Waltoniana Part 7

Nou'r. 22, 80.

IZAAK WALTON'S WILL.

1683.

August the 9th, 1683.

In the name of G.o.d 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 G.o.d: 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 G.o.d 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 s.h.i.+llings 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 G.o.d 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 G.o.d 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 s.h.i.+lling 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 Darbis.h.i.+re 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 s.h.i.+ling) 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 Darbes.h.i.+re.

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.