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Will of Matthew Eyre, draper, 1758 (proved 1759)
Herts RO 197AW6
This is the Last Will and Testament of me Matthew Eyre of Winslow in the County of Bucks Draper made in sound mind memory and understanding the twenty first day of October in the year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and fifty eight I Give devise and bequeath unto my Mother Sarah Eyre and unto my Infant Brother George Eyre equally between them share and share alike All and singular my real and personal Estate whatsovever and wheresoever and all my Stock in trade Goods and Chattels of any nature or kind and to which I now am or shall be intitled unto by the last Will and Testament of my late Uncle George Clarke deceased or otherwise howsoever, the Share of such my Estate given unto my said Brother George Eyre to be paid unto him when he shall attain his age of twenty one years and not before And in Case my said Mother Sarah Eyre Widow shall at any time hereafter marry again to any person whomsoever then & in such Case I do hereby revoke and make void the Bequest herein made to her, and do give the whole of such my Estate and Effects unto my said Infant Brother George Eyre when he shall attain his age of Twenty one years and not before. I give unto my Brother David Eyre the sum of Five pounds of lawful money of Great Britain to be paid unto him by my Executor and Executrix herein after named One month next after my Decease chargeable upon all my said Estate and Effects; I do hereby revoke all former Wills by me at any time heretofore made and do declare this to be my last Will and Testament and thereof do constitute and appoint my said Mother Sarah Eyre (while she continues a Widow unmarried & not otherwise) together with my Uncle Thomas King the Elder Gent. Executrix and Executor, and do hereby direct them to pay in the first place all my just Debts Legacys Funeral Expences, and all other Expences & Charges in and about the Proving and Execution of this my Will In Witness whereof I have hereunder set my hand and seal the day and year first above written
The Mark of
Matthew Eyre
Signed Sealed and Delivered Published & declared
by the said Testator \for his last Will and Testament/ in the presence of us who at his
request in his presence & the presence of each other
have subscribed our names as Witnesses hereto
William King
William Griffin
Sam(ue)l Yeates
[Proved 18 Jan 1759. Thomas King the elder sworn before John Rawbone, surrogate]
The Second day of February
One Thousand seven Hundred
and Fifty Nine
On which day Appeared personally Samuel Yeates of Winslow in the County of Buckingham Gentleman William King of Nash in the Parish of Whaddon in the said County of Buckingham Gentleman and William Griffin of Winslow aforesaid in Yeoman who being Severally Sworn on the Holy Evangelists to Depose the Truth do jointly and Severally say and Depose as follows to wit And First this Deponent Samuel Yeates for himself Deposeth and Saith that having received Instructions from Matthew Eyre late of Winslow aforesaid \Draper Deceased/ to make his the said Matthew Eyres Will He this Deponent did Accordingly the draw the Instrument hereunto Annexed purporting to be the Last Will and Testament of the said Matthew Eyre And that on the twenty first day of October last past he this Deponent did Attend the said Matthew Eyre therewith and read over the same to him who Approved thereof and these Deponents Samuel Yeates William King and William Griffin having Veiwed the paper Writing hereunto Annexed do say and Depose that the same is the true last Will and Testament of the said Matthew Eyre As they verily believe And that they these Deponents did See the said Matthew Eyre Sign and Seal and hear him Publish and Declare the same to be his Last Will and Testament on the said Twenty first day of October last And that the said Testator did then Desire these Deponents to be Witnesses to the Execution thereof And these Deponents further say that the Mark Appearing against the Seal at the Bottom of the said paper Writing was made by the said Testator with his own proper hand And that the said Testator was at the time of the Execution of his said Will of perfect Sound and Disposing Mind Memory and Understanding and that the Names William King William Griffin and Samuel Yeates Subscribed as Witnesses to the said Will are of the proper hand writing of these Deponents And that they did Severally Sign their respective Names to the said Will in the presence of the said Matthew Eyre the Testator and of each other
The same Day The said Samuel Yeates William King and William Griffin were duly Sworn to the truth of the Premisses before me
D Crespin Surrogate
[signed] Sam(ue)l Yeates
William Griffin
William King
In the presence of James Archer Notary Publick
Notes
Matthew Eyre (b.1740) was the son of Joseph Eyre, tailor (d.1750) and Sarah Betty Eyre nee Clarke (d.1760). He was the main beneficiary of his uncle George Clarke (d.1757), in whose drapery business he must have worked. He was no more than 19 when he made his will.
Affidavit, 2 Feb 1759
Herts RO ASA 27/1/125
This document is a draft, with many erasures. It is summarised below.
Appeared personally William King of Nash, gentleman, William Griffin of Winslow, yeoman and Samuel Yeates of Winslow, gentleman. They swore that the document was truly Mathew [sic] Eyre's last will and testament. The testator made the mark against the seal with his own hand in their presence. He was of sound mind. Samuel Yeates said that Matthew Eyre gave him instructions to make his will, "and that on the day of the date thereof he this Deponent did attend the said Matthew Eyres [sic] and read over the said Will to him who approv'd thereof".