In the name of God Amen I RICHARD GREENFIELD of CONEYHURST in the Parish of WEST CHILTINGTON in the County of Sussex yeoman being of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding (thanks be to God) Do make and declare this to be my last Will and Testament in manner and form following (that is to say) after recommending my soul unto Almighty God and my Body to the Earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my Executors hereinafter named I dispose of that Worldly Estate Wherewith I am blessed as follows (to Wit)
First I give and devise unto my Brother in Law LUKE HAMMOND EDWARD BISHOPP of WEST CHILTINGTON aforesaid yeoman and MAURICE GREENFIELD of SOUTH HOUSE in BILLINGSHURST yeoman All and singular my Messuage Farm Lands Tenements Hereditaments and Premises With the Appurtenances called CONEYHURST and DANIELS FISHERS and WOODFIELD and all other my Freehold Estate in the Parish of WEST CHILTINGTON aforesaid To hold unto the said LUKE HAMMOND EDWARD BISHOPP and MAURICE GREENFIELD and their Heirs In trust nevertheless to permit and Suffer my loving wife ELIZABETH to receive the rents thereof until my son LUKE GREENFIELD Attaine his Age of Twenty One years in case she so long continues my Widow but not otherwise And also In trust to raise by the sale of Timber Mortgage or otherwise the sum of Four Hundred and Fifty pounds which I do hereby give and bequeath unto my Three youngest Daughters SARAH MARY and JANE equally between them share and share alike And subject to the said Four Hundred and Fifty pounds (in Case the same shall not be raised by my said Trustees before by the sale of Timber) I do hereby give and devise all the said Hereditaments and premises with the Appurtenances unto my said son LUKE at the age of One and Twenty years and his heirs forever. Also I give and devise unto the said LUKE HAMMOND EDWARD BISHOPP and MAURICE GREENFIELD all that my Messuage or Tenement and all those my Lands Tenements Hereditaments and Premises with the Appurtenances called CHIVERS situate lying and being in the Parish of SHIPLEY in the said County And all other my estate whether Freehold or Leasehold being in the said Parish of SHIPLEY To hold unto the said LUKE HAMMOND EDWARD BISHOPP and MAURICE GREENFIELD and their Heirs In trust nevertheless to pay the rents thereof unto my said wife ELIZABETH until my son DANIEL Attains his age of Twenty One years (in case she so long Continue my Widow but not otherwise) And also in trust to raise by Mortgage the Sale of Timber or otherwise the sum of Four Hundred and Fifty pounds which I do hereby give and bequeath unto my Two Eldest Daughters ELIZABETH and ANN equally to be divided between them share and share alike And subject to ye said Four Hundred and Fifty pounds (In Case ye same shall not be raised by my said Trustees by the sale of Timber) In trust to Convey all the said Hereditaments and Premises called CHIVERS or any other Freehold or Leasehold Estate in the said Parish of SHIPLEY unto my son DANIEL at his age of Twenty One years and his Heirs forever to whom I do hereby give and devise the same accordingly Also I give and devise unto the said LUKE HAMMOND EDWARD BISHOPP and MAURICE GREENFIELD all and singular my Lands Hereditaments and Premises with the Appurtenances called SLAUGHTERS and BLUNTS situate lying and being in the Parish of THAKEHAM To hold unto the said LUKE HAMMOND EDWARD BISHOPP and MAURICE GREENFIELD and their Heirs In trust to pay the rents thereof unto my said Wife ELIZABETH until my son WILLIAM attains his age of Twenty one years (in case she so long Continues my Widow but not otherwise) And also In trust to raise by Mortgage the sale of Timber or otherwise the Sum of One Hundred Pounds Which I do hereby give and bequeath unto my Three youngest Daughters SARAH MARY and JANE equally to be divided between them share and share alike And subject to the said One Hundred Pounds (in case the same shall not be raised by the sale of Timber by my said Trustees) In trust to convey all the said hereditaments and Premises called SLAUGHTERS and BLUNTS or any other Freehold or Leasehold Estate in the said Parish of THAKEHAM unto my son WILLIAM (at his Age of One and Twenty years) and his Heirs forever. To whom I do hereby give and devise the same accordingly And I do hereby declare it to be my Will and meaning that my said Five Daughters shall be