This is the transcribed will of William Buckner, yeoman of St Sepulcher, London, 1653 (UK Public Record Office Catalogue Ref: Prob/11/233 Image Ref: 933 - PCC 21 Alchin)
This William Buckner was the son of Lawrence Buckner and brother of John Buckner, who both also left wills, making this one of the best known families of Buckners in 17th century London. The will has been previously abstracted in The Virginia magazine of history and biography, Volume 27, p. 296, but the complete will has a lot of interesting extra details, particularly concerning the precariousness of William's finances and his apparent distrust of his wife and stepson.
Date of will: 30 Dec 1653
Date of probate: 18 Dec 1654
People listed in the will:
In the Name of God Amen I William Buckner of the Parish of Saint Sepulcher London yeoman being att this present weake and ill of body but of sounde and Competent minde and memorie (blessed be God) doe make and ordaine this my last will and Testament as followeth (videlicet) First I Com mend my Soule to God my Creatour hopeing through the merritts of Jesus Christ my Redeemer to have pardon of all my sinns and to be eternally saved my bodie I Committ to the Earth to be buried att the discretion of my loveing brother Master John Buckner of the Parish aforesaid Inholder whome I make and appointe full and sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament And of my worldly goods and estate I dispose as is hereafter expressed (That is to say) I give and bequeath to Elizabeth my wife forty poundes of lawfull money of England to be paid unto her all the ende of one yeare next after my decease if she shall be then liveing under the Conditions hereafter mentioned And also I give to hir my said Wife my Cowe and all my household stuffe in my house in Kentish Towne in the Countie of Middlesex and the said houserent Free during the said yeares if she live soo long Item I give to William Buckner tenne poundes of like lawfull money to be paid unto him att his age of one and twenty yeares if he shall soo long live Item I give to my other six Children Mary, Elizabeth, Barnard, Frances Lawrence and Anne Buckner twenty poundes a peece of like money to be paid unto them severally att theire severall ages of one and Twenty yeares or to my said Daughters att theire dayes of marriage first hapning And if anie of my said seaven Children shall happen to die before his or hir Legacie or Legacies of him hir or them so deceasing shall equally be and remaine to the Survivours of Survivour of them and to be paid as aforesaid Provided neverthelesse that it shall be lawfull for my said Executor to lay out and disburse all or anie of the said Legacies or anie parte thereof sooner then then the saide times of payments for or towards the bringing upp or placeing forth them my said Children or anie of them according as he my Executor in his discretion shall thinke fitt And whereas my Estate is out in debts and owing unto me by severall persons my will and appoyntmennt is That if anie of my Estate or monies owing unto me shall miscarry and be lost that then the said losses shall be proportionally abated out of all the said Legacies given to my said Wife and Children according to the quantity of hir his and theire said Legacies and the same losses to be in such proportionable manner borne by every of them Item I give to John my Wifes sonne only one shilling in full of all he can or may clayme out of my Estate And I wholy leave him the said John and my youngest Daughter Anne Buckner to the Care ---- next page ----- and Charge of my Wife for hir to maintaine and bring upp att hir owne Cost And if it so be that she my said Wife shall refuse so to doe and to give hir bond to my said Executor for performance thereof then my will and minde is that he my Executor shall detanne and keepe in his handes the said fortie poundes so given to my Wife and to imploy and dispose of the same towards the bringing upp and placeing forth of the said Anne and my other Children as he shall see comle And I give to him my said brother and Executor and to my Sister his Wife Tenne shillings a peece to bye them gloves And to my loveing Cousin Master Innocentius Harris and Master Barnard Harte and theire Wives and to my Cousin Captaine Thomas Buckner and his Wife and to me good Freind Master Anthonie Bonner five shillings a peece likewise for gloves Item I give to my said Brothers servants John Henley Edward Jones Winifred his Wife John Chew Thomas Cooke and Tho mas Hudson two shillings six pence also to bye them gloves And if my Estate shall amounte unto anie more then what I have herein bequea thed I leave and Committ the same to my said Executor to imploy for and aboute the bringing upp or preferment of my Children as he shall thinke fitt And I also appointe and allowe him my Executor use of my Estate to pay all such debts as I shall owe att my decease and to discharge my buriall and proveing of my Will and to satisfy all other Charges as he shall lay out aboute the getting of my Estate and all other Charges which he shall disburse or be putt unto for or by reason of this his Executorshipp In witnesse whereof I the said Willia~ Buckner have to this my last Will and Testament sett my hand and seale The thirtieth Day of December in the yeare of our Lord One Thousand Six hundred fifty three William Buckner Signed sealed and published on the Day of the date in the presence of George Dodson Michaell Hunt Hen: Travers Scrv' in Smithfield This Willwas probated att Westminster the Eighteenth Day of December in the yeare of our Lord God One thousand Six hundred fifty and fower before the Judges for probate of Wills and granting Administrations lawfully authori zed by the oath of John Buckner the brother and sole Executor named in the above written Will to whome Administration of all and singular the goods Chattells and debts of the said deceased was Committed he being first legally sworne truly and faythfully to administer the same.