In the Name of God Amen I Edward Harridge of Great
Dunmow in the County of Essex Distiller being of sound and disposing mind and memory
thanks be to God for the Same Do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner
following that is to Say I give and Devise to Sarah my beloved Wife All that my Freehold
Messuage or Tenement wherein I now dwell and the Houses Outhouses Offices Buildings Yards
Gardens and Appurtenances thereunto belonging Situate lying and being in Great Dunmow
aforesaid and now in my own Occupation Subject to any Mortgage made or to be made thereof
and which Shall be Subsisting at the time of my decease It being my Mind and Will that my
Personal Estate Shall be discharged from the payment of the money due on any Such Mortgage
To hold all the Said Premises to the Said Sarah my Wife and her Assigns for and during the
Term of her natural life She maintaining and keeping the Said premises in tenantable
repair and from time to time paying and keeping down the Interest of the moneys that Shall
be due on Mortgage thereof at the time of my decease And from and after her decease I Give
and Devise All that Said Messuage or Tenement and Premises with the Appurtenances unto my
Brother David Harridge his Heirs and Assigns for ever Upon Trust nevertheless that he or
they Shall and do as Soon as conveniently may be after the decease of the Said Sarah my
Wife Sell and dispose of all the Said Premises for the best price or prices that can or
may be got for the Same and Shall and do pay and apply the moneys raised by Sale thereof
and the Rents and Profits thereof in the meantime until Such Sale in the first place after
all his or their just charges thereout deducted for payment of all Such moneys as Shall be
owing on Mortgage of the Said Premises or any part thereof at the time of my Death and
Shall and do pay and divide the residue of the said clear moneys to be raised as aforesaid
unto and amongst my Four children Elizabeth William John and Edward and Such child or
children (if any) as my Said Wife Shall be ensient [enceinte] with at my Death in equal
Shares and Proportions to be paid to them respectively at their respective Ages of Twenty
one years together with Such Interest as Shall be made in the mean time of their
respective Shares thereof And in case any of my said Four Children and Such after born
child or children (if any) Shall die without leaving Issue before his her or their Share
or Shares of the Said Trust moneys Shall become payable Then I Will that the Share or
Shares thereof of him her or them So dying Shall go and be paid to the Survivors or
Survivor of them in equal Shares and proportions Also I give and bequeath to the Said
Sarah my Wife the Sum of Thirty Pounds of lawful money of Great Britain And as to all the
rest and residue of my monies Securities for money Stock in Trade Household Goods and
other Goods Chattells and personal Estate whatsoever (after my Debts other than Such as
Shall be due on Mortgage as aforesaid and my Funeral Charges and the Probate of this my
Will paid) I Will that the Same or what Shall be made thereof by using and employing the
Same as hereinafter is mentioned Shall go and be equally divided to and amongst the Said
Sarah my Wife and all my Said children Elizabeth William John and Edward and Such child or
children (if any) as my Said Wife Shall be ensient with at my Death part and Share alike
the Share of my Said Wife of and in the Same to be paid to her when my Youngest Child
Shall have attained his or her Age of Twenty one Years and the respective Shares of my
Said children of and in the same to be paid to them at their Several Ages of Twenty one
Years And in case any of my Said children Elizabeth William John and Edward and Such other
born child or children (if any be) Shall die under the Age of Twenty one Years without
leaving Issue Then I Will that the Share or Shares of him her or them So dying of and in
the Said residue of my Said Personal Estate Shall go and be paid to the Survivors of them
if there be more than one in equal Shares and proportions or if but one then wholly to
Such Survivor the Same to be paid to such Survivors or Survivor when and as and as his her
to their Original Share or part of the said residue of my Said Personal Estate Shall
become payable by virtue of this my Will And I do give and bequeath all Said clear residue
monies Securities for money Stock in Trade Household Goods and other Goods and Chattells
and personal Estate whatsoever unto the Said Sarah my Wife and my Said Brother David
Harridge (whom I have hereinafter named my Executors) and to their Executors
Administrators and Assignees Upon Trust that the Said Sarah my Wife and the Said David
Harridge or the Survivor of them or the Executors or Administrators of Such Survivor Shall
and may carry on my Business of a Distiller or any other Trade that I now exercise and use
and employ my Said personal Estate or So much thereof as Shall be necessary in the
management of the Said Trade or Trades from time to time untill all my Said children Shall
have attained the Age of Twenty one Years and Shall and do by and out of the monies
