“In the name of God, amen, I, Mary Westcote, of Shobrook, in the county of Devon, widow, taking into consideration the frailties of this present life, the certainty of death, and the uncertainty of the time thereof, and being at this present (though somewhat weak in body, yet, blessed be God,) of a sound and disposing memory, do, for the settling of such worldly Estate wherewith it bath pleased God to bless me, make this my last Will and Testament, hereby revoking all former and other Wills by me made whatsoever: First I commend my soul into the hands of Almighty God my Creator, trusting through the merits and mercy of Christ Jesus alone to have remission of my sins and to enjoy everlasting life, and my body to Christian burial, to be laid so near my deceased Husband in Shobrook Church as may be. Item, I give and bequeath unto the poor of the parish of Shobrook Forty Shillings to be distributed amongst them at the time of my funeral according to the discretion and direction of my Executors hereafter named. Item, I give unto the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor of Comb-Martin Five Pounds of lawful Money of England to be by them and their Successors from time to time preserved as a Stock for the Poor, the increwe and profit thereof I would have yearly given by them and their Successors on St. Thomas’ Day before the Nativity of our Lord God, unto the moat aged and indigent widow women of the said Town, by Twelve-Pence a-piece, to as many of them as the profit of the Money will reach unto. Item, I give and devise unto my grandson, John Northcot, the elder, the great Scriptoire remaining in my chamber. Item, I give and devise unto my.grand-daughter, Katharine Northcot, my Cypress Chest. Item, I give and devise unto Thomas Westcote, son of my daughter, Frances Westcote, the Sum of Fifty Pounds of lawful Money of England, to be paid within one year after my decease. Item, whereas I am seised in Fee Simple of the Fourth Part or of some other Part of several Lands, Messuages, Tenements, and Hereditaments, situate in the parish of Comb-Martin, in the county aforesaid, and in the parishes of Ilfracomb, Berry-Narber, and Bratton-Fleming, in the said county, I do hereby give and devise the same unto my grandson, Thomas Hill, and the Heirs of his body lawfully to be begotten ; and for want of such issue, I do give and devise the same unto my grand-son, Richard Hill, and the Heirs of his body lawfully to be begotten ; and for default of such issue, I do give and devise the same unto my grandson, Edward Hill, and his Heirs for ever. And whereas also I am possessed and interested for a great number of years of and in the Fourth Part or of and in some other Part of several Messuages, Lands, and Tenements, situate in the parishes aforesaid of Comb-Martin, Ilfracomb, and Bratton-Fleming, or in some or one of them, I do hereby give and devise my said Part, Furparty, and Portion of and in such Messuages, Lands, Tenements, and Hereditaments unto the aforesaid Thomas Hill, my grand-son, for and during so many of the said years as the said Thomas shall happen to live: and if the said Thomas do happen to live unto the age of one and twenty years, or to be married, I do then give and devise the same unto the said Thomas during all my Estate in the same; but if the said Thomas shall happen to die before he do attain the age of one and twenty or happen to be married, I do then give and devise my Part of the said Messuages, Lands, Tenements, and Hereditaments, whereof I am so possessed, unto my grandson, Richard Hill, for and during so many of the said years as the said Richard Hill shall happen to live ; and if the said Richard Hill do happen to live unto the age of one and twenty or to be married, I do then give and devise the same unto the said Richard during all my Estate in the same ; but if the said Richard shall happen to die before he do attain the age of one and twenty or happen to be married, I do then give and devise my Part of the said Messuages, Lands, Tenements, and Hereditaments, whereof I am so possessed, unto my grandson, Edward Hill, bis Executors, and Assigns during all my Estate, Term, and interest therein. Item, whereas I am seised in Fee Simple of the Fourth Part and Turn of the perpetual Patronage and right of Disposition and Gift of the Vicarage of Chew- Magna in the county of Somerset, I do hereby give and devise my said Fourth Part of the said Advowson and Right of Donation unto Edward Hill, my son-in-law, and his Heirs for ever: and I do desire the said Edward and his Heirs