Will of Leonard Chamberlain

Leonard Chamberlain of Kingston upon Hull, Draper, by his will, duly executed and attested for passing real estates and dated the 19th August 1716, devised as follows - "I do devise and bequeath unto my friends, in trust, and to their heir forever, namely Mr. Ralph Peacock, Mr. Jeremiah Shaw, Mr. Joseph Turner and Mr. Thomas Lightfoot, all of Kingston upon Hull, and the survivor and survivors of them, in trust, for ever, the the uses, intents and purposes hereafter in these presents mentioned and expressly all that my messuage, or those my messuages or tenements, with the appurtances, situated and being within the said town of Kingston upon Hull, in or near a certain street or place commonly called the Market Place, on the West side of the said street in the forepart which Mr. Frances Bee now inhabits and in the new buildings backwards, I do now inhabit, and on the other side of the entry, in the forepart, Leonard Dawson now inhabits, and another part backwards, now empty, with all the edifces, garths, gardens, entries, ways, void grounds, easements, profits, commodities, hereditments and appurtances whatsoever to the same appertaining; the which I do, as it was the desire of my dear Wife also, Katherine Chamberlain, late deceased, but it is nevertheless fully my own will, (to wit) they the said trustees shall pay yearly, and every year out of the rents of the said messuages, or tenements and premises, the sum of 52 shillings for ever, to the poor of that chapel or meeting place, wherein Mr. John Witter preaches and administers the Sacrament, built on a part of the ground commonly called the Manor in Kingston upon Hull, to be distributed proportionably, every Lord's day, in white bread; and if that congregation cease, and there be no preaching in that chapel, the said 52 shillings shall, by my said trustees, be given 12 shillings in bread weekly, to 14 poor people in Hull, that are sober, good Christians and want relief.

Item the said trustees shall pay out of the rents aforesaid £10 towards the education or maintenance of a scholar in some academy either in England or Scotland, one of a pregnant wit, of a ready speech and hopeful for godliness and piety, to be nominated and agreed upon by my four trustees, with a judicious, godly minister, or the major part of them, and to be educated under a godly faithful tutor for four years, and so successively for one such scholar under such a faithful tutor for 4 years, forever.

Item I do hereby order my aforesaid trustees to pay out of the rents of my said house yearly, and every year, to Mr. Abraham Dawson, a dissenting Minister of the Gospel in Cottingham £3.

Item £3 yearly to Mr. Rooke, a dissenting Minister of the Gospel in Ottringham, in Holderness.

Item £3 yearly to Mr. John Benson, a dissenting Minister of the Gospel in Bridlington, and the said three sums to be paid yearly, to those who shall succeed the aforesaid three Ministers in their present places, so long as their maintenance is but small; but if any of these said places shall hereafter be vacant or have no need of such a gilt or gifts, sum or sums of money, then all such gifts or gifts, sum or sums of money shall be distributed by the said trustees to such other faithful Ministers of the Gospel as shall have most need thereof, by such proportions, as they shall see convenient, and . that yearly and forever, and all other the remainder of the rents of the aforesaid messuage, messuages or tenements, shall be for the repairs of the said house as shall be needful, and for assessments, if any be to be paid for it, and in case any of the trustees should go from the congregation, of which they are now joint members, during its continuance, or when any of them shall die, then the rest that survives shall choose another, or others, to keep up the number of four faithful trustees for ever.

