MRP: Edward Wood will

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Edward Wood will

PROB 11/324 Carr 59-116 Will of Edward Wood of Grocer 27 June 1667





Abstract & context


Edward Wood, merchant, citizen and grocer of London, wrote his will in 1658. However, it was not proved until 1667. Despite finding himself in 1658 "somewhat altered from my former health," Wood remained an active merchant in the early 1660s, although he may have begun to reduce his commercial activities. By 1663 he had moved out of London and started to build a mansion house in Littleton, Middlesex. The mansion at Littleton was completed circa 1665 and survived until 1873/74.[1]

In his will Edward Wood stated that he was born in "the parish of Boughton als Barton in the County of Suff[olk]." He also remembered the parish of Blakeney, on the north coast of Norfolk. However, he desired to be interred in the vault in the parish church of St Dunstan in the East in London, where his wife was buried.

Edward Wood mentioned his former servant, John Park. John Park is mentioned elsewhere in a Chancery suit involving Sir George Smith, Sir William Rider, Edward Wood and Maurice Thompson (C10/99/70 f. 1), co-owners of the Royal James and Henry. The English East India Company had brought a Bill of Complaint against the four part-owners in February 1661, following the discovery in January of that year that a Samuel Hutchinson had loaded prohibited goods upon the Royal James and Henry in the Downs.[2] The books of Edward Wood were alleged in the Bill of Complaint to have confirmed that Hutchinson's actions were with the knowledge of, and presumably financed by, some or all of the part owners of the ship who were subsequently made defendants in the East India Company's Chancery suit.

It is likely that the papers of Edward Wood of both the will written in 1658 and of the Chancery suit of 1661 are those held at the London Metropolitan Archives concerning the Wood family of Littleton (Stowe).[3] These papers include the papers of Edward Wood (c.1604-1667) and his son Thomas Wood (1641-1723). According to the administrative/biographical history of these papers, Edward Wood was the son of Nicholas Wood, with strong Norfolk connections. He was living in Thames Street in 1638. In 1657 this source states that he was an Alderman of Billingsgate Ward. Beaven states that he was a Committee of the EIC, 1655-1657. These papers identify John Pack and Joseph Stapley as business partners and agents, and the papers contain many letters from Edward Wood to John Pack. Two letters, both of 1663, place John Pack in Thames Street. ("For Mr John Pack at the Signe of the Shipp over against beare key in Thames St." (262/43/7), and on a letter dated 26th October: "For Mr John Pack at the signe of the shipp in Thames (sic) neere the Costome house." (262/43/8).) The administrative/biographical history of the papers suggests that in the 1660s Edward Wood lived at Littleton, where he appears to have built a mansion in the 1663-1665 period, and where he farmed land.

John Pack, Edward Wood's former servant, was mentioned by Wood in his will, and Joseph Stapley was a witness to Wood's will. Wood referred to "my late servant M:r John Park", who was to receive a bequest of £40. Later in the will Park was described as "my said friend and late servant" and was named one of Wood's three executors.[4] John Pack gave his answer (C10/99/66 f. 1) separately from that of Sir George Smith, Sir William Ryder, Edward Wood, and Maurice Thompson.



Suggested links


See C10/99/70 f. 1, which is an answer by Sir George Smith, Sir William Ryder, Edward Wood and Maurice Thompson, to a Bill of Complaint brought by the East India Company in early 1661. Edward Wood, together with the others named in this answer, were part owners of a new ship, the Royal James and Henry, which had been built by Captain Maurice Blackman, son of Captain Jeremy Blackman. Edward Wood's former servant, the merchant John Park, who is mentioned in Wood's will, was also involved in this suit. Park made a separate reply to the Bill of Complaint (See C10/99/66 f. 1)



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Transcription


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IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN the ffourteenth day of January in the yeare of our Lord God One Thousand Six hundred ffifty and Eight I Edward Wood Esquire Cittizen and Grocer of London being at this present tyme somewhat altered from my former health but of sound and perfect mind and remembrance (for which I praise Almighty God) But considering with, my selfe the frailty of all people in this present life the certainty of death and the uncertainty of the tyme and hower thereof And, to thene to settle my Estate soe as noe difference may arise after my decease: DOE therefore make and declare my last will and Testament, in manner followeing (That is to say)

