The will of William Drage, dated 10/01/1725
People mentioned are:
William Drage (his son)
Thomas Drage (his son)
John Drage (his son)
Austin Drage (his son)
Lydia Drage (his daughter)
Elizabeth Johnson (his wife)
Elizabeth Drage (the child that his wife is now big with)
Austin Johnson (his wife's husband)
William Drage (his father)
Lydia Gallaway (his sister's daughter)
William Gallaway (his sister's son)
Roberta Gallaway (his sister's daughter)
John Gallaway (his sister's son)
John Gallaway (his sister's husband)
Thank you to Carolyn Noon for the transcription below.
Both Old English grammar and spelling have been maintained throughout.
Punctuation as such does not appear in the original text except for brackets
and capitals.
Paragraphs have been added and family names made bold for clarity.
Where a word is unrecognizable a (-) is used.
Probatum (Probate) at end of document is written in Latin so not translated
here.
William Drage of Wickin in the County of Cambridge Gent being in good
health and of perfect mind memory and understanding thanks be to God I doe
make and Ordain. This is my last will and Testament in manner following -
In primus I devise give and bequeath all and singular my Copyhold Messuages
Lands Tenements Pasture Grounds and Herreditaments Situate lyeing and being in
Wickin aforesaid and late purchased by me of (-) Charles Wager and alsoe
thirteen Acres and one Rood of adventures Grounds (parcell of eightie three
acres) lyeing next to late Bridgemans Adventures and alsoe three pieces more of
Adventures Grounds (other parcell thereof) one of the said pieces abutting upon
the said thirteen Acres and one Rood aforementioned with their and every of
their Rights Members and appurtenances unto William Drage my son his
Heirs and assigns forever to be enjoyed by him at the age of one and twenty
years
I devise give and bequeath all land singular my Freehold and Copyhold Messuages
Grounds Tenements Pasture Grounds and Herreditaments Situate lying and being in
Wickin aforesaid and late purchased by me of John Wilkin Gent and also all that
Freehold Messuage or Tenement with the pasture Grounds thereunto adjoining
containing ten Acres more or less together with the Lodge form part to the same
belonging Situate lying and being in Wickin aforesaid and late purchased by me
of Robert Cavraham and also the Remainder of the above said Eightie three Acres
of adventures Grounds late Bridgemans called by the Name of the bant with the
two grounds abutting upon the Corporation Bant with their and every of their
arights members and appurtenances unto Thomas Drage my son his heirs and
assigns forever to be enjoyed by him at the age of one and twenty years
I devise give and bequeath unto Thomas Emmons of Wickin all that my Copyhold
Messuage or Tenement with the yard and orchard there unto belonging wherein now
dwelleth to hold to him the said Thomas Emmons his heirs and assigns forever
and I devise give and bequeath all that my Freehold half acre of arable land
lying in Bernham Fields in Soham unto William Mayse of Soham aforesaid Gent his
heirs and assigns forever and I devise give and bequeath all that my Leasehold
close of pasture containing two acres (more or less) with the Appurtenances
lying in the after way in Wickin aforesaid and late purchased by me of the
Trustees of Mrs Elizabeth Grimmer and also all other my Leasehold lands lying
in Wickin aforesaid with their all and every of their appurtenances unto
John Drage my eldest son his Executors Administrators and Assigns
forever to be Enjoyed by him at the age of one and twenty years then all
Singular the rest Residue all my Freehold and Copyhold Messuages Lands
Tenements Pasture Grounds and Hereditaments whatsoever hereunto lying and being
in Wickin aforesaid or elsewhere within the Kingdom of Great Brittain and not
herein before bequeathing I do hereby devise give and bequeath unto
John Drage my eldest son his heirs and assigns forever to be enjoyed by
him at the age of one and twenty years then all singular the rest and residue
all my Freehold and Copyhold Messuages Lands Tenements Pasture Grounds and
Hereditaments whatsovever here unto lying and being in Wickin aforesaid or
elsewhere within the Kingdom of Great Brittain and not herein before
bequeathing I do hereby devise give and bequeath unto John Drage my
eldest son his heirs and assigns forever to be enjoyed by him at the age of one
and twenty years
I give devise and bequeath unto Austin Drage my son the sume of five
hundred pounds of Lawfull money of Great Brittain to be paid to him by my
Executors or Trustee hereinafter named as soon as he shall arrive at the age of
one and twenty years
I give and bequeath unto Lydia Drage my daughter the sum of five hundred
pounds of like Lawfull money of Great Brittain to be paid to her by my
Executors or Trustee hereinafter named as soon as she shall arrive to the age
of one and twenty years
I give and bequeath unto the child that Elizabeth my wife is now bigg
with (be the same male or female) the same of five hundred pounds of Lawfull
money of Great Brittain to be paid as soon as it shall arrive to the age of
one and twenty years by my Executor or Trustee hereinafter named
if it shall happen that Austin Drage Lydia Drage or
the Child my said Wife Elizabeth is now bigg with all should
either of them depart this life before that they arrive to the age of one and
twenty years then my Will and mind is that the portion or Legacie of him or her
dyeing shall be and Remains to and amongst the two survivors of them share and
