Ancestors of Mandy Willard

The Will of

Richard FREEMAN (c1715-1776)

In the Name of God Amen I Richard Freeman of the Parish of Shipley In the County of Sussex yeoman do make and ordain this my last will and Testament in manner and form following First I will and ordain that all my Just Debts funeral charges and probate of this my will be fully paid and discharged Then I give and devise unto my son In Law William Botting of Shipley aforesaid a Carpenter all that my Messuage Tenements and premises wherein he and myself do now live and dwell with all the Appurtenances thereunto belonging To hold to him the said William Botting his heirs and Assigns forever Also I give and bequeath unto the said William Botting his Executors Administrators and Assigns forever all my household Goods Whatsoever that shall be in my said house at the time of my decease Then I give and bequeath unto my said son in law William Botting and my son in law John Cutress of Henfield in the said County a Cordwainer and the Survivor of them and to the Executors Administrators and Assigns of the Survivor of them all my other personal Estate whatsoever and whereinsoever found to consist not herein before given and bequeathed Nevertheless upon special trust and confidence that they devide the whole and every part thereof within the space of three calendar months next after my decease in equall share and proportion between my said sons in law William Botting and John Cutress and my sons Richard Freeman ~ John Freeman ~ William Freeman ~ Edward Freeman ~ Philip Freeman and Thomas Freeman as Tenants in common forever And which I do hereby give and bequeath to them accordingly Also I give and devise unto my said sons in laws William Botting and John Cutress and to the Survivors of them and to the heirs and Assigns of the survivor of them forever All that my Customary Messuage or Tenement Farm Lands and Premises with the Appurtenances there unto belonging by whatsoever name or names be the same call'd or known situate lying and being in the several parishes of Ashurst and Westgrinstead in the County aforesaid and which I have surrendred into the hands of the Lord of the Manor according to the custom thereof to the use of this my Last Will and Testament Nevertheless upon like special Trust and Confidence that they my said Trustees and the Survivor of them and the heirs and Assisgns of the Survivor of them do from time to time receive the rents [---] and profits arising there from as the same shall become due and pay thereout unto my son Thomas Freeman the sum of Six Pounds yearly and every year in equal half yearly portions and the first payment to become due and made payable upon the first of those half yearly Days upon which the rent thereof shall become due and made payable that shall happen next after my decease until my said son Thomas  shall have attained the age of Nineteen years clear of all deductions whatsoever and which I do hereby give and bequeath to him accordingly And the remaining part of the rents and profits aforesaid clear of taxes repairs and [---] deductions I will and ordain that my said Trustees pay and divide equally between them my said sons in law William Botting & John Cutress and my sons Richard Freeman ~ John Freeman ~ William Freeman ~ Edward Freeman and Philip Freeman as Tenants in common as the same shall become due and made payable And from and Immediately after the time my said Son Thomas Freeman shall have attained the age of Nineteen years aforesaid as conveniently as may be I will & ordain that my said Trustees and the Survivors of them and the heirs and Assisgns of the Survivor of them do make sale of my said Customary Messuage Farm lands & buildings and every part thereof for the most money that can begot for the same And keep and retain in their hands the sum of Forty Pounds part of the price thereof and therewith to find and put out to some convenient trade my Grandson Philip Cooper when he arrives to a proper age and maintain him in all necessary cloathing and pocket money during his apprenticeship and to pay him the overseer if may be in their hand out the expiration thereof [---] all the rest and residue of the said money arising by such sale I will and ordain tat it be equally divided between my said sons in law William Botting & John Cutress and my sons Richard Freeman ~ John Freeman ~ William Freeman ~ Edward Freeman ~ Philip Freeman and Thomas Freeman as Tenants in common forever and which I do hereby give and bequeath to them accordingly But in case that my said Grandson Philip Cooper shall happen to depart this life before he shall have attained the age of Fourteen years Then I will and ordain that the said Legacy of Forty Pounds [---] herein before bequeathed to him be paid and equally divided within the space of Three Calendar months next after such his decease between my said sons in law William Botting and John Cutress and my sons Richard Freeman ~ John Freeman ~ William Freeman ~ Edward Freeman ~ Philip Freeman and Thomas Freeman as Tenant in common forever And I do hereby give and bequeath to them accordingly And I do hereby further declare that my said sons shall be deem'd of age when they sall have attained the age of Nineteen years and that their respective legacies shall be divided and made payable to them and each of them at the age of Nineteen years respectively and that their respective receipts at that age notwithstanding their nonage shall be a sufficient discharge to my Executors for the payment thereof any Law custom or usage to the Contrary thereof notwithstanding excepting always that my legacy of Forty Pounds to my Grandson Philip Cooper be paid out and disposed of for his benefit at the time and in the manner before [---] And Lastley I do Nominate Consititute & appoint my said sons in law William Botting and John Cutress Joint Executors and trustees of this my last will and Testament hereby revoking and making void all former and other will or wills by me at any time heresofore made And In Testimony that this sheet of paper contains my last will and Testament I have unto each page thereof set my hand and unto this last page my hand and seal this Twenty Third Day of November In the year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy Six Richard Freeman Signed Sealed Published and declared by Richard Freeman the said Testator as and for his last will and Testament In the presence of us who have subscribed our Names as witnesses thereof In the presence and at the request of the said Testator and in the presence of each other Miles Williams ~ William Boorer ~ Thomas Hersey

This Will was proved before Mr Richard Tireman Clerk M.A. Surrogate on the Twenty Seventh Day of May in the year of our Lord 1778 By the Oath of William Botting and John Cutress sons in Law of the deceased and Joint Executors therein named to whom was well and truly sworn saving

WSRO ref. STC1/43 - transcribed by Mandy Willard on 13 January 2007

Notes

Miles Williams married Ann Mitchell by banns on 2 December 1745 in Ashurst.  He was the clerk/curate of Ashurst and she was also of Ashurst.

Miles Williams married Elizabeth Jupp by licence on 14 November 1775 in Henfield.  He was then a bachelor of the parish of St. James, deity of Westminster, Middlesex and she was a spinster of Henfield.  The witnesses to the marriage were Jane Woolven and Richard Woolven.

FREEMAN