LAST WILL & TESTAMENT of JOHN FURRIAN 1731
The last will and testament of me John Furrian of Pirton in the county of Hertford, yeoman.
IMPRIMIS I give and devise unto Hellen my loving wife and her assignes all that my two cottages & tenements situate standing and being in Pirton aforesaid in the occupance of Robert Harding and Edward Arnall with every of their rights members, appendants, and appurtenances to hold the said cottages or tenements and premises with the appurtenances unto the said Hellen my wife for and during the term of her natural life and from and after her decease I give and devise the said two cottages or tenements and premises with the orchards yards and gardens hedges ditches wood fences commons, ways, waters easements and all other the appurtenances to the same belonging or appertaining to my son Thomas Furrian to hold the same unto my said son Thomas Furrian and to his heirs and asignes forever
ITEM I give and bequeath unto Hellen my loving wife the sum of forty pounds of lawfull money of Great Brittain to be issueing and payable to her out of stock of Goods Chattells and Credits ITEM I give and devise unto my daughter Sarah Furrian for and during the term of her natural life one annuity yearly rent or sum of five pounds of lawfull money of Great Brittain to be issuing and payable out of all other my customary messuages land and meadows pastures tenements and hereditaments with the appurtences situate lying and being in the parish and fields of Pirton aforesaid to be paid unto my said daughter & her assignes free and clear from all taxes and other deductions whatsoever by equal payments on the four most usual days of payment in the year (that is to say) the twenty ninth day of September, the twenty first day of December, the twenty fifth day of March and the twenty fourth day of June the first payment thereof to begin and be made on that of the said days of payment as shall first happen next after my decease to have hold receive and take the said annuity rent or sum of five pounds per ann(um) unto my said daughter Sarah and her asignes for and during the term of her natural life and further my will is and I do hereby devise that if the said annuity yearly rent or sum of five pounds or any part thereof shall be in arrears or unpaid by the space of twenty days next after either of the said days of payment on which the sums ought to be paid as aforesaid then and so often it shall and may be lawfull to and for the said Sarah Furrian my daughter and her asignes into and upon all those promised with the appurtences or into or upon part thereof to enter and distrain and the distress and distresses those found to take lead drive carry away and inpound and to sell and dispose thereof in the nature of a distress for rent ITEM all my said customary land meadows pastures tenements and hereditaments with the appurtences situate lying or being in the parish and fields of Pirton aforesaid so charged with the annuity of five pounds per annum to my daughter Sarah Furrian as aforesaid) I hereby make chargeable with the payment of this further sum of one hundred pounds of like lawful money to my son Thomas Furrian at his age of twenty one years and my will touching the premises further is that the interest that arises from the sums in the mean time which I here will to be five pounds per annum shall be paid throut for and towards the bringing up clothing and educating of him my said son Thomas until his age of twenty one years as aforesaid ITEM I give and bequeath unto my loving brothers Robert Primmett Peter Goldsmith and John Groom and to their spouses and Administrators the full sums of one hundred and eighty pounds of lawfull money of Great Brittain to be paid to them by my Executrix hereafter named within three months next after my decease – upon this special trust and confidences nevertheless in them imposed that they my said brothers Robert Primet, Peter Goldsmith and John Groom and the survivors of them and their spouse and Aministrators of the survivor of them shall and do putt and place forth and from time to time continue the said sum of one hundred and eighty pounds at interest upon such security or securities as they or the survivor of them or the executors or administrators of such survivor shall approve of and shall from time to time pay the interest and proceed thereof (as they shall receive the same) into the hands of Hellen my wife all the rest of my residue of my goods chattells and credits whatsoever (my debts and funeral expenses being throut first paid and discharged) I give and bequeath unto Hellen my loving wife in case she continues my widow but if not then my will and mind is and I do hereby give and bequeath the said residue of my goods chattells and credits unto my said brothers Robert Primet, Peter Goldsmith and John Groom In trust, and for the use and benefit of my three youngest daughters and I do hereby devise and bequeath the sums accordingly and my will and mind further is that the said Robert Primet Peter Goldsmith and John Groom shall not be answerable or accountable for any more of the said One hundred and eighty pounds or any goods or chattells so as aforesaid given in trust for them or directed to be paid to them or any of them or for any greater part of any of them than shall respectively actually come to their hands nor the one of them for the other of them nor for the Acts or Deeds receipts or disbursements of the other of them but each and every of them only for hi her or their respective Acts and Deeds and Disbursements and that none of them shall be answerable or accountable for any lap or laps which shall happen of the said moneys or any part thereof or any of the interest profit or proceed thereof so as such lap or lapes happen without there lawfull faults and further that it shall be lawfull for them or any of them out of them out of the said moneys respectively or the interest or proceeds thereof in the first place to deduct out (de?) all such costs charges damages or expenses or be put unto for or by reason of the respective trusts aforesaid and I do hereby nominate and appoint Hellen my loving wife and Robert Primet my brother joint exutrix and executrix of this my last will and testament revoking all former wills by me ? In Witness of the said John Furrian have set my hand and seal to every sheet of this my last will and testament contained in three sheets of paper this twenty first day of August in the fifth year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the second by the Grace of God of Great Brittain (France) and Ireland King defender of the faith
Anno domini 1731