Will of Jane Cox of Little Horwood, widow, 1710 (proved 1711)
National Archives PROB 11/519/268
In the Name of God Amen I Jane Cox of Litle Horwood in the County of Bucks widdow being weake in body but of Sound and perfect minde and memory praised be Almighty God therefore and calling to minde the certainty of Death and the Uncertaine time thereof Doe this One and thirtieth day of March Anno domini 1710 make and Ordaine this my Last will and testament in manner and Forme Following (that is to say) First and principally I Commend my Soule into the hands of Almighty God my maker hoping through the merritts death and passion of Jesus Christ my Saviour to be made partaker of Everlasting life and my body I Committ to the Earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my Executors hereinafter named And as for such temporall estate as it hath pleased Almighty God to Bestow upon [sic] I give and dispose thereof as Followeth Imprimis I give will devise and bequeath unto my trusty and well beloved Friends Robert Grainge of Litle Horwood in the County of Bucks gent and Peter Goldsworth of Winslowe in the said County of Bucks gent All and Every my Copyhold and Customary Messuages Lands Tenements and hereditaments whatsoever holden of the Mannor of Winslowe cum membris in the said County of Bucks To hold to them and their heires until such time as Joseph Cox Son of my kinsman Thomas Cox of Litle Horwood aforesaid Baker shall attaine the age of One and twenty yeares upon this Speciall trust and Confidence in them reposed That they the said Robert Grainge & Peter Goldsworth and their heires shall and will permitt and Suffer the said Thomas Cox Father of the said Joseph Cox to hold and Enjoy the same and to receive and take the rents issues and profitts thereof For and towards
the mainetainance and Education of his Children For soe long time of the said time as he shall be a good husband and diligent and carefull in his Business But in case the
[p.2] said Thomas Cox shall prove an ill husband and be negligent and careless in his Business Then upon this Further Trust and confidence in them reposed that they the said Robert Grainge and Peter Goldsworth and their heires shall and will enter into and upon the said premisses and every parte and parcell thereof and receive and take the rents issues and profitts thereof and dispose of the same For and towards the maintenance and Education of Joseph Cox Timothy Cox John Cox Thomas Cox and Judge Jane Cox [sic] Children of the said Thomas Cox and From and after such time as the said Joseph Cox shall have attained the \said/ age of One and twenty yeares Then I give will devise and bequeath the cottage or tenement wherein I \do/ now dwell And all the houses Outhouses Barnes Stables Yards Orchards Gardens Backsides and Appurtenances whatsoever to the same belonging or in any wise appertaining And alsoe all that my halfe yardland containing by Estimation Sixteen Acres or thereabouts Formerly Hawkins’s and the Appurtenances thereto belonging parcell of the premisses aforesaid unto the said Joseph Cox For and during the term of his naturall life And from and after his decease Then to the First Son of the body of the said Joseph Cox Lawfully Begotten or to be begotten and to the heires males of the Body of such First Son lawfully begotten or to be begotten ... and For default of such issue to John Cox brother of the said Joseph Cox For and During the terme of his naturall life and from and after his Decease to the First Son of the body of the said John Cox lawfully begotten or to be begotten ... and For default of such issue to Thomas Cox brother of the said John Cox For and during the terme of his naturall life and from and after his decease to the First Son of the body of the said Thomas Cox lawfully begotten or to be begotten ...