Item I do give, devise and bequeath with my aforesaid trustees and their heirs, for ever namely Mr. Ralph Peacock,, Mr. Jeremiah Shaw, Mr. Joseph Turner and Mr. Thomas Lightfoot and the survivors of them, in trust forever, to the uses, intents and purposes hereafter in these presents mentioned and expressed, to wit, all that my farm at Stoneferry, together my farms at Sutton in Holderness, in the County of York, now being both of them jointly together in the occupation of Robert Parsons containing in them two houses, and three closes, in one of which Robert Parrott now dwells, in Stoneferry and also fourteen acres and a half of meadow ground, in the ings, a pighill and four gates in Sutton new ings, and four commons in Sutton Parish, and the common in the Stoneferry Gangs, and at Sutton a farmhouse and farm hold Garth, and one land common, and one house common, thereto belonging and also a pighill adjoining to Mr. Henry Cooke, and three acres and one rood of arable land lying in the Eastfelds of Sutton aforesaid; and also three acres and two roods and an half of arable land in the Northfeld of Sutton aforesaid, and also three acres more of arable land in the Southfeld, alias Carrside feld, of Sutton aforesaid, and also three garths or pieces of ground where three houses formerly stood adjoining on the above mentioned farmhouse with three commons thereto belonging and also four acres and one rood of meadow ground in the ings near Summergangs gate, and one acre of meadow more lying in Carr Side; and also three roods of meadow more lying in Rysomme Carr, and two roods of grass lying in a place called Sucherside, and also two gates and an half in the East Carr and my will is that the said trustees shall pay yearly and every year, out of the rents of the said farms at Stoneferry and Sutton, the full sum of £12 every year successively to such minister or ministers, pastor or joint pastors, or pastor and assistant of the said congregation whereof Mr. John Witter is pastor and Mr. Robert Dawson is now assistant and my Will is, that the said sum be equally divided betwixt them whilst they continue in their present places, and they shall pay the said sum of £12 yearly and every year successively to those that shall succeed them, as above mentioned; but in want of or during the vacancy of such minister or ministers, or in case the congregation should cease, then I do give that £12 to be distributed yearly, by the said trustees, to such faithful minister of the Gospel as they know have most need thereof, by such proportions as they shall think meets and most convenient; and my Will is, that my said trustees pay 40 shillings a year and yearly and for ever for preaching fve sermons (to wit) four sermons at Skipton near Market Weeton in the County of York, two thereof is to be preached on Easter Tuesday and two to be preached on Whit Sunday, and the other, the fifth sermon to be preached in Sutton on the feast day, being 8 shillings a sermon.

Item my Will is, that my aforesaid trustees shall further pay out of the rents of the said farms of Sutton and Stoneferry the sum of £5 yearly and every year for ever to that schoolmaster that teaches scholars in that schoolhouse or chamber over the hospital built and given to the town of Hessle by the late Reverend Mr. Joseph Wilson; which schoolmaster for the time being, and so successively, shall be obliged to teach and learn well to read English, 20 children of the poorest people in Hessle of what persuasion soever; and when some are well taught, then to take others in their stead and so to keep up the numbers of 20 such scholars for ever.

Item I do give devise and bequeath unto my said friends and trustees and to their heirs forever, namely Mr. Ralph Peacock, Mr. Jeremiah Shaw, Mr. Joshua Turner and Mr. Thomas Lightfoot and to the survivor and survivors of them in trust forever to the uses intents and purposes hereafter in these presents mentioned and expressed (to wit) all that my messuage or tenement, or messuages or tenements, one Toft, a croft, one garden or orchard and all the buildings thereupon erected, situate, lying and being in Selby in the County of York abutting upon a street called Millgate, towards the South; on Holme Lane towards the West and on the Mill Dam towards the East; and my Will is, that the said building which contains two low rooms, three chambers and a garret be disposed of by my said trustees as follows (to wit) one low room and an outshot for a schoolmaster to teach 20 poor children in, of the town of Selby, and one chamber for the said schoolmaster to dwell in, he being to teach the said 20 children of the poor people of Selby, of what persuasion or denomination soever, to read English very well; and when some are well taught, then to take others in their stead, and so to keep up the number of 20 such scholars for ever, and the other three low rooms and two chambers to be for six ancient poor widows to dwell in, in each of three low rooms one single person, and one in the chamber over the schoolhouse and two in the chamber in the brick building backwards and the garret to be for the use of these poor people that shall live in the two chambers and this division to be observed successively forever, and the croft, garden and orchard to be in common to the schoolmaster and the six widows that do or shall dwell in the same houses.

