The Will of

Michael FIELD (c1690-?)

With the blessing of God Allmighty I am in health and sound memory thanks be to God for the same I make and a dorn? this to be my last Will and Testament revokeing all others before made in manner and form following. First I give and bequeath unto Mary my wife two beds and all belonging and allsoe one paire of chest of draws all standing in the kitching chamber with proper furniture to furnish one room at her one choice with proper linen for her use and allsoe the lining in the parlow at Broxmead one year next after my decease and all thirds of rent after Kings taxes & all payments out sett of all my frehold estates called Broxmead, Little Thorndean, Great Merryfields, Little Merryfields in Cuckfield allsoe Crouches and Inholms in Bolney allsoe I give and bequeath unto my eldest son Michaell Field five pounds yearly and everry year dureing like to bee paid by my executors and administrators Churchman Field and John Field allsoe I give and bequeath unto my second son James Field during his naterall liffe twenty shillings everry quarter of a year to be paid by my executors administrator before named allsoe I bequeath unto my son Thos Field six shillings and six pence everry kalleder month dureing his naterall life allsoe I give and bequeath unto Sarrah the wife of John Hamper one pound everry year for four years next after my decease and then to ceas allsoe I give and bequeath unto Kathern Field now wife of George Stedman one shilling and six pence to be paid everry week for the space of four years next after my deceas then to ceas if dye before then to be paid to her chilldren I allsoe give and bequeath unto Betty Field now wife of Joseph Potter fifty pounds to be paid twell months after my deceas allsoe I give and bequeath unto Marry Field my youngest daughter fifty pounds to be paid twevll months after my deceas I allsoe give unto Churchman Field and John Field jointly all that farme and lands timber exsepted called Broxmead allso all that farme and lands called Great Merryfields timber exsepted and allsoe all that farme and lands called Little Merryfield timber exsepted nor cutt sell or transfer to any person or persons or uses whatsoever one penallty of forfsitting the whole eastate for the terme of twenty years next coming after my deceas turn over two ye second sheet allsoe I give and bequeath unto James Field granson twenty pound at his age of twenty five years old I allsoe give unto Mickaell Field granson both sons of James Field twenty pounds at his age of twenty five years old if either or both die before then to decend to their father ..... and heires for ever.

This is ye second sheett namely I will and bequeath unto my youngest son John Field all that farme and land called by the name of Crouches allso wood & coppis called Inholmes in Bolney the timber exsepted of both eastates from beeing transfered cut or sold unto any person or persons what soe ever for the space of twenty years then next after my deceas one penallty of for feiting both ye fore mentoned estates to the next right heir at law allsoe I give unto John Hamper husband to my daughter Sarra five shillings and allsoe I give unto Joseph Potter five shillings allsoe give unto George Stedman five shillings. Now the true intent and meaning in this that all stock of all sort & kind soe ever with all mendments in and upon all my farmes husbandry tackle houshold goods & good? debts dew upon Bond or Bill or book debts bee apraised and vallued by the judgment of two meen of good judgment one months time next after my deceas and the moneys then arissing and apears in vallue of the same my sole exsecutors and ad minesterators after my fenerall charges paid be aplyed to the dicharging all my legeceys given in this my last Will and Testament and the remainder part to discharge a moorgage that was laid upon Broxmead and not quit cleared of now my reasion and full intent of the discharge of and clearing Broxmead in this Churchman Field I have given before this Will was made one farme and land of six hundred pounds vallue called Little Thornden by a Deed of Gift therfore insist upon the money for the amount of stock and otherwise dew to discharge Broxmead Farme or Churchman Field forfeit his whole right and property of Broxmead, Great Merryfields and Little Merryfield into ye hand and quiet possession to his brother Jno Field and his heires for ever. Wittness my hand and seall this 27h day of April 1759. Michaell Field.
In the presents of us three wittnessess. ...les Jenner; John Simons? ye elder his mark; ......, his mark

On the twelfth day of January 1782 appeared personally William Bates of Lindfield in the County of Sussex yeoman and made oath that he this deponent knew and was well acquainted with Michael Field late of Cuckfield in the said County deceased for several years before and to the time of his death and during that time hath frequently seen him write and thereby came to know and be well acquainted with the manner and character of his hand writing. And having now carefully viewed and perused the paper writing hereunto annexed purporting to be the last Will and Testament of the said deceased beginning thus “With the blessing of God Allmighty I am in health and sound memory thanks be to God for the same I make and ordain this to be my last Will and Testament revokeing all others before made in manner and form following” and ending thus “Wittness my hand and seale this 27h day of Aprill 1759” and thus subscribed “Michael Field”. He says that he doth verily and in his conscience believe the words “& all payments” now appearing interlined between the sixth and seventh lines from the top of the first sheet of the said Will, the words “dureing life” now also appearing to be interlined between the ninth and tenth lines from the top of the said first sheet of the said Will, the word “then” now also appearing to be interlined between the fifteenth and sixteenth lines from the top of the said first sheet of the said Will, the word “not” now also appearing to be interlined between the fifteenth and sixteenth lines from the top of the second and last sheet of the said Will, the word “pounds” now also appearing to be interlined between the seventeenth and eighteenth lines from the top of the said second and last sheet of the said Will, and the word and name “Field” now also appearing to be interlined between the nineteenth and twentieth lines from the top of the said second and last sheet of the said Will and the whole senes and contents of the said Will to be all of the proper hand writing of the said Michael Field deceased. Will’m Bates

Same day – the said William Bates was duly sworn to the truth of this Affidavit. Before us, Peter S Croft, Surr

12th January 1782. Then were sworn Churchman Field and John Field the executors named in this Will to whom was committed the burthen of the execution thereof. By us Peter S Croft, Surr

Transcribed from a photocopy by Dave Woolven on 8 June 2006 (East Sussex CRO W/1782/2)

NOTE: I would guess that this Will is a homemade one – the testator doesn’t give his name, abode or occupation. DW.
NOTE: There is a small amount of damage to the original. DW

FIELD