A BRILLIANT WILL :) of a Parlimentarian Soldier who fought at the Siege Of
Clonmel: as found by Museum Volunteer Eddie Cantwell:-
"I, John LANGLEY, born in Wincanton, in Somersetshire, and settled in
Ireland in the year 1651, now in my right mind and wits, do make my will in
my own handwriting. I do leave all my house, goods, and farm at Black Kettle
of 253 acres to my son, commonly called 'Stubborn Jack,' to him and his
heirs forever, provided he marries a Protestant, but not Alice Kenrick, who
called me 'Oliver's whelp.' My new buckskin breeches and my silver tobacco
stopper with 'J. L.' on the top I give to Richard Richards, my comrade, who
helped me off at the storming of Clonmel when I was shot through the leg. My
said son John shall keep my body above ground six days and six nights after
I am dead; and Grace Kenrick shall lay me out, who shall have for so doing
five shillings. My body shall be put upon the oak table in the brown room,
and fifty Irishmen shall be invited to my wake and every one shall have two
quarts of the best aqua vitae, and each one one skein, dish and knife before
him, and when the liquor is out nail up the coffin, and commit me to the
earth whence I came. This is my will; witness my hand this 3rd day of March,
1674."
What a find! Alice Kenrick really annoyed him with her insult...but Grace laid him out. His instructions were certainly precise.
ReplyDeleteI didn't find this originally, a friend on a research list did...I loved it. Maybe it's just me, but I wonder if the reason he didn't want his son to marry Alice was more than it seems... maybe he had an affair with Grace and Alice was his daughter??? Suspicious mind :-)
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