Will of Richard Peckham yeoman of Old Mill Mayfield, Sussex

Being sick and weak but of sound and disposing mind and memory
I give & bequeath unto my son in law Richard Peckham (RP) all my part of that parcel of house & lands lying in Mayfield & Burwash & now in occupation of Samuel Brooks & known by the name of Breadhurst
Also I give & bequeath unto my said son in law RP all my part of a house lying in Chatham in the occupation of my sister in law Agnes Peckham after her decease
Also I give & bequeath unto my son in law RP all my part of a piece or parcel of Marshland lying in Tenham, Kent in the occupation of Mr. Godfrey all these three severall & separate parcells of houses & lands I give unto my son in law RP upon condicon of paying my wife Frances Peckham 10 pounds a year during the terme of her natural life & after her decease I give all the said 3 severall & separate parcells of houses & lands unto my four children, namely Mary wife of the said RP, my son William Peckham, my daughter Anne wife of Robert Giles, & my daughter Sarah now a widow to them & theirheirs forever as heirs in common & not as joint heirs.
I give & bequeath unto my son Alexander Peckham the sume of 21 shillings to be paid him within 3 months next after my decease.
I give & bequeath unto my daughter Anne 100 pounds to be paid within 1 year after my decease & to be putt out at interest & the interest to be paid her halfe yearly exclusive of her husband Robert Giles.
I give my best bed a& all that belongeth to it & 13 cain chaires to my daughter Mary.
I give all my wearing apparel of all sorts to my son William Peckham
All the rest of my chattels & Cattle I give unto my 4 said children when my just debts & funeral expences are paid equally to be divided between them namely Mary wife of RP, William Peckham, Ann the wife of Robert Giles exclusive of her said husband Robert Giles & Sarah paying their mother Frances Peckham 30 shillings a year a piece all 4 of them namely Mary William Anne & sarah during the terms of the natural life of their said mother Frances Peckham but if my said sister in law Agnes Peckham shall dye before my said wife then my said 4 children shall pay their said mother but 10 shillings a piece yearly during her natural life and my mind & will is that none of the monies that I have given to my daughter Anne shall ever be in her own power or disposal during the terme of the natural life of her said husband Robert Giles she the said Anne shall have full power to dispose thereof at her own will only I reserve 50 pounds out of her part in case she marry againe & my will is that the said 50 pounds be put into the hands of my executor for the sue benefit & sole advantage of her daughter Mary till she attaine to the age of 21 years & she have no other heirs & if her daughter and she should dye before her said daughter attaine to the age of 21 years then my will is that her part shall be equally divided between my children Mary William & sarah.
I give to my granddaughter Sarah Brooks 50 pounds out of her mothers part if her said mother shall marry againe to be left in my executors hands till my said granddaughter sarah Brokks shall happen to dye before the age of 21 then my will is the said 50 pounds shall fall to her mother & the rest of her brothers & sisters if these shall be any
I constitute nominate & appoint my cousin Samuel Duplock & my cousin John Moone trustees to this my last will & testament and I doe nominate & appoint my said son in law Richard Peckham full and sole executor of this my last will & testament & I doe hereby revoke & make void all former wills & testaments by me heretofore made & declared this to be my last will & testament
In Testimony whereof I the said Richard Peckham the testator to this my last will & testament being written in 1 sheet of paper have sett my hand & seals this 12th day of February in the 2nd year of the reigne of our sovereign lord George the second by the grace of god of Great Brittaine France & Ireland king defender of the faith AD 1728 "Richard Peckham" signed sealed published and declared by the said RP the testator as & for his last will & testament in the presence of us who subscribed our names as witnesses in the presence of the said testator the word Sarah being first interlined Robard Stevens._ the mark of Margaret Fuller _ Edward Sawyer

Probate: Deanery of South Malling 17th March 1728 [=1729] on the oath of Richard Peckham executor named in the will

Transcribed by Jeremy Stroud Mar 2017

[Note: the above mentioned daughter Sarah Peckham married George Brook 6 Feb 1722 at Aylesford, Kent]
[Note the above mentioned daughter Mary Peckham married Richard Peckham 23 Oct 1719 at Chatham, Kent]