Will of Peter Lowndes, yeoman, 1711

Herts RO 149AW14

In the Name of God. Amen. I Peter Lowndes of Winslow in the County of Bucks yeom(an) being indisposed in Body but of Sound and perfect Mind and Memory all possible praise be given to Almighty God for the same and considering the Certainty of Death and the uncertain time thereof do make and ordaine this my last will and testament in manner and forme following (that is to say) first and principally I commend my Soul into the Hands of Almighty God hopeing
through the Merritts Death and passion of my only Saviour and redeemer Jesus Christ to attaine everlasting life and as for my wordly Estate wherewith it pleased Almighty God to Bestowe upon me I give and dispose thereof as followeth Imprimis I give will devise and bequeath unto my Dear and Loveing Wife Dorothy All and every my Household Goods and Implements of Household (Except Standards) to do and dispose thereof as she shall think fitt  Item I give and bequeath unto my loveing Son Robert Lowndes and unto Elizabeth his wife the sume of five pounds apeice Item I give and bequeath unto my Son William Lowndes the sume of fifty pounds to be paid within twelve months after my decease  Item I give and bequeath unto the Children of my Daughter Elizabeth Walsh the sume of Five shillings apeice  Item I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Dinah the sume of fifty pounds to be paid within twelve Months after my decease  Item I give and bequeath {and bequeath} unto the said Dinah Lowndes the further sume of ten pounds to be paid within one Month after my decease all which Legacyes to be paid out of the residue of my personall Estate  Item I give and bequeath unto my kind and loving Son Peter Lowndes all the rest and residue of my personall Estate whatsoever and wheresoever (payeing my Debts Legacys and funerall Expenses) whome I make Sole Executor of this my last will and Testament And I do hereby revoake all former wills by me heretofore made and do declare this only to be my last {and} will and Testament In Witnesse whereof I have hereunto Sett my hand and seal this nineteenth Day of October and in the year of our Lord 1711

(signed) Peter Lowndes

Signed sealed published and declared in the
presence of us who have hereunto subscribed
our names in the p(re)sence of the Testator
John Shelton
John Seaton
Jon Hills 

Click on the picture for a full image of the document: Will of Peter Lowndes

Notes

Peter Lowndes was buried at Winslow on 4 Nov 1711. He also made a deathbed surrender, recorded at the April 1712 manor court, requiring his son Peter to make some further payments. He was bap. 30 July 1631, son of Robert Lowndes, who married Alice Spooner on 29 July 1627. Peter was therefore the cousin of Robert Lowndes, the father of William Lowndes who built Winslow Hall, and acted as William's agent in Winslow. His brother John and sister Dinah are mentioned in the document transcribed below. Peter married Dorothy Brown on 15 Feb 1666/7. The children mentioned in his will are:

Robert was mentioned by his second cousin William in a letter of 27 Aug 1703: "The Customs Commissioners have, of their own motion, presented Robert Lowndes (who is related to me and has proved himself a good officer by divers years' experience in a mean office) as tidesurveyor at Harwich." He was probably the man hired as a messenger at the Treasury on a salary of £20 in September 1695. He was replaced as tide surveyor in August 1714 by his brother William after his death.

National Archives, E112/621/175

Complaint of Peter Lowndes, Michaelmas Term 11 William III (1699)

To the Right Hono(r)able John Smyth Esq(uire) Chancellor and under Treasurer of his Maj(es)ties Court of Excheq(uer) S(i)r Edward Ward Kn(igh)t Lord Cheife Baron of the said Court and the Rest of the Barons there
Humbly Complaineing sheweth unto Yo(ur) Hono(r) Your daily Orato(r) Peter Lowndes of Winslowe in the County of Bucks Yeoman Debtor and Accountant to his Maj(es)tie as by the Records of this Hono(ra)ble Co(ur)t and otherwise itt doth and may appeare That One Dinah Teagle Deceased, late wife of Abraham Teagle late of Middle Cleydon in the County of Bucks Yeoman Deceased and Sister of Yo(ur) Orator was \well/ Intituled to the Sum(me) of Twenty pounds or some such Sum(me) by the Provision and Guift of one John Lowndes Yo(ur) Orators late Brother alsoe Deceased (which Twenty pounds was payable to her upon the Decease of Alice Lowndes Mother of the said Dinah)

