Aspects of Kentish Local History

Wills of 17th Century Chatham Shipwrights
Prerogative Court of Canterbury (P.C.C.) Wills 1603 - 1699)

Nathaniel APLYN - 1645

In the name of God amen I Nathaniel Aplyn of Chatham in the county of Kent shipwright doe ordaine and make this my last will and testament in forme and manner following viz first and above all thinhs I bequeath my soule into the hands of Almighty God my faithfull creator beseeching him for Jesus Christ his sake to receive it and steadfastly trusting through the merits of Jesus Christ to have it eternally saved secondly I bequeath my bodie to the earth and to be buried in the churchyard of Chatham within the brick wall at the southgate two foote and above the corner three foote itt I give unto Nathaniel Holt eldest sonne of William Holte and Sara his wife the house wherein I now dwell situate in Chatham with barne stable orchard gardens backside thereunto belonging Item I give unto the said Nath Holt those severall peeces of land belonging to the said house viz one peece called Great Totland oneother peece called Totland and one peece divided betweene them called Heyfielde one other peece called Pepperland one other peece called Sampsons as also one little peece of orchard used for a      ?      lying from Sampsons to the street all which foresaid bequeathed I give to the said Nath Holt and the heires of his bodie lawfully begotten and for want of such heires to his brother Will Holt and to the heires of his bodie lawfully begotten and for want of such heires to the heires male lawfully begotten of the bodie of neece Sara Holt now wife to William Holt and for want of such heires to the right heires of mee Nath Aplyn for ever Item I give unto Nath Holt all the household stuff therein as brasse pewter lynen woollen bedding iron work tables stooles chairs and all manner of utensils and lumber in and about the house Item I give unto the said Nath Holt in readie money fifty pounds to be paid by my executors Item I give unto William Holt second son to Will Holt the third part of the house and orchard wherin Edward Prescott now liveth in Chatham Item I give unto the said Will Holt the house wherin Thos Binby liveth called      ?      wayes at Beaken Hill with the lands thereunto belonging and barre all which I give to the said William Holt and the heires of his bodie lawfully begotten and for want of such heires to Nathaniel Holt and his heires lawfully begotten and for want of such issue to the heires male lawfully begotten to the bodie of my neece Sarah now wife to William Holt and for want of such heires to George Brammidge second sonne of my sister Laura ? Brammidge and his heires for ever Item I give unto the said William Holt sonne of William Holt the remainder of yeares of the lease of the three Marriners wharf also I give unto the said William Holt in readie monet fiftie pounds to be paid by my executors herein after named Item I give to Sara Holt daughter of Sara Holt fiftie pounds to be paid by my executors Item I give unto William Holt husband to my neece Sara Holt twenty pounds in readie money and the wheate in the barne Item I give unto my neece Sara his wife sixtie pounds in readie money Item I give unto the three children of William and Sara Holt that is to say Nath Holt Will Holt and Sara their now youngest daughter the three hundred pounds stock now in the hands of Mr John Hollands when it shalbe received and to be equally divided between them Item I give unto William Holt and Sara his wife one other hundred pounds stock or therabouts to be equally divided between them they shall have      ?      where to      ?      it and Sara to have the disposing of her part at her pleasure Item I give unto my brother in law Abraham Brammidg twentie pounds Item I give unto his wife Laura? Brammidg my sister eightie pounds Item I give to the eldest son Robert Brammidg eightie pounds Item I give to George Brammidg their second sonne sixtie pounds Item I give unto their youngest daughter fourtie pounds Item I give to Sara Brammidg to be laid out in clothes for her by my executors six pounds all which legacies I will my executors to pay within six weeks after my decease Item I give to Mr Thomas Bahan? for my funerall and his sermon fortie shillings Item I give to Mr Anely? to preach a sermon some convenient tyme after my funerall fortie shillings Item I give to the overseers of this my will and here after named five pounds apeece Item I will that my executors shal provide fower mourning cloakes with hattes and gloves for William Hollands Jos Galle Richard Fletcher and Richard Crosby I desire the aforesaid cloakes and hattes may be worth twelve pounds at least and that these my fower servants will carry mee to church Item I give to Thomas Rivers three pounds out of his wages to buy him the like Item I give to the poore of Chatham fower shillings every Sunday for one whole yeare after my funerall and to be given in bread by my executors and overseers for the poore sometimes in the forenoone and sometymes in the afternoon at the same executors discretion Item I give to my fower cousin Brighte viz Edward William John and Danyel twelve shillings apeece to buy each of them a ringe Item I give to my cousin Matthew Freeman twentie shillings to buy him a ring Item I give to my cosins Margaret and MaryLighte twentie shillings appece to buy each of them a ring Item I give to my cosin William Freeman of Maidstone five pounds to be paid by my executors within six weeks after my decease and all the rest of the legacies to be paid in the like tyme after my decease by my executors Item I appoint and will that there shalbe twentie shillings every yeare out of the house wherin I now dwell and given to Nathaniel Holt to the minister of Chatham or lecturer to prepare a sermon every yeare so long as the protestant religion continueth in England Item I appoint William Holt and Sara his now wife to be my executors of this my will and doe      ?      that none of them shall do anything without the other also I desire my cosin Mr Nathan Tearne of Deptford the elder and my cosin Mr Miles Troughton to be the overseer of this my will in witness wherof I have hereunto sett my and seale this nyne and twentieth of August one thousand six hundred fortie three Nath Apllyne memorandm there was seaven words blotted out on the other side before the sealing and fower on this side n.a. memorandm the twelve lyne from the bottome strooke out by mee Nath Apllyn

(no witnesses?)

Proved 8th January 1645