[p.6] and alsoe From and after such time as the said Joseph Cox shall have attained the said age of One and twenty yeares Then I alsoe give will Devise and bequeath my other Seven acres of Copyhold Land lying in the Common Feilds of Litle Horwood aforesaid and the Appurtenances thereto belonging and Common of pasture For a Quarterne yard Land to be had and taken in the Common Feilds and Commonable places of Litle Horwood aforesaid Residue of the premisses First above mentioned unto the said John Cox Thomas Cox and Timothy Cox (Sons of the said Thomas Cox of Litle Horwood aforesaid Baker my kinsman) and their heires Forever to be Equally devided between them share and share alike Item I give will devise and bequeath unto the said Robert Grainge and Peter Goldsworth all my Freehold Lands lying in the parish of Litle Horwood aforesaid and the appurtenances thereto belonging To hold to them and their heires until such time as the said John Cox (Son of my Kinsman Thomas Cox of Litle Horwood aforesaid Baker) shall attaine the Age of One and twenty yeares For the Uses Trusts intents and purposes herein before mentioned and declared and from and after such time as the said John Cox shall have attained the said Age of One and twenty yeares Then I give will devise and bequeath all my said Freehold Lands lying in the parish of Litle Horwood aforesaid and the appurtenances thereto belonging unto the said John Cox and his heires For ever Item I give will devise and bequeath unto the said Robert Grainge and Peter Goldsworth all that my Freehold Close lying in the parish of Great Horwood in the said County of Bucks (which was formerly Carters) and the Appurtenances thereto belonging To hold to them and their heires until such time as the said Judge Jane Cox my Goddaughter (daughter of the said Thomas Cox of Litle Horwood aforesaid Baker my
[p.7] kinsman) shall attaine to the Age of One and twenty yeares for the Uses Trusts Intents and purposes herein before mentioned and declared and From and after such time as the said Judge Jane Cox shall have attained the said Age of One and twenty yeares Then I give will devise and bequeath the said Freehold Close lying in the parish of Great Horwood aforesaid and the Appurtenances thereto belonging unto the said Judge Jane Cox and her heires For ever Item I Give will devise and bequeath unto my brother Thomas Cox of Atterbury the sume of Twenty pounds of Lawfull money of Great Brittaine to be paid unto him by my Executors herein after named within Twelve months next after my Decease Item I give will devise and bequeath unto [blank] Cox son of my Cozen Joseph Cox of Atterbury Son of my brother John Cox the sume of ten pounds of lawfull money of Great Brittaine to be paid unto him by my Executors herein after named at such time as he shall attaine to the Age of one and twenty yeares Item I give will devise and bequeath unto my kinsman William Judge of Brackley my Cozen John Hancks of Wooten my kinswoman Elizabeth Townesend widdow and my Cozen Anne Townesend ten pounds a piece of Lawfull money of Great Brittaine to be paid unto them by my Executors herein after named within Twelve months next after my Decease Item I give will devise and bequeath unto my kinsmen John Cox of Atterbury weavers Joseph Wesson of Litle Horwood Labourer William Wesson of Woodstocke John Judge and William Judge of London Five pounds a peece of Lawfull money of Greate Brittaine to be paid unto them by my Executors hereinafter named within twelve months next after my decease Item I give will devise and bequeath unto Katherine Bull daughter of my Cozen Katherine Bull of Oxford my cozen Mary Howes and my cozens Mary Sarah Elizabeth and Rebeccah daughters of my kinsman Joseph Wesson of Litle Horwood Five pounds apeece of Lawfull money of Great Brittaine to be paid unto them by my Executors hereinafter named within twelve months next after my Decease Item I give will devise and bequeath unto Alice Allen’s daughter of Woolverton and my well beloved Friend Joane Showler of Great Horwood widdow Five pounds a peece of Lawfull money of Great Brittaine to be paid unto them by my Executors herein after named within twelve months next after my Decease Item I give will devise and bequeath unto Elizabeth and Martha Sisters of the said Anne Townesend Fifty shillings a peece of lawfull money of great Brittaine to be paid unto them by my Executors herein after named within twelve months next after my decease Item I give will devise and bequeath unto the said Robert Grainge and Peter Goldsworth Five pounds a peece of lawfull money of Great Brittaine to be paid unto them within twelve months next after my decease Item I give will devise and bequeath unto my Godchildren in Litle Horwood aforesaid two shillings and six pence a peece of lawfull money of Great Brittaine to be paid unto them by my Executors herein after named within Twelve months next after my Decease Item I give will devise and Bequeath unto the poor widdowes in Litle Horwood aforesaid two Shillings and Six pence a peece of lawfull money of great Brittaine to be paid unto them by my Executors herein after named within