entitled to receive their respective Legacies before herein given at their respective Ages of Twenty One years Also I give and bequeath unto my said Two Daughters ELIZABETH and ANN the sum of Fifty pounds equally between them share and share alike to be paid unto them as they shall respectively attain their ages of Twenty One years out of my personal Estate Also I give and bequeath unto my said Three Daughters SARAH MARY and JANE the sum of Two hundred pounds equally to be divided between them share and share alike to be paid unto them as they shall respectively attain their ages of Twenty One years out of my personal Estate And all the rest residue and remainder of my real and personal Estate whatsoever I do hereby give and bequeath unto the said LUKE HAMMOND EDWARD BISHOPP and MAURICE GREENFIELD their Executors and Administrators In trust to Convert the same into money (Except my Household Goods which I Will my Wife shall have the use of during her Widowhood) and the money by sale thereof Arising to place out at Interest and the Interest proceed and profit thereof from time to time to pay and apply unto and towards the Maintenance Education and bringing up of all my Children which my desire is my Wife may have the management of during her widowhood And in case my Trustees (for the time being) shall think it necessary to advance part of the Principal money arising from my said residuary Estate to my said wife (during her widowhood) towards the bringing up the Family or any of them that it shall and may be lawful for my said Trustees to advance such part of the said principal money as they shall think necessary. And after the maintenance education and bringing up my said Children And when the youngest of them shall attain the age of One and Twenty years In trust to pay all the said principal money or so much thereof as shall be then remaining unto and amongst all and every my Children as well Sons as Daughters equally to be divided between them share and share alike And after my Wifes death or marriage again I give the said household goods to be divided in like manner And the reason I make no particular provision for my wife is because her own Estate at WISBOROUGHGREEN And the Dower or thirds of my Freehold Estates Will be sufficient for her Comfortable support And it is my will and meaning that in case any or either of my said Daughters shall happen to die under the age of Twenty One years and unmarried that then and in such case the Legacies or Legacy of them or her so dying shall go to be for the benefit of my said Daughters who shall survive share and share alike And I do hereby make Nominate and appoint the said LUKE HAMMOND EDWARD BISHOPP and MAURICE GREENFIELD Executors of this my Will But it is my earnest desire And I do hereby as much as my Power or by law I can direct that in case the said EDWARD BISHOPP should happen to dye before the Trusts are completed that his son CLEMENT BISHOPP should not in his stead And that in case the said MAURICE GREENFIELD should happen to dye that his son MAURICE GREENFIELD should act in his stead. And I do hereby further direct that my said Trustees shall each of them be accountable for their own acts only and not for more money than what shall actually come to their respective hands nor for any loss not occasioned by their Willful act or Neglect respectively In Witness whereof I the said RICHARD GREENFIELD the Testator have to this my last Will and Testament set my hand and seal the Eleventh Day of March in the year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy Seven RICHARD GREENFIELD Signed Sealed Published and declared by the said RICHARD GREENFIELD the Testator (the words “In case she so long continues my Widow but not otherwise” in One place And the Words “at his age of One and Twenty years” in another place And the words “or by Law” in another place being first Interlined) In the Presence of PETER MARTIN WILLIAM WADEY WM JOHNSON
This Will was proved Before Mr RICHARD TIREMAN Clerk M A Surrogate &c On the Fourth Day of June in the year of our Lord 1777 By the Oaths of LUKE HAMMOND and MAURICE GREENFIELD Friends of the deceased and Two of the Executors thereinnamed (Power being reserved for EDWARD BISHOPP the other Executor when &c) To whom &c well and truly &c sworn Savings &c.
Archdeaconry Court of Chichester
Unknown.
Thakeham, Shipley, Wisborough Green.