May 13. 1854.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



441 



p. 409. ; Ly sons' Environs of London, vol. ii. ; 

 Granger, vol. iii. 



In his will, a copy of which lies before me, 

 proved Feb. 10, 1658, he speaks of "a youth in 

 Scotland, his grandson," and " as the heir of 

 idleness abhorring to give him an estate, but 

 wishing he might be a useful member of Christ 

 and the Commonwealth, he desires his executors 

 to give him 50/. a year so long as he shall be in 

 preparation towards a profession, and as many of 

 his books as may be fit lor him." 



I shall be much obliged if any correspondent 

 can find out anything farther about the said 

 " youth in Scotland ? " H. T. Ellacombe. 



Clyst St. George. 



P. S.— Why should not " K & Q." be the pub- 

 lisher of any curious old wills, which might interest 

 the general reader? Allow me to suggest a corner 

 for Testamenta Vestusta. I will begin by sending 

 a copy of the will of Francis Kous. 



This my last "Will and Testament, I, Francis Rous, 

 Provost of Eaton College, wrote and made 

 March 18th, 1657. 



Forasmuch as to put houses in order before our 

 departure is pleasing to the God of order, I do 

 dispose of my affairs and estates in manner fol- 

 lowing : 



There is a youth in Scotland concerning whom 

 (because they call him my grandson) it is per- 

 chance expected that I should do some great 

 matters for him ; but his father marrying against 

 my will and prohibition, and giving me an abso- 

 lute discharge before the marriage under his hand, 

 not to expect anything from me if he did marry 

 contrary to my prohibition, I hold myself dis- 

 charged from the father, and consequently from 

 the son of that father, the son having no interest 

 in me but by the father. And I hold it a good 

 example, for the benefitt of the Commonwealth, 

 that matters of discouragement should be put upon 

 such marriages, being assured that their parents 

 will not disinherit or lessen them, especially if 

 they have but one son, and that which Solomon 

 saith is to be considered — an understanding 

 servant shall have rule over a son that maketh 

 ashamed, and both that *, and his son, and his son 

 in Scotland have both made ashamed, the one in 

 his match, the other by a sad mischief of dangerous 

 consequence and fatal ; and though his mother is 

 bound to maintain him, yet because I wish he 

 might be a useful member of Christ and the Com- 

 monwealth, towards which I think she is not well 

 able to give him an answerable education, I have 

 in this my will taken course for a competent 



* This appears to be an error. 



maintenance for him towards a profession, and in 

 it utterly abhorring to give him an estate, as the 

 heir of idleness. Wherefore to the fore-mentioned 

 purpose, I desire my executor to give him 50/. a 

 year, so long as he shall be in preparation towards 

 a profession, or shall really and seriously be in 

 the practice of it ; and as many of my books as 

 may be fitt for him in the profession he shall un- 

 dertake, and shall not be given to Pembroke 

 College, I desire my executor to give unto him : 

 but if he, or a guardian, or any other, shall sue or 

 implead, or call my executor into question to his 

 trouble or cost, I leave it to my executor's choice 

 whether he will pay his maintenance of 50/. per 

 annum, or any part of it. 



I give to Mr. Ellford, my pastor at Acton, 20?. 

 I give 51. per annum for ever to be disposed of 

 in buying Bibles, catechisms, or for encouraging 

 poor children to learn to read and answer in 

 catechising in the parish of Dittisham, in the 

 county of Devon, the place of my nativity and 

 baptism, which sum shall be bestowed according 

 to the direction of the minister there for the time 

 being ; and to the present minister I give 20/. I 

 give to the poor of Acton each five shillings ; I 

 give to the poor of Westminster, Kensington, 

 Knightsbridge, half a year's rent of that which 

 they used to receive. I give Mr. Bartlett of 

 Windsor 20/. I appoint 100/. to be lent to my 

 nephew William Rous, which he must pay by 10/. 

 a year to my nephew Richard Rous, his son. I 

 give Thomas Rous, of King's College, 6/. for two 

 years. I give Eliz. Rous, of Penrose in Cornwall, 

 20/. I give Anthony Rous at Eaton School, 51. a 

 year for seven years. I give to my niece Rud- 

 yard, and her sisters Skelton and Dorothy, each 

 20/. I give to Margaret Baker 10/. I give to a 

 poor Xtian woman in Dartmouth, Mrs. Adams, 

 10/. To Robert Needier I give a black suit and 

 cloak; the like to William Grantham and 10/. 

 To my niece Portman, now in my house, I give 

 50/. To my other friends of more ability, I leave 

 it to my executor to give such memorials as he 

 shall think fitt. To the poor of Eaton I give 20/. 

 To each of my servants that are with me at my 

 decease I give black suits and 51. ; and to Peter 

 Fluellen, who is now endeavouring to get a place 

 of removal, 10/. I give to Thomas Rolle of 

 Eaton, and Robert Yard, each 10/. I give to 

 Christian, now the wife of Mr. Johnson, 20/. I 

 give to the young Winnington of Eaton, 10/. I 

 give 40/. per annum out of the Parsonage or 

 Tythe of Great Brookeham in Surry, to maintain 

 two schollars in Pembroke College in Oxford. I 

 also give 20/. per annum unto one schollar more 

 in the same college, out of a tenement in the 

 Manor of Wootton in Cornwall, during two lives 

 of two Bigfords, and after their decease out of a 

 tenement of mine in Cowkberry, in Devon, for 

 ever. The schollars to be chosen are to be poor, 