arising therefrom maintain educate and bring up all my Said children in a suitable manner
during the said times And I Will that my Said Wife Shall also be thereout maintained and
Supplied with fit and Suitable cloaths and all other necessaries during the Said times And
upon further Trust that upon every of my Said children attaining the Age of Twenty one
Years my Said Executors do cause a just and true Inventory and Appraisement to be made and
taken as Soon as conveniently may be of my Said Personal Estate and of the produce thereof
and Shall and do thereupon pay or answer to every of my Said children who Shall have So
attained the Age of Twenty one Years what his her or their Share thereof Shall then amount
to according to this my Will Provided always And I Will that my Said Executors Shall and
may if there be occasion borrow any Sum or Sums of money for the better carrying on and
managing the Said Business of a Distiller and Such other Trade as aforesaid or for paying
any of my Said children their Shares of my Said personal Estate And that my Said Personal
Estate that Shall be then remaining or the produce thereof Shall in the first place be
Subject and liable to answer and make good the monies to be borrowed as aforesaid and the
accruing Interest thereof Provided also and if my Said Executors Shall think fit to
discontinue the Said Business of a Distiller and Such other Trade as aforesaid or either
of them before all my Said children Shall have attained the Age of Twenty one Years as my
Will is they may do if they please Then I Will and Direct that my Said Executors or the
Survivor of them or the Executors or Administrators of Such Survivors Shall and do Sell
and convert into money all Such part of the Said residue of my Said Personal Estate as
Shall not then consist of moneys and Shall and do lend and place out the Same money and
all other moneys belonging to my Said personal Estate or any part thereof at Interest upon
any Parliamentary Security or Securities or any other Security or Securities either Real
or personal as they Shall think fit from time to time untill the Same Shall be payable to
my Said children respectively by virtue of this my Will And I do hereby authorize and
empower my said Executors to lay out and disburse any Sum or Sums as they Shall think fit
for putting any of my Said Sons Apprentices or Furnishing them with cloaths or other
necessaries during their Apprenticeships out of their respective Shares of my Said
Personal Estate And I do make and appoint the Said Sarah my Wife and my Said Brother David
Harridge Executrix and Executor of this my last Will and Testament and also Guardians of
the bodies and Estates of all my Said children during their respective Minorities Provided
always and my Will is that it Shall and may be lawful to and for my Said Executors and
every of them their and every of their Executors and Administrators by and out of the
moneys arising from my Personal Estate to deduct and reimburse themselves and every of
them All Such Costs charges charges [sic] and Expenses as they or any of them Shall or may
Suffer expend or be put unto in or about the management of the Said Premises or the
Execution of any of the Trusts hereby in them reposed of and <???> the Same or
otherwise relating thereto And that my Said Executors and their Executors and
Administrators or any of them Shall not be charged or chargeable with any more of the Said
Trust monies that they Shall respectively actually receive by virtue of this my Will and
that none of them Shall be charged or answerable with or for Acts Receipts or Defaults of
any others of them And that none of them Shall be answerable for or liable to make good
any loss of any of the Said Trust moneys either by reason of the managing and carrying on
the Said Business of a Distiller or Such other Trade as aforesaid or by lending the Same
at Interest as aforesaid or otherwise which Shall happen without their wilful neglect or
default In Witness whereof I have to this my last Will and Testament contained in three
Sheets of Paper Set my hand to the two first Sheets thereof and to this last Sheet my hand
and Seal this Twentieth day of August in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred
and Sixty Eight - Edwd Harridge Signed Sealed Published and Declared by the Said Edward
Harridge the Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who
have Subscribed our names as Witnesses thereto in his presence and in the presence of each
other - John Horrage - James Nuney - Chas Clubbe
This Will was Proved on the Sixteenth day of December
in the Year of out Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty Eight before the Reverend
John ?Mangey? clerk Surrogate &c by the Oath of Sarah Harridge Widow the Relict of the
deceased and one of the Executors to whom Administration of all and Singular the Goods,
Chattells and credits of the Said deceased was granted and committed on the Twentieth day
of the Said Month of December She being first Sworn duly to Administer Power being
reserved of making the like Grant to David Harridge Brother of the Said deceased the other
Executor named in the Said Will when he Shall apply for the Same