In the Name of God Amen I Thomas Luce of the Parish of Rockhampton in the County of Gloucester Yeoman being in Indifferent health of body but of sound Mind and Memory Do make publish & Declare this to be my last Will and Testament in manner following (that is to say)
Imprimis? I give And Devise unto my Eldest Son Thomas Luce and unto his heirs and Assigns forever All my Freehold Closes Lands and Estate in the Parish of Hill otherwise Hull in the County of Gloucester aforesaid The Inheritance whereof I lately bought and purchased to me and my heirs in Fee Simple of and from William Giles Esquire charged and Chargeable with the payment of the sum of one hundred and twenty pounds unto my Son John Luce and of the sum of Twenty pounds unto my Daughter Elizabeth Luce To whom I do hereby Give the same and direct it to be paid to them respectively as they shall severally attain their respective ages of one and twenty years or Day of Marriage which shall first happen with Interest for the same respectively Untill such times of payment at the rate of four Pounds ???? for the hundred by the year which Interest I will and direct shall be yearly paid to my Trustees hereinafter named for the respective benefit & Maintenance of my said Son John & Daughter Elizabeth And in Case of Nonpayment thereof or any part thereof my will also is and I do hereby Give unto my said Trustees Power and Authority to take a Disha??? on the said hereby Devised premises for the same as in Case of Rent arrears
Item All my Goods Cattle Chattles Monies & Personal Estate whatsoever and wheresoever (my Debts and funeral Expences being first paid and discharged) I Give & bequeath Unto my two good friends Mr Thomas Skey? of Sundays? hill in the Parish of Thornbury in the said County of Gloucester and Mr Thomas Watmore? of the Parish of Rockhampton aforesaid Upon Trust that they do Pay the sames [sic] to and amongst Sons and Daughters Sarah, Elizabeth, Roger, Martha, and Richard Equally to be divided between them as they shall severally Attain their respective ages of one and twenty years or be married with the consent of my said Trustees which shall first happen And in the meantime Put forth and Imploy [sic] the sames [sic] at Interest and the Interest thereof Lay out and expend in the respective Education Maintenance and breeding up my sd. Sons and Daughters Sarah, Elizabeth, Roger, Martha, and Richard or otherwise for their respective Good and advantage as they the said Thomas Key? and Thomas Watmore? shall in their Discretion think fit
And I do Hereby make Nominate and Appoint the said Thomas Skey and Thomas Watmore to be ??? Joint Executors of this my Last Will and Testament as also Trustees Guardians and Curators of the Personal Estates and Fortunes of all my said children Provided always and my will and meaning is That my said Trustees or Either of them shall not Suffer or sustain any Loss or Damage either by bad Tenants or bad Securities But that all such Loss and Damage and all their and Either of their Costs charges and Expences [sic] Taxes and Disbursements in the Execution and performance of the Executorship Guardianship and Trust thereby in them reposed Together with reasonable Satisfaction for their and Either of their Pains Labour Journeys and troubles therein shall be wholy [sic] born by and deducted and allowed out of the said Trust Estate And that neither of my said Trustees shall be answerable for the Act or Deed of the other of them nor for any more or other Monies than shall actually come to his own respective hands anything herein Contained to the Contrary thereof notwithstanding
And Lastly I do hereby Revoke and Make void all former Wills by me made or Declared In Witness whereof I have hereunto Sett [sic] my hand and Seal this Ninth?? Seventeen day of February in the year of our Lord God one thousand seven hundred & forty four
Signed sealed published and declared by the Testator himself to be his last Will and Testament in the presence of us And also attested by us in the sight and presence and at the request of the said Testator
Arthur Screen?
George Adams
Robart [sic] Long
15th. of Octr. 1747
The above named Thomas Skey? and Thomas
Watmore? ye Two Executors were duly sworn
before me
Charles Wallington Jnr:
This Will was proved the 15th Day of October in the Year of our Lord 1747 before the Worshipful Sir Henry Donrice? Knight Doctor of Laws Vicar General in Spirituals of the Right Reverend Father in God Martin by Divine permission Lord Bishop of the Diocese of Gloucester and his Episcopal Consistory Official Principal Lawfully Consitituted by Thomas Skey and Thomas Wetmore the Two Executors and so forth to whom and so forth having first sworn well and faithfully to Administer to the said Will and also to Exhibit an Inventory and Render an Account and so forth
Consistory Court of Gloucester; Reference Code: 248498; Will Number: 173
Source: Ancestry.com. Gloucestershire, England, Wills and Inventories, 1541-1858