The Romance of Wills and TestamentsVine Hall, Edgar
History
The Romance of Wills and Testaments
Vine Hall, Edgar
Wills -- Great Britain -- Miscellanea
At times we know something of that which lies beneath the surface of
the will. The Duchesse d’Angoulême (died October 19, 1851) forgives,
“following the example of her parents,” all who have injured her,
expressing her love for France and her gratitude to the Emperor of
Austria. And towards the end she states: “I wish all the sheets,
papers or books written by my hand, which are in my strong-box or my
tables, to be burnt by the executors of my will.” These, we are told,
were prayers, meditations, notes which might have caused hurt to the
feelings of others, lists of charities and books of account. The will
is signed in the name of “Marie Thérèse de France, Comtesse de Maines,”
the title which she took in her days of exile.
Anne Davis, spinster, whose will is dated November 14, 1803, reveals,
or half-reveals, some family trouble. She directs that “in case of my
demise my poor decayed body to be decently interred in the burying
ground of Marybone upon the grave where my late dear aunt and friend
lays; her name is on a stone, and I desire mine to be put on the
stone.... I desire to have a patent coffin lined on the outside with
the best black cloth, nails, etc., etc., and every thing that is proper
on this occasion, the best hearse and one coach with the black velvet
feathers and porters. I desire Mr. William Joachim, Mrs. Joachim, Miss
Joachim and Mrs. Toby ... to see my poor decayed body decently buried
upon my dear aunt’s grave,” and “I desire Mr. William Joachim, my
executor, will advertise for my brother Mr. William Davis. The last
time I ever saw him was the 8th of May, 1794, for he desired to see my
dear aunt when she lay dead. He said he was going down to Portsmouth
in the agency line. May God forgive him for all his unkindness to me;
I freely forgive him, and please God that he may make a proper use of
what I have left him.”
Edward Roberts, bachelor, of the parish of St. Clement’s Danes (but
when he made his will in July, 1664, on board the _Great Eagle_), was
open and emotional: “Whensoever it shall please God to call me out of
the world, whether I die by sea or by land, I do give will and bequeath
all that ever I have or shall leave behind me at my death ... unto
Elizabeth Jones whom I love with all my heart and above all women in
the world. And if I had a thousand pounds or neversomuch she should
have every groat of it.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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