How intriguing, Phoenix. I can't imagine it did much for family harmony.
Most of my family's Wills have been the standard 'x to my wife and the rest divided between my children', but I'd love to know what was going on in the village where one 18th century maiden aunt lived. First her Will:
'I give and bequeath unto my cousin Thomas Meachel of Wendover gentleman one small parcel sealed up in the presence of my Cousin John Neale and to be delivered to him the said Thomas Meachel at the time of my decease and not to be broken up or meddled with by my executor nor no other person but to be delivered to him just as it is now sealed up '.
Then a couple of years later the above Thomas Machel left a Will which contained generous bequests to the widowed female apothecary who lived in the village, stated that she was to organise his funeral, and added that she 'shall order what Ringers she shall think proper to ring a merry peale att the time that my body is laid in the ground and another merry peale on the morrow morning att sunn riseing'.
I can't help but think there's a lot going on there!
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