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Will of George BALLARD of Oxford Will Apr 1754   Probate 3 Sep 1755
Source: TNA no. PROB10/2177 Contributed by: Christopher Fance Go to Translation Go to Transcript
Summary.
... I George Ballard of Magdalen College Oxford ... Name Relationship [Comments] or Major Bequests George BALLARD   Oxford Thomas BALLARD Brother (Exec) Edward BALLARD Brother [with unnamed ch legatees] Samuel BALLARD Brother [with unnamed ch legatees] Angela ELLIS Sister [with unnamed ch legatees] John ELLIS Nephew [s Angela] Samuel ELLIS Nephew [s Angela] Elizabeth CORNMELL Sister Samuel CORNMELL Nephew [s Elizabeth] Rev William TALBOT Legatee WAR Kineton [with unnamed wife legatee] Mrs DEWES Mention WAR Wellesbourne Rev Dr LYTTLETON Legatee Rev John SWINTON Legatee Rev Francis WISE Legatee Radcliffe Librarian Mrs Elizabeth ELSTOB Mention Rev William ELSTOB Mention [bro of Elizabeth] John LOVEDAY Legatee BRK Caversham Thomas POWYS Legatee Berwick near Shrewsbury Richard GRAVES Mention GLS Mickleton Rev'd Richard GRAVES Legatee [s Richard] Rev'd Dr WINCHESTER Legatee Rev'd Gilbert SWANNE Legatee Rev'd Richard SCROPE Legatee Mr Richard WALKER Legatee Rev'd Mr BRYNE Legatee Headmaster of Magdalen College School. Rev'd Mr Timothy NEVE Legatee Mr Ralph NICHOLSON Legatee Mrs Sarah CHAPON Legatee Rev'd Mr CHAPON Mention GLS Charlton [hus Sarah] Mr BROME Mention HEF Ewithington Mr WILLIS Mention John WICKHAM Anathema Fellow of Balliol John ESTRIDGE Mention Rev'd Timothy NEVE Mention John TOMPSON Mention Witness Campden (GLS?) Mrs Sarah TOMPSON Cousin [w John] Edward BALLARD Great-grandfather [picture] Martha BALLARD Great-grandmother [picture] John BALLARD Uncle [picture] Edward Rowe MORES Legatee London William JOHNSTON Witness Probate 3 Sep 1755 London ... Thomas Ballard brother and sole Executor ...
Transcriber's and Editor's Notes
This long will, written in his own quite clear hand, very largely consists of the itemisation of his collection of antiquities. While apt to make a fellow-antiquarian drool enviously it is unlike to fascinate the rest of us -- no attempt has been made to include details in the "Translation" below, the "Transcript" itself being perfectly readable.
Translated and paragraphed. with some of the standard preamble and "legalese" removed. Go to Glossary
... I George Ballard of Magdalen College Oxford ... I revoke all other wills ... my body is to be buried six doot deep in the earth as near the remains of my dear mother as possible. I leave £10 to my brother Edward Ballard’s children, equally divided I leave £10 to my brother Samuel Ballard and his children, equally divided. I leave £10 to my sister Angela Ellis’s children, equally divided. I give all my wearing apparel both linen and woollen to her sons John and Samuel Ellis, to be divided as my brother Thomas Ballard thinks fit. I leave £10 to my sister Elizabeth Cornmell's son Samuel Cornmell, to be given to him as and when my brother Thomas thinks fit. I give 5 gns to my worthy friend the Rev'd Mr William Talbot of WAR Kineton (who generously settled a £20 pa annuity on me in 1747 for the payment of only £100), to buy a ring as a small testimony of my gratitude. To his wife Mrs. Talbot I leave [stuff] [mentioning Mrs. Dewes of WAR Wellesbourne]. I give [stuff] to my worthy friend the Rev'd Dr Lyttleton, Dean of Exeter. I give [stuff] to the Rev'd Mr. John Swinton. I give [stuff] to the Rev'd Mr. Francis Wise, Radcliffe Librarian. [Mentions the learned Mrs Elizabeth Elstob and her brother Rev'd William Elstob] I give [stuff] to the learned and worthy John Loveday Esq of Caversham near BRK Reading, formerly Gentleman Commoner of this College. I give [stuff] to my worthy friend Thomas Powys Esq of Berwick near Shrewsbury, Gentleman Commoner of this College. I give [a lot of coins] to the Rev'd Mr Richard Graves, late Fellow of All Souls College, son of my excellent friend and first antiquarian acquaintance Richard Graves Esq of GLS Mickleton. I give [stuff] to the Rev'd Dr Winchester, Fellow