In the Name of God, Amen.  I, William Knowler LLD, and by the Kindness 
and Bounty of Thomas late Marquis of Rockingham, Rector of Boddington 
in the County of Northampton and Diocese of Peterborough being in 
reasonable health of sound mind memory and understanding do make this 
my last Will and Testament in manner and form following  
First I recommend my Soul to Almighty God hoping thro? the Merits and 
mediation of my blessed Saviour Jesus Christ to be made partaker of his 
heavenly Kingdom and my Body I commit to the Grave to be buried in 
decent manner at the Will and Discretion of my Executrix hereinafter 
named  
As to my Estates Real or Personal I dispose of them in the following 
manner  Whereas by an Indenture Tripartite on marriage with my present 
Wife Mary dated May 1, 1749 her portion or fortune was represented to be 
2300œ more or less and I covenanted to add thereto 1000œ the whole to be 
invested in the hands of Trustees for her and her children?s benefit as by 
the said Indenture may Appear and Whereas the Rt Hon Lady Mary 
Viscountess Preston did by her Last Will and Testament bequeath unto my 
said Wife the sum of 100œ all which sums of 2300œ, 1000œ, and 100œ have 
been laid out and more for the Purchase of 2800œ of Capital Stock in the 
Bank of England which 2800œ is Invested in the hands and stands in the 
name of brother Mr. Francis Dalton of the Six Clerks Office Chancery Lane 
now to confirm and ratify the said Articles of Marriage I bequeath the said 
2800œ Capital Stock unto my Brother Francis Dalton the surviving Trustee 
for my Wife and Children in Trust and Confidence that he his executors 
Administrators and Assigns will permit my loving and beloved Wife Mary 
Knowler Or her assigns to take and receive to her own use and benefit all 
the Dividends Interest an other Profits which during her life shall accrue or 
be made thereof and upon the decease of my said Wife then in further 
Trust and Confidence that the said Francis Dalton his Executors 
Administrators and Assigns will transfer assign and pay the said sum of 
2800œ Capital Stock and all Dividends Interest and Profits thereof unto and 
amongst my four daughters Mary now Mary Derby or her Spouse, 
Elisabeth, Jane and Sarah now living in equal shares and proportion 
without any regard to the price of the Stock at such transfer but to the 
Number only of the Children that shall be then living to be paid transferred 
and assigned unto them at their respective ages of 21 years or days of 
marriage which shall first happen and during the time that any of the said 
children shall not be intitled to receive the principal share of the said stock 
the Interest or Dividends of such principal Sum shall be applied toward their 
respective Educations and Maintenance and in case any of the said 
daughters should die leaving issue then the share that should have fallen to 
such daughter shall be paid over to the use and benefit of such issue but in 
case any should die leaving no issue then her share to be equally divided 
amongst the surviving or their issue and in case all should die leaving no 
issue before the death of my Wife which God forbid then in further Trust 
that he ?? will assign and pay over the whole 2800œ Capital Stock ?? unto 
my said Wife Mary for her own use and benefit and 
Whereas it has pleased God to grant me health Courage and Resolution to 
go through the trouble fatigue and expense of the Inclosure of Boddington 
and it may please him to grant me longer life to the increase of my fortunes 
for the benefit of Wife and Children I do therefore further give and bequeath 
unto my beloved Wife Mary Knowler all my freehold estate lately purchased 
of Mr. Wm. Freeman lying in Upper Boddington adjoining the Road 
commonly called the Warwick Road with all such Buildings Barns Stables 
Walls and Hovels as I have or may erect thereon with all the 
Appurtenances thereto belonging to be sold at my decease for the Increase 
of my children?s fortune my successor always having a preference thereto 
together with all my other personal Estate Goods and Chattels Household 
Goods only excepted with all cash in hand and all Bonds Notes? And other 
private Securities In Trust and Confidence that she will sell and call in as 
soon as convenient all such Real and Personal Estates and with the Money 
arising therefrom will fully discharge and pay all my debts funeral expenses 
and legacies in the first place and with the Remainder purchase either in 
the Bank Annuities 3 percent or the ?N.S.S Annuities what Stock it will 
enable her to do to be added to the Stocks that now stand there in my own 
name or my Nephew William Bedford?s and in further Trust that she make 
at my decease an equal partition thereof among my Daughters my son 
Derby having already received 1500œ as his Wife?s fortune the other three 
therefore must first be made equal to Mrs. Derby and then she is intitled to 
an equal share of the Remainder of this ?N.S.S Annuity and in further Trust 
and Confidence that she will apply the several dividends Arising therefrom 
for their Maintenance Support and Education Till they arrive to the age of 
21 years or day of  Marriage 
As to my Household Goods Linnen and Wearing Apparel Post Chaise and 
one pair of Horses I give and bequeath to my said wife for her own use and 
benefit  
Item one complete case of silver plate given me by The Rt. Hon Mary 
Marchioness of Rockingham  
Item I give unto the Parish of Boddington the sum of 50œ to be disposed of 
By the Officers of both Towns with the Consent of the Rector for the time 
being either in purchase or to interest As shall be thought best and safest 
the interest or Profits thereof to be applied to the Instruction of such poor 
Children as the Rector for the time being shall appoint in Reading and 
Writing and casting account  
Item I give unto my faithful friend and punctual correspondent Mr. Wm 
Bowyer printer of Red Lyon Court Fleet Street London the Sum of 20œ  
Item I give to every servant that shall be with me at my decease the sum of 
one pound over and above their wages that shall then be due unto them 
according to the Number of years they shall have lived with me  
Item I give unto every common Labourer Man Woman or Child that shall 
have worked for me Six Months continually before my decease the sum of 
five shillings each to be paid unto them the day of my burial or as soon as 
conveniently may be  
Item I give unto my Brother Francis Dalton Trustee for my Wife ?? the sum 
of 50œ  
Item I give to my Nephew Bedford Trustee for my daughter Derby ?? the 
Sum of 50œ  
Item I give to my beloved Wife for the trouble she will have in the 
Executorship 50œ  
Item I do nominate and appoint my said Wife Mary to be the sole Guardian 
of my Children till they shall arrive to the age of 21 years or day of Marriage 
and to be the Sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament revoking all 
former Wills, in Witness whereof I have hereto set my hand and seal this 
fifth day of Sept. 1772.  Wm Knowler
Signed Sealed Published and declared to be his Last Will And Testament 
in the presence of us who attested and Subscribed the same in his 
presence  Edward Chapman, Ursula Draper, Anne Draper?s mark
This Will was proved at London the thirteenth day of April in the year of Our 
Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy four before the Right 
Worshipful Sir George Hay Knight Doctor of Laws Master Keeper or 
Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted by 
the oath of Mary Knowler Widow the Relict of the deceased and Sole 
Executrix named in the said Will to whom administration was granted of all 
and singular the Goods Chattels and Credits of the said deceased having 
been first Sworn by commission duly to administer. 

