In the name of God Amen I Richard Aylwin of Gatehouse in the parish of Trotton in the County of Sussex yeoman do this twenty eighth day of January in the nineteenth year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Third by the Grace of God of Great Britain France and Ireland King defender of the faith &c and in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy nine make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following (that is to say) First and principally I recommend my soul to Almighty God my Creator and my body I commit to the earth to receive a decent Christian burial at the discretion of my executor and executrix herein after named. And as for my worldly estate I dispose thereof as follows. Imprimis I give and devise unto my good friend William Pruet the younger of Midhurst in the said County of Sussex Gentleman and my beloved wife Ann their heirs and assigns all that my copyhold or customary messuage or tenement barn garden lands hereditaments and premisses with the appurtenances situate lying and being in Elsted and holden of the Manor of Elsted in the said County and now or late in the tenure or occupation BLANK Blackman or his assigns. And also all those my freehold lands hereditaments and premisses with the appurtenances situate lying and being in Harting in the said County and now in the tenure or occupation of BLANK Cratwick and BLANK Pannell in trust that they the said William Pruett and the said Mary Ann my wife and the survivor of them & the heirs and assigns of such survivor (in case they shall judge it expedient and proper according to their discretion) shall and do sell mortgage or surrender the same premisses with the appurtenances or any part thereof and apply the money arising by such sale mortgage or surrender to pay off and discharge all debts that may be due and owing from me to any person or persons at the time of my decease. But in case it shall not be thought advisable to sell or mortgage the same premisses then I give and devise the same premisses with the appurtenances or such part thereof as shall be undisposed of for the purpose aforesaid unto my three daughters Jane, Ann and Sarah and their heirs and assigns to take as tenants in common and not as joint tenants. Item I give and devise unto my beloved wife Ann Aylwin and her assigns for and during the term of her natural life all those two closes or parcels of inclosed land containing by estimation sixteen acres be the same more or less commonly called or known by the name of Reeds situate lying and being in the parish of Trotton aforesaid and now in the occupation of Richard Burman? (she keeping and maintaining the same in good and sufficient tenantable repair) over and besides her right of free bench which she is intitled to of and in my messuages lands tenements hereditaments and premisses held of the Manor of Troyford [sic] in the said County of Sussex by the custom of the said Manor and such personal estate as hereinafter is mentioned to be given her. Item I give and devise unto my eldest daughter Jane Aylwin all those my leasehold messuages or tenements barns stables gardens orchards lands woodlands meadows pastures commons hereditaments and appurtenances whatsoever thereunto belonging situate lying and being in the parish of Treyford in the said County holden as well for life or lives as for years to hold unto the said Jane Aylwin her heirs executors administrators and assigns during the remainder of the several terms yet to come and unexpired and all my estate right title and interest therein. But in case my said daughter Jane shall depart this life before she attains her age of twenty one years and without leaving issue of her body lawfully begotten then I give and devise the same leasehold premisses last mentioned with the appurtenances unto my daughters Ann Aylwin and Sarah Aylwin their heirs executors administrators and assigns to take as tenants in common and not as joint tenants. Item I give and devise unto my daughter Ann Ayling [sic] all and singular my messuage or tenement barn garden lands hereditaments and premisses with the appurtenances being copyhold held of the Manor of Didling in the said County and which premisses have been duly surrendered to the use of my will. And also all those the said two freehold peices of land containing sixteen acres more or less commonly called or known by the name of Reeds situate lying and being in Trotten [sic] aforesaid subject to the estate for life herein before given to my said wife in the said last mentioned freehold premisses to hold unto my daughter the said Ann Aylwin her heirs and assigns for ever but in case my said daughter Ann shall depart this life before she attains her age of twenty one years and without leaving issue of her body lawfully begotten then I give the same premisses last mentioned with the appurtenances (subject as aforesaid) unto my daughters Jane Aylwin and Sarah Aylwin their heirs and assigns to take as tenants in common and not as joint tenants. Item I give and devise unto my daughter Sarah Aylwin from and after the decease of my wife and subject to her free bench therein all those my messuages bans gardens lands hereditaments and premisses with the appurtenances being copyhold held of the Manor of Treyford aforesaid and which premisses have been also duly surrendered to the use of my Will to hold to the said Sarah Aylwin her heirs and assigns for ever. But in case my said daughter Sarah shall depart this life before she attains her age of twenty one years and without leaving issue of her body lawfully begotten then I give and