Will of John Lord Culpeper, Baron of Thoresway, 1660, (First Lord Culpeper)

P. C. C. Nabbs, 235.
Will dated July 3, 1660.
Codicil dated July 9, 1660.
Proved August 6, 1660.

John Lord Culpeper Baron of Thoresway. To be bur. in vault which Sir Thomas Culpeper hath builded in Hollingbourne if convenient. Whereas His Majesty in answer to my petition Of 27 June last hath engaged his Royal word for payment of £2,000 out of his first receipts, for clearing of my paternal estate and towards paying portions to my younger children. And whereas there is due to me from Mr. William Longville & Mr. Robert Hales £1,500 which is secured to my brother Ralph Freke for me by bond dat. 17 June 1660; and whereas there is due to me from Mr. Robert Peyton & Elizabeth Robinson widow £1,000 To my daur. Elizabeth in full of her portion £4,000 she to release her right in mtge made to her of manors of Morghue & Godden & of lands called Greenway Court, Kent, for payment of £1,300, & also her fourth part of manor of Kavenlite, co. Radnor, also her right in £300 debt due to her from Sir John Greenvill & such securities as sd. Sir J. Greenvill hath made to her or to Sir Edward Ford to her use, also her right to £750 which my exer or my brother Ralph Freke has already secured to her. To my daur Judith (besides the fourth part of manor of Kavenlite which I heretofore settled on her) £500 at her marriage with consent of my sister Lady Brooke, my brother Mr. William Cage, & of my exer: also £1,500 out of His Majesty's debt. To my son John (besides his fourth part in sd. manor of Kavenlite & £50 annuity settled on him out of manor of Morghue & Greenway Court) £500, also £1,000 I enjoin him to make his brother Thomas his exer in case he die under 21 or unmarried. To my son Cheney (beyond his quarter of manor of Kavenlite & of a £50 Annuity from manor of Morghue & Greenaway Court) £500 also £1,000 with same injunction as to his will. To my son Francis (beyond the £50 Annuity which I heretofore settled on him out of sd manor of Morghue & Greeneway Court) £1,000 at 21, also £1,000 more, out of King's Debt; but if he die under 21, exer discharged. To my daur Philipp in full lieu of her portion £500 also £500, both at her marriage, my exer to educate her until 18: also to her £1,000 out of King's debt. To my servant John Rowe for care of me in my sickness £120 To Sir Edward Ford in whose house I now lie, for his trouble £200 To the servants of his house £20. Rest of all debts owing to me, one particularly of £750 which Sir Thomas Culpeper owes me on mtge of parsonage of Hollingbourne to my Brother Ralph Freke in trust for me, also sums which I left at several times in hands of Mrs. Elizabeth Bridgman at Amsterdam, as appears by her letter of 10 June; & all other goods, to my exer towards disburthening & repurchasing of my estate sold during the late troubles by the then pretended authority at any time since 1643. I beg His Majesty towards redeeming of my distressed family & estate from ruin. His Majesty will take order with his Court of Exchequer that the whole debt of £12,000 may be punctually paid to my exer. My eldest son & heir Thomas C. to be exer. Witns. J. Hamilton, Edmund Gibbon, Alexander Culpeper, John Hatton, Nicholas Myram, Richard Halfhedd.. To be bur. in vault which Sir Thomas Culpeper hath builded in Hollingbourne if convenient. Whereas His Majesty in answer to my petition Of 27 June last hath engaged his Royal word for payment of £2,000 out of his first receipts, for clearing of my paternal estate and towards paying portions to my younger children. And whereas there is due to me from Mr. William Longville & Mr. Robert Hales £1,500 which is secured to my brother Ralph Freke for me by bond dat. 17 June 1660; and whereas there is due to me from Mr. Robert Peyton & Elizabeth Robinson widow £1,000 To my daur. Elizabeth in full of her portion £4,000 she to release her right in mtge made to her of manors of Morghue & Godden & of lands called Greenway Court, Kent, for payment of £1,300, & also her fourth part of manor of Kavenlite, co. Radnor, also her right in £300 debt due to her from Sir John Greenvill & such securities as sd. Sir J. Greenvill hath made to her or to Sir Edward Ford to her use, also her right to £750 which my exer or my brother Ralph Freke has already secured to her. To my daur Judith (besides the fourth part of manor of Kavenlite which I heretofore settled on her) £500 at her marriage with consent of my sister Lady Brooke, my brother Mr. William Cage, & of my exer: also £1,500 out of His Majesty's debt. To my son John (besides his fourth part in sd. manor of Kavenlite & £50 annuity settled on him out of manor of Morghue & Greenway Court) £500, also £1,000 I enjoin him to make his brother Thomas his exer in case he die under 21 or unmarried. To my son Cheney (beyond his quarter of manor of Kavenlite & of a £50 Annuity from manor of Morghue & Greenaway Court) £500 also £1,000 with same injunction as to his will. To my son Francis (beyond the £50 Annuity which I heretofore settled on him out of sd manor of Morghue & Greenway Court) £1,000 at 21, also £1,000 more, out of King's Debt; but if he die under 21, exer discharged. To my daur Philipp in full lieu of her portion £500 also £500, both at her marriage, my exer to educate her until 18: also to her £1,000 out of King's debt. To my servant John Rowe for care of me in my sickness £120 To Sir Edward Ford in whose house I now lie, for his trouble £200 To the servants of his house £20. Rest of all debts owing to me, one particularly of £750 which Sir Thomas Culpeper owes me on mtge of parsonage of Hollingbourne to my Brother Ralph Freke in trust for me, also sums which I left at several times in hands of Mrs. Elizabeth Bridgman at Amsterdam, as appears by her letter of 10 June; & all other goods, to my exer towards disburthening & repurchasing of my estate sold during the late troubles by the then pretended authority at any time since 1643. I beg His Majesty towards redeeming of my distressed family & estate from ruin. His Majesty will take order with his Court of Exchequer that the whole debt of £12,000 may be punctually paid to my exer. My eldest son & heir Thomas C. to be exer. Witns. J. Hamilton, Edmund Gibbon, Alexander Culpeper, John Hatton, Nicholas Myram, Richard Halfhedd.

Codicil. All my real estate to my eldest son Thomas C. in fee; & whereas I am seised of divers maners & lands in co. Kent which may be Gavelkind, I leave all these to my sd. eldest son Thomas C. in fee. Witns. Tho. Pordage, A. Culpeper, Jo. Collyns, J. Reves.

Prob. per juramenturn Domini Thomae Culpeper filii... et exoris.

Source: Fairfax Harrison, The Proprietors of the Northern Neck

Last Revised: 14 Aug 2004