And the said Dinah afterwards Intermarrying with the said Abraham Teagle Itt was proposed and Agreed Betweene them and the Freinds of the said Dinah that the said money should be disposed and placed out att Interest That the said Abraham Teagle might dureing the Coverture Receive the Interest of the same And after the Determinac(i)on of the Coverture Then the Survivor of them was to receive the Interest thereof for his or her life and in Case of Children Betweene them Then the same was to be for the Benefitt of such Children And in Case of noe Issue of the said Marryage Then Your Orato(r) being her own Brother was after the Decease of the said Dinah and Abraham to have the Benefitt of \the/ said moneys to his own Use Or some other Agreement was made betweene them Soe that after the Deceases of the said Dinah and Abraham with out Issue Your Orator was to have the Sole Benefitt of the said moneys And in Case the said Moneys should att any tyme be payed in Itt should be payd to and deposited in the Hands of your Orator And when placed out to any person att Interest the Bond or Security given for the same was to be left in the Hands of Yo(ur) Orator. Though the said Bonds or Securityes were from tyme to tyme to be made in the name of the said Abraham Teagle which was thought a Reasonable Method and proper Expedient for disposeing and Secureing the said Moneys That itt might Answer the Ends above menc(i)oned

And the true Intent of all the said Partyes And Yo(ur) Orato(r) shews that in Confidence of the due Performance of the said Agreement Your Orato(r) (who was Originally Intrusted with the said Moneys for the Benefitt of the said Dinah) was p(re)vailed on to pay and parte with with [sic] the same to such Persons whome the said Abraham Teagle and Your Orato(r) or other the Freinds of the said Dinah thought from tyme to tyme Proper Security to have the same att Interest And likewise the said Abraham Teagle as well Intending the Execuc(i)on of the said Agreement as being Sensible of the Greate Freindshipp and Kindnesse which Your Orato(r) had from tyme to tyme Shewed and Expressed to the said Abraham and his said Wife and of the many Valuable Services which Yo(ur) Orato(r) had done to and for them and in Acknowledgem(en)t of the same And being very Apprehensive that He was not likely to have any Issue by his said Wife did frequently declare that Yo(ur) Orato(r) after the Deceases of him and his said Wife should have the Benefitt of the said moneyes and the Bond or other Security given for the same And Yo(ur) Orato(r) Setteth forth that in Pursuance of such Agreement and Declarac(i)on of the said Abraham Teagle and to Manifest his Constant Intentions of Complying with and Performeing the same the said Moneys were from tyme to tyme placed out att Interest in the Name of the said Teagle But the Moneys and Securityes for the same were Constantly left in the Custody of Your Orato(r) To the Intent that itt might not be in the Power of the said Abraham Teagle his Executor or Adm(inis)trators or any other person to receive the said money in Prejudice of Yo(ur) Orato(r) or in Violation of the said Agreement and Intention of all partyes above Sett forth

And perticularly Yo(ur) Orato(r) sheweth that about Twelve Yeares Since the said Twenty pounds was placed out att Interest to one William Spooner the Eld(er) and William Spooner the Young(er) both since Deceased who gave Bond for the same unto and in the name of the said Abraham Teagle But the said Bond was left in the Hands of Yo(ur) Orato(r) for the Reasons above Sett forth And the said money being afterwards paid in to Your Orato(r) the said Bond was delivered upp

And some tyme after that One Joseph Gyles being proposed Security for Sixteene pounds parte of the said money The same was paid and lent to him who for Secureing the Repayment of the same with Interest Entred into an Obligac(i)on beareing date the Twenty Third day of December which was in the Yeare of our Lord One Thousand Six Hundred Ninety Six made unto and in the name of the said Abraham Teagle in the Penalty of Two and Thirty pounds with Condic(i)on for the Payment of Sixteene pounds \and Eight shillings/ unto the said Abraham Teagle on the Twenty Third day of June then next followeing as by the said Bond in Yo(ur) Orators Custody and ready to be produced in this Hono(r)able Court may appeare The said Bond having beene then left and eversince Continued in Your Orators Custody for the Intent Ends and Purposes above Sett forth

