Ancient, Curious, and Famous WillsHarris, Virgil M. (Virgil McClure)
History
Ancient, Curious, and Famous Wills
Harris, Virgil M. (Virgil McClure)
Wills
“ ... The largest bell (_sain_) of the said monastery (_moustier_) to be
rung by twelve strokes (_gobetiex_); one stroke distant from the other
by the space commonly occupied in saying an _Ave Maria_, and the whole
time of ringing to be equivalent to the time it may take to recite a
_pater_, a _credo_, and a _miserere_; and for this foundation we have
appointed to the said _moustier_ a revenue of CC _livres_.”
* * * * *
Equally curious, and very similarly expressed, are the wills of Pierre
II., Duke of Brittany, September 5, 1457; Marguérite de Bretagne,
September 22, 1469; Ysabeau of Scotland, Duke of Brittany, November 16,
1482; François II., Duke of Brittany, September 2, 1488. For these and
others consult the works of Barnabé Brisson, 1585-1731.
IN THE SHADOW OF AN OBELISK
An individual desired post-mortem honors in this wise: “I desire to be
buried beneath the shadow of an obelisk, the style of which has been
taken from ancient Egyptian civilization. I saw these wonderful monolith
obelisks in Egypt, sat in their shade and sighed to have one for my
monument in my far-off home in the New World.” On this obelisk the
following inscription was directed to be placed:
“Young man! Stop & Think!
See what has been the reward for Honesty,
Industry & Economy. In 1840 I worked on
Robert Martin’s Farm near Jersey Shore for
25 cts. per day. No fortune left to me.
Lived and Died in the Faith of the Immutable
And unchangeable Laws of Nature and Nature’s
God. Believed in the Gospel of Peace, Right,
and Justice.
Travelled 60,000 Miles in America, Europe,
Asia and Africa.”
WILL OF THE DUCHESS OF KINGSTON
Elizabeth Chudleigh, Duchess of Kingston, was celebrated for her beauty,
her eccentricities, her taste for show and dissipation, and her
extraordinary propensity to indulge in masculine sports and exercises,
for her travels in Italy, Germany, and Russia, and her adventures
generally. She passed many years in Paris, where she resided in the Rue
Coq-Héron, and died there 28th August, 1788.
Her will is altogether in accordance with the remarkable features of her
character. As she was much attached to Catherine II., Empress of Russia,
who reciprocated her friendship, she stipulated in her will that in case
she should die at St. Petersburg she should be buried there, as it was
fitting her remains should be there where her heart was. She bequeathed
to the Empress a set of jewels, and to the Pope a fine brilliant; to the
Countess of Salisbury she left a pair of superb earrings, because they
had formerly belonged to a countess of Salisbury in the reign of Henry
IV. Notwithstanding her extravagance she left a fortune of two million
dollars.
WANTED A COSTLY MAUSOLEUM
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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