Item I do give devise and bequeath unto my aforesaid friends and trustees, and to their heirs forever, namely Mr. Ralph Peacock etc. and the survivor and survivors of them, in trust, forever, to the uses, intents and purposes (to wit) all that my messuage or tenement, or the Grange house commonly called Hesslewood house situate in Hesslewood, and all the barns, stables, outhouses and buildings thereto belonging; and one little close, wherein the house stands, and six other closes adjoining thereto, containing together 46 acres more or less called Hesslewood, three closes of which being arable land and two horsegates in Ferriby banks, and the lime Kiln, and the house built by it, all which are now in the tenure and occupation of William Luck, and all and every the garths, gardens, orchards, all wastes or void grounds, ways, ingates, outgates, woods, trees, cliffs, quarries, stonepits, banks, wells, fishing places, fences, hedges and all rights members hereditaments and appurtances whatsoever to the same or any part thereof belonging or in any way appertaining: and my Will is, and I do give devise and bequeath the sum of £22. 12/- to be paid yearly and every year forever out of the rents of the said Hesslewood house, the farm and closes and appurtenances and all rights in any way belonging thereto for the use or uses of that schoolmaster, in or to be put into part of my house in Selby and the 20 scholars to be taught by him together with the six poor widows who are or shall be placed in the parts of that my said house in Selby, in the County of York; my Will is the said schoolmaster shall have paid him £6 yearly or £3 every half year at Lady Day and at Michaelmas and 20/- a year shall be paid for the use of the 20 scholars, to buy them books.

Item Every of the six widows shall have paid them 52/- yearly, that is l/- a week every week throughout the year and this successively and forever by the said trustees; and the remainder of the rents of the Hesslewood farm and the house and closes thereto belonging shall be for keeping in good repair the aforesaid house in Selby, and the house at Hesslewood and what more shall be requisite to repair the said two houses, shall be deducted proportionably out of the schoolmasters salary and what is to be given to the six poor people so that all Hesslewood farm and all the rents of it, more or less I do give wholly to the use of the poor widows, and teaching of the 20 poor children in my house or hospital at Selby.

Item I do give devise and bequeath unto my aforesaid friends and trustees, and to their heirs, forever namely Mr. Ralph Peacock etc. and their survivor and survivors of them in trust forever to the uses intents and purposes hereafter in these presents mentioned and expressed (to wit) all that my messuages or tenement and garth, with the appurtances lately purchased of Mr. Robert Smith, lying and being in the town of Kingston upon Hull in a certain street commonly called Hull Street alias High Street, on the West side of the same street abutting on a messuage towards the South of Mr. John Watson and late in the occupation of Charles Wrigglesworth and on a messuage now in the occupation of Samuel Ombler Barber towards the North fronting the said street on the East and then late the lands of Thomas Derrick, of whom the said Robert Smith, and Mary his wife purchased the hereby granted premises together with all and singular the houses, offices, buildings, shops, cellars, ceilings, doors, entries etc. by my four trustees to be bestowed on eight poor people of the town of Kingston upon Hull at 6 pence per week, excepting what is to be deducted for the assessments and repairs of the said house, and this forever.

The Testator, by his Will also bequeaths £100 to the new Corporation for the poor in Kingston upon Hull upon condition that the governors, guardian officers, or trustees of the said Corporation should release unto his said trustees and executors, all claim to any part of his estate or sums of money given in that his Will, to any charitable or pious use or uses whatsoever, to any person or persons within the town of Kingston upon Hull by virtue of any power to them given by any Act of Parliament, touching the disposition of any charitable use or uses. And he directed, that if the said Governors, guardian officers or trustees should, upon payment of the said £100 refuse to give such release and discharges, then the said sum of £100 should not be paid to the said Corporation, but that the devise thereof to the Corporation should be void and that his said trustees should dispose of the said £100 for the use of the hospitals aforesaid, given to the poor of the town of Selby and he thereby further declared that if the said Corporation for the poor, or the Governors, guardian officers or trustees for the same, should at any time lay claim by force or labour of any Act of Parliament or otherwise, to any estate or sum of money by him given to or for the use of any person or persons of the town of Kingston upon Hull or of any place within the same, that then such estate or sum of money by him given to any charitable use or uses should be void, as if not given and bequeathed and that his said trustees their heirs and successors should dispose of the same to the use of the poor of the town of Selby: And he further declared, that in case the law did not allow of any person or persons, or poor people in the town of Kingston upon Hull aforesaid then such gift or gifts should be void, and his trustees should dispose of the estates and sums of money to give to the poor widows in his house or hospital at Selby aforesaid either to the adding to what they had weekly or to enlarge the buildings and put more people into it.

