I give ... unto my Kinsman Samuel Gyles Son of my Brother Daniel Gyles One Enamelled Ring and One large Silver Spoon and unto Brid<g>et Gyles the Wife of ... Samuel Gyles ... one other Enamelled Ring ... Also I give ... unto my Kinswoman Sarah Foster the Wife of Mr Thomas Foster of Winslow Tallow Chandler One Suit of pinners and a Handkerchief with Brussells Lace ... Also I give ... unto my Kinswoman Mary Homes One of my Mourning Rings which is Enamelled with Black ... Also I give ... unto my Kinswoman Elizabeth Collins the Wife of Francis Collins of Winslowe aforesaid Shopkeeper my Gray and White Gown One White Enamelled ring and my Hanging Press which stands in the best chamber ... Also I give ... unto my Kinswoman Mary Williams One Black Hood five Shifts two Aprons one Muslin Single Handkerchief and one Double one and a Suit of Pinners laced with an Edging about a Fingers Breadth ... Also I give ... unto my Kinsman Thomas Aldridge the sum of Twenty Pounds ... to be payd unto him by my Executor ... at such time as my ... Executor shall receive the Seventy pounds and Interest which is due to me from Thomas Aldridge his late Father deceased  Also I give ... unto my Kinsman William Aldridge ... the Sum of twenty pounds ... to be payd unto him by my Executor ... at such time as ... William Aldridge shall have attained the age of One and twenty years or at such time as my Executor shall have received the Seventy pounds and Interest which is due to me from Thomas Aldridge his late Father Deceased  which shall last happen  Also I give ... unto Hannah Deely the Wife of Mathew Deely of Winslowe aforesaid Bricklayer my Brown Cloak laced with silk ...

[p.3] ... Also I give ... unto Mary Stevens the Wife of Ralph Stevens of North Marston One of my Black Silk Gowns and the Pettycoat belonging to it And unto Mary Stevens the Daughter of ... Ralph Stevens my other Black Silk Gown and the Pettycoat belonging to it ... Also I give unto ... Thomas Foster of Winslowe ... Tallow Chandler my Kinsman One of my Black Mourning Rings ... Also I give ... unto Mrs Jane Worrall my Kinswoman one of my Small Rings and my long Red Cloak ... Also I give ... unto Ruth Britten the Wife of John Britten my Short Red Cloak ... Also I give ... unto  Mrs Emme Turner the Wife of Mr Joseph Turner of Winslowe my Stript Cotton Gown ... Also I give ... unto Mr Daniel Beck of Amersham Mr John Bedicure of the Parish of Dinton and Mr James Hall of Tingwick ten pounds Each ... to be payd to them at the End of Six Months next after my death ... Also I give ... unto Anne Chennells Widow who was formerly a Servant to me and unto Katherine Dorton my Maid Servant the Sum of ten pounds Each ... to be payd to them ...  at the End of Six Months next after my death ... Also I give ... unto Anne Chennells Widow my Black Quilted Pettycoat Lined with Black my Quilted Holland Pettycoat my Dimothy under Pettycoat two Shifts One Holland Apron One Muslin Apron One pair of plain Pinners One Pair of Ruffles One Handkerchief One other Pair of Pinners with a Narrow Edging and one other Pair of Pinners with a Broad Lace to be delivered unto her within One Month next after my Death  Also I give ... unto ... Katherine Dorton ... One White Silk Short Apron One Green Silk Short Apron And also all my Pettycoat Shifts Wastcoats Aprons Night Capps White Hoods and Handkerchiefs not herein before bequeathed ... Also I give ... unto William Norman my Son All and every my Messuages Closes Lands and Tenements whatsoever and wheresoever To hold to him the said William Norman my Son and his Heirs and Assigns for ever Also I give ... unto ... William Norman ... All and every my Goods Chattells and Personal estate whatsoever and wheresoever not herein before bequeathed he paying my Debts Legacys and Funeral Expences And I do hereby

[p.4] make ordain and appoint ... William Norman my Son 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 \before/ made and do declare this to be my last Will and Testament In Witness whereof I have to this my Will contained in three Sheets of Paper to the two first Sheets thereof sett my hand and the last Sheet thereof my hand and Seal this Eight and twentyeth day of October in the year of Our Lord One thousand Seven hundred and Forty two 

Martha Norman

Signed Sealed published and declared by the said Martha Norman the Testatrix as and for her last Will and Testament in the presence of us who have hereunto Subscribed our Names as Witnesses in the presence of the said Testatrix and of each other

W(illia)m Hobbs    William Goodman    Peter Goldsworth

This Will was proved at London the thirteenth day of January in the year of Our Lord One thousand Seven hundred and Forty two Before the Worshipfull  Robert Chapman Doctor of Laws Surrogate of the Right Worshipfull John Bettesworth Doctor of Laws Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted By the Oath of William Norman the Son of the Deceased and Sole Executor named in the said Will to whom Administration was granted of All and Singular the Goods Chattells and Creditts of the said Deceased being first sworn Duly to Administer

Ex(ecute)d.

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Notes

Martha was the widow of Samuel Norman (d.1735) (q.v. for more about their children) and daughter of William Gyles the elder (d.1702). She died on 2 Nov 1742 aged 79, and was buried at Keach's Meeting House. Her burial is not recorded in the parish register. See Gyles Family page.

William Gyles of Towcester (the PCC clerk probably misread the place-name) was the son of Martha's brother Daniel Gyles the elder.

Samuel Homes was probably the son of Mary Holmes, daughter of Daniel Gyles the elder.

Samuel Gyles, son of Daniel, was a draper, later at Biggleswade.

Sarah Foster was Martha's niece, daughter of her brother William Gyles.

Pinner: "An apron with a bit to it attached pinned in front of the chest, the pincloth or pinafore of the present day",  Planche, J.R., An Illustrated Dictionary of Costume, p.400

Elizabeth Collins: daughter of Martha's brother Joseph Gyles.

Mary Williams was probably another daughter of Joseph Gyles.

Thomas and William Aldridge were the sons of Grace, daughter of Martha's brother William Gyles.

Mrs Jane Worrall, previously Langley, was another daughter of Martha's brother William Gyles.

Daniel Beck of Amersham, barber-surgeon, was one of the trustees of the Baptist meeting-house at Amersham, and the two men named after him were probably also representatives of Baptist groups.