1683.
August the 9th, 1683.
In the name of God Amen. I Izaak Walton the elder of Winchester being
this present day in the neintyeth yeare of my age and in perfect memory
for wich praysed be God: but Considering how sodainly I may be deprived
of boeth doe therfore make this my last will and testament as followeth.
And first I doe [declare] my beleife to be that their is only one God
who hath made the whole world and me and all mankinde to whome I shall
give an acount of all my actions which are not to be justified, but I hope
pardoned for the merits of my saviour Jesus.--And because [the profession
of] Cristianity does at this time, seime to be subdevided into papist and
protestant, I take it to be at least convenient to declare my beleife to
be in all poynts of faith, as the Church of England now professeth. And
this I doe the rather, because of a very long and very trew friendmip
with some of the Roman Church.
And for my worldly estate, (which I have nether got by falshood or
flattery or the extreme crewelty of the law of this nation,) I doe hereby
give and bequeth it as followeth.--First I give my son-in-law Doc'r.
Hawkins and to his Wife, to them I give all my tytell and right of or in
a part of a howse and mop in Pater-noster-rowe in London: which I hold by
lease from the Lord Bishop of London for about 50 years to come and I
doe also give to them all my right and tytell of or to a howse in
Chansery-lane, London; where in M'rs. Greinwood now dwelleth, in which is
now about 16 years to come. I give these two leases to them, they saving
my executor from all damage concerning the same. (And I doe also give to
my saide dafter all my books this day at Winchester and Droxford: and
what ever ells I can call mine their, except a trunk of linen w'ch I give
my son Izaak Walton, but if he doe not marry, or use the saide linen
himselfe, then I give the same to my grand-doughter Anne Hawkins).
And I give to my son Izaak, all my right and tytell to a lease of
Norington farme, which I hold from the lord B'p. of Winton.
And I doe also give him all my right and tytell to a farme or land near
to Stafford: which I bought of M'r. Walter Noell: I say, I give it to him
and [his] heares for ever, but upon the condition following. Namely--If
my sone shall not marry before he shall be of the age of forty and one
yeare; or being marryed shall dye before the saide age and leve noe son
to inherit the saide farme or land: or if his son [or sonns] shall not
live to ataine the age of twentie and one yeare, to dispose otherwayes of
it, then I give the saide farme or land to the towne or corperation of
Stafford (in which I was borne,) for the good and benifit of some of the
saide towne, as I shall direct and as followeth, but first note, that it
is at this presant time rented for 21li. 10s. a yeare (and is like to
hold the said rent, if care be taken to keipe the barne and howsing in
repaire) and I wood have and doe give ten pownd of the saide rent, to
binde out yearely two boyes, the sons of honest and pore parents to be
apprentices to som tradesmen or handy-craftmen, to the intent the saide
boyes [may] the better afterward get their owne living.--And I doe also
give five pownd yearly, out of the said rent to be given to some
meade-servant, that hath atain'd the age of twenty and [one] yeare (not
les), and dwelt long in one servis, or to som honeft pore man's daughter,
that hath atain'd to that age, to [be] paide her, at or on the day of her
marriage.
And this being done, my will is, that what rent shall remaine of the saide
farme or land, shall be disposed of as followeth.
First I doe give twenty shillings yearely, to be spent by the maior of
Stafford and those that shall colect the said rent: and dispose of it as
I have and shall hereafter direct. And that what mony or rent shail
remaine undisposed offe shall be imployed to buie coles for some pore
people, that shall most neide them in the said towne; the saide coles to
be delivered the last weike in Janewary, or in every first weike in
Febrewary: I say then, because I take that time to be the hardest and
most pinching times with pore people. And God reward those that shall doe
this with out partialitie and with honestie and a good contience.
And if the saide maior and others of the saide towne of Stafford, shall
prove so necligent or dishonest as not to imploy the rent by me given as
intended and exprest in this my will, (which God forbid,) then I give the
saide rents and profits, of the saide farme or land, to the towne and
chiefe magestrats or governers of Ecles-hall, to be disposed by them in
such maner as I have ordered the disposall of it, by the towne of Stafford,
the said Farme or land being nere the towne of Ecles-hall.