to present thereunto his son, Richard, if God shall ever make him capable thereof ; and after his presenting of him there nto to 4 grant the Fee Simple of the said part of the said Advowson unto the said Richard Hill and his Heirs for ever. Item, I give and devise unto my grand-son, Philip Westcotg, and unto my grand-daughter, Mary Westcote, the Sum of Forty Pounds of lawful Money of England, a-piece, to be paid unto them within one year after my decease. Item, I give and bequeath unto the aforesaid Thomas Hill, my grandson, the Sum of Fifty Pounds of lawful Money of EngIand, to be paid unto him within one year after my decease. Item, I give and devise unto Richard Hi11 and Edward Hill, my grand-children, the Sum of Two Hundred Pounds a-piece of lawful Money of England, to be paid unto them within one year after my decease : and my will is that the two last Legacies hereby given to the said Richard and Edward Hill should be employed for their best benefit before. they attain to the age of one and twenty years or be married : and if it happen that either of them the said Richard or Edward shall happen to die before he attain the said age of one and twenty or be married, then my will is the survivor of them shall have the Legacy of him so dying and benefit thereof; and if it happen they both die before they attain the said age of one and twenty years or be married, then my will is that my said grand-son, Tho- mas Hill, should have both the said Legacies hereby to them given with the profit thereof. Item, I do give and bequeath unto John Northcot, son of John Northcot, esq., my grandson, the Sum of Fifty Pounds of lawful Money of England, to be paid unto him within one year after my decease. Item, I give and bequeath unto my grand-son, Thomas Westcote, son of my son Philip, deceased, the Feather Bed in the north chamber and the Two Dust Beds in the maidens’ chamber, performed. Item, it is my will that my said grand-son, Thomas Westcote, son of my son Phili deceased, shall have all Ceilings, Benches, Forms, Shelves, Bedsteads, and Table-Boards which shall remain in or about the house I now dwell in, called Raddon, at the time nf my death, (the Table-Boards in the parlour, and the Table-boards in the parlour.chamber only excepted.) Item, I give and devise unto my servant, Mary Fry (if she continue my servant until my death) Ten Pounds. Also I give unto Thomas Johns Ten Shillings. Also I give unto Mary Harris (if she continue my servant until my death) Twemy Shillings, and old Joan Ten Shillings. Also I give unto William Reed, William Short, and Elizabeth Teap in like manner Five Shillings a-piece: which last seven Legacies my will is shall be paid unto every of them within one month next after my decease. All the rest of my Goods, Chattels, and Personal estate, (my plate only excepted,) my Debts, Legacies, and Funeral Expenses being first paid and discharged, I give and devise unto my son-in-law, Edward Hill, Katharine Northcot, and Sarah Fulljames (that is to say) the one moiety or halfendeal of the said Goods and Chattels unto the said Edward Hill, and the other moiety or halfendeal unto the said Katharine Northcot and Sarah Fulljames, between them equally to be divided ; which said Edward Hill, Katharine Northcot, and Sarah Fulljames I hereby make my whole and sole Executors of this my last Will and Testament. And I do desire my two friends, Thomas Poyntingdon, of Comb, esq., and Christopher Squire, of Town-House, esq., to be Overseers of this my Will, and to see a just performance thereof; by whom I desire my Executors to be ruled in all doubts and differences that may arise concerning this my Will or any thing therein contained : and to each of them I give Twenty Shillings to buy them rings to wear in remembrance of me. And I further give and devise unto my two sons-in-law, George Westcote and Robert Cannon, Twenty Shillings a-piece to buy them ringa also in remembrance of my love unto them. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and Seal the Third Day of December, in the Seventeenth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord King Charles the Second of England, and Anno Domini,1665.
“Signed, Sealed, and Published by the said Mary Westcote to be her last Will and Testament, in presence of THOMAS HUGH, Junr. MARY FRY. The mark of THOMAS † RICE.
MARY WESTCOTE.”
The Seal bears the Arms of Westcote impaled with Roberts.
Proved in the Court of the Archdeacon of Exeter, by the said Edward Hill, Katharine Northcot, and Sarah Fulljames, the Executors, on 16th November, 1666.
