This is the last Will and Testament of me Benjamin Earle of Itchen Stoke in the County 
of Southampton Yeoman First I give and bequeath unto my wife Sarah all and singular 
my Household Goods and furniture plate linen and china to and for her own use and 
benefit And I give and devise unto my son Benjamin all and every my Messuages 
Cottages Closes Lands Tenements and Hereditaments with their Appurtenances situate 
lying and being in the parish of Cheriton in the said County to hold to him his heirs 
Executors and Administrators according to the respective natures and tenures thereof 
and to for and at his own use benefit and disposal subject nevertheless and I do hereby 
charge the same Estates and every part thereof with the payment of one Annuity or 
clear yearly sum of one hundred pounds hereinafter given and bequeathed to my wife 
Sarah during her natural life and I also charge the same with the payment of the three 
several sums of five hundred pounds hereinafter bequeathed to each of my three other 
sons William Thomas and Henry And I give and bequeath unto my said wife Sarah and 
her assigns one annuity or clear yearly sum of one hundred pounds for and during the 
term of her natural life the same annuity to be issuing and payable out of the Estates 
hereinbefore given and devised unto my son Benjamin and to be payable half yearly that 
is to say on the sixth day of April and the eleventh day of October the first half yearly 
thereof to be made on both of the said days as shall first happen next after my decease 
And I do will and direct that in case the said annuity or any part thereof shall be behind 
or unpaid by the space of thirty days next after any of the said days of payment whereon 
the same shall become due and ought to be paid as aforesaid then it shall be lawful for 
my said Wife to enter into and upon the Messuages Cottages Closes Lands Tenements 
and Hereditaments hereinbefore devised to my said Son Benjamin or any part thereof 
and to distrain for the said Annuity or so with thereof as may be then in arrears and the 
distress or distresses then and there found to take and dispose of in the same manner 
as in cases of distress for non payment of rent in arrear until the said Annuity and all 
arrears thereof and all expenses incurred by the non payment of the same shall be fully 
paid and discharged And I give and bequeath unto each of my three Sons William 
Thomas and Henry the sum of five hundred pounds apiece to be paid to them by my 
said Son Benjamin out of the Estate before devised to him at the expiration of twelve 
calendar months from the decease of my Wife Sarah And I give and bequeath unto my 
Son William all that my Capital Messuage or Dwellinghouse with the Shops Warehouses 
Yard garden and Appurtenances thereto belonging situate in the High Street of the City 
of Winchester and now in the occupation of William  Benn And also all that Messuage or 
Tenement at the back or South side of the same as the same is now in the occupation of 
John Nos Godwin to hold to him my said Son William his heirs and Assigns for ever And 
I give and bequeath unto my Sons Thomas and Henry the sum of four thousand pounds 
apiece for their own use and benefit to be paid to them as soon as conveniently may be 
after my decease but within the space of twelve calendar months And I give and 
bequeath unto my said Wife Sarah the sum of Eight hundred and forty pounds and the 
produce thereof now standing in the new four Per Cents in her name for her own use 
and benefit And I also will and direct that a sufficient sum of money be appropriated and 
set apart from my apart from my residuary Estate and invested on good Government or 
other Security to the Satisfaction of my said Wife in order to provide for the payment of 
another Annuity of One Hundred Pounds to her during her life which Sum of money I 
direct shall be placed out and invested in the names of my three sons William Thomas 
and Henry and I give the same last mentioned Annuity of One Hundred Pounds to my 
said Wife during her life to be paid her by equal half yearly payments and after her 
decease the  principal sum so to be set apart for the purposes aforesaid to sink into and 
form part of my residuary Estate and go and be applied as my residuary Estate is 
hereinafter directed And I hereby declare that the provision made by me for my said 
Wife by this my Will shall be taken and accepted by her in lieu her and complete 
satisfaction of and for all dower or thirds at the  Common Law which she may be entitled 
to claim of or in any Messuages Lands tenements or hereditaments which I now am or 
may be hereafter seized of or entitled to And I give devise and bequeath unto and 
equally between my three Sons William Thomas and Henry all the rest residue and 
remainder of my real and personal Estate whatsoever and wheresoever as well legal as 
equitable to hold to them their heirs Executors Admons and Assigns as tenants in 
common absolutely for ever Subject to the payment of all my just debts funeral and 
testamentary Expenses And I nominate and appoint my four Sons Benjamin William 
Thomas and Henry joint Executors of this my Will revoking all former Wills by me before 
made do declare this only to be and remain my last Will and testament In witness 
whereof I the said Benjamin Earle the testator have to this my last Will and testament 
contained in three sheets of paper set my hand to the first two sheets hereof and my 
hand and Seal to this third and last Sheet hereof this twenty third day of June in the year 
of our Lord One Thousand eight hundred and twenty four Benjm. Earle (Seal) Signed 
Sealed published and declared by the said Benjamin Earle the testator as and for his 
last Will and testament in the presence of use who in his presence at his request and in 
the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as Witnesses William 
Morley of Arlesford Carpenter William Hide of Old Arlesford Carpenter  The X or mark 
William Stride Servant to Mr. Earle./

Proved at London 31st December 1825 before the Judge by the oaths of William Henry 
Earle (in the Will written William) Thomas Earle and Henry Earle the sons the surviving 
Executors to whom Admon. was granted having been first Sworn by Commissioners 
duly to Administer


	                                                                    Public Record Office Cat. Ref: PROB 11/1706