This is the last Will and Testament of me Benjamin Leverett of North Crawley in the County of Bucks Yeoman being weak in body but of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding which I make and ordain in manner and form following that is to say first I give and devise unto Henry Esquire son of William Lowndes of Astwood Bury in the said County of Bucks Esquire and his heirs all and singular my messuage Cottages Lands Tenements hereditaments and real Estate whatsoever and wheresoever except all that Cottage or Tenement Barns Yard arable Land and Sward ground thereto belonging which I purchased of the heirs of John Pickering doct Lying in North Crawley aforesaid to hold unto the said Henry Lowndes and his heirs to the use of the said Henry Lowndes and his heirs upon the trusts and to and for use of the said Henry Lowndes and his heirs upon the trust and to and for the several uses E.to.toi intent and purpose and under and subject to the several uses Estates intents and purposes and under and subject to the several contingents and charges hereinafter mentioned that is to say to the use and behest of my Nephew John Richards for and during the term of his natural life and from and immediately after the determination of that Estate by forfeiture or otherwise to the use of the said Henry Lowndes and his heirs in trust to support and proserve the contingent uses and Estates hereinafter limited from being defeated or destroyed and for that purpose to make entries and bring actious our as occasion shall require yet nevertheless to pormit and enter the said John Richards and his assigns to receive and take the rents and profits of the said premises to his and their own use during his life and from and immediately after his decease to the use of the heirs of the body of the said John Richards lawfully begotten or to be begotten and for default of such issue to the use and behoof of my nephew William Richards for and during the term of his natural life and from and immediately after the determination of that Estate by forfeiture or otherwise to use of the said Henry Lowndes and his heirs in trust to support and preserve the contingent use and Estate herein after limited from being defeated or destroyed and for that purpose to make Entries and bring actious as occasion shall required yet nevertheless to permit and suffer the said William Richards and his assigns to receive and take the rents issues and profits of the said premises his and their own use during his life and immediately after his decease to the use of the heirs of the body of the said William Richards lawfully begotten or to be begotten and for default of such issue to the use of and behoof of Thomas Griggs son of my sister Lucy Griggs for and during the term of his natural life and from and immediately after the determination of that Estate by forfeiture or otherwise to use of the said Henry Lowndes and his heirs in trust to support and support and preserve the contingent use and Estate herein after limited from being defeated or destroyed and for that purpose to make Entries and bring actious as occasion shall require yet nevertheless to permit and suffer the said Thomas Briggs and his assigns to receive and take thereunto all the profits of the said premises to his and their own use during his life and immediately after his decease to the use of the heirs of the body of the said Thomas Griggs lawfully begotten or to be begotten and for default of such issue to the use of my own right heirs for ever subject nevertheless and charges and chargeable with the payment of one annuity or yearly rent charge of Five pounds of lawful money of Great Britian free from all deductions and whatsoever to my niece Elizabeth Leverett who now lives with me to be paid to my said niece Elizabeth Leverett during her natural life at the four most usual feasts or at the said blessed Virgin Mary Saint John the Baptist Saint Michael the Archangel and the body of our Lord Christ by even and equal portions and payments the first payment thereof to begin and made at such of the said four days as shall first and next happen after my decease and if it shall happen that the said yearly rent Charges of Five pounds or any part thereof shall be behind or unpaid to my said niece Elizabeth Leverett by the space of twenty days over or after any of the said Feasts days whoever the same ought to be paid as aforesaid being first lawfully demanded that then and so often it shall and may be lawful to and for my said niece Elizabeth Leverett her assigns to enter into or upon all or any part of my said Messuages Cottages Lands Tenements and Premises so devised to the said Henry Lowndes in trust as aforesaid and to distrain for the same and all arrears to thereof and all Costs charges Loss and damages that shall happen to her or them by us a payment of the said Annuity of Five pounds or any part thereof on the Days whereon the same is hereby appointed to be paid as aforesaid and do hereby empower the said Elizabeth Leverett my niece and her assigns to sell and dispose of such Goods and Chattels as shall be so by her or them taken and distributed for the purpose aforesaid in such and the like manner as good distrained for rent reserved on a demise or lease may be sold or disposed of and also subject to and charges and chargeable with the payment of the several legalities and sum of money hereinafter by me given in here my personal Estate shall not be sufficient to discharge the sum next I give my sister Lucy Griggs the sum of twenty pounds of lawful