of Magdalen College. I give [stuff] to the Rev'd Mr Gilbert Swanne, Fellow of Magdalen College, desiring that if I die in Oxford he will be so good as to assist my Executor in distributing my legacies there. I give [stuff] to the Rev'd Mr. Richard Scrope, Demy of Magdalen College, desiring him to assist my Executor in distributing my legacies in Oxford. I give [stuff] to Mr Richard Walker, Demy of Magdalen College. I give [stuff] to the Rev'd Mr Bryne, Headmaster of Magdalen College School. I give [stuff] to Magdalen College Library. I give [stuff] to my friend the Rev'd Mr Timothy Neve, Fellow of Corpus [Christi] College. I give [stuff] to Mr Ralph Nicholson, Scholar of Brasenose College. I give [stuff] to the learned and ingenious Mrs Sarah Chapon, wife of the Rev'd Mr. Chapon of GLS Charlton near Cheltenham. My desire is that she may see all my books that are not disposed of by my will, and take what she thinks proper to choose. I give [stuff] to the famous Bodleian Library [mentioning my dear friend Mr. Brome of HEF Ewithington.] I give [stuff] to my kind friend Mr. Willis's cabinet in the Bodleian Gallery [including diatribe re John Wickham, now Fellow of Balliol, and mentioning John Estridge Esq, Gentleman Commoner of Corpus Christi, and the Rev'd Mr Timothy Neve, Fellow of Corpus Christi. I give £5 to my cousin Mrs Sarah Tompson, wife of Mr John Tompson, grocer in Campden (GLS?), also the pictures of my great-grandparents Edward and Martha Ballard and my uncle John Ballard the physician. I give [stuff] to Edward Rowe Mores Esq, living near the Herald's Office in London. I appoint my brother Thomas Ballard sole Executor, to whom I leave everything not disposed of by my will. He is to deliver my above legacies as soon as possible, or at least within six months after my decease. If any of the legatees die before me, their legacies go to him. Witnesses W'm Johnston; Jn'o Tompson Probate 3 Sep 1755 London ... Thomas Ballard brother and sole Executor ...
As transcribed from a copy of the original document. Original line- and page-breaks are preserved as far as possible.
In the name of GOD Amen : I George Ballard of Magdalen Col- lege in Oxford, do make this my last Will and Testament (all written with my own Hand) in manner and form following; revoking all other Wills by me formerly made.       Principally, I commend my Soul into the Hands Almighty GOD hoping and assuredly believing through the only Merits of IESUS CHRIST my mercifull Saviour and Redeemer, to be made partaker of everlasting Life in the Kingdom of Heaven : And my Body to be buried in a decent Christian manner, Six Foot deep in the Earth, as near the Remains of my dear Mother as possible, without disturbing her Ashes.        As to my Temporal Goods which it has pleased GOD to bestow upon me, I dispose of them in the following manner.       To my Brother Edward Ballard’s Children I leave Ten Pounds, to be equal- ly divided between them.       To my Brother Samuel Ballard, and his Children, I leave Ten Pounds, to be equally divided between them.       To my Sister Angela Ellis’s Children, I leave Ten Pounds, to be equally divided among them. And to John and Samuel Ellis, Sons of my aforesaid Sister Angela Ellis, I leave all my wareing Apparel both Linnen & Woolen, to be divided between them, as my Brother Thomas Ballard shall think fit.       To my Sister Elizabeth Cornmell's Son, Samuel Cornmell, I leave Ten Pounds, to be given him at such time, or times as my Brother Thomas Ballard shall think fit.       To my most worthy Friend the Rev'd. Mr. William Talbot of Kineton in Warwickshire, who generously settled an Annuity of Twenty Pounds per Ann. upon me, in the Year 1747, for the payment of only one Hundred Pounds, I leave as a small testimony of my Gratitude Five Guineas to buy him a Ring : Also to Mrs. Talbot, Wife to my above mentioned Friend Mr. Talbot, I leave four pieces of old Eng- lish Gold, viz't. One Spur Ryal of King Edward the fourth. One half Sovereign of King Henry 8th. One five & twenty Shilling piece of King James the First. One quarter piece of Oliver Cromwell's : Also a small pocket Book neatly plated with Silver. with a Gold Pen thereunto belonging : And likewise my Transcript of a Manuscript in the Bodleian Library, intitled WOMANs WORTH etc. now in the Hands of Mrs. Dewes of Welsbourne in Warwickshire.       