And Your Orato(r) likewise Sheweth that the said Dinah Teagle in or about the Moneth of June in the Yeare 1698 departed this life without Issue her Mother Alice being dead long before her After whose Deceases the said Abraham Teagle on many Occasions and often declared to Your Orato(r) and otherwise his Constant and Continueing Intentions that Your Orato(r) should have the Benefitt of the said Sixteene pounds and Bond whereby the same was Secured He contenting himselfe (in Pursuance of his said Agreements and promises) with the Interest thereof Soe long as He lived

And further Yo(ur) Orator sheweth that the said Abraham Teagle sometime in or about the Moneth of [blank] 169[blank] departed this naturall life Intestate After whose Decease one William Teagle of Shendley in the said County of Bucks yeoman obteyned Letters of Adm(ini)strac(i)on of the Estate of the said Abraham Teagle And being informed of the said Bond Entred into by the said Joseph Gyles unto the said Intestate Abraham Teagle And that the same was in Your Orators Custody Upon the Agreements and Trusts above Sett forth and therefore \well/ knoweing that He was not in Conscience as Adm(ini)strator of the said Abraham Intituled to the same otherwise then in Trust for Your Orato(r). And the said Joseph Gyles alsoe well knoweing the Trueth of the said Matters to be as Your Orato(r) hath above Sett forth They the said William Teagle and Joseph Gyles have Entred into a Combinac(i)on and Confederacy together and with diverse other persons to Yo(ur) Orato(r) unknowne (whome when descovered Your Orato(r) prays maybe made partyes to this Bill of Comp(lain)t with apt words to Charge them And with designe to Share and devide the said Money among themselves in fraud of Your Orato(r) He the said Joseph Gyles doth not only Refuse to pay the same to Yo(ur) Orato(r) upon delivery upp of the said Bond to him Which Yo(ur) Orato(r) is ready to doe But the said William Teagle utterly refuses to lett Yo(ur) Orato(r) put the said Bond in Suite in the Name of the said William Teagle as Adm(ini)strator of the said Abraham Teagle And utterly to defeate Your Orato(r) of all Benefitt of the said Security hath Released the said Bond or Threatneth Soe to doe unto the said Joseph Gyles who Threatens alsoe to Insist thereon and plead the same in Barr of any Action that shall hereafter be brought att Com(m)on Lawe uppon the said Bond And to prevail on the said William Teagle. Soe to doe the said Gyles hath paid him Some parte of the said money And for his Soe doeing the said Gyles is by the said Release discharged of the Residue whereby they in Breach of Trust and in Prejudice of Your Orator have devided and Shard [sic] among themselves the whole moneys due on the said Bond which they both very well know did and doth belong only to Your Orato(r) by Virtue of the Agreement and Trusts above Sett forth

