Worth Matravers Wills

John Inam or Iuam of ‘Worthy Matreves, Purbike’, Dorset
Dated: 28 July 1578

- ‘sick of body’

- Richard and George (sons): £10 each

- John (son): £6

- Margery (daughter): £10

- Elizabeth Samwayes (‘my daughter’s daughter’): £10

- Walter (son): 40s

- All to be paid in 3 years after decease

- ‘if my daughter Margery shall happen to die before the aforesaid three years’ then her legacy to be
  divided between Richard and George (sons)

- Alice (wife): residue

Executrix: Alice (wife)
Overseers: Simon Davye and John Sherchfeld (‘myne neigboures’)
Witnesses: Simon Davye, John Searchfeld, Thomas Reded, William Reded and Henry Samwayes with others
Proved: 1 September 1578 by John Burroughe, Notary Public for executrix

Thomas Costfiel, Yeoman of Estington, Purbeck, Dorset
Dated: 4 April 1659

- ‘Weak in body’

- Poor of Corfe Castle: 40s to be distributed within one month after my decease

- Poor of Worth Matravers: 20s

- Katherin Harbin dau of Edward living at the Abby of Milton [Milton Abbey]: £5 to be paid within 4 years
  when 21 years or married.

- Nicholas Gardiner’s children of Abby Milton: 40s each when 21 years old

- John Willis of Woluarston [?]: 20s

- Elianor Besse, cousin, wife of John: £20 to paid within 4 years, an ‘allowance being given her
  for the forbearance’.

- John, Elianor and Elizabeth Besse children of John and Elianor: £40 each when 21 years old.
  Profits to help their education.

- Henry and Margarett Windle, children of Margarett of Abby Milton: £40 each when 21 years old.

- Marie Fourder (cousin): 40s

- Mary Street (cousin) dau of aforesaid Mary: £100 when 21 years old or married if she gets consent
  of the executor. If she dies then money to be divided between her two brothers William and John Streete.
  And for her education ‘I have agreed with Francis Lewes and his wife Mary…to take her into their
  protection and train her in the ways of c[?]achle of their own [?] and for their care and pains in her
  maintenance’ they are to have use of her portion.

- William and John Street (cousins): £20 each

- Thomas and John Mathewes (Kinsmen), sons of William, of Tipleton[?]: £30 each

- John Costfeil (cousin): £40

- Elizabeth Costfiel: £20 and second best bed with bedstead, 1 coverlet, 2 blankets, 1 bolster, 2 pillows,
  2 pillow ties, and 2 pairs of sheets.

- William Hunt (cousin): £20

- Mary Costfeild dau of John: £50

- 2 parts of my ‘household stuff’ to cousin Marie Streete and 1 part of my ‘household stuff’ to Mary Costfiel.
  To be divided by discretion of the overseers of the will.

- John Besse the elder: wearing apparel

- ‘Good wife Shoule’: 10s

- Rest of household goods: Henry Dolling, Gentleman of Worth Matravers for the good and benefit of
  William Mathewes, his wife and children and also of John Costfiell and his family to be equally divided
  between them.

Executor: Henry Dolling: ‘for his pains in the business’ he is to be relieved by the overseers of the
will after 7 years.
Overseers: John Randell, Gentleman of Piddle Trantide, and Francis Lewis, vicar of Worth ‘my well loved
friends’ to assist executor
Signed: Thomas Costfiel (X)
Witnesses: Francis Lewes, Alice Collins (X), Mary Fourder (X), Francis Barnes (X)
Proved: 29 June 1659 (granted to Henry Dolling).