devise the same premisses last mentioned with the appurtenances subject as aforesaid unto my daughters Jane and Ann their heirs and assigns to take as tenants in common and not as joint tenants. Item I give and bequeath unto my said daughter Sarah the sum of three hundred pounds of lawful money of Great Britain to be paid her on her attaining her said age of twenty one years in order to make her fortune equal with my said other children but in case my said daughter Sarah shall depart this life before she attains the said age then I give and bequeath the said sum of three hundred pounds unto my said daughters Jane and Ann to be equally divided between them share and share alike. Item I give and bequeath unto the said Ann my wife all and singular the leases of which I shall die possessed of the several farms which I rent and occupy under John Radcliffe Esquire or any other persons for the remainder of the several terms therein in order that she may be at liberty to carry on the farming business for the benefit of herself and children and for their education maintenance and support until they shall respectively attain the age of twenty one years or if it shall be judged most beneficial to dispose of the said leases or any or other of them then my will and mind is that my executor and executrix herein after named shall and do invest and lay out the money arising from the sale of my leases stock and effects on the said farms at interest on land or other good security. And I do give unto them full power and authority to change or alter any of my present securitys in which my estate may be invested or any other security in which they shall hereafter think proper to invest the same and to apply the interest and proceed thereof together with the rents and profits of my said estates for the maintenance education and support of my said children respectively during their minority and such securitys are to be considered and applied as a part of the residue of my personal estate and for the same uses and purposes as herein after directed concerning such residue. Item all and singular the rest residue and remainder of my goods chattles estate and effects whatsoever and wheresoever (subject to the payments of my debts the aforesaid legacy of three hundred pounds and funeral expences and to the fines payable on the admissions or removal of in and to my said copyhold & leasehold estates which my will is shall be renewed by my executrix and executor from time to time in case of the death of any person or persons for whose life or lifes the same are held) to be paid out of my said personal estate) I do hereby direct and appoint shall be divided into three equal parts or shares between my said wife and my said daughters Jane and Ann and my will is that my said wife shall have and enjoy one third part of the interest of the residue of my said personal estate during the term of her natural life and that each of my said daughters Jane and Ann shall be paid one third part or share of such residue on their attaining their several and respective ages of twenty one years and if any or either of them the said Jane and Ann shall die before she or they shall attain the age of twenty one years and without issue lawfully begotten then I give the part or share of her so dying to the survivor of them. And the remaining third part thereof after the decease of my said wife my will is shall be equally divided between my said daughters Jane and Ann at their said age of twenty one years and if either of them shall depart this life before she attains that age and without issue then I give the part and and share of her so dying unto the survivor of them. And I do hereby will and declare that my executor and executrix and trustees herein after named shall not be answerable for any involuntary loss that may happen to my estate in placing the same out at interest nor shall they or either of them be answerable for the acts deeds receipts or payments of the other but each of them for his and her acts only and that my said executor executrix and trustees shall in all cases deduct and retain all such costs charges and expences as they shall severally be put unto in and about the execution of the several trusts hereby reposed in them. And lastly I do hereby revoke and make void all former and other Wills by me at any time heretofore made and do publish and declare this to be my last Will and Testament and therefore do constitute and appoint my good friend the said William Pruet and my said wife executor and executrix and trustees of this my Will and guardians to my said children until they shall respectively attain their ages of twenty one years. In witness whereof I the said Richard Aylwin have to this my Will contained in this and three preceeding sheets of paper subscribed name and seal the day and year first above written. Richd Aylwin
Signed sealed published and declared by the said testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who have subscribed our names as wittnesses thereto in the presence of the said testator and of each other. John Colebrooke, Thomas Rhoades, Richd Wardroper
This Will was proved before Mr Richard Tireman, Clerk, Master of Arts, Surrogate &c on the twenty fifth day of April in the year of our Lord 1781 by the oath of Ann Aylwin widow and relict of the deceased and one of the executors therein named (power being reserved for William Pruett the other executor therein names when &c) to whom &c well and truly &c sworn saving &c
Transcribed for and contributed by Stephen Langridge.
Unknown.
Didling, Treyford, Elsted, Harting, Midhurst.