To my very worthy Friend the Rev'd. Dr. Lyttleton Dean of Exeter, I leave my transcript of King AElfred's Saxon Version of Orosius, to which I have prefix'd a Dedication, and a long Preface shewing the Use and Advantages of Saxon learning; with intentions of Printing & Publishing that too long concealed Work. Also fifteen Vol's of Mr. Hearne's Works, viz't. Ductor Historicus, 2. Vol. Walter Hemingford, 2. Vol. Otterbourne & Whethamstede, 2. Vol. Annals of Dunstaple, 2. Vol. Benedictus Abbas, 2. Vol. John of Glastonbury, 2. Vol. Robert of Gloucester, 2. Vol. A letter concerning some Antiquities between Windsor & Oxford, one Vol. very scarce. Mr. Hearne having printed only a few copies for presents.        To the Rev'd & learned Mr. John Swinton, I leave a beautiful and scarce Silver Coin of Caligula, with the Head of Agrippina on the Reverse.       To the Rev'd. Mr. Francis Wise, Radcliffe Librarian, I leave two Heads drawn with Crayons, by the very learned and ingenious Mrs. Elstob, neatly framed & glassed, viz't. her own Head, & her Brother the Rev'd.  and learned Mr. Elstob’s. And my Will & desire is, that at his death, he will give them both to the Bodleian Gallery, as being the most proper repository for such Curiosities. I likewise give him a fair copy of Mr. Fox's Edit. of the Saxon Gospels.       To the learned and very Worthy Gentleman John Loveday of Caversham near Reading in Berks Esq'r & formerly Gent: Com: of this College, I leave, as a small testimony of my respect, a beautiful old Missal, finely printed upon Vellum. and elegantly illuminated, bound & gilt : Also the Lives of St. Thomas Becket and St. Thomas Cantilupe, the former printed at COLLONIAE, 1639. 4'to. the latter at GANT. 1674. 12'mo. both in English, and both very scarce.       To my worthy Friend Thomas Powys  of Berwick near Shrewsbury Esq'r & Gentleman Commoner of this College, I leave as a small testimony of my esteem for him a Silver Snuff Box, with the curiosity contained in it, which he has often seen. Also five small Silver Pictures, viz't. The Salutation of the blessed Virgin St. Catherine. St. Ignatius & St. Francis. King Charles I. King Charles II. And a neat Set of Stevens's Additional Volumes to the Monasticon.       To the Rev'd. Mr. Richard Graves, late Fellow of All Souls College in Oxford, & Son to my excellent Friend and first Antiquarian Acquaintance, Rich- ard Graves of Mickleton in Gloucestershire Esq'r I leave my whole Collection of Roman Coins both Silver and Brass (excepting the abovementioned Silver Coin of Cali- gula) consisting of about an Hundred different Emperors and Emperesses, but chiefly the former. I likewise give him all my Collection of old English Coins, not otherways disposed of by Will; being a Series from William the Conqueror, down to King Charles the second, excepting two Coins, viz't. King Stephen & King Richard, I.       To the Rev'd. Dr. Winchester Fellow of Magdalen Coll: Oxon. I leave my Port Folio Vol. of Prints : Two Heads drawn by Mrs. Elstob, viz. Dean Hickes and Mr. John Dryden the Poet, & curious print of Oliver Cromwell in minature, all neatly framed and Glassed. Also I give him a fine copy of Hartman Schedel's Chronicle, large paper, commonly called the Nuremberg Chronicle. best Edition, 1493.       To the Rev'd. Mr. Gilbert Swanne, Fellow of Magdalen College Oxon I leave Sir William Dugdale’s Antiquities of Warwickshire (his native County) publish'd by Dr. Thomas in two Vols. Folio. Dugdale's Origines Juridiciales. Dugdale's History of St. Pauls. Ant: Wood's Athenae Oxoniensis 1st Edit; desiring, if I die in Oxford, he will be so good, as to assist my Executor, in distributing my several Legacys in that Place.       