Item the said trustees shall pay out of the rents of the said farms at Stoneferry and Sutton the sum of £3 yearly and every year, to those three poor people that are now in the three lower rooms under the said schoolhouse given by the aforesaid Mr. Joseph Wilson to the town of Hessle, and successively for ever to such poor persons, as shall dwell in them, that is 20 shillings a year to each of them, upon the 25th December 5 shillings a piece; on the 25th of March 5 shillings a piece; on the 25th of June 5 shillings a piece; and on the 29th September 5 shillings a piece to each of them; and so successively every year for ever.

Item My Will is that the aforesaid trustees shall also pay out of the rents of the same farms of Stoneferry and Sutton the sum of £5 yearly, and every year for ever to a schoolmaster of the town of Sutton for the time being, and do so successively, every year for ever who shall be obliged to teach and learn to read well English, 20 children of the poorest people in Sutton and Stoneferry of what persuasion or denomination soever, and when some are well taught, then to take others in their stead and so keep up the number of 20 such scholars for ever, and all the remainder of the rents of the aforesaid two farms of Stoneferry and Sutton shall be distributed to the poor of the towns of Stoneferry and Sutton, by my trustees. forever, needful repairs being deducted and the assessments if the law require any out of the said rents.

Item I do give desire and bequeath unto my kind friends, in trust, and their heirs for ever namely Mr. Ralph Peacock, Mr. Jeramiah Shaw, Mr. Joseph Turner and Mr. Thomas Lightfoot all of Kingston upon Hull and the survivor and survivors of them in trust for ever to the uses, intents and purposes hereafter in these presents mentioned and expressed to wit, all that my messuage or tenement with the stable, garth and little close, called the Greens thereto belonging, now in the tenure or occupation of John Wheldale, and also one close called the enclosure adjoining on the said little close, called the Greens, containing by estimation, six acres; one other close, called the Hillock Foss, containing by estimation six acres; one other close called Near East Field, alias Middle East Field containing by estimation, 30 acres; one other close called Far East Field, containing by estimation 30 acres, with their appurtances in the tenure and occupation of Francis Farrah all of which said premises are situate and being in Fitling in the County of York: and my Will is, that my said trustees shall pay, yearly and every year, out of the rents of the said messuage and stable, and garth and greens, and all the other lands or four closes, with all their appurtenances, the sum of £4 to Mr. John Traversley as dissenting Minister in Selby, and to such gospel Minister as shall succeed in his place, yearly and for ever, and in case preaching there should quite cease, then that £4 yearly shall go to that house or hospital I have in Selby part of it for the building of another room for a poor body and the rest to be added to the maintenance of all the poor people that are or shall be in the said hospital; and all the rest of the rents of the aforesaid messuage, garth and greens and the other four closes, with all the premises and appurtances thereof, the rents being now £30. 10/- per year for the whole, there will remain £16. 10/- which my Will is that my trustees aforesaid shall; deducting the assessments, pay and distribute unto 12 poor people 6 pence to each of them every week living in the town of Kingston upon Hull, they being sober, good Christians and such as want reliefs; and if any of them dies, to take another and so to pay 6 pence every week to 12 such poor people for ever.

[Transcribed from writing by Michael Tracey, my image added]

Adrian Worsfold

Pluralist - Liberal and Thoughtful