Biography of William Burke 7th Earl Clanricarde -1687

Stemmata Shirleiana. The will of Sir Robert Shirley, proved at London, June 11, 1657, is as follows: "In the name of God, Amen, the nine and twentieth day of November, 1654, I, Sir [his former brother-in-law] Robert Shirley, of Staunton Haralt, in the county of Leicester, Baronett, humbly beseeching Almighty God, for the meritts of my Saviour Jesus Christ, to receive my soule into everlasting blisse, doe make this my last will and testament touching my temporall estate as followeth. I give and devise unto my deere sister, Mrs [his former wife] Leta Burke, wife of William Burke, esquire, to continew payable unto her untill shee or her husband come to the quiet possession and enjoyment of their estate in Ireland, the annual or yearly rent or somme of two hundred pounds.

Item, I give and devise to Mrs Catherine Sheldon, for her life, the annuall or yearly rent or summe of one hundred pounds; and to my servant Rowland Thomas for his life, the annuall or yearly summe of twentie pounds. And to my servant Nicholas Cocker for his life the annual or yearly rent or somme of tenne pounds: all w^ch sayd severall yearly rents my will is shall be paid half yearly, & c.

Item, I give to my sayd deer sister Mrs Leta Burke one ring of the value of one hundred pounds, w^ch I desire her to weare for my sake.

Item, I give to my brother in lawe Will^m Bourke the best horse in my stable at the time of my decease, and to my loving friend Mr. John Morton the next best horse w^ch shall be in my stable at my decease, after my sayd brotherin lawe hath made his choyce.

Item, I give to my deere friend Coll. Vere Cromwell (age 31), the somme of two hundred pounds to be disposed of according to his discretion, and also blacks for mourning for himselfe and one man. Also I do give unto every of those gentlemen whose names I have made knowen to my sayd deere freind Colonell Cromwell blacks for mourning for themselves and one man a peece.

Item, I give to my couzin Leicester Burdett the somme of one hundred pounds to be disposed of as hee shall thinke fit.

Item, I give the sume of one thousand pounds to be disposed of unto such distressed persons as have lost their estates in the service of the late King Charles, in manner as my executors hereafter named shall thinke fitt. And in case the church that I am now building at Staunton Haralt, aforesaid, shall not be finished and perfected before my decease, then I doe give and bequeath so much money as my executors shall thinke convenient to finish and perfect the same, according to my intention. I do give to all the rest of my servants not herein before named one whole yeares wages over and above what shall be due unto them at the tyme of my decease. And I do give and it is my will that all my kindred wthin three descents, either by father or mother, on mine owne or wife's side, and all my servants, shall have blacks for mourning, according to their severall rankes and qualities, and at the discretion of my executors. And it is likewise my will that restitution be made for whatsoever rents or profitts I have received of any impropriations, tithes, or lands belonging, or w^ch did at any time belong to any churches, chappells, colleges, or any ecclesiasticall promotions whatsoever, ever sithence I had the possession of my estate. And I will and appoint that whatsoever the same shall amount unto, the same be given, distributed, and disposed amongst orthodoxall and distressed clergie men, at the discretion of my executors. All the rest and residue of my goods, chattells, and personall estate not herein before bequeathed, after my debts, legacies, and funerall expences discharged, I doe give, devise, and bequeath unto Dame Katharine my wife, Gilbert Sheldon, Doctor in Divinity, Jeffery Palmer, esq., and Anthonie Atkinson, gent. fiftie pounds a peece, whom I make and appoint executors of this my will, & c."

In witness whereof I have to each sheet of this my will conteyned in two sheets of paper subscribed my name, and have affixed my seale at armes, the day and yeare first above written.