And I give to my son-in-law Doctor Hawkins, (whome I love as my owne son)
and to my dafter his wife, and my son Izaak to each of them a ring with
these words or motto;--love my memory, I.W. obiet = to the Lord B'p of
Winton a ring with this motto--a mite for a million: I.W. obiet = "And
to the freinds hearafter named I give to each of them a ring with this
motto--A friends farewell. I.W. obiet" = and my will is, the said rings
be delivered within fortie dayes of my deth. and that the price or valew
of all the saide rings shall be--l3s. 4d. a peice.
I give to Doctor Hawkins Docto'r Donns Sermons; which I have hear'd
preacht, and read with much content, to my son Izaak I give Doc'r Sibbs
his _Soules Conflict_ and to my doughter his _Brewsed Reide_; desiring
them to reade them so, as to be well aquanted with them, and I also give
to her all my bookes at Winchester and Droxford, and what ever in those
two places are or I can call mine: except a trunk of linen, which I gave
to my son Izaak, but if he doe not live to make use of it, then I give
the same to my grand-dafter, Anne Hawkins: And I give my dafter Doc'r
Halls Works which be now at Farnham.
To my son Izaak I give all my books, (not yet given) at Farnham Castell
and a deske of prints and pickters; also a cabinet nere my beds head, in
w'ch are som littell things that he will valew, tho of noe greate worth.
And my will and desyre is, that he will be kind to his Ante Beacham and
his ant Rose Ken: by alowing the first about fiftie shilling a yeare in
or for bacon and cheise (not more), and paying 4li. a yeare toward the
bordin of her son's dyut to M'r. John Whitehead. for his ante Ken, I desyre
him to be kinde to her according to her necessitie and his owne abillitie.
and I comend one of her children to breide up (as I have saide I intend
to doe) if he shall be able to doe it as I know he will; for, they be
good folke.
I give to M'r. John Darbishire the Sermons of M'r. Antony Faringdon, or
of do'r Sanderson, which my executor thinks fit to my servant, Thomas
Edghill I give five pownd in mony, and all my clothes linen and wollen
except one sute of clothes, (which I give to M'r. Holinihed, and forty
shiling) if the saide Thomas be my servant at my deth, if not my cloths
only.
And I give my old friend M'r. Richard Marriot ten pownd in mony, to be
paid him within . 3 . months after my deth. and I desyre my son to shew
kindenes to him if he shall neide, and my son can spare it.
And I doe hereby will and declare my son Izaak to be my sole executo'r of
this my last will and testament; and Do'r Hawkins, to see that he performs
it, which I doubt not but he will.
I desyre my buriall may be nere the place of my deth; and free from any
ostentation or charg, but privately: this I make to be my last will, (to
which I only add the codicell for rings,) this 16. day of August, 1683.
Witnes to this will. IZAAK WALTON.
The rings I give are as on the other side.
To my brother Jon Ken. to my brother Beacham.
to my sister his wife. to my sister his wife,
to my brother Docr Ken. to the lady Anne How.
to my sister Pye. to M'rs. King Dor Philips wife.
to M'r. Francis Morley. to M'r. Valantine Harecourt.
to Sr George Vernon. to M'rs. Elyza Johnson.
to his wife. to M'rs. Mary Rogers.
to his 3 dafters to M'rs. Elyza Milward,
to M'rs. Nelson. to M'rs. Doro. Wallop.
to M'r. Rich. Walton. to M'r. Will. Milward of
to M'r. Palmer. Christ-Church, Oxford.
to M'r. Taylor. to M'r. John Darbeshire.
to M'r. Tho. Garrard. to M'r. Veudvill.
to the Lord Bp. of Sarum. to M'rs. Rock.
to M'r. Rede his Servant. to M'r. Peter White.
to my Coz. Dorothy Kenrick. to M'r. John Lloyde.
to my Coz. Lewin. to my Coz Greinsells
to M'r. Walter Higgs. ---- widow
to M'r. Cha Cotton. 16 M'rs. Dalbin must not
to M'r. Rich. Marryot. be forgotten.
----
22
Note that several lines are blotted }
out of this will for they are twice }
repeted: And, that this will is now } IZAAK WALTON
signed & sealed, this twenty and }
fourth day of October 1683 in the }
presence of us-- }
Witnes, Abra. Markland.
Jos: Taylor,
Thomas Crawley.