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SOME LOCAL WORTHIES. 195 |
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of Monkshill, my heir after my decease—and from and after his decease I give all to his heir male—and for want of such heir I give it all to John Payne second son of Henry Payne of Worth.
I desire John Turner of Imberhorne, and Edward Jenner of East Grinstead to be trustees for the said William Payne, whom I make heir till he arrives at the age of 23 yrs, and to receive the rents, and put out money at four per cent, for the benefit of the said William Payne—and to put him to school till he is a compleat scholar. And I desire my executors to make up that £1000 for my wife out of Lockyer's mortgage, and that mortgage upon Richard Martin's estate at fforest rowe.
I desire that Edward Payne pay unto his son Edward £10 p. ann. during the time he lives at Legsheath.
I desire to be buried in a Christian manner, and to be carried upon men's shoulders. And I desire there may be roast beef, and boiled beef for all the people to eat of that come to my ffuneral. And I desire Master Bond, Master Humphry, Master Browne, Master Banester, and Charles Woodman, may all have mourning hatbands. And I desire they shall all have beer, wine, and gloves that are invited, and the relations to have mourning hatbands.
My cousin William Payne son of Edward Payne, of Monkshill, to be full and sole executor.
And I make John Turner and Edward Jenner executors, in trust to William Payne my heir, till he arrives at three and twenty years.
And I desire to be buried by daylight.
The comment suggests itself that, whatever his harmless predilection for public display, the careful forethought of providing roast beef as well as boiled beef for his own funeral banquet, when he would no longer be acting host, is indicative of a kindly and thoughtful nature. Possibly the " desire to be buried by daylight" was due to some misgivings as to the duration of the little orgy he thus anticipated over his remains, for, considering what the nearest route must have been like in those days between Legsheath Farm and East Grinstead Church, it would need an early start and resolute bearers to have accomplished the task set them.
Much of old Monkshill was standing fifteen years ago as it probably was in Queen Elizabeth's time. Mawles has disappeared, though its site near Monkshill is well known to old inhabitants. Legsheath, though restored, still remains much as the old Sheriff knew it in his boyhood more than 200 years ago, and, as a farmhouse, remote from the haunts of men, happily retains much of
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