share alike and in the case of that of such two survivors depart this life and
not having attained to the age aforesaid I do soe hereby direct that the
portion or Legacie of the survivor of such two soe dyeing (of and in the sume
of seven hundred and fifty pounds) shall be and remain Equally to such last
survivor and my other three Children (Namely) John William and
Thomas share and share alike how my will and mind is and I do hereby
order and direct that Elizabeth my Loving wife and Austin Johnson
of Ely Gent my Brother in Law shall receive and take the Rents Issues and
Profitts of all and singular the aforementioned Freehold Copyhold and Leasehold
Estates (devised to my aforesaid Children) untill such time as they shall
severally arrive to the age of one and twenty years upon this Especiall Repose
Trust and Confidence that they shall apply the same to the severall used
intents and purposes hereinafter mentioned (that is to say) in the first place
for the Maintenance Educating and bringing my all and every aforementioned
Children and for the binding them into good and usefull Trades being left to
the Discretion and Management of the said Elizabeth my Wife and the
said Austin Johnson and for the Raising money to discharge the several
Legacies devised to my said children
According to the discretion of this my will and for the discharging of all
Fines Fees and Court Charges upon the admission of my children to their several
Copyhold Estates and for the discharging of several Legacies given and devised
by William Drage my late father in and by his last will and Testament
unto Lydia Gallaway William Gallaway Roberta Gallaway and
John Gallaway his grandchildren and for the further discharging all just
and reasonable expenses which the said Elizabeth my wife and
Austin Johnson shall reimburse in the trust and management of this my
will and after such trust in them reposed as aforesaid is only paid discharged
and performed according to the true intent and purpose of this my will the
Overplus which shall remain (out of the rents and profits of the aforementioned
estates) shall be and remain to the sole proper use and benefit of all my said
children equally to be divided between them and if either of them dye before
they arrive to the age of one and twenty years the survivor to enjoy his her or
their part so dyeing then
I give and bequeath unto the poor people of the towne of Wickin the sum of five
pounds of lawfull money of Great Brittain to be paid and distributed to them by
my Executors or Trustee hereinafter named in manner following viz fifty
shillings part thereof the first Christmas Day which shall happen after my
decease and fifty shillings residue thereof upon the next Christmas Day
following it
in all and singular my moveable goods chattels stock moneys mortgages
securities and personall estate whatsoever or whosoever I doe devise give and
bequeath unto the said Elizabeth my Wife and the said
Austin Johnson my Brother in Law upon this further trust confidence that
they shall apply the same to the severall uses intents and purposes herein
before expressed and hereinafter more particularly trained (that is to say) for
the Maintenance Educating and bringing up of all and every my aforesaid
children and binding them out to good and usefull grades for the raising moneys
to discharge the severall legacies devised to them by this my will together
with the payment of my just and funeral expenses and in order to their one
performance thereof hereby I nominate constitute and appoint the said
Elizabeth my wife and Austin Johnson full and sole executors of
this my will with this further repose and confidence that after their trust is
punctually discharged and performed according to the direction given them in
this my will the Overplus which shall remain (out of my goods chattels stock
moneys and personall estate) shall be and I remain to and amongst all and every
of my said children equally and if either of them dye before that they attain
to the age aforesaid the survivors to enjoy
lastly if it happen that the said Austin Johnson my Brother in law
depart this life before that my said children shall severally arrive to the age
aforesaid (and she Elizabeth my wife having contracted matrimony as
aforesaid) then in such case I do hereby further order and direct that the sole
and absolute trust of this my will shall be committed unto John Gallaway
of Ely aforesaid Gent my Brother in law and I doo hereby give and grant unto
him the said John Gallaway full power and absolute authority to execute
the same in every respect whatsoever upon this further trust and confidence
that he performe the same according to the true intention of this my will and
not other wise
In witness whereof I the said William Drage to this my last will and
Testament in writing contained in four sheets of paper have to each sheet
thereon setting my hand and seale this the Tenth day of January in the twelfth
year of the Reigne of our Sovereign Lord George by the Grace of God Great
Brittain France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith and in the year of our
Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Twenty Five William Drage signed
sealed published and declared by the Testator to be his last Will and Testament
in the presence of us whose names are hereunder written who likewise subscribed
in the presence of the Testator Elizabeth Blowes the marke of Elizabeth Cork
Wm Blowes
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