St Anne in the Liberty of Westminster in the County of Middlesex
Knight being in health of body and of good and perfect memory praised
be God do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner
and form following that is to say First and principally I commend my
soul into the hands of Almighty God my Creator trusting and assuredly
hoping through the merits and mediation of my blessed Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ to inherit eternal life my body to be decently buried but
without ostentation and as to the worldly estate it hath pleased God
to bless me with I dispose thereof as followeth viz Imprs: I order
and direct that all the just debts which I may happen to owe at my
decease be forthwith paid----Item I give the sum of one hundred
pounds for the placing of ten poor children to be apprentices to some
trades or otherwise preferred according to the discretion of my
Executor that is to say ten pounds for each child----Item
Whereas I am entitled to two several annuities of fifty pounds p.
annum each payable out of the Exchequer by virtue of an Act of
Parliament whereof the order for payment for one is number one
thousand and ninety four and therefore payment of the other is number
four thousand three hundred seventy seven now for a further and better
provision for Dame Elizabeth my wife I do give unto her the said two
several annuities of fifty pounds p: ann: a piece together with the
several Tallys and Orders relating thereunto for and during the term
of her natural life only and I also give unto my said wife the sum of
one hundred pounds to be paid to her immediately after my death which
said several annuities for life and one hundred pounds I do hereby
direct appoint and declare are for and in lieu of a jointure and in
full recompence of her dower and are hereby given to my said wife upon
condition that she shall not claim any interest right or title in or
to any lands tenements or hereditaments of which I am or shall be
seized at the time of my decease and if my said wife shall after my
death claim any estate right title or interest in or to any of my
lands tenements or hereditaments Then the bequest herein made unto her
of the said several annuities and of the said one hundred pounds as
aforesaid shall be void and of none effect and then and in such case I
give the said several annuities and the said one hundred pounds unto
my Executor hereinafter named----And from and after the decease
of my said wife I also give the said two several annuities of fifty
pounds each unto my Executor hereinafter named together with the
Tallys & orders relating thereunto----Item I give the sum of
two hundred pounds which is due to me by bond from Thomas Cooper near
Maidstone in Kent taken in the name of my late sister in law Mrs
Hannah Crispe and all the interest that shall be due thereupon unto
Christopher Clapham Esq (son of my late dear deceased wife) if I do
not in some other give or secure to the said Christopher Clapham the
sd. debt of two hundred pounds and interest----Item I give
to Edwin Wiat Esq Serjeant at Law (if he shall survive me) and in case
of his death before me to his Executors Administrators or assigns the
sum of three hundred pounds which is due and owing to me by mortgage
made from Mrs Mary Hurt unto my said late wife by the name of
Elizabeth Clapham Widow and all interest that shall be due thereupon
and all my right and interest in and to the same upon this condition
that the said Serjt. Wiat his executors administrators or assigns
shall within six months next after my decease pay unto the said
Christopher Clapham Esq the sum of two hundred pounds which sum I do
give to the said Mr. Clapham out of the said debt----Item I
give to my niece Elizabeth daughter of my late brother John Andros
deceased the sum of two hundred pounds----Item I give to my
niece Ann daughter of my said late brother John Andros the sum of one
hundred pounds----Item I give to my nephew Caesar son of my
sd. late brother John Andros the sum of one hundred pounds----Item
I give to my nephew Edmund son of my said late brother John Andros
the yearly sum of twenty pounds for his maintenance which sd. yearly
sum of twenty pounds my will is shall be paid by my Executor
hereinafter named free from all taxes charges and payments whatsoever
unto my said nephew Edmund or to such person or persons as shall from
time to time have the care and keeping of him by equal half yearly
payments for and during the term of his natural life that is to say at
the feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Feast
of St. Michael the Archangel the first payment to begin and to be made
at such of the said feasts as shall first happen after my
death----Item I give unto my nephew William son of my said late
brother John Andros the sum of one hundred pounds----Item I give to my
nephew George Son of my late brother George Andros deceased all my
estate and interest in the Island of Alderney which I shall be seized
or possessed of at the time of my death either in fee simple or for
any term of years or otherwise howsoever in the said Island of
Alderney together with all powers privileges and francises to me
belonging and all my right title and interest thereto and I also give
unto my said nephew George Andros the sum of five hundred pounds----Item
whereas there is payable to me or my assigns out of the
Exchequer and chargeable on the Revenue of Excise by Act of Parliament
two several annuities of fifty pounds each whereof the order for one
is number four hundred sixty three & the order for the other is number
four hundred sixty four I do hereby give unto my said nephew George
Andros the said two several annuitys or yearly sums of fifty pounds &
all my term benefit & advantages in & to the same together with the
Tallys and orders relating thereunto to be delivered to him
immediately after my decease----Item I give to my niece Anne
Lemesurier daughter of my said late Brother George Andros the sum of
one hundred pounds----Item Whereas Caesar Knapton Gent is indebted to