To the Rev'd. Mr. Richard Scrope, Demy of Magd: Coll: Oxon I leave Mr. Jer? Collier's Church History 2. Vols. Dr Hickes's Sermons 2. Vol. Mr. Seed's Sermons 2. Vol. Mr. Lewis's History of the several translations the Bible & one Ten Shilling piece of Silver of King Charles, I. desiring he will assist my Execu- tor in distributing & delivering my Several Legacys in this Place       To Mr. Richard Walker Demy of Magd: Coll: Oxon I leave two Vols of MSS Sermons, and all my other Sermons of what kind soever Bound or un- bound, among which are Five Manuscript Sermons, never printed, three of which are excellent Discourses; all wrote in the same hand: Also Letters between Dr. Hickes & a Romish Priest, 2.Vol.       To the Rev'd Mr. Bryne Head Master of Magd: Coll: School, I leave Mr. Borlase's Antiquities of Cornwall.       To Magdalen College Library Oxon I leave three Folios, viz't. John Bellenden's Scotch Translation of Hector Boethius, extremely scarce. Higden's Polychronicon, 1527. Grafton's Chronicle, 1569. And Nine quartos viz. John Fox’s Edit. of the Saxon Gospels, 1571. Junius & Marshal's Edition of the Gospels in Gothic and Saxon. Cadmon's Saxon Paraphrase upon Genesis; formerly Bishop Barlow's own Book; given him  by the learned Editor, as appears by his own hand writing on the Title page. John Harding Chronicle 1543. Dr. Powel's History of Wales, 1584: The Copy in Parchment Covers, that in neater Covers being very imperfect. Kennett's Parochial Antiquities of Ambrosden & Burchester. Battely's Antiquitates Rutupinae Edit. 1745. Jo. Ames's Typographical Antiquities. Warburton's Vallum Romanum.       To my Friend the Rev'd. Mr. Timothy Neve Fellow of Corpus College Oxon I leave Mr. Princes Worthies of Devonshire. Mr. Lewis's Life of John Wickleff; of Bp. Peacock. Dr Knight's Lives of Erasmus & Dean Colet. English Life of Peireskius. Life of Martin Luther, 4'to. 1642. Lives of Luther, Zuinglius, Oecolampadius, Calvin, published soon after their deaths, & bound up together in one Vol 12'mo. Also Duck's Life of Archbp. Chichele.       To Mr. Ralph Nicholson Scholar of Brazen-nose College Oxon, I leave fine Copy of Dr. Geo: Hickes Thesaurus, large paper, elegantly bound in two Vols. Folio. Dr. Smith's Edit. of Bede's Church History - large paper. Abraham Whelocks Edit. of Bede, Saxon Chronicle, & Saxon Laws, all bound together in one Vol. Folio. A Copy of Caedmon's Saxon Paraphrase on Genesis, bound in Cambridge binding, the Title & Preface in writing. Mrs Elstob's Saxon Homily on St. Gregory. Mr Wise's Nummorum antiquarum Scriniis Bodleianis reconditorum Catalogus.       To the learned & ingenious Mrs. Sarah Chapon, wife of the Rev'd. Mr. Chapon of Charlton near Cheltenham in Gloucestershire, I leave all my Col- lection of Printed Books of what kind soever, excepting the Homily abovementi- oned, wrote by learned and ingenious Women. And my Will & desire is, that she may see all my Books that are not disposed off by my Will, and take what Books she thinks proper to make choice of, to make up the number of Folios wrote by Women Fifty Volumes. And to add to the other Books wrote by Women as many Volumes as will make up the number Two Hundred, in all two hundred and fifty Volumes. Also all my Ms't Collections relating to the Lives of learned Women, which I have not printed.       To the famous Bodleian Library in Oxford, I leave Fourteen Manu -scripts in Folio. Fifty Six Manuscripts in Quarto. Two Manuscripts in duode- cimo. One oblong duodecimo. Viz't I. A transcript of Mr Somners Saxon Dictiona- ry, which I made from a printed Copy, which formerly belonged to the learned Greek Professor Mr. Thwaites, who inriched it with several thousand Words, which he had Gleaned together; all which I incorporated methodically with the Text; and I have since added a considerable number of Words, which may be serviceable to those who may hereafter undertake a new Edit. of that useful Book. Fol.    2. Advice of a Seaman etc.  