John Berkeley 3rd Baron Berkeley 1663-1697

On 23rd July 1672 [his grandfather] Andrew Riccard [aged 68] made his will:

IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN I Andrewe Riccard Cittizen and Merchant of London aged Threescore and Nyne yeares or thereabouts Praysed Be God of sound and perfect memory Calling to mind the frailty of all mankind my owne age And bodily infirmities Doe make and ordaine this my last Will and Testament (written in my own hand), in manner and forme following (That is to say)

First and principally I give upp and Resign my soule into the hands of Allmighty God my Creator that gave me the same Trusting in the meritts of my Alsufficient Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and renouncing and disclayming any meritt or worthiness of my owne) I say I humbly trust to be saved and to enjoy everlasting Bliss and happiness with the Saints and Angells To all Eternity.

And for my Body and earthly part I Comitt it to the earth whereof it was made To be decently buried and without much Pompe or any ostentation att the direction of my Executix hereafter named.

ITEM I give and bequeath unto my ffaithfull and beloved wife Susanna One full Third part of my Personall Estate according to the Lawdable Custome of the Citty of London my debts being paid and ffunerall Charges deducted.

ITEM I hereby give to my said deare and loveing wife one halfe part of all my Lands Tenements and hereditaments whatsoever And all the Rents and profitts of the said halfe part during her naturall life.

ITEM I give and bequeath to my said Loveing wife All my householdstuff, my Coach and Coach horses And one hundred ounces of Plate such as she shall think fitt to take.

ITEM I give to my said wife and Consort the lease of my house in Marke Lane [Map] she paying the Rent of one hundred pounds per Annum to the Landlord.

ITEM I give and bequeath to my Brother Jn. Riccard of Portsham in the County of Dorset one halfe part of the Rents and proffitts of the ffarmes of Portesham Ashton and Steepleton over and above my wife's halfe part bequeathed to her as before And my said brother to have and enjoy the said halfe parte of the Rents and proffitts of the said ffarmes and tenements the Second Third and ffourth yeare after my decease for the better support of himselfe and education of his children and no longer

ITEM I give and bequeath unto my only daughter [his mother] Christian Lady Berkeley [aged 34] one hundred pounds in full of her Childs part any other Consideracon whatsover In regard she had a faire part and potion out of my Estate to preferre and advance her in marriage And for some other reasons not fitt to be in this place menconed

ITEM I give and hereby will and order and by these presents bequeath unto my Second Grandsonne and Godsonne John Berkeley [aged 9] All the Residue and remainder of all my Reall Estate scituate lying and being in the Parishes of Portsham Steepleton and Winterborne St Martins in the County of Dorsett To have and to hold the said ffarmes lands and tenements to him and his heires for ever And in case he shall happen to dye before he attaine to the age of twenty one yeares or without issue of his body lawfully begotten Then I give and bequeath the said ffarmes lands and tenements to my Third Grandson, Maurice Bentley¹And if he chance to dye before he attaine to the age of Twenty one yeares or without issue lawfully begotten Then and in that case I give the said ffarmes Lands and tenements to William Bentley¹ my youngest grandson and his heires forever.

ITEM I hereby give bequeath and will my only granddaughter [his sister] Anne Berkeley [aged 7] to advance her and preferre herin marriage to a sober and prudent Gentleman such as my Executrix shall approve of if she be alive And this her portion of ffoure thousand pounds with the interest thereof I hereby order to be paid her att the day of her marriage or when she attaines to the age of Twenty one yeares And in case it shall please God she dye before she marry or attaine Twenty one yeares before paid this and in that case I will the said ffoure thousand pounds and all the proffitts and interest thereof to be paid to my surviving Grandchildren by even and equall shares and proportions att such tyme as they shall attain to Twenty one yeares of age

ITEM I give and bequeath to my neece Mary Riccard now in house with me towards a Marriage Portion two hundred pounds to be paid her by my Executrix att her daye of marriage.

ITEM I give and bequeath to each of my servants that have been with me one whole yeare or more ffive pounds a peece.

ITEM I give to the poore of the parish of St Olaves Hartstreet [Map] wherin I have long lived ffifty pounds within one yeare after my death.

ITEM I hereby give and bequeath to Mr Danll Mills Rector of the said parish ffifty pounds.

ITEM I give and bequeath to the poore of St Thomas Hospitall in Southwark to be disposed of for their Reliefe as the President and Governors of that hospitall shall judge meete one hundred Pounds to be paid within one yeare after my death.

ITEM I give to the poore of the Company of Drapers one hundred pounds to be paid them within one yeare after my death And to be disposed of for aforesaid Poore their most advantage and in such manner as the Master Wardens and Assistants shall judge meete.

ITEM I give to the East India Company ffor their poore at Poplar one hundred pounds And to be paid said Company for the use of these poore within one yeare after my decease And to be added to Almshouse Stocke.

ITEM I herby give and bequeath unto ffrancis Riccard, my nephew and servant one hundred pounds to be paid him Two yeares after my death.

ITEM I hereby give bequeath and will my only granddaughter Anne Berkeley to advance her and preferre herin marriage to a sober and prudent Gentleman such as my Executrix shall approve of if she be alive And this her portion of ffoure thousand pounds with the interest thereof I hereby order to be paid her att the day of her marriage or when she attaines to the age of Twenty one yeares And in case it shall please God she dye before she marry or attaine Twenty one yeares before paid this and in that case I will the said ffoure thousand pounds and all the proffitts and interest thereof to be paid to my surviving Grandchildren by even and equall shares and proportions att such tyme as they shall attain to Twenty one yeares of age

ITEM I give and hereby bequeath to my ffive Grandchildren Charles, John, Morris¹, William [aged 9] and Anne Berkely all the residue and remainder of my estate to be equally divided betweene them To each one ffifth part To be paid them by my Executrix or to such Trustees as their ffather Lord John Berkeley [aged 70] and my Executrix shall agree upon or in case of death or absence of the Lord Berkeley to such trustees as my said Executrix and my daughter Berkeley shall agree upon.

And that as soone as my Estate come into the particulars whereof appeare by an estimate hereto Annexed, in default of Books of accompt which may not appeare soe Regulah as may be expected And in Case of Death the Survivors of them to enjoy it

ITEM I hereby nominate and appointe my deare and loving wife to be my sole executrix and give her power and Authority to see this my Last Will and Testament faithfully and duly executed I will and make void All former wills whatsoever

In witness whereof I have hereto sett my hand and seale This Twenty Third day of July 1672 In London Amen

[Andr: Riccard is inserted into the LH margin]

Signed Sealed published and declared, in the presence of [NO NAMES WERE INSERTED]

Note 1. Not clear whether these refers to Berkeley rather than Bentley. William Berkeley was a son of Christiana and John Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley of Stratton. Andrew Riccard appears to have had only one child Christiana who only had issue with her third husband John Berkeley. Maurice, or Morris, possibly a child between John and William. Christiana's husband John's father was Maurice Berkeley.