Will of Thomas Abington of Beaminster 1676
Punctutaion added by John Abington December 2007, to facilitate reading.
In the name of God amen
I Thomas Abington of Beaminster in the County of Dorset gent, being sick of body but of sound and disposing mind and memory, praised be to God, and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to dye, but the time uncertaine, and being willing that that finall parcell of estate wherewith it hath pleased god to blesse mee withall, may be disposed of and divided among my children hereafter named, revoking all former wills by me heretofore made of, doe make and ordaine this my last will and testament in manner and forme following
Ffirst and principally I committ my soule into the hands of Almighty God my creator having through the meritts and mediation of my blessed saviour Jesus Christ received full pardon and remission of all my sinnes; And my body to be buryed in the church yeard of Beminster aforesaid in case I shall happen to dye within the said towne as neere my loving wife as may be with conveniency. And if out of the said towne, then according to the directions of my executors hereafter named, but in a decent manner and without mourning and with as much privacy as may be.
And whereas I designed the house with the appurtenances which I now lyve in at Beaminster aforesaid for my sonn Ffrancis, if it had pleased God to send mee life in some measure to have fitted him for the imployment I now use, but being in that disappointed I doe desire my deare brother Andrew Abington and my dear child John Abington to manage and dispose of the said house by sale thereof as to them shall seeme convenient, together with the household goods and all other the goods of mee the said Thomas Abington therein and thereto belonging, to the best advantage of my children hereafter named, well knowing that the same house will decay by the usage of tenants and the goods grow worse by lying unused.
Item, my will is that the Chattle lease (any kind of property not freehold) of Brembly be forthwith sold off, reserving my mother's life, and that one of my executors hereafter named will take of the same, whereby to continue it in the name.
Item my will is y[ha]t w[i]th the money raised by the sale of the said Chattle lease and my house and goods at Beaminster, my just and honest debts be first satisfyed and funerall expenses and other final legacies herein after by mee given discharged; and then the remainder of the said moneyes to be equally divided amongst my three children, William Abington, Ffrancis Abington and Mary Abington by my said deare brother and his sonn John, whom I make my executors in trust of this my last will, respect being had, and a defalcation (amount cut out) made out of the proportion of the said William, of all such charges, expenses, and disbursements as have been laid out for the binding of him as apprentice, and buying of him clothes and other necessities for to fitt him for that imployment; which said proportion for my said son William shall be paid him at the expiration of his said apprenticeship, or at the setting up of his trade as to my said executors or the survivor of them shall seem most convenient.
And the proportions due to my said sonn Ffrancis and daughter Mary Abington, my will is shall be paid unto them at theire respective ages of one and twenty yeares, or dayes of marriage, which first shall happen, provided allways that if my said sonn John shall be minded to come and be housekeeper at my house in Beaminster, and to receive into ffamily my said sonn Ffrancis and my said daughter Mary for some time, until my sonn Ffrancis shall be qualified to assist him in the way which I now am in, then the former trust rules for the sale of my house and personall estate shall cease, and I doe leave the same unto my said Executors to doe therein as to them shall seeme most convenient.
Item, I doe give to my deare and loving mother and to my sister Loving and sister Alice, and to my daughter Mary wife of my son John, each of them a ring of the price of tenn shillings; and to my servant Mary if shee shall lyve with mee at my decease ffyve shillings
Item I give to my said sonn John my best sute of diaper table lynnen
Item I give to my two sons Thomas Abington and Andrew Abington who have been the occasion of hastening my gray haires, and bereaving mee of my worldly joyes, twelve pence a peece.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seale the twelfth day of December 1675. Tho: Abington
Signed sealed published and declared by the said Thomas Abington the testator for his last will and testament in the presence of Richard Denslow and Barbara Buckland.
Granting of probate is in Latin
Probate granted to Andrew Abington brother and John Abington son duly sworn to administer 6th January 1676.