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Will of Sir Bevill Grenville

Written 10th April 1639

Provided by David Carter

The original Will of Sir Bevill GRENVILLE (born 1596, killed at the Battle of Lansdowne on 5th July 1643) appears to have been lost during WW2.
However, a note found in the Royal Institution of Cornwall Archives refers to "The Will of Sir Bevill GRENVILLE, 10th April 1639/40, made prior to his service in Scotland, Sold at Bloomsbury Auctions 16th November 2006, purchaser unknown. MS on vellum, lacks seal, 640mm x 700mm. Estimate £200-£300, sold for about £450. Lot 45."
This transcript produced by David Carter taken from the 16 volume set of "Historical Collections relating to the History, Antiquities and Families of Devonshire, by Robert Dymond" (Vol.9, pages 125-131, obtained from Westcountry Studies Library in Exeter) appears to be genuine and verbatim.

There is no mention of the Grant of Probate in this transcript, but we assume that this did happen, probably soon after July 1643.

In the name of God, Amen. The tenth day of April in the fifteenth year of the Raigne of our Soveraigne Lord Charles, by the grace of God, King of England, Scotland, Fraunce and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, etc.
I Beville GRENVILLE of Stowe in the countie of Cornwall esquire, being in good health of Body and of sound and perfect mynde and memory, (for which I heartily thank Almighty God) Doe make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in writing.
And First I commend my soul into the Hands of Almightie God my maker and Redeemer, in full assurance that all my sons are washed away by the precious blood of Jesus Christ my Saviour who is the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world, and that at the last day I shall be presented to him without spot, and received into his kingdom of glory there to live forever. My Body I commend to the earth from whence it came to be decently interred.
And whereas I have by my Deed indented bearing date the ninth day of April in the fifteenth year of the raign of our sovereign Lord King Charles conveyed and assured the Burrough and Mannor of Bydeford in the County of Devon with the rights, members and appurtenances thereof, and the right of patronage of the Parish Church of Bydeford, with the Burrough and mannor of Kilkhampton in the said County of Cornwall, with the rights members and appurtenances thereof, with the right of patronage of the Parish Church of Kilkhampton, and the Capital Messuage, Bartons and Demesnes of Stowe and Densmouth, with the appurtenances in Kilkhampton aforesaid, and the mannor, Capital Messuage Barton and Demesnes of Wolston, and the mannors of Wydmouth and Woodford in the said County of Cornwall with the members and appurtenances thereof. And the Mannor Capital Messuages Barton and Demesnes of Northleigh in the parishes of Kilkhampton and Moorewenstowe with the rights members and appurtenances thereof. And all the messuages lands tenements and hereditaments in the parishes of Kilkhampton Moorewenstowe and Stratton in the said County of Cornwall which I purchased of Nicholas SMYTH esq deceased, and were sometime parcell of the mannors of Michell Morton in the said county of Cornwall, And the advowson or patronage of the Rectory and Parish Church of St Mary Weeke in Cornwall aforesaid, unto my loving friends, John ARUNDELL of Trerise esquire, John ACLAND of Colume John esquire, Arthur BASSETT of Heanton Punchardon esquire, Anthony DENYS of Orleigh esquire, Richard PRIDEAUX of Thurborough esquire, and William MORRICE of Thurstom(?) esquire, To have to them and their heirs to the use of them and their heirs for ever. Nevertheless to the Intent and purpose and upon condition that they and the survivors and the survivor of them and his & their heirs should demise, lease, grant, convey, assure, or otherwise dispose of the same and such and so many of them and such parts and parcells of them or any of them in such manner and for such estate and for such uses intents and purposes as I by my last Will and Testament in writing should limit appoint and declare as by the same deed whereunto for more certentie therein I refer myself. And forasmuch as Grace my wife hath always been a most loving & virtuous wife unto mee and her deserts farr exceed and ~g~ital which my fortune can afford I do limit appoint & declare that my said wife shall and may during her life quietly have and enjoy such and so much of the mannors, messuages, land, tenements & hereditaments before mentioned as are by any deed or assurance limited to her for a jointure, and that my feoffees John ARUNDELL esquire, John ACLAND esquire, Arthur BASSETT esquire, Anthony DENYS esquire, Richard PRYDEAX