Aspects of Kentish Local History

Medieval & Later Kent P.C.C. & C.C.C. Wills
Wills of 17th Century Gentlemen of Chatham 1647-1698

Benjamin YOUNG 1670

In the Name of God Amen
I Benjamin Young of Chatham in the County of Kent gent being in perfect memory health and strength (blessed be Almighty God) being now bound out to sea Commander of his Majesties Ship Fountaine Doe make and ordaine this my last will and Testament in manner and Forme following
   Imprimis I give and bequeath my Soule unto God that gave it And my body to the earth to be decently interred in hopes of a Joyfull resurrection to life Eternal through the merritts of my lord and Saviour Jesus Christ
   Item I doe give and bequeath unto my sonne Robert Young the sume of Three hundred pounds when that he the said Robert Young shalbe of the age of Twenty one yeares To be paid unto him the said Robert Young without any defalcation or allowances for bringing up learning dyett or Clothes To be paid by my Executrix hereafter to be named and appointed
   Item I doe give and bequeath unto my Child That Dorothy my wife is now bigg of and goeth withall and unborn as yet the sume of Three hundred pounds to be paid if that it be a sonne unto him att the age of Twenty one yeares without any defalcation or allowance as aforesaid And if that it be a daughter To be paid unto her att the age of Eighteene yeares or day of marriage which shall first happen by my Executrix hereafter to be named And in case the said Child shall dye and depart this life before that yeare of age and day of marriage as aforesaid Then my will is That my Executrix hereafter to be named shall pay the aforesaid sume of Three hundred pounds unto Robert Young my sonne att the age aforesaid without any defalcation as aforesaid And in Case Robert Young my sonne shall dye and depart this life before than he the said Robert Young shallbe of the age of Twenty one yeares Then my will is that my Executrix hereafter to be named shall pay the Legacies as above bequeathed unto my said sonne Robert Young being Three hundred pounds unto my Child That Dorothy my wife is bigg of and goeth withall unto him or her at the respective yeares or age or day of marriage which shall happen First without any defalcation or allowance as aforesaid These aforesaid Legacies being paid with my just debts that are due
   Then my will and desire is That the Surplus or remainder of my Estate both Reall and personall Lands and Tenements goods and Chattels whatsoever I doe wholly give and bequeath unto Dorothy my dearly beloved wife And in case that Dorothy my wife shall dye and depart this life being my Reall Executrix and a widdow Then my will and desire is That all the estate as before said given and bequeathed unto Dorothy my wife both Reall and personall goods and Chattels whatsoever shall goe unto the Right heires of me the said Benjamin Young Onely Excepting the sume of Two hundred pounds which the said Dorothy my wife shall give and bequeath unto whom she pleases att or before the day of her death
   Lastly of this my last will and Testament I doe by these presents Constitute and Ordaine Dorothy my truly and dearly beloved Wife To be my Lawful Executrix to performe this my will And in case gmy Executrix as aforenamed shall alter her condition and marry againe to any other man Then my will is That then my Executrix shall then give or cause to be given good and sufficient Security for the payment of my Children's Legacies as is above given and bequeathed without any defalcation or allowance as aforesaid att the yeare of age or marriage as aforesaid unto Robert Yardley gent my Father in Law or Henry Young gent my brother their or either of their Executors or administrators before any such marriage shallbe had and Solemnised
   And I the said Benjamin Young doe publish and declare this to be my last will and Testament utterly Renouncing and Revoking all former wills and grants whatsoever
   In witness whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seale this Eighteenth of May In the yeare of our Lord God one Thousand Six hundred Sixty Eight Ben Young Signed sealed Published and declared in the presents of us Wm. Gilbourne Robert Yardley Sam Yardley Henry Young

Codicil
In the Name of God Amen I Benjamin Young being in perfect health and memory doe will and bequeath unto my daughter Jane att Eighteen yeares of age or day of marriage the Two hundred pounds which I formerly gave in y will That now remaines with my brother Henry Young as overseer and my wife Dorothy Young whole Executrix to the Child my wife them went with Child of being now dead And that the same care in bringing up my daughter Jane be taken as was in my will for the bringing up of the Child That my wife went withall when the said will was by me made And that the will now remaining with my brother Henry Young Stand in full force and vertue
   I doe also hereby will and bequeath That if my wife Dorothy be now with Child to give if a Sonne Two hundred pounds att one and Twenty yeares at age or day of Marriage And if it be a daughter to give her Two hundred pounds att Eighteene yeares or day of Marriage which shall happen first And in case either of my Children should depart this life before they Come of age or day of Marriage That then my will is that the sume of money alotted to him or her shalbe equally devoded betweene them of my owne Children that survives The whole sume given by me to my Children is Eight hundred pounds of good and lawfull money of England To be punctually paid by my wife Dorothy being my whole Executrix as followeth
   To my sonne Robert Young Foure hundred pounds Sterling att Twenty one yeares of age or day of Marriage To my daughter Jane Two hundred pounds as above said And to the Child my wife goes withall unborne as yet Two hundred pounds
   Signed and Sealed on Board his Majesties Shipp Advice The Fifth day of June one Thousand Six hundred and Seaventy att Portsmouth The words (more) and (being) were interlined before Signed and Sealed Ben Young Witnesses Will Bryan Stephen Sarjent
   Proved 23rd November 1670 Administration granted to Elizabeth Young (Relict) instead of Dorothy, presumably a mistake.

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