Dedicated to Archbp. Laud, 1634, by Nathaniel Knott. An account of the Voyage made by the English for the relief of the French King, 1589. An account of the Voyage to Cales in Andalusia, 1596. by Sir William Slyngesby. A true Relation? of the Voyage to the Isles of Azores, 1597. by Sir Arthur Gorges. all bound in one Vol. Fol.    3. Sir Edmund Warcupp's Exact account of the Treaty in the Isle of Wight: All fairly wrote with Sir Edmund's own hand; he being at that time Se- cretary to the Parliamentarians. I have pasted in the beginning of this MS't two very curious Letters of Sir Edmund's own writing, relating to the Book. Fol.    4. A Dialogue between a Tutor & his Pupil, wrote by Lord Herbert of Cherbury. Fol.    5. A transcript of Spelman's life of King AElfred, with Notes by Oba- diah Walker the famous Popish Master of University College. Fol.    6. The Proceedings which happened between the Lady Frances Howard and Robert Earl of Essex, concerning of their Divorce. Fol.    1. King AElfred's Saxon translation of Gregory's Pastoral Care, which I transcribed from the very Original Book, sent by the King to his favourite Bishop Werefrid, now among the Hattonian MSS. and in many Places almost obliterated 4'to.    2. King AElfred's Saxon translation of St Austin's Soliloquies with 5 Homilies & other things in Saxon which I transcribed, bound up with it. 4'to.    3. Saxon Homily de Fide Catholice, transcribed by my dear Friend Mr. Brome of Ewithington Co. Hereford.    4. To make such coloured and gilded Letters as are to be seen frequently in old MSS. Two Saxon Homilies etc. transcribed by Mrs. Eliz. Elstob 4'to    5. An Attempt towards drawing up a Catalogue of Learned Women by Eliz. Elstob. 4'to    6. An Essay upon Grammar, wrote by the learned and Rev'd Mr. Will. Elstob. Translated from the Original MS lent my by his Sister Mrs' Eliz. Elstob. 4'to.    7. Collections relating to the History & Antiquities of Gloucestershire, supposed to be wrote by John Guillym the Herald. 4t'o.    8. Extracts from Sir Robert Atkins Gloucestershire, with Notes etc. 4'to.    9. A Conjuring Book. 4'to.    10. Thomas Scotts Apology etc. 1614. 4'to.    11. Copies of Letters from Archb'ps Parker. Whitgift. Sancroft Bps Gibson. Nicolson. Kennett. Tanner. Drs Hickes. Hopkins. of Roger Ascham. Hugh Grotius. John Ray. J Aubrey./ Edw Llhwyd. &c. all which I transcribed from the originals. 4'to.    12. The Universities Musterings with other things which have hap- pened in the university since that time : by Bryan Twyne. 4'to. This is the ori- ginal MS.    13. Collections relating to the University of Oxford, transcribed from Miles Windson's Papers by Ant. à Wood. 4'to.    14. Collections relating chiefly to the University of Oxford, by Anthony à Wood. 4'to.    1. An account of our antient Historians & Biographers by Ant; à Wood. 12'mo.    2. The Second Boke of the Supplication of Soules by Sir Thomas More. Knight. 12'mo.    3. Letters to Dr. Thomas James Keeper of the Bodleian Library, from Geo: & Rob't Abbot. Ayray. Aiseley. Altingius. Barlow. Bareham. Bennet. Bilson. Bulkeley. Budden. Biss. Capell. Camden. Carew. Crakenthorp. Crashaw. Croft. Childerley, Cook. Downes. Doyley. Dorvile. Gruter. Gentiles. Gordon. Hall. Hackewell. Jackson. James. King. Lake. Morney. Maffaus. Matthew. Morton. Mason. Parry. Polanus. Reynolds. Sutcliff &c. A thick oblong 12'mo.       All the above mentioned MSS may be made use of as the Statutes direct, as soon as they are delivered to the Librarian. But the following Manuscripts which I give to the Bodleian Library, viz't Eight Volumes in Folio, and Forty one Volumes in 4'to. containing a vast number of curious and valuable Papers, & original Letters, from almost all the great Men of the last Age; which I very carefully bound up with my own hands, & have drawn up Indexes to many of the Volumes; & will do the same for all the rest, if it please GOD to spare me Life and Health: My Will and desire is, that they may be kept altogether in one Place; and that not any one of these Manuscripts be shown to, or consulted by any Person whatsoever up- on