[p.8] one month next after my Decease And I doe hereby constitute and appointe the said Robert Grainge and Peter Goldsworth Executors of this my Last will and testament And I doe hereby Direct and declare that my said Executors shall in their Fair and honest Behaviour be Saved harmless and indempnified in all things concerning the Execution of my will Or any matter or thing relating thereunto And that they shall not be chargeable one For the other Or For the Acts one of the other And that they shall from time to time be allowed reasonably for their Charges time and Expences Expended concerning the Execution of my Will Or any matter Or thing Relateing thereunto And as for and concerning all the rest of my Goods Chattells and Personall Estate whatsoever and wheresoever (my just debts Legacies and Funerall Expences Together with all such costs Charges and Expences as my Executors Or either of them shall Sustaine Or be put unto in and about the Execution of my will Or any matter or thing relating thereunto being there out First Satisfied paid Defrayed and reinbursed) I give will devise and bequeath unto the said Robert Grainge and Peter Goldsworth in trust to dispose of the same to and amongst the said Thomas Cox of Litle Horwood aforesaid Baker and Sarah his wife and the said Joseph Cox John Cox Thomas Cox Timothy Cox and Judge Jane Cox Children of the said Thomas Cox of Litle Horwood Baker in such manner and at such times As they the said Robert Grainge and Peter Goldsworth shall thinke most proper and convenient And Lastly I doe hereby revoke and make Void all former wills by me heretofore made and doe declare this to be my Last will and testament In witness whereof I have hereunto Sett my hand and Seale the day and yeare First above written
the marke of Jane Cox
Signed Sealed published and Declared in the presence of us who have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses in the presence of the Testator [sic] William Illing John Hodgskin Edward Showler
The Nineteenth of December Anno Dom(ini) 1710
Whereas I Jane Cox of Litle Horwood in the County of Bucks widdow have some time since made and Ordained my Last will and testament now Memorandum that I the said Jane Cox upon Further consideration me hereunto moving doe hereby make this as a Codicill to be annexed to that my Last will and testament above mentioned And whereas I have by Surrender Surrendered all my Copyhold and customary Messuages Lands tenements and Hereditaments whatsoever holden of the Mannor of Winslowe cum Membris in the Said County of Bucks to such Uses as shall be thereof Declared in
[p.9] and by my Last will and testament And whereas in and by my said will above mentioned I have not declared any uses concerning my piece or parcell of Sweard Ground now in the Occupation of Thomas Tatham which was Formerly purchased of William Oakley and Elizabeth his wife Now my will \meaning/ and desire is that my kinsman Joseph Cox Son of my brother Thomas Cox of Atterbury weaver and his heires shall have the said piece or parcell of Sweard ground now in the Occupation of Thomas Tatham and I doe hereby give will devise and bequeath the said piece or parcell of Sweard Ground now in the Occupation of the said Thomas Tatham and the Appurtenances thereunto belonging accordingly unto the said Joseph Cox my kinsman his heires and Assignes forever In witness whereof I the said Jane Cox have to this writing or codicill putt my hand and seale the day and yeare First above written the marke of Jane Cox Signed Sealed published and declared in the presence of us who have hereunto Subscribed our names as witnesses in the presence of the Testator Jos(eph) Turner William Illing John Hodgskin
Probate was granted at London before Charles Hodges Doctor of Laws on 15th February In the year of our Lord (English style) 1710 by the oath of Robert Grainge and Peter Goldsworth Executors
Notes
The lawyer Peter Goldsworth who presumably drew up this will managed to extend it to nine pages; the clauses about the tenth son of the fourth brother etc. have been omitted here.
Jane Cox was the widow of Joseph Cox, baker (will proved 1709). She appears to have been a Cox by birth as well as marriage. "Atterbury" where her brother lived was probably Adderbury, Oxon.
Joseph the eldest son of Thomas Cox the baker was baptised at Little Horwood in 1704. The unusually named Judge Jane Cox was buried in 1719 aged 10.