FFIRST and principally I doe recommitt and retourne my soule (which is immortall and dyeth not) into the hands of Almighty God my Creator That gave it me hopeing and stedfastly beleiving to obtaine the full and free pardon and remission of all my sinnes And eternall life onely by and through the most prectious death and blood shedding of Jesus Christ my alone saviour and Redeemer And my body I committ to the Earth from whence it came to be decently buried in the new vault in the South Chapell within the parish Church of S:t Dunstan in the East London where my late deceased deare wife lyeth interred And my funerall to be ordered aswell for mourning as otherwise according to the good discretion of my Executo:rs hereafter named

And as touching such Lands Tenements and hereditaments as I am now seized of I doe give devise and dispose thereof as followeth

FIRST I give devise and bequeath unto my onely sonne Thomas Wood and his heires and assignes for ever All and singular my Mannors lands Tenements and hereditaments aswell scituate lyeing and being in the parish of Lenham in the County of Kent as elsewhere within the Commonwealth of England Charged with the Annuities hereafter menconned

ITEM I give devise and bequeath unto my Loveing sister Elizabeth Wood dureing the terme of her naturall life One Annuity or yearly Rent Charge of Tenn pounds of lawfull money of England And to my Loveing sister Anne Wood dureing the terme of her naturall life One Annuity or yearely rent Charge of ffive pounds of lawfull money of England

ITEM I give devise and bequeath unto my loveing sister Katherine Smith widdow dureing the terme of her naturall life one Annuity or yearly rent Charge of Eight pounds of lawfull money of England All which said Annuityes or yearely rent Charges soe by me given and bequeathed my Expresse will and mind is And I doe hereby appoint the same to be paid unto them respectively att the ffoure most usuall ffeast dayes or Termes in the yeare or within One and Twenty dayes next after every of the same ffeast dayes The ffirst payment thereof to begin and to be made on such of the Quarter ffeast dayes as shall ffirst and next happen after my decease And I doe hereby expressly Charge All my said lands with the payment of all and every the said Annuities or Rent Charges to be issueing and payable out of them accordingly

ITEM I give and bequest unto my cosin Harddings daughter the summe of ffive pounds And to M:rs ??Saint dwelling at my cosine M:r Robert Thirkettles house the like summe of ffive pounds And to John Groomes sonne the like summe of ffive pounds And to my old acquaintance and loveing freind M:rs Anne White widdow Twenty Markes soe as I doe not in my life tyme give it her my selfe

ITEM I give and bequeath unto my Nephew John Kempe the like summe of fforty pounds of lawfull money of England And to my sister Martha Wood Widdow the wife of my brother Nicholas Wood deceased the summe of Tenn pounds of like lawfull money of England To be paid unto them respectively within six months next after my decease

ITEM I give and bequeath unto the poore of the parish of Boughton als Barton in the County of Suff (sic) where I as borne And to the poore of the parish of Blakeney in the County of Norfolk the summe

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SUMME OF FIVE pounds a peece To be paid and distrinuted to and amongst the poore of the same Parishes whre most need shalbe According to the good discretion of the Churchwardens and Overseers for the Poore of the same parish for the tyme being AND I doe give and bequeath unto the poore of the said parish of S:t Dunstan in the East the summe of ffifty pounds of lawfull money of England To be paid unto them respectively by my Executo:rs hereafter named within Three moneths next after my decease To be distributed imployed or disposed of by the vestery or Committy men of the same Parish for the tyme being To and amongst the poore of the same parish where most need shalbe according to their good discretions PROVIDED That I may have att an indifferent vallue the same vault for a burying place for my selfe and ffamily where my said late deceased wife lyeth interred