and William MORRICE esquire, and the survivors & survivor of them and his & their heirs shall upon request after my death sufficiently assure unto the said Grace, my beloved wife, all those messuages, mills, lands, tenements & hereditaments called or known by the name of Stowe Mills or used or enjoyed with the same messuages and mills in Kilkhampton aforesaid and the reversion thereof. And also all these several Grounds and Parcels of Land called or known by the several names of Cleve and of Colworthy all which I have lately annexed to my Barton and Demesnes to be therewith used and enjoyed. To have to her the said Grace for and during the term of her natural life in augmentation of her jointure, and as a remembrance of my love to her, and my desire to my said feoffees is that my said wife may not be troubled or molested in quiet enjoyment of her said jointure and lands aforesaid but may be by them aided and assisted as much as they may. And I do hereby further declare, limit and appoint & my will and meaning is that my said feoffees John ARUNDELL, John ACLAND, Arthur BASSETT, Anthony DENYS, Richard PRYDEAX and William MORRICE and the survivors & survivor of them and their and his heirs out of the Rents, Issues and Profits of my said manors, manors (sic), lands, tenements & hereditaments or by demising or leasing all of any part of parts thereof in Possession, Reversion, Remainder of Expectancy at their wills and pleasures and by such sum or sums of money as shall be raised and had by the granting and selling of the inheritance in fee simple of any part of parts thereof shall satisfy, pay and discharge all the just and true debts and sums of money which I do owe or am indebted to any person or persons for mine own proper debt and also the annuities and yearly sums, legacies, gifts, portions, sum or sums of money given, limited, or appointed to any person by this my last Will & Testament and for that the particular accidents which may happen to my said manor lands and premises in the value thereof I do therefore limit appoint & declare and my will & meaning is that my said feoffes John ARUNDELL, John ACLAND, Arthur BASSETT, Anthony DENYS, Richard PRYDEAUX and William MORRICE and to the survivors and survivor of them their and his heirs shall and may from time to time and at all times demise and lease or grant, convey and sell the inheritance of the said manors messuages, lands and premises or such or so much of them or any of them and such parts and tenements, parcels of them, for such uses, intents & purposes as are in this my Will & Testament limited, appointed or declared and the performance and execution of the tment(?) in them uposed and they and the survivors and survivor their and his heirs shall in their wisdom think fit and convenient for the same. And I do limit and appoint and my will is that during the time of payment of my debts and legacies and until the same be fully paid and discharged that my said feoffees and the survivors and survivor of them their & his heirs shall pay and satisfy unto my son and heir apparent Richard GRENVILLE gentleman an annuity or party Rent of one hundred pounds yearly to be issuing and going or of such of the premises as my said feoffees and the survivors and survivor of them their and his heirs shall lymit and appoint to be yearly payable at the Feats of St John Baptist, St Michael th'Archangel, The Birth of our Lord God and the Annunciation of our blessed Lady St Mary the Virgin by equal portions. And I do hereby give and appoint the said annuity unto my son Richard to be received in manner aforesaid.
Item: I do give limit and appoint to each of my younger sons (viz.) John GRENVILE, Bernard GRENVILE, George GRENVILE, and Denys GRENVILE one annuity or yearly sum of twenty pounds yearly apiece to be paid to each of them at the four feasts aforesaid until each of them respectively shall attain to his several age of seventeen years and as each of them shall attain to his several age of seventeen years, then the payment of the said annuity of twenty pounds yearly of him so attaining to his age of seventeen years to cease and determine. And I do further limit appoint & declare and my will is that within some short time after each of my younger sons shall severally attain to his said age of seventeen years and as each of them respectively shall attain to his said age of seventeen years that one annuity & yearly rent of fifty pounds be granted and assured to each of my said younger sons John, Bernard, George & Denys respectively to be issuing to each of them during his natural life respectively with clauses or distress, the same to be done in such manner as Counsel learned in the Law shall reasonably devise by the appointment of my said feoffees and the survivors and survivor their and his heirs.
Item: I do give, limit, appoint and declare to my eldest daughter Elizabeth GRENVILE the sum of one thousand five hundred pounds of lawful money of England portion, and to each of my other daughters (viz.) Bridget GRENVILE, Joane GRENVILE, and Mary GRENVILE the sum of one thousand pounds of lawful money of England apiece, so to be raised out of the rents issues and profits of the said manors messuages lands and premises or by demising and leasing or by sale of the inheritance of some part thereof as my said foeffes and the survivors and survivor their and his heirs shall think fit & convenient the said several portions to be paid to me said daughters respectively as they shall accomplish their several ages of twenty years or sooner if conveniently the same may be raised and until their said several portions shall be fully paid unto them I do give, limit and appoint to each of them the sum of forty marks yearly to be paid to them respectively for their maintenance and livelihood out of the rents, issues & profit of the said manors messuages lands tenements and hereditaments aforesaid, Provided always and I do hereby limit, appoint and declare that of Grace my said wife and Richard my son or such other of my said sons as shall be my right heir the time or one of them shall within one year next after the death of Dame Grace SMYTH widow by sufficient assurances in law convey & assure All the manors messuages, land, tenements and hereditaments with the appurtenances in the said County of Cornwall which the said Dame Grace SMYTH now holdeth & enjoyeth by conveyance and assurance from Sir George SMYTH Knight deceased her late husband and also the mansion house and lands therewithal used & enjoyed called or known by the name of Maydworth situate and being in the Parish of Heavitree in the County of Devon unto me said feoffees John ARUNDELL, John ACLAND, Arthur BASSETT, Anthony DENYS, Richard PRYDEAUX and William MORRICE and to the survivors and survivor of them their and his heirs or such other person or persons as shall be in that behalf appointed to be sold or disposed of by them or any of them for and towards the payment of my debts and legacies aforesaid and performance of the trust and uses in this my last Will mentioned that then the said feoffees John ARUNDELL, John ACLAND, Arthur BASSETT, Anthony DENYS, Richard PRYDEAUX and William MORRICE and to the survivors and survivor of them their and his heirs shall and may at the same time will and sufficiently as Counsel in the law shall reasonably advise convey and assure unto my said son Richard GRENVILE and his heirs or such other of my sons as shall be my heir if my said son Richard be dead and to his heirs such and so much of the said manors, messuages, lands, tenements and hereditaments of the said Dame Grace SMITH as both parties shall and [space] and [space] unto. And I do hereby further [space] and declare and within some convenient time after my said debts and legacies before mentioned be satisfied and paid as aforesaid. That they my said feoffees and the survivors and survivor of them and his heirs shall by good assurance in the law at the charge of my heirs convey and assure unto my said son Richard GRENVILE and his heirs or unto such of my sons as shall be my heir All such and so many of the said manors, messuages, hereditaments and premises by me to them conveyed and assured as aforesaid as shall then remain unsold and undisposed of for the uses and purposes aforesaid if any do remain unsold and not disposed of charged nevertheless unto the several annuities to my said younger sons during the continuance thereof respectively And I do will give and appoint that all my plate lynen and other utensils of household and household stuff and the furniture of my house at Stowe aforesaid to remain and continue in my said house and to come to my son and heir which shall be owner of my said house. Nevertheless I do will and appoint that Grace my beloved wife shall have the use and occupation thereof during her life and her the said Grace my wife I do hereby make and ordain to be [space] and sole executrix of this my last Will and Testament. And I doe will my said feoffees to pay such debts and somes of money for which I have mortgaged any of my lands manors or premises or any part thereof and redeem the said mortgages if they shall think fit.
In witness whereof I the said Bevill GRENVILLE to this my Last Will and Testament have hereunto set my hand and seal given the dau and year first above written. Anno Dni.

Signed: Bevill GRENVILE

Sealed & published in the presence of:
Robert CARY
Thomas PRIEST
Richard POMEROY
And: CORY
William MAISTERS
F COTTELL
Jo: VERYNGE