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Will of Sir George STONHOUSE of BRK Radley
Will 29 Jan 1674/75 Probate 12 May 1675 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Transcriber's and Editor's Notes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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This document was transcribed by Stanley Baker, Archivist of the Radley History Club. Goodness, Sir George did rabbit on :-) It is difficult to reduce the "Translation" to manageable size without losing much of the flavour, and users are recommended to read the Transcript too, especially regarding his wayward son. Sir George was the 3rd baronet, his elder brother John (the 2nd) having died unmarried. His attempt to bar his eldest son George from the inheritance merely resulted in two parallel baronetcies, a situation which was only resolved in 1740 -- but that is beyond the scope of these notes. The following details are believed to be true but should not be totally relied upon: Testator: Son of Sir William (1632 qv) & Elizabeth (1654/55 qv); Husband of Margaret (1695 qv) nee LOVELACE; Father of Sir John (1700 qv) & James (1713 qv). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Translated and paragraphed. with some of the standard preamble and "legalese" removed. Go to Glossary | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
... I Sir George Stonhouse of Radley, Baronet ...
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As transcribed from a copy of the original document. Original line- and page-breaks are not preserved. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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In the Name of God Amen etc I Sir George Stonhouse of Radley Baronet being of perfect memory Do by these presents the twenty ninth day of January in the year of our Lord 1674 make and publish this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following (that is to say) First I give and resign my soul into the hands of my Almighty God my maker both of soul and body steadfastly believing that in and through the merits death and passion of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ my soul shall be received into bliss and remain with my Saviour in the Kingdom of Heaven And as concerning my body I desire it may be decently buried in Radley in the vault erected and prepared by my self on the south side of the chancel as a burying place for our family only As tending my lands in Berks having already settled them on my son John Stonhouse and his heirs upon his marriage with Mrs Martha Spencer a loving gentlewoman and one who brought a fair portion whereof five thousand pounds was paid by Sir Thomas Bludsworth one of the executors of Mr Spencer her deceased husband and received by my son John Stonhouse entrusted therewith for the discharge of such of my debts as were secured by my estate in land and which he assured me should be immediately discharged And also such other debts of my own which were contracted and owing upon bond and wherein wherein my son stands bound with me should in a short time be likewise discharged by him as appears by his bond sealed unto me for that intent and purpose So as my whole debts being by him discharged the remaining part of his wifes portion to be to his own use and behoof In Consideration whereof and full confidence and trust thus reposed in my son John I did settle my estate upon him not doubting but that such debts as yet remain unpaid (if any such there be) he will with all diligence forthwith discharge that there may remain no cause for scandalous tongues or thoughts that I should be careless or negligent in not making provision for the payment of my just debts which my soul always abhorred Item I give to the Mayor and Corporation of Abingdon twenty pounds to be disposed of for the good and benefit of the Town in such manner as the Mayor with four of the senior principal burgesses shall think fit and give a discharge to my executors Item I give unto six poor people and their families that are dwelling in the town of Radley one quarter of wheat to be delivered unto them at such times and in such manner as shall herein be directed First that six families be annually appointed by my executors and that they be such poor as pay not hearth money nor by the law ought to pay that duty And afterwards to be continued by my son John for ever Secondly that this gift be distributed according to the poors necessities not all with a like proportion Thirdly that it be delivered at three several times in the year (viz.) at or against Christmas Easter and Whitsuntide notice being given to them to fetch it And for the more complete performance thereof I give to the Vicar of Radley forty shillings per annum conditionally that he do annually at the three abovesaid several times in his prayer in the pulpit before his service make commemoration and remembrance thereof by giving thanks for the gift after such manner and form as followeth (viz.) Given by Sir George Stonhouse Baronet Dame Margaret his wife daughter of Richard Lord Lovelace Baron of Hurley and John Stonhouse his son and heir And so to be continued by him and remain for ever Upon the vicars omission thereof this gift of forty shillings to cease And because it may seem strange to some the setting aside my eldest son from inheriting my estate I think it not impertinent herein to express some few of his desperate and debauched carriages As first the perversion of his carriage towards his parents from his youth upwards which enforced me to send him on with a tutor into France hoping that being removed from such idle company that seduced and flattered him here at home in better education and more civility might be learnt beyond sea But there also notwithstanding the advice and endeavours of his tutor Mr Gregory he wearied him of the employment as fully appears by his letters and desires to be quitted of the charge and danger any longer to be with him Afterwards I sent him another tutor one Mr Morgan whom after a little time he evil intreated him and forced him by threats upon his life and violence offered upon his person to return and leave him to the hazard of what his own headstrong wilfulness would carry him into And all these outrages for no other cause that I could understand of Than for their friendly admonition to incline his affections to good literature and civility and in pursuit of laudable exercises becoming a gentleman which humour of obstinacy and averseness to good advice is