Family History

The Last Will and Testament of

Henry Spitty - 1699


In the name of God Amen the fifth day of May in the ninth year of the reign of Sovereign Lord William the third [1697] by the grace of God of England Scotland France and Ireland King defender of the faith ... I Henry Spittey of Rettendon in the County of Essex Gent being in ? health and of sound and disposing mind and memory yet calling to mind the uncertainty of this life do make and ordain this my Last Will and Testament in manner and form following hereby revoking ...... and other wills by me heretofore made and ..... my soul into the hands of Almighty God hoping this the merits of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to obtain everlasting salvation And my body I commit to the earth to be decently interred therein at the discretion of my executor hereinafter named And as for that worldly estate that pleased God to intrust me with all my debts and funeral charges being first discharged and paid I do give and dispose thereof as followeth

Imprimis I give devise and bequeath all that my customary messuage or tenement and thirty acres of land more or less with the appurtenances holdin of the Manor of East Hanningfield in the said County of Essex to my son Henry Spittey and the heirs of his body lawfully to be begotten And in default of such bequest to my son Thomas Spittey and the heirs of his body lawfully to be begotten And in default of such bequest to my son Ambrose Spittey and his heirs and assigns forever

Item I give devise and bequeath all those my ten acres of the freehold land more or less with the appurtenances thereto belonging lying and being in the Parish of Hockleigh (Hockley) in the said County of Essex which were left me by my father Richard Spittey late of Hockleigh aforesaid deceased to my son Henry Spittey and the heirs of his body lawfully to be begotten and in default of such bequest to my son Thomas Spittey and the heirs of his body lawfully to be begotten and in default of such bequest to my son Ambrose Spittey and his heirs and assigns forever

Item I give devise and bequeath all that my messuage or tenement called Buckhatch and thirty acres of land more or less with all ways passages and appurtenances thereto belonging being customary and heritable held in the Manor of Rettendon in the said County of Essex to my son Thomas Spittey and the heirs of his body lawfully to be begotten and in default of such bequest to my son Ambrose Spittey and the heirs of his body lawfully to be begotten and in default of such bequest to my son Henry Spittey and his heirs and assigns forever

Item I give devise and bequeath all that my freehold messuage or tenement and six and thirty acres of land more or less with the appurtenances called Reddings lying being on the west end of Rettendon Great Common late occupied ..... and now in the tenure or possession of one Saywell to my son Ambrose Spittey and the heirs of his body lawfully to be begotten and in default of such bequest to my son Thomas Spitty and his heirs of his body lawfully to be begotten and in default of such bequest to my son Henry Spittey and his heirs and assigns forever

Item I give and devise and bequeath all that my freehold messuage or tenement and tenancy of land more or less called Smyths lying in the Parishes of Hockleigh and Hackwill (Hawkwell) in the said County of Essex to my said son Ambrose Spittey and the heirs of his body lawfully to be begotten and in default of such bequest to my son Thomas Spitty and his heirs of his body lawfully to be begotten and in default of such bequest to my son Henry Spittey and his heirs and assigns forever

Item I give and devise and bequeath unto my said son Henry Spitty the sum of one hundred pounds of lawful money of England and one silver bowl six silver spoons a little childs spoon all marked SR one large silver tankard without a mark a silver cup marked T.P./H.S. A lesser silver cup marked S.B./H.S. (all with several pieces in the whole weigh forty seven ounces three quarters) and two gold rings

Item I give and devise and bequeath unto my said son Thomas Spittey the sum of two hundred pounds of lawful English money one silver bowl one silver cup six silver spoons all marked E.P.M. With a childs coral having four bells a little silver cup without a mark a large pair of silver buttons for breeches (all weighing thirty eight ounces) four gold rings my very good pocket watch my best and largest silver tankard marked ? E.P.M. and a silver spoon marked M.S.T.S.

Item I give and devise and bequeath unto my said son Ambrose Spittey the sum of two hundred and fifty pounds of lawful money of England one silver porringer and one silver porringer marked E.P.M. six silver spoons a childs coral with three bells one silver bowl marked H.S.I. And one other silver spoon marked with those ? R.S. & A.S. (all weighing thirty eight ounces three quarters) and four gold rings

Item my will and pleasure it that all my goods and chattels whatsoever (except such plate and rings as are herein particularly described) ....

In the first place to paying of my debts and funeral expenses and afterwards to the paying of such legacies as are or shall be hereby devised and bequeathed and that all the surplus rest and residue of my real and personal estate whatsoever not herein and hereby otherwise disposed of be equally divided amongst my said sons Henry Thomas and Ambrose

Item I give and devise and bequeath to my brother in law Mr Henry Read the sum of twenty pounds of lawful money of England and so hereby constitute ordain and appoint the said Henry Read sole executor of this my last Will and Testament guardian for my said children to take care of their estates and educations till they attain their several and respective age of one and twenty years

Item I give devise and bequeath to my very good friends John Wallis the younger Esq. Capt Thomas Coe of Maldon in the County of Essex and Reverend Mr James Smith Rector of Rettendon aforesaid the sum of twenty shillings apiece to buy them rings and do hereby make them overseers of this my Last Will and Testament

Item my first will and pleasure is and I do hereby desire and impower my said executor herein before named by and with the advice and consent of my son and overseers herein likewise named or any one or more of them to dispose of and put out to interest as safely as they can for the use and benefit of my said children respectively such several and respective secure and securities of money as are to them severally and respectively devised and bequeathed as aforesaid yet for this care and kindnesse of my friends I do not hereby design or intend to charge them with any loss that may unfortunately happen thereby being fully satisfied of their honest intentions to me and my children

In witness whereof I have to this my Last Will and Testament set my hand and seal this day and year first above written therein before
Henry Spitty

Signed sealed published declared as my Last Will and Testament of the said Henry Spitty in the presence of us who subscribed our names as witnesses thereunto in the presence of the said testator
William Coe snr....Isaac Robjent....Ra Bucknell

Probate at Chelmsford 18 Aug 1699


Wills at the Essex Record Office Chelmsford :-
Ref : 1699 Spittey, Henry, gent., Rettendon 125/BR/14

Acknowledgement to the Essex Record Office


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