me in several sums of money by bond mortgage or otherwise the mortgage
being made to Ralph Marshall Esq & by him assigned to me in lieu of
moneys had of mine I do hereby give unto the sd. Caesar Knapton all
such moneys as remains due to me from him & do also release unto him
and his heirs all securities which I have for the same----Item I give
to William Le Merchant Son of my late niece Elizabeth Le Merchant
dec'ed the sum of one hundred pounds and to his sister Elizabeth the
now wife of Mr. Elizea Le Merchant the like sum of one hundred
pounds----Item I release and discharge my cousin Magdalen Andros Widow
the Relict of my Cousin Amos Andros deceased and his heirs off and
from all and every the sum and sums of money which is due and owing to
me from the said Amos Andros by Bond or otherwise----Item I release &
discharge my cousin Mary Andros (daughter of the said Amos Andros
deceased) off and from all sum and sums of money charges and other
expences whatsoever which I have disbursed or have been at for her
late maintenance or might have or clayme any wise for the same and
also I give unto her the said Mary Andros the sume of one hundred
pounds and my mind and will is and I doe hereby direct that the
several and respective legacies hereinbefore given shall be by my
Executor hereinafter named paid or assigned to the said several
legatees entitled thereto within one year next after my decease
nevertheless my will is and I do hereby declare that the said several
legacies hereinbefore given are given to the said several legatees
respectively upon condition that they do not claim any other part of
my estate than what is hereby given to them respectively and that if
any or either of them or any other person or persons on their or any
of their behalfs or claiming by or under them either or any of them
shall or do clayme any part of my estate either real or personal other
than what is by this my Will given to them respectively or shall in
any wise molest hinder or disturb my nephews John Andros or his heirs
or any claiming under him or them in the quiet possession or enjoyment
thereof or shall upon his or their request refuse to release all his
her or their claim interest or pretensions in or to all or any part or
parcel of my estate other than what is hereinbefore respectively given
to them That then and from thenceforth the legacy or legacys so given
to him her or them respectively as aforesaid so claiming or refusing
as aforesaid shall respectively cease determine and be utterly void
and in such case I give the said legacy or legacys so as to be made
void as aforesaid unto my said nephew John (eldest son of my said
brother John Andros dec'ed) and his heirs----Item I give to Mrs.
Margaret Baxter Widow the yearly sum of ten pounds to be paid to her
tax free out of the interest rents issues and profits of the mortgage
money hereinafter mentioned to be due to me from the estate of my late
cousin Margaret Lowdon deceased by equal quarterly payments for and
during the natural life of the said Mrs. Baxter the first payment
whereof to begin and to be made at the end of three calendar months
next after my decease----Item I discharge the heirs executors and
administrators of the said Mrs. Margaret Lowdon of and from all
interest money that shall remain due to me at the time of my decease
over and above what sums of money she did in her lifetime pay and
which they or any of them shall have paid to me or by my order for the
sum of four hundred pounds which is due to me on the mortgage of her
estate in Harron Alley without Aldgate London----Item all other my
estate whatsoever both real and personal in Great Britain Guernsey or
elsewhere not herein disposed of after all my debts legacies and
funeral expences shall be paid and satisfied I give devise and
bequeath unto my said nephew John (eldest son of my said late brother
John Andros deceased) and to his heirs----But my will is that my said
nephew John or his heirs shall within two years after my decease (if
not built before) build a good suitable house on or at the Manor of
Sacmares in Guernsey aforesaid and if the said John or his heires
shall not in that time build such house (if not built before) Then my
Will is and I do hereby direct and appoint my said nephew John or his
heires to pay the sum of five hundred pounds unto my said nephew
George Andros within one year after his or their neglect to build such
house as aforesaid and I do hereby make ordain constitute and appoint
my said nephew John Andros (in case he survives me) Sole Executor of
this my last Will and Testament----But if my said nephew John Andros
shall be then dead then and in such case I make his heirs male Sole
Executor of this my last Will and Testament----And I do hereby
revoke annul and make void all former wills by me made declaring this
to be my last Will and Testament----In witness whereof to this my last
Will and Testament contained in five sheets of paper I have to each of
the said sheets sett my hand and seal the nineteenth day of July Anno
Dom: 1712 and in the eleventh year of the reign of our Sovereign Lady
Anne by the Grace of God of Great Britain France and Ireland Queen
Defender of the Faith
E. ANDROS.
Signed sealed declared and published by the said Sir Edmund
Andros to be his last Will and Testament in the presence of
the Witnesses hereunder written which said Witnesses
subscribed their names in the presence of the said Sir
Edmund Andros--James Spenceley--Rob: Hodson Jno. Hodson--
Probatum fuit hujus modi Testamentum apud London coram Venerabili Viro
Johanne Andrew Legum Doctore Surrogato Praehonorandi viri Domini Caroli
Hodges Militis Legum Etiam Doctoris Curiae Prerogativae Cantuariensis
Magistri Custodis Sive Commissarii legitime constituti Octavo die
mensis Martii Anno D'ni Millesimo Septingentesimo decimo tertio
juramento Johannis Andros Armigeri Executoris in dicto Testamento
nominati Cui Commissa fuit administratio omnium et singulorum bonorum
jurium et creditorum dicti defuncti de bene et fideliter administrando
eadem ad Sancta Dei Evangelii Jurat.