any occasion whatsoever, untill Six Years after my decease, under the penalty of forfeiting all the Manuscripts to my Executor. Also I leave to my kind Friend Mr. Willis's Cabinet in the Bodleian Gallery, Five Sax- on Coins, viz't. one of EADBEARHT King of Kent. One of BURGRED King of the Mercians. One of EDWARD the elder. One exceeding fine coin of King EADGAR. One of EDWARD the Martyr. I give likewise to the same Cabinet, a fair Silver Medal of Prince Henry elder brother of King Charles 1st. given or rather forced upon me by one John Wickham, then of Corpus Christi College; now Fellow of Baliol College; who afterward most ungratefully, barbarously & villanously attempt- -ed to take away my reputation on this occasion, by Reporting, in most infamous Language, that he did not Give me this Medal, but exchanged it with me, for a Coin in large Brass of Tiberius. A most impudent Lye this: whether he invented it to get the Medal off me again, or to get a Tiberius in Large Brass (a Coin I never possessed, & if I had I should have been thought very unskilful by those who understand such Curiosities, to have made such an exchange) he knows best. I suppose in the heat of forging & hammering it out for his vile purpose, he forgot that John Estridge Esq'r. Gentleman Commoner of Corpus Christi College, a Person of great Probity & Integrity, was both an Eye and Ear Witness of every thing that passed between us at the time when he gave me this Medal. And he has publiclly declared, particularly to the Rev'd. Mr. Timothy Neve, Fel- low of Corpus Christi College; and will I am confident depose it upon OATH if required, that this malicious accusation is intirely false. But I forgive him, as I hope to be forgiven. The Reason of my taking notice of it in this manner may be seen in the Rev'd. Mr. Seed's Sermons, Vol. I p. 345.       To my Cousin Mrs. Sarah Tompson, Wife of Mr. John Tompson Grocer in Campden, I leave five pounds: And likewise the Pictures of my Great Grand-Father & Grand-mother Edward & Martha Ballard; also my Uncle John Ballard the Physician’s Picture all drawn up on Boards.       To Edward Rowe Mores Esq'r. living near the Herald's Office London, I leave all that part of the original Manuscript of my Memoirs of Learned Women, which I printed at Oxford.       Lastly I constitute and appoint my Brother Thomas Ballard my Sole Executor; to whom I leave every Thing which is undis- posed of by my Will. And my Will is that if any of the abovementioned Legatees die before me, that their Legacies go to my said Brother Thomas Ballard. And my Will & desire is, that he deliver or cause to be de- livered all the abovementioned Legacies, as soon as he can conveniently do it; at least within Six Months after my decease.       In testimony of this my Will, I have hereunto set my hand and Seal this [blank] Day of April, in the Year of our Lord 1754 . Signed, Sealed, Published and Declared by me the said Testator George Ballard as                     George Ballard for my last Will & Testament in the Pre- sence of those, who at my request have Subscribed their Names as Witnesses here- unto       W'm Johnston       Jn'o Tompson                late of M C in the City of Oxford dec'd Proved at London before the Judge the third day of September in the year of Our Lord 1755 by the Oath of Thomas Ballard the brother of the deceased and sole Executor To whom Adm'c'on was granted he having been first sworn by Com'on duly to administer. [Below is the Probate Note from the PROB11/817 "Register Copy" with slightly more info.] This will was proved at London before the right hon. Sir George Lee knight Doctor of Laws Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted the third day of September in the year of our lord seventeen hundred and fifty five by the oath of Thomas Ballard the brother of the deceased and sole executor named in the said will to whom administration was granted of all and singular the goods chattels and credits of the deceased he having been first sworn by commission duly to administer.