Will of Sarah Gyles, widow, 1724 (proved 1726)

Herts RO 163AW5

In the Name of God Amen I Sarah Gyles of Winslow in the County of Bux Widdow being some what Indisposed in Body but of sound and perfect minde and memory Praised be Allmighty God for the same and calling to minde the certainty of death and uncertainty of the time thereof do this second day of october in the year of our Lord oune Thousand seaven hundred and Twenty four make and ordaine this my Last Will and Testament in Maner and forme following that is to say first and principally I do commend my soule into the hands of Allmighty God my Maker hopeing through the Meritts Death and Passion of Jesus Christ my Savior alone to be made pertaker of Everlasting Life  And my Body I committ to the Earth to be decently Buried at the discretion of my Executors herein after named and for such Temporall Estate as it hath pleased God to bestowe upon me I do give and disspose thereof as followeth  Imprimiss I give Will and bequeath unto my daughter Mary King Wife of John King of Boveingdon the sum of Fifty pounds of Lawfull money of great Brittain to be paid unto her within six months after my decease by my Joynt Executors herein after named and in case it shall so happen tha<t> my said daughter Mary King shall dye before the terme of six months shall be Expired after my decease I do then Will and bequeath the said Legacy of Fifty pounds to be paid to the three daughters of the said Mary King to witt Maria King Sarah King and Joanna King to be Equally devided between them and to be paid to them by my Joynt Executors as the said children shall severally attaine to the Age of Eighteen years respectively and in case that either or any of the said three daughters of the said Mary King shall dye before she or they shall attaine the age of Eighteen years my will is then that the said Legacy of Fifty pounds shall be paid to the survivors or survivor of the said daughters of the age and in manner as before Expressed.  Item I do give Will and bequeath unto my daughter Grace Alldridge the now Wife of Thomas Alldridge of Winslow in the County of Bucks Woolen draper All that my Coppyhold Barne Scituate  in Winslow aforesaid which my Late Husband purchased of John Seaton Carrier To Hold to the said Grace Alldridge and her heirs for Ever  Item I give Will and bequeath unto my daughter Jane Langley now Widdow and Relict of Henry Langley of Leighton Bussard in the Countey of Bedford Gent:  All that my Coppyhold Messuage or Tenement scituate in Winslow aforesaid which I Lately purchased of Joseph Gyles and which was Late in the Tenure and occupation of him the said Joseph Gyles and his Assignes Together with all houses outhouses Edifices buildings Barns Stables yards backsides Wayes Waters water courses priviledges and Appurtences whatsever to the said Messuage or Tenement and premisses belonging or in any wise appertaining  To Hold to the said Jane Langley and her Heirs for Ever.  Item I do allso give and bequeath unto my said daughters Grace Alldridge and Jane Langley All those my two Acres of Arrable Land with their and every of their appurtences scituate Lyeing and being with\in/ the comon feild of Winslow aforesaid which I Lately purchased of Robert Gibbs the Elder To Hold to my said daughters Grace Alldridge and Jane Langley their Heirs and Assignes for Ever.  Item I do give Will and bequeath unto my Loveing sister Mary Hotchkiss Widdow the summ of Ten pounds of Lawfull money of Great Britain to be paid to her within six months after my decease by my Executors herein afternamed but in case my said sister Mary Hotchkiss shall dye before my decease or before six months shall be Expired after

[signed] Sarah Gyles

[f.2] my decease then my Will and meaning is that the said Legacy or summ of Ten pounds before expressed to be paid to my said sister Mary Hotchkiss shall be paid unto her son Benjamin Hotchkiss Brasier in London within six months after my decease by my Joynt Executors herein after named  Item I give Will and bequeath unto my Grandaughter Joanna Morris the summ of Ten pounds of Lawfull money of Great Brittain to be paid to her within six months after my decease by my Joynt Executors.  Item all the rest of my goods chattells personall Estate money debts due to me upon Bonds Mortgages or other securities with all my Houshold goods whatsoever or wheresever not before herein bequeathed or disposed of by me in my Life time I do Will give and bequeath the same personall Estate as aforesaid unto my Son Thomas Alldridge and my daughter Jane Langley Widdow to be Equally shared and devided between them and I do hereby make and ordaine the said Thomas Alldridge and Jane Langley to be Joynt Executor and Executrix of this my Last Will and Testament and do hereby appoint and Enjoyne unto and upon my said Executor and Executrix the disscharge and payment of all my Debts Legacies and funerall charges to be Joyntly paid between them the said Thomas Alldridge and Jane Langley  I do allso further Enjoyn and appoynt unto my said Executor and Executrix the payment of such and so many of those Legacies as shall not be paid by me in my Life time which were Enjoyned unto me to pay by the Last Will and Testament of my Late Husband William Gyles deceased and allso those Legcyes given by the Last Will and Testament of my daughter Martha Gyles deceased and Lastly I do hereby make voyde and Revoke all former Wills by me heretofore made and do declare this to be  my Last Will and Testament in Wittness whereof I have to this my Will contained in two sheets of paper I have to the first sett my hand and to the Last my hand and seale this second day of october in the year of our Lord one Thousand seaven hundred and Twenty foure  

[signed] Sarah Gyles

Signed sealed publised and declared in the presence of us
who have hereunto subscribed our Names as Wittnesses in
the presence of the said Sarah Gyles Testator
John Marshall
Elen Brice
Dorcas Briten

[Latin:] On the first day of the month of October 1726 the within-named Thomas Aldrige &  Jane Langley were sworn of the truth of this before me,  John Cole surr.


Notes

Sarah Gyles was buried in Keach's Meeting House: "Sarah Gyles, relict of William Gyles, daughter of Benjamin Morley, gent. d. 6 Sep 1726 aged 71". She was the widow of William Gyles d.1713, and mother of Martha Gyles d.1714 and William Gyles jr d.1714. She was therefore very slow to pay all their legacies; perhaps it was the ones in favour of the Baptists which she delayed. See Gyles Family page.

Woolen draper: Thomas Aldridge must have taken over the business after the deaths of his father-in-law and brother-in-law. It was carried on by his widow Grace.


National Archives, C11/771/60

Bill of complaint of Jane Langley of Berkhamstead St Peters, 31 May 1728

Jane was acting as her mother's executrix and trying to recover a debt. By indenture of 2 July 1716 Sarah Gyles took over an existing mortgage by John Wright of Gt Brickhill, yeoman, of property in Lithington (?=Lidlington), Beds. The total debt was £310. On 26 June 1727 by endorsement on the back of the mortgage Thomas Aldridge assigned his estate to Jane in consideration of £166 12s 6d. John Wright was now dead and Jane had tried to recover the money from his son John. According to the bill, John jr was confederating to withhold the money with Thomas Brace esq. of Colcester and Hon. Charles Ingram and Elizabeth his wife, widow of Francis Brace of Bedford.

According to the Ingrams' reply, Francis Brace had purchased the property as part of Elizabeth's marriage settlement and they knew nothing of the mortgage.

The outcome of the case is unknown.

Copyright 24 May, 2018