Will of William Dawtrey of Petworth, 20 Nov 1678

In the Name of God, Amen

I William Dawtrey of Moore in the parish of Petworth in the County of Sussex Esquire being sick in body but of perfect mind and memory do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following

First I give and bequeath my Soul to Almighty God my CReator that first gave it me hoping through the merritts of my Saviour Jesus Christ to have everlasting life

Item I give my body to the earth to be at the discretion of my Executor decently buryed in that part of the Chancell in the parish Church of Petworth which belongs to my Family and were many of my Ancestors lye Interred

Item I give and bequeath to my most dearly beloved wife Amy Dawtrey the summe of fifty pounds to be paid her by my Executor as a token of my love

Item I give and bequeath to my daughter Anne Parrott the summe of Twenty Shillings to buy her a ring

Item I also give and bequeath to my daughter Amy Gratwick the sum of Twenty shillings to buy her a ring

Item I give and bequeath to my daughter Mary Dawtrey the sum of one Thousand pounds to be paid her by my Executor at the age of One and Twenty years or day of marriage which shall first happen

Item I give and bequeath to my daughter Jane Dawtrey the like sum of One Thousand pounds to be paid her at her age of one and Twenty years or day of marriage which shall first happen

And I do further hereby direct that my Executor hereafter named shall immediately after my death constantly pay unto my said daughter Mary Dawtrey forty pounds yearly and every year by four quarterly payments that is to say at the Birth of our Lord God the Anunciation of our blessed Lady the Virgin Mary St John the Baptist and St Michael the Archangell by even and equall partions till she attain her age of one and Twenty years or day of marriage

And shall also in like manner from and immediately after my death constantly pay or cause to be paid yearly and every year by quarterly payments as aforesaid to my said Daughter Jane Dawtrey the sum of forty pounds till she shall attain her age of one and Twenty years or day of marriage

And I do further direct that the first of the said quarterly payments shall be made to both my said daughters on the first of the before mentioned days that shall next happen after my decease

And all the rest of my Estate Lands Tenements Money Bills Bonds Plate Jewells Household Stuff Goods and Chattells whatsoever after my debts and Legacies paid I give and bequeath to my son Thomas Dawtrey who I do hereby constitute and appoint Sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament

And I do hereby revoke and make voyd all other and former wills by me heretofore made

In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal and published this to be my last will and Testament this twentieth day of November on Thousand six hundred seventy and eight And in the Thirtieth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord King Charles the second

William Dawtrey

Signed Sealed and Published in the Presence of

Henry Bullford
Francis Barner
John Warton
William Peter