money of Great Britian to be paid to her within three months next after my decease also I give and bequeath to the said Thomas Griggs son of my Sister Lucy Griggs the sum of Sixty pounds of like lawful money to be paid within six months next after my Decease and also all my wearing apparel both linen and woollon to be delivered to him immediately after my decease also I give and bequeath unto my sister Lucretia Britain the sum of Twenty pounds of like lawful money to be paid within three months next after my decease and also all my lin.b or painted pictures also I give and bequeath unto Jonathan and James Britain and Sarah Wardwick sons and daughter of my said Sister Lucretia Britain Five pounds a piece of the like lawful money to be paid therein respectively immediately after my decease also I give and bequeath unto my niece Penelope Fabie? Wife of Charles Fabie? the sum of Fifty pounds of like lawful money to be paid within twelve months next after also I give and bequeath unto my niece Priscilla Bower the sum of thirty pounds of like lawful money to be paid within six months next after my decease also I give and Bequeath unto my nephews William and Edward Cunningham five pounds a piece to be paid within two months next after my decease also I give and bequeath my said nephew William Richards and to my niece Mary Drake the sum of Forty pounds a piece of like lawful money to be paid within twelve months next after my decease also I give and bequeath unto Benjamin Leverett Rubython son of my niece Rubython? the sum of Fifty pounds of like lawful money to be paid to Samuel Rubython? his Father of Olney in the said County of Bucks Glover within twelve months next after my decease also I give and bequeath unto Benjamin Leverett Lawerence son of my niece Alice Lawrence the sum of Fifty pounds of like money to be paid to Charles Lawrence his Father within twelve month next after my decease also I give and bequeath to my niece Lucretia Lovett the sum of Forty pounds of like lawful money to be paid within twelve months next after my decease also I give and bequeath [to] my sister in law Ann Loverett one Guinea also I give and bequeath unto my said niece Elizabeth Loverett now living with me the sum of Forty pounds of like lawful money to be paid as in manner hereinafter mentioned that is to say the sum of ten pounds immediately after my decease and the sum of thirty pounds within twelve months next after my decease also I give and bequeath to the said Elizabeth Lovet my niece one silver spoon and twelve pounds worth of my household goods such as she shall ..oct..e her election of eight plates and I give and devise to my said niece Elizabeth Leverett all the before excepted Cottage or Tenement barne Yard Acres Land and sward Br…. Thereto belonging which I purchased of the heirs of John Pickering decease to lu.. to my said niece Elizabeth and the heirs of her body lawfully issuing also I give and bequeath to my man servant that shall be living with me at my decease one Guinea to be paid him immediately also I give to the poor of North Crawley aforesaid the sum of Forty shillings to be paid out in bread and distributed amongst them at the discretion of my Executors hereinafter mentioned and my will and mind is that in case any of my legatees above named shall happen to depart this life before his or her or any of them respective legacies shall become payable that then and in such case the legacy or legacies of him or her or them so dying shall be paid to the survivor or survivors of such Family or Families of him her or them so dying I give unto my Executors hereafter named ten pounds apeece for their trouble all the rest residue and remainder of my real and personal Estate whatsoever after payment of my legal Debts legacies and funeral Expences I give and devise and bequeath unto my said nephew John Richards his heirs Executors administers and assigns and lastly I do hereby make constitute and appoint the said Henry Lowndes and Robert Parrot of Newport Pagnell in the said County of Bucks Draper Executors of this my last Will and Testament and I will that they my said Executors or either of them their or either of their heirs Executors or Administrators shall not be liable to make any involuntary loss losses that may happen to them or either of them by reason or means of the trusts hereby in them reposed and that they shall not be answerable for any money than they shall respectively receive and from their and each of their respective acts only and that they and each of them shall and may be paid satisfied and reimbursed out of my personal Estate for all Costs Charges Damages and Expences which they or either of them shall sustain or expences in the execution of this my will and so revoking all former and other Wills by me at any time heretofore made I Publish and declare this to be my last Will and Testament In Witness whereof I have to this my last Will and Testament set my hand and seal the first day of February in the thirtieth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George the second by the Grace of God of Great Britian France and Ireland King defender of the Faith and so forth and in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fifty seven Benjamin Leverett Signed sealed Published and declared by the said Benjamin Loverett the Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who in his presence at his request have subscribed our names as Witnesses hereto in the presence of each other Aha Cole James Milligan Jr Will Taylor
Probate: 19th June 1815