John Dolling or Dollinge, esquire of Dunshay, Worth Matravers, Isle of Purbeck, Dorset

Died ‘on or about the month of April 1663 being sick of body’
Will made by word of mouth in the presence of Robert Culliford and John Pike, Gentleman, and others

- Poor of Corfe Castle: £4

- Poor of Worth: 40s

- Poor of Sandwich: 40s

- Poor of Langton: 20s

- Poor of Studland: 20s

- ‘his servants’: 20s each

- ‘his children’: 10s each ‘to buy them rings’

- ‘wife’: remainder to dispose of as she thinks fit

Witnesses: Robert Culliford, John Pike
Proved: 2 February 1663/64 by Anna Dolling, widow (Robert Culliford and John Pike also mentioned

Charles Culliford, Mariner of Worth, Isle of Purbeck, Dorset
Dated: 21 May 1703

- ‘being sick and weak’

- Margery Culliford (sister): moiety of tenement in Worth called Toops Tenement. Right to the fourth part
  of the land in the Fee that was given to me by the will of my late mother lying in the Borough of Corfe Castle.
  Then to Joseph (brother) then is no issue to John (brother), forever

- Margery (sister): remainder of lease in the house in Corfe known as the George and £20

- John and Joseph (brothers): £30 in trust for Honor Abbott (sister) ‘to be managed for her use as they
  in their judgement shall think most fit’

- Joseph (brother): moiety of what shall be due to me from him at the time of my decease, and the other
  half to Margery (sister)

- Joseph (brother): woollen clothes and wearing apparel, sword, gun and pistols

- John (brother): silver watch

- Timothy Dolling (kinsman): 10s to buy him a ring

- John, Joseph and Margery (brothers and sister): linen and ‘lyning apparel’ divided between them and remainder

Executors: John and Joseph (brothers)
Signed by testator
Witnesses: mark of Joan Baker, mark of Mary Alford, William Newman
Proved: 5 November 1703 by John (brother) the same right reserved for Joseph (brother)

Edward Haskell , Stone Mason of Worth, Isle of Purbeck , Dorset
Dated: 24 August 1745

- ‘being in bodily health’

- Francis Warren, stonemason of ‘Swanidge’: pay, wages, money, tenements, goods etc

Executor: Francis Warren
Signed by testator
Witnesses: Daniel Perren, Thomas Gittens, Henry Fulford, junior
Proved: 29 April 1752 by Francis Warren

Timothy Smith, Yeoman of Eastington Farm, Langton and Worth, Isle of Purbeck , Dorset
Dated: 7 December 1799

- Elizabeth Voss (niece) daughter of Robert: £500

- Rose Smith (brother): £100

- William Smith (brother): £100

- Child or children of Edward Smith (late brother): £100

- Betty Voss (sister): £5

- All legacies to be paid in 12 months

- George Cull alias Smith son of Sarah Smith (my sister): residue

Executor: George Cull alias Smith
Signed by testator
Witnesses: John Dampier and Mary Marshfield
Proved: 6 October 1804 (to George Cull alias Smith)

Sarah Smith, single woman, of Eastington Farm, Worth Matravers
Dated: 24 July 1793

- George Cull otherwise Smith otherwise Timothy Cull otherwise Smith, son, ‘living with me’ everything

Witnesses: John Dampier, George Bartlett, Junior
Proved: 4 March 1806

Robert Voss of Reanscombe, Worth Matravers, Isle of Purbeck, Dorset
Dated: 5 January 1808

- ‘weak in body’

- William, James and Robert Voss: Lands in Knowle and Worth, profits and accounts to be settled yearly
  and profits to be divided. William and Robert Voss to have management of my interest in Reanscombe
  Farm with advice of Betty Voss (wife).

- Betty Voss (wife): ‘to have the management of all monies whilst she behave with fidelity to her family
  and continue in my name when the time comes that God takes my wife’ everything to be divided between
  daughters

- Elizabeth Voss (daughter): she is provided for and should her sister’s fortune be more than hers, hers is to
  be made equal

- Ann Voss (daughter): ‘out of regard for my late sister Ann Voss’ I give profits of house and garden at
  Knowle called ‘Ann Vosses Living’ to my daughter Ann

- William Voss (eldest son): to be consulted on property matters. The profits from my estates in Orchard,
  Knowle and Woodchide and interest on Reanscombe Farm to be considered from this day.‘…this I trust
  through the blessing of the Almighty hoping that He may send you his blessing and trusting that He will
  be your guardian and defence’

Executors and Executrix: William and Robert Voss (sons) and Betty Voss (wife)
Signed by testator
Witnesses: Lieutenant John Levett, Henry Northover, Joseph Green
Proved: 23 September 1808 (to William and Robert Voss (sons) and Betty Voss , widow)