Will of Henry Hughes, ironmonger, 1705 (proved 1708)

National Archives, PROB 11/502

In the name of God Amen I Henry Hughes of Winslow in the County of Bucks Ironmonger being in good health of Body and of sound and perfect mind and memory all possible praise be given to Almighty God for the same but considering the certainty of death and the uncertain time thereof do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner following First and principally I commend my soule into the hands of Almighty God my maker hoping through the meritts death and passion of Jesus Christ my Saviour and Redeemer to be made pertaker of Everlasting Life and my Body I committ to the Earth to be decently interred at the discretion of my Executors herein after Named And as for such temporal Estate as it hath pleased Almighty God to bestow upon me I give and dispose thereof as followeth Imprimis I being indebted to Elizabeth Huges my Daughter in the summe of Thirty pounds And unto Rebecca Hughes my Daughter in the summe of Twenty Five pounds And unto Jane Hughes my Daughter in the summe of Five and Twenty pounds And unto Hester Hughes my Daughter in the summe of Twenty pounds My Will is that after my other Debts are paid which I have directed to be paid under my hand and seal my said Daughters should be paid next out of the overplus of my real and personal Estate which I have and do hereby direct for the payment of my Debts And I do hereby discharge all my said Daughters and also my Daughter Alice the Wife of Samuel Foster clerke and likewise the said Samuel Foster of all and every summe and summes of Money that can or may be demanded as due to me from them respectively for their Board clothing or otherwise upon condition that they respectively discharge my Executors of all and every summe and summes of Money that can or may be demanded for Interest of the said several summes of Money And also for Interest of the several summes of Twenty and Five pounds and Fifty shillings formerly given to my said Daughter Alice Item upon the same Condition I give and bequeath unto my said Daughters Elizabeth Rebecca Jane and Hester Five and Twenty pounds a peece to be paid out of the overplus of my real and personal Estate Item I give and bequeath unto Francis Foster my Grandson Twenty shillings to be paid out of my real and personal Estate Item all the Rest and Residue of the overplus of my real and personal Estate I give and bequeath unto all my said Daughters to be equally divided between them And I do hereby appoint my said Daughters Joynt Executors of this my last Will and Testament And revoking all former Wills I do declare this only to be my last Will and Testament in witness whereof I have to this my last will and testament contained in two sheets of paper to each of them put my hand and seal this Thirteenth day of August in the Fourth Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lady Anne by the grace of God of England Scotland France and Ireland Queen Defender of the Faith &c Annoq(ue) D(omi)ni 1705 Henry Hughes. Signed & sealed published and declared in the presence of us who have hereunto subscribed our Names as Wittnesses in the presence of the Testator Nicho: Merwin Thomas Spratley John Stone

[Probate at London on 9 July 1708 on the oaths of Alice Foster wife of Samuel Foster Rebecca Hughes and Jane Hughes daughters of the deceased and three of the executrixes with power reserved for making a similar commission to Elizabeth Huges and Hester Hughs the other executrixes]

Notes

Henry was the son of Peter Hughes, d.1688, bap. at Quainton on 16 May 1641, and buried at Winslow on 17 Aug 1706. He married Elizabeth Overing at Winslow on 17 May 1664. She was the daughter of Nicholas Overing, bap. 9 Nov 1639, and buried on 3 March 1698/9. She was descended from the Edmunds family.

The five daughters were beneficiaries of the will of Thomas Bishop d.1692; their father had evidently kept their legacies, and also small legacies from their grandfather. In 1706, Henry surrendered his property to be sold in order to pay his daughters the legacies and a further £25 each.

Copyright 27 August, 2017