Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-08-24
QQl0rfester Daily Syn.

nave found there most remarkable will writ
ten IN 1868, by Capt. Robert Keayne, the
founder and first commander of the ancient
and honorable artillery company. The will
covers l57 closely written pages, and from the
context appears to have been drawn by the
testatOr.
1t was commenced on the first day of the
sixth month corresponding to Aug. 1st,) aud
was finally finished and signed on the 18th of
December following. Capt. Keayne Is sup
posed to have died within two years of making
the will, as it was proved May 2, 1856 The
estate was finally settled in January 1888, by
his grand daughter, most OF the persons named |
in the will having previously deceased.
Capt. keayne had been member of militia
ry organizations in London, and upon coming |
here he saw the necessity of having better
military education, disseminated among the |
coIonists. After being the commander OF the |
ancient and hOnorab e artillery in 1888, lie |
was re elected to that office in l647. The fol- |
lowing is the substance OF the most remarka- |
BILE portions OF the will.
The testat0r describes himself as "ctizen |
and merchant taylor of London by :reedome,"
and as being III health of body, but feeling that
all flesh is as grass, that must wilher and re- |
turn to the dust, and that the times of sick
ness and the day of death should be taken up |
with more serious and weighty considerations |
dlsposes OF his estate. He first acknowledges |
SSONtlNSS
and prelatical superstitions, all "Anabapist- |
cal lnthusasms," unsound and bIasphemous |
errors, and other high imaginations that eXalt |
themselves against the power OF God. He |
further rehOunces all confidence in his own |
works, and gives his creed at some length
Respecting his burial, he asks that it be civ. |
II and decent, as becomes a christian, knowing |
that extensive soemnities can nothing add to |
the benefit of the deceased, but having been |
trained in military 6iSrinlina and hovino Ioor
an instrument to lay the foundation of chat no.
bic society of the artillery company in this |
state, that hath so far prospered by the bless |
ing OF God, to help many into good experience |
and more exact knowledge in the military art,
and been the nursery TO raise up so many able |
and well experienced soldiers that have done |
such good service for their country; therefore |
to declare his affection for 'tlat exercise, and |
tie society OF soldiers" he desired to he bur
led as soldier in military way, if the time
and place OF his death and the occasion may |
suit
He gives one third of his estate 10 his wife,
and one half OF the balance 10 his only child, |
Benjamin.
Inasmuch as there have been "claymores'
and evil reports against him. to the effect that
he had got his estate by unjust means, he had
in former. wills set aside two hundred pounds,
that if any man or woman, old or young could
justly NiietttHSt no dCNs anu prove lllal lie |
had wronged them, they might have satistac
ton but as time had elapsed without any
such claim being made, he should not make |
any such provision in this will.
He describes at length the necessity that
the town should have a markst; a..a aa4lit
(conduit) in case OF fire tlle windward, and III
orrrT a fftGA II tiiaf t5&Sfl, '6r s6
about tie market place where the country PEG
pie come with provisions to sell These PEG
Vln Gha hrN ola, Il. M
warm and dry, and eaySstheir corn which
they could not sell tn ,,iey came again thi
would be an encouragement that would leac
to an increase OF the business of the town. Th,
town also needed a room for courts to mt ct in
also a room for library, and gallery or 9th
er handsome room i0r the elders to meet in, tC
confer together on impOItan town or churct
matters; and il room for an armory ito keeI
We arms OF ye artillery company, and for thC
sOuldiers to meete in" He hoped skilu
and ingenious workmen would be employed
10 devise the plan OF building TO accommo
dale all these needs, and was especially anx
ious that there should he a room tor "devnes
and sccllars" to meet in. For the purpose o
erecting such building he left .e3O0, provid
ing Tito be done within two or three years
one third to be paid when the name should be
raised, one third when the chimnies should be
built, and the balance when finished.
Towards the formation OF public library
he gives several manuscript volumes of notes
on the Bible, which be seems to have valued
highly, together with other