Will of Benjamin Beddome

This is the will of Rev. Benjamin Beddome. I have broken this up into paragraphs to make it (slightly) more readable. The original wills had no separate parapraphs as that would make it easier for other people to interpolate other words to change the meaning.

I Benajmin Beddome of Bourton on the Water Gloucestershire make this my last Will and Testament.

I give to my son Samuel and his Heirs for ever All my lands Tenements Barns etc. by whatever Tenure I hold them in Bourton Coldaston Clapton or any other place whatsoever.

Besides six Hundred pounds which I have already given to my son Boswell I give twelve Hundred pounds more, one moiety or half of which being lent to him he hath already in his hands.

My son Richard hath already cost me at Bristol Colchester etc about two Hundred pounds more for his Education and Apprecticeship than either of his forementioned Brothers. I therefore give him but fifteen Hundred pounds together with twenty four pounds a year from Michaelmas 1795 but at the same time deducting whatever Sums my son Samuel may have advanced to him on my account from Michaelmas aforesaid.

I Give to my Daughter Elizabeth the twelve Hundred pounds which I have advanced by Mortgage on the Turnpike Road leading to Gloucester and four Hundred pounds besides,

I give to my Executors hereinafter to be named sixteen Hundred pounds in Trust , the Interest and as much as is aboslutely necessary to be expended for the Maintenance Education and Apprenticeship of my son Josephus, the remainder if things appear promising with respect to him to be given to him when he attains the age of twenty two, but if my Executors think it expedient to detain it longer or give it to him graduation I allow them full lliberty for that purpose, paying him the Interest of what is thus detained.

I leave to each of my Grandchildren that shall be living at the time of my Decease fifty pounds.

If any of my Legatees die before me without Heirs the Legacy bequeathed to them to go to my residuary Estate, if children are left, to be divided equally amongst them.

Finally I leave all my residuary Estate be it more or less, except twenty pounds which I would have given to my servant Maid if she hath lived with me two years before my Death and behaved tenderly towards me, to be divided in equal parts between my surviving children and may God bless them.

I also constitute my sons Samuel and Boswell Executors and Trustees of this my last Will and Testament written with my own Hand and sealed with my own seal this nineteenth day of March one thousand seven hundred and ninety three,

Benjn Beddome

Signed, sealed and delivered as the last Will and Testament of the Testator before us who at his Desire and in his presence subscribed our Names as Witnesses thereto the Words him and sixteen Hundred pounds being first interlined

William Palmer, Richd Hale, William Fox, all of Bourton on the Water.

Proved by both of the Executors in the Prerogative Court on the 16th day of September 1795.

Counting the money that Banjamin Beddome had already given people, and assuming that the land bequeathed to Samuel matches the £18,000 given and bequeathed to Boswell, this seems to add up to around £80,000 - a tidy sum of money!