[Illustration: From Sir Edmund's official Seal used in New England.]
NOTES ON THE PRECEDING MEMOIR.
Since the foregoing pages were in type, we have been favored with some
additional information concerning the Governor, through the kindness
of A.C. Andros, Esq., one of the present representatives of the
family.
A.
He refers, first, to the printed account of Sir Edmund Andros, to be
found in the following book:--"Sarnia, or Brief Memorials of many of
her sons," by Ferdinand Brock Tupper, Esq. of Guernsey, published in
that island in 1862. In it the fact is mentioned that the manor or
fief of Sausmarez (_anglice_ Saltmarsh) in St. Martin's parish, was
sold in 1748 by the Andros family to a branch of the Sausmarez family
which still owns it.
B.
Amice Andros, father of Sir Edmund, was "keeper of the castle of
Jerbourg, and hereditary Cup-bearer to the King in Guernsey, as also
one of the gallant defenders of Castle Cornet, during its memorable
nine years' siege. Two of his brothers, military officers, were slain;
one in the service of the King of Bohemia, who was son-in-law of
James I. of England; and the other in 1644, during the Civil War."
C.
We have mentioned (p. xxii) that Sir Edmund received in 1683 a grant
of the Island of Alderney for ninety-nine years. Mr. Tupper states
that Lieut. General John Le Mesurier, who died 21st May, 1843, was the
last hereditary governor of Alderney. He was descended from Anne
Andros, sister and co-heir of George Andros, the nephew and heir of
Sir Edmund. Gen. Le Mesurier resigned the patent in 1825, on condition
of receiving a pension of L700 a year until its expiration in 1862.
D.
In an old pedigree, written about A.D. 1687 by Charles Andros, uncle
of the Governor, and still preserved in the family, are a few
additional items relating to Sir Edmund. Before 1660 he served three
years in a troop of horse commanded by his uncle, Sir Robert Stone, in
Holland, and had a commission as Ensign to go to the island of Funeme
in Denmark.... After the death of the Queen of Bohemia he was made
ensign of the company of Sir John Talbot, Captain of the King's
guards. He was married "in England" to Mary Craven in February, 1671.
March 30th, 1672, (by which we understand the same year as that of his
marriage,) he was made Major of Prince Rupert's Dragoons. "The 14th
day of January, 1673," (? 1673-4,) he received "by patent in reversion
the charge of the Bailly of the island of Guernsey." "The 13th April,
1683, the King, Charles II. gave the charge of Gentleman in ordinary
of his privy chamber" to Sir Edmund, and "the 6th day of the month of
June, 1685, the King, James II. gave a commission to the above Sir
Edmund Andros to command a troop of cavalry to go against the rebels
in England." This refers of course to Monmouth's Rebellion. In August,
1685, he was made Lieut. Colonel of Lord Scarsdale's cavalry. (_Ante_,
p. xxii.) "The 19th October, 1686, the above Sir Edmund left England
to go to New-England;" he arrived 19th December, 1686. (_Ante_, p.
xxvii.)
E.
We are indebted to Mr. Andros for a photograph of an original portrait
of Sir Edmund, from which the engraving prefixed to this memoir has
been made. As no other likeness of the Governor has been published,
our readers will fully appreciate the kindness of this contribution,
and will cordially join in expressing thanks for it.
CORRECTIONS
RECEIVED AFTER THE MEMOIR WAS PRINTED.
P. v. The Memoir in Duncan's History was written by the late Mr.
Thomas Andros of Guernsey, who died in 1853.
P. vii. Colette, first wife of Charles Andros, was daughter of Josias
Le Marchant. George Andros who m. Anne Blondel, died 10 Nov. 1685; so
say the family records.
P. ix. The pardon was dated 18th August. The baronet was Sir Henry De
Vic.
P. xi. Edmund Andros returned from Barbados to England in August,
1668, as appears by a letter of the 13th of that month from Mr. Thomas
Samborne to Mr. Amias Andros announcing his son's arrival in London.
P. xxxv. Sir Edmund's second marriage was in 1691, says Mr. Chester.
The Crispes were of Go_u_dhurst, Kent.
P. xlvii. The two brothers of Amice Andros were Joshua, killed in
Germany, and John, "Master of Artillery to Prince Maurice," killed in
England.