Source
UK National Archives Prob 11/997, Image 70

Transcribed by: 
Michael Synge, January 2009

Summary
Testator:  Reverend William Knowler(1), Doctor of Laws, Rector of 
Boddington, Northants
Patron:  Thomas, Marquis of Rockingham(2)
Wife:  Mary(3), sole executrix and sole guardian of children
Wife?s benefactor:  Mary Viscountess Preston
Brother-in-law:  Francis Dalton, trustee of testator?s wife
Daughters: Mary Derby(4), Elisabeth, Jane and Sarah
Mr. Wm. Freeman sold land to testator
Son-in-law:  Derby(5)
Nephew: William Bedford(6), trustee for Mary Derby
Benefactor: Mary Marchioness of Rockingham
Friend: Wm Bowyer, printer of Red Lyon Court, Fleet Street, London
Will signed and dated: 5 Sept 1772
Witnesses: Edward Chapman, Ursula Draper, Anne Draper
Proved: at London 13 April 1774, probate given to Mary Knowler, the relict

Notes:
1.	1669-1774;  B.A. (Cambridge) 1721,  LL.D. 1728;  Rector of 
Boddington 1740-1774;  see Dictionary of National Biography
2.	Thomas Watson Wentworth, who employed testator to edit the 
Letters of his ancestor Thomas Wentworth, Earl of Strafford 
(executed 1641)
3.	1717-1790, daughter of Rev D?Arcy Dalton of York
4.	1750-1797, wife of Edward Derby, esquire, of Bodicote, Oxon; had an 
only daughter Mary
5.	1739-1804, Edward Derby, husband of testator?s daughter Mary 
Knowler
6.	Son of testator?s sister Susanna by William Bedford, Vicar of 
Beaksbourne, Kent