now improved to that height that it hath been here at home uncontrollable and dangerous his horrid oaths and accustomed falsities and untruths his delight in and conversation with the meanest and most sordid of the people and debauching with them in alehouses his dangerous threats against his parents brother and servants all which with much patience was endured until his insobrieties and frenzies arrived unto the height as to carry about him pistols charged with bullets which were taken from him two several times in my house and did present his intended mischief And at last to fill up the measure of his vicious course of his life and as much as in him lays to bring dishonour upon our whole family he hath married himself to a kitchen wench strumpet And therefore concluding as an undoubted truth that he that cannot govern himself is not capable or fit to manage or govern my estate I have thought fit as well for the preservation of the estate as in regard to his debauched course of life to set him aside with the allowance of an annuity of sixty pounds per annum to be paid him quarterly which is expressed in my deed of settlement And as concerning my dearly beloved wife the Lady Margaret Stonhouse my Will is and with a more particular injunction upon both my sons to be careful and helpful unto her upon all occasions and effectively diligent to see her jointure truly performed and enjoyed without any trouble or incumbrance whatsoever as my son John hath promised and is engaged thereunto being well assured that as she hath been a joint partner in my sufferings care and government of my family and education of my children so she will still continue a loving mother and helpful to them according to their dutiful respects and deportments towards her And whereas my son John Stonhouse is indebted to me the sum of five hundred pounds as appears by the settlement of my estate upon him I do hereby appoint that so much thereof as shall discharge my own proper debts upon bills or bonds which are fifty pounds to one Robert Woodwards and forty pounds to the overseers of the poor of Radley which they did desire to place with me for safety and benefit of the poor If therefore those debts shall be owing at the time of my death I desire they may be first satisfied Item I give three hundred pounds thereof unto my grandsons John and James Stonhouse two of the sons of my said son John Stonhouse equally to be divided between them with the product thereof to be paid by their said father when they shall attain unto the age of one and twenty years Item I give unto my beloved wife a ring of fifty pounds as a testimony of my unfeigned love to be engraven with this inscription Ex Dono mei Georgii Stonhouse Baronetti [From the gift to me of George Stonhouse Baronet] beseeching Almighty God to bless her in the love of her children and other happiness of a contented life in this world and afterwards to be made partaker of a glorious communion with the saints in heaven Also I give my coach and four of my best horses and furniture to them unto my said wife Also I give unto her all my plate and linen in and about my house and what else of my goods or stock my debts and legacies being paid she shall think necessary towards the support of my housekeeping and repute of our quality during her life and afterwards to my surviving executors Item I give to my son Sir Richard Stedhall and my daughter Elizabeth his wife a piece of plate of ten pounds price as a remembrance of my love to them Item I give to my son John Stonhouse and Martha his wife a piece of plate of ten pounds price as a remembrance of my love to them Item I give to my son James Stonhouse and Mary his wife a piece of plate of ten pounds price as a remembrance of my love to them I also give to my son Francis the bedding and furniture of my chamber where I lie and my lease of Paddington Item I give to my grandson William Stonhouse eldest son of my son John Stonhouse my silver and gilt basin and ewer for a heirloom for ever Memorandum my desire is that these legacies shall not be paid before six months after my decease As for my unfortunate son George Stonhouse he being remembered in my deed of settlement for his life only I refer the consideration of his children unto my executors for the binding of them forth apprentices at such years and to such trades or otherwise as they shall think fit for the avoiding of scandal the very dictates of nature requiring something of consideration towards them Item I do give unto my menservants which shall be dwelling with me at the time of my death for every year they have served me ten shillings over and above their wages In like manner I give five shillings apiece unto my maid servants that shall live with me at the time of my death for every year that they have lived with me over and above their wages And as for the boys that serve me for no wages I give unto every of them a suit of clothes or a coat as my executors shall think fit And for the performance of this my last Will and Testament I make my beloved wife and my sons John Stonhouse and James Stonhouse full and whole executors of this my last Will and Testament desiring them that some place may be set apart (as in my old study) for my books if made convenient by making the walls so high wherein the books are to be placed as may preserve them dry and free from moulding and possibly may as time and opportunity serves be augmented for the use and benefit of my posterity as should delight themselves in good literature virtue and learning Also my Will and desire is that no man shall have any interest or benefit out of my estate or this my last Will and Testament that shall make any disturbance in the execution of either by threats and suits in law or actually until those molestations and troubles (if any shall happen) be quieted and all pretences contrary or against the settlement of my estate and performance of this my last Will and Testament be accorded disclaimed and released IN WITNESS whereof I the said Sir George Stonhouse have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year first before written Geo Stonhouse Sealed published and declared by the said Sir George Stonhouse to be his last Will and Testament in the presence of John Pretty James Corderoy Proved at London in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury by John Stonhouse and James Stonhouse two of the executors named in the Will with power reserved to the other executor on 12th May 1675 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||