18th century Wills - Langham Village History Group

Richard Sharpe – 5th December 1784Northampton Record Office :Transcribed by [] - Langham Village History GroupIn the Name of God Amen I Richard Sharpe of Langham in the county in the county of Rutlandgrazier being weak in body but of sound mind memory and understanding as also Considering theUncertainty of this Life Do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner and formfollowing (that is to say) First of all I give my soul to Almighty God who gave it me and my Body Icommit to the Earth to be decently Interred at the discretion of my Wife my Executrix herein afternamed and as for my worldly Estate which hath pleased God to bless me with I give and disposethereof as follows In the first place I give and bequeath unto Sarah my dearly beloved Wife whomI likewise constitute make and ordain the sole Executrix of this my last Will and Testament all andsingular my lands messuages and tenements household goodes stock cattle chattels and effectsrights credits and personal estate of what kind nature or quality soever (my debts and funeralexpenses being first paid and discharged and for proving this my said Will and for bringing up mychildren) by her freely to be possessed and enjoyed so long as she remains my widow but if shemarry again or die before my children is (sic) properly educated and brought up then my will is thattwo fifths of every thing that is belonging to my estate both real and personal shall be given to myeldest son William Sharpe and the other three fifths to be equally divided amongst my other threechildren namely Richard Sharpe Rachel Sharpe and that which my Wife is now pregnant of but ifthe child that is unborn should happen to die then it is my will that my wife shall have that child’sfifth part for her own use and disposal but if my wife should marry again then she shall deliverup all my estate real and personal unto my too (sic) friends Mr William Hubbard of Langham andMr John Chester brother to my Wife whom I appoint in trust to have the care and management of allmy estate real and personal to bring up my children in meat drink cloathing (sic) and educating ofthem till the youngest attain the age of twenty one years then for my estate real and personal to bedivided amongst my children as above mentioned (that is ) to my eldest son William two fifths andto my other children the other three fifths to be equally divided amongst them excepting the childunborn should happen to die then my wife to have that child’s fifth part and the other two fifths tobe equally divided between the two younger children And lastly I do hereby nominate and appointmy said loving Wife Sarah Sharpe full and sole executrix of this my last Will and Testament revokingall former and other Wills by me at any Time heretofore made in Witness whereof I the said RichardSharpe the Testator have hereunto set my Hand and Seal the fifth Day of December in the year ofour Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty fourRichard SharpeSigned Sealed Published and Declared by the said Richard Sharpe the Testator to be his last Willand Testament in the Presence of us the Witnesses underwritten who have at his request and inhis Presence and in the Presence of each other set our names as Witnesses to the due execution ofthis his said WillWm Sharpe WilliamsonEliz EllicottWm HolmesSarah Sharpe the Executrix hath sworn she will perform the contents of the Will of her latehusband Rich Sharpe as far as the law require and that he did not die possessed of personal ity (?)to the value of three hundred poundsSworn before me I (?J) Louth surrogate Feb the 6th 1786(but the initial on the outside of the paper is W Louth)18th c Langham Wills - LVHG - 42