All which doeings and Practices of the said William Teagle and Joseph Gyles are Contrary to Equity and good Conscience and Tendth to the Greate Oppression of Your Orato(r). In Tender Considerac(i)on on whereof And for that Your Orator is Remidelesse in the Premisses by the Strict Rules of Com(m)on Law And Breaches of Trust are Releiveable in this Hon(orable) Court of Equity And for that Your Orato(r) witnesses who should make out the Trueth of the Premisses are Dead or in places Remote and beyond the Dead and to Your Orato(r) unknowne To the End therefore that the said William Teagle and Joseph Gyles may distinct Answer make to all and every the Premisses And particularly may Sett forth if they or either of them doe not knowe have heard or believe or bene Informed that there was some Agreement made by the said Abraham Teagle Touching placeing out the Sum(m)e of Twenty pounds or Some such other Sum(m)e (being money that was his Wives money or that came in her Right) Soe that after the Decease of him and his said Wife Dinah without Issue Betweene them Yo(ur) Orato(r) was to have the Benefitt thereof Or if some other Agreement were not made with him Soe that He the said Abraham was not to have the Absolute Benefitt of the said money And what such Agreement in perticular was And if the Suitte of Twenty pounds were not heretofore paid by your Orato(r) or his Ord(er) with the Consent of the said Abraham Teagle and place out att Interest to the said William Spooner the Eld(er) and William Spooner the Young(er) And if they did not give Bond for the Payment thereof in the name of And unto the said Abraham Teagle And if Yo(ur) Orato(r) had not the Custody of the said Bond untill the \said/ money was Repaid And if afterwards in the Yeare 1696 the Sum(m)e of Sixteene pounds or some such Sum(me) parte of the said Twenty pounds were not with the Privity and Consent of Your Orato(r) or his Order Sent to the said Joseph Gyles Upon his Bond given to and in the Name of the said Abraham Teagle And if Your Orator had not alsoe the \said/ Bond putt into his Custody And if the same did not soe Continue untill the Death of the said Abraham Teagle And that they may Sett forth the Reason or Occasion why Your Orator had from tyme to tyme the Custody of the said Bonds or Securitiyes putt into his Hands And if the same were not soe done for Some of the Purposes above Sett forth or upon what other Trust or Account the same was soe done And if Yo(ur) Orato(r) had \not/ alsoe the Custody of the said Moneys when the same used to be paid in by the Persons \in/ whose Hands the same was putt out upon Security until the same could be placed out upon other new Securityes And if they have not heard the said Abraham Teagle declare that Yo(ur)  Orator was to have the Benefitt of the said Moneys and Securityes after his Decease And that He Intended the same should soe be And that they may Set forth if the said Abraham Teagle and Dinah his Wife are not dead without Issue betweene them and that the said William Teagle may discover if He hath not obteyned Letters of Adm(ini)strac(i)on of the Estate of the said Abraham Teagle And if He hath not offered Yo(ur) Orato(r) one Halfe parte or Some other parte and what parte of the said moneys due on the said Bond if Yo(ur) Orato(r) would be Content therewith And if He hath not released or discharged the said Bond Entred into by the said Joseph Gyles or promissed soe to doe And for what Considerac(i)on Reason or Account Soe did Soe And how much money the said Joseph Gyles bona fide paid for such Release or Discharge And if He and the said Joseph Gyles did not att the tyme of such pretended Release well knowe or had not heard or beene Informed that Yo(ur) Orato(r)s p(re)tended Title to the Moneys due on the said Bond And that the said William Teagle and Joseph Gyles or one of them May pay to Yo(ur) Orator All such moneys as were due upon the said Bond from the said Joseph Gyles Or that the said Release may be Sett aside And Yo(ur)  Orato(r) in the Name of the said William Teagle may prosecute the said Joseph Gyles att Com(m)on Law upon the said Bond for Recovery of the said Moneys And Yo(ur) Orato(r) may have such Releife in the P(re)misses as is Consistent with Equity and good Conscience May itt please Your Hono(ur) to grant unto Yo(ur) Orato(r) His Maj(es)ties most gracious Writt or Writts of Subpoena to be directed to the said William Teagle and Joseph Gyles and the rest of the said Confederates when discovered thereby Com(m)anding them att a Certaine day and under a Certaine Paine therein to be Lymitted personally to be and appeare before Yo(ur) Hono(ur) in his Maj(es)ties Co(ur)t of Excheq(uer) Chamber att Westm(inister) and to Stand to and abide such Order and Decree therein As to Yo(ur) Hono(ur) shall Seeme meete and Yo(ur) Orato(r) as in Duty bound shall every pray etc.

Notes

John Lowndes was baptised in 1636 and Dinah (Dionys in the parish register) in 1638. She married Abraham Teagle, then of Shenley, before 1671. John was apprenticed as a dyer in London, where his will was proved in 1661.

Copyright 12 March, 2020