ITEM I give and bequeath unto my loveing ffreinds and Kindsmen M:r Robert Thurkettle M:r William Bowyer and to my late servant M:r John Park the summe of fforty pounds of Lawfull money of England a peece as a Remembrance of my love

ALL THE REST and residue of my goods Chattells Plate Jewells ready money debts to me oweing And other Estate whatsoever after my debts shalbe paid and my ffunerall Charges borne And the legacies herein by me bequeathed being likewise paid and derayed, I doe fully and wholly give and bequeath into my sonne Thomas Wood And I doe make nominate and appoint my said wellbeloved ffreinds and Kindsmen M:r Robert Thurkettle M:r William Bowyer and my said freind and late servant M:r John Park To be the joynt Executors of this my last will and Testament during the minority of my said sonne Thomas Wood onely and altogether in Trust for him and not othersiw And from and after my said sonne Thomas Wood shall accomplish his full age of One and Twenty yeares THEN I doe ordeyne and appoint him my said sonne to be the sole and alosne Executo:r of this my last Will and Testament in the place and steede of my said Kindsmen and late servant AND LASTLY I doe revooke default and call back All former Wills Legacies and Executo:rs And does ordaine and appoint these presents to stand in full forte for and as my Last Will and Testament

IN WITNES wherof I the said Edward Wood to this my Last Will and Testament conteyning ffoure sheets of Paper have sett my hand and seale the day and yeare aforesaid

EDWARD WOOD

Sealed delivered declared and published by the said Edward Wood the day of the date hereof for and as his last Will and Testament in the psce of Joseph Stapley Henry Fanton Servant to Robert Earle Scr.

PROBATUM FUIT Testamentum suprascriptum apud ades Exon in le Strand in Com Middy Coram Petro Lane in Artebus Magist Surrogato venerabilis vivi Domini XXXXXX XXXX Militis Legum Doctore Curea Prerogative Courte Magri Custodies sui Comissary XXXX Constetante XXXsimo Septuno die Mensis Junii Anno Domini Millimo Sexcentesimo Sepagesimo Septumo Juramento Thoma Wood fily dei defuncte set Ex:toris in XXXX Teste XXXXX Cui Commssa fuit Administrate omnium et singularum boneram XXXX et XXXXX XX defuncti De bene et fideliter Administrand ead:m XX Sancat Dei Evangelia Jurate xr.



Notes

EEIC 1655-1659


"On considering how to get back the remaining estate from all parts of the South Seas, the Court resolves to dispatch a ship of at least 400 tons to perform this work, provided letters and orders can be procured from the Dutch to their people in those parts to allow the English to proceed securely in their trade without hindrance or molestation ; Alderman Edward Wood offers the Love on behalf of himself and the other owners for this business, if the said letters can be procured."[5]



Possible primary sources

TNA


PROB 11/324 Carr 59-116 Will of Edward Wood of Grocer 27 June 1667
PROB 11/381 Cann 108-165 Will of Joseph Stapley, Ironmonger of London 31 August 1685

- Possibly a commercial partner of Edward Wood, London merchant
  1. AIM 25: Wood Family: GB 0074 ACC/0421: held at London Metropolitan Archives
  2. 'A Court of Committees, February 6, 1661' (Court Book, vol. xxiv, p. 340), in Ethel Bruce Sainsbury, A calendar of the court minutes, etc., of the East India Company, 1660-1663 (Oxford, 1922), p. 89
  3. London Metropolitan Archive: GB 0074 ACC/0262; 'Wood family of Liitleton (Stowe), http://www.aim25.ac.uk/cgi-bin/vcdf/detail?coll_id=18296&inst_id=118&nv1=browse&nv2=sub, viewed 27/10/11
  4. PROB 11/324 Carr 59-116 Will of Edward Wood of Grocer 27 June 1667
  5. 'A Court of Committees for the United Joint Stock, September 16, 1657' ("Court Book, vol. xxiii, p. 596), in Ethel Bruce Sainsbury (ed.), A Calendar of the Court Minutes of the East India Company, 1655-1659 (Oxford, 1916), p. 166