3 Gibson Square
Islington
27^th August 1836

Selina Burnaby otherwise Knapp

(Death 12 Nov 1836)

As the time he is now fast approaching when I know not if it will be the will of my Heavenly Father to raise me from my Bed again I must my beloved Matthew leave this to assure you how grateful I feel for your unceasing affectionate attention and the tenderness to me since I have been your wife I loved you deeply before but your conduct since I have had the happiness of calling you my Husband has endeared you to me more than a I can express. Should my life by spared it will be the greatest happiness I can have to devote it (after my duty to my God) to yourself and your beloved children whom or I grieve to think I have injured but He who is so merciful I pray bless and protect them I have been most mercifully dealt with by an Allwise Providence who has spared my life so long for might I not have been cut off in the midst of my sin without a moment for reflection or repentance but God is gracious to the greatest of sinners and I am humbly thankful that he has given me some time for reflection upon the past and for repentance of my wickedness which I most truly do fervently pray that through the intercessions of our most blessed Redeemer whose blood was shed for us that my since may be forgiven and that when it pleases God to summon me from hence He will from this world of trouble remove me to His Heavenly Kingdom I scarcely dare mention her whom we both so cruelly injured but whose pure spirit is I trusts now at peace and rest but my dear and beloved Matthew never can we sufficiently pray to be four given for as soon towards her and should my life be prolonged I feel I never can do enough for the comfort and welfare of those beloved and precious Innocents she had left behind her and which I believe is the only earthly reparation I can make Before I enter upon my temporal concerns us I must my own beloved husband conjure used for the sake of your future salvation to pursue the religious path I finally hope and believe you are now in and never one day a omit praying fervently to be preserved from falling again into sin rest assured if you are unceasing in your prayers your merciful Father will not turn a deaf ear but will guard and protect you from the snares of satan whenever you find yourself in the way of temptation fly to your Chamber lay your heart and thoughts open to your God and pray for strength to resist it and I have the foremost hope you will be preserved from that evil which must if not forsaken plunge you into misery here and what is far more dreadful everlasting mystery hereafter I feel most deeply grieved at the distress I have caused my family and an grateful for their kindness to me whom they he must consider a disgrace to them the wretched days I have brought on my dear beloved mother has been heart breaking to me and should it be the merciful will of a kind providence through my hour of trial and restore me to health again I feel I never can do enough to soften the anxiety and anguish I have occasion to her but should it be ordained otherwise I earnestly pray he she may forget the misery I have cost her and that the rest of her children will do all in their power to restore her mind to peace again The affectionate kindness I have experienced from her through life and more especially since I have been an outcast I never can sufficiently express my gratitude to her for she will the remaining part of her life have the consolation of reflecting that she has by her forgiving tenderness softened considerably the misery her child has been enduring and in another world will no doubt meet with her just reward.  I know my ever dearest Matthew will comply as far as his in your power with my wishes and remember if I do not survive my confinement and our poor immortal Babe lives that it is my dyeing request that instead of putting it out to m.est as alas!  I grieve to think will be the case if I get a about again (are subject to you have little idea the misery I have had in reflecting upon during the many hours I have been alone that you will take it to Linford or wherever your other children may be and bring it up with them under your own superintendence and care and for the sake of its unfortunate mother bestow upon it and equal share of affection with the rest of your children.  I also employee you to bring it up religiously and virtuously and as soon as it is old enough to understand teach it to shun with horror the scene its parents have committed. You know my wishes with regard to my own property and I trusts the Settlement made before her marriage is of that safe nature that I need have no cause for authority upon that head it would have made me more comfortable could whole will have been drawn up before my confinement but in case this is not practicable I shall die with the hope and assurance that nobody will prevent my Child if it lives having all I possess both in money land and personalty as soon as it comes to the age of 21 years and to be at its own disposal should it not live to the age of 21 years I leave it to you my dearest Matthew for your life to spend the interest as you please and at your death I desire the principal may be divided equally between your three daughters by your first marriage viz. Anna Mary Ann Knapp Selina Brown Knapp and Anna Frances Knapp as a small proof of my sincere affection for them and contrition for the injury I have caused them. I leave to my sister Georgiana my share of the Harp at Hazlebust [Hazelbeach] and my Amethyst Ring and if there is anything I possess which my beloved mamma would like to wear for my sake give it to her I should also wish my sister Mrs Paris to have one of my rings as the sister’s remembrance and although I have nothing of value to leave her she we’re accept it as a proof of my affection and gratitude for the kindness I experienced from her during the time I was in London when I was almost borne down by despair and misery and now my beloved husband before I closes this and I must add my wishes upon one subject which is concerning the place where the last remains of my unhappy body are to be consigned the wish of my heart is to be laid close to you but perhaps it will not be permitted for me to be buried at Linford It would make me happy to think I could be laid somewhere near their till you quit this world and then for you to leave directions for me to be removed and put near you if this may not be I request I may be buried as near the spot where my beloved mamma will be laid in the Church at Burrow as is possible this request I am sure or she will not object to that her by a repeated it will be my dying wish for my ashes to mingle with my own beloved Matthews And now having expressed the principal desire is I have a far as this world is concerned I entreat you to forgive and forget all the anxiety I have caused you and earnestly implore your prayers that my soul may be received into the Kingdom of our Heavenly Father and entreating you to believe that as long as I have breath I shall remain my most beloved Matthews,

Most devoted and affectionate Wife
Selina Knapp

Remember it is my decided and last request that I am not buried either at Islington or in London You will find the Certificate of our Marriage in my Pocket Book which is folded up in paper and in a small lock up box in my black leather trunks take care or of it and never give it up excepting to our Child if it lives you will also find in the same Pocket Book 40 pounds which I intended to lay out for the use of my Child do you my dear Matthew keep it for the same purpose it was part of what I saved before I married.

In the Prerogative Court of Canterbury
In the Goods of Selina Burnaby otherwise Knapp Spinster deceased

Personally Appeared William Hill of Northampton in the County of Northampton Gentleman and Elizabeth Laura Catherine Green wife of the Reverend Martin Johnson Green of Winterbourne Steepleton Rectory near Worchester in the County of Dorset and formerly and severally made oath that they knew and were personally acquainted with the said Selina Burnaby otherwise Knapp formerly of Harle Beech Hall in the County of Northampton afterwards of No. 3 Charles Street Gibson Square Islington in the County of Middlesex Spinster deceased for many years before and to the time of her death have often seen her write and subscribe her name to writings whereby they have acquired a knowledge of her manner and character of handwriting and subscription and having now carefully viewed and perused the paper writing here to annexed marked with the letter A purporting to be and contain the last Will and Testament of the said deceased with a Codicil thereto the said Will beginning thus 3 Charles Street Gibson Square Islington 27 August 1836 ending thus Your most devoted and affectionate wife” and verse subscribed “Selina Knapp the Codicil beginning thus “ Remember it is my decided and last request and ending thus “it was part of what I had saved before I married” these Appearers say they verily and in their consciences believe the whole body series and contents of the said Will and Codicil and the name Selina Knapp set and subscribed to the said Will to be the proper handwriting and subscription of the said Selin Burnaby otherwise Knapp deceased Wm Hill Elizabeth Laura Catherine Green On the tenth day of March 1854 the said William Hill and Elizabeth Laura Catherine Green were duly sworn to the truth of this Affidavit Before me Joseph Phillomore Surrogate …est Jno J. Glennie Noty. Pub:

On 25^th April 1854 Admon (with the Will and Codicil annexed) of the Goods Chattels and Credits of Selina Burnaby (otherwise Knapp) formerly of Hazlebeach Hall in the County of Northampton afterwards of No. 3 Gibson Square Islington in the County of Middlesex but late of Little Linford in the County of Buckingham Spinster deceased was granted to Matthew Knapp Esquire the Residuary Legatee for life named in the said Will having been first sworn duly to administer. No Exeuctor.

Probate: 15 April 1854

Matthew Knapp 1798 – 1867

Marriage 1: Matthew Knapp 12 May 1829 Hazlebeach, Northamptonshire Spouse Anna Edwyn Burnaby 1805 – 1835
Marriage 2: Matthew Knapp 21 May 1836 Gretna Green, Scotland Selina
Marriage 3: Matthew Knapp 2 Aug 1838 Newington St. Mary, London Mary Leigh Spencer 1811 – 1885)

Selina Married husband of sister Anna Edwyn Burnaby a few months after Anna died. Residence given as Hazlebush Hazlebeach, Northamptonshire. Illegal marriage? (1835 Marriage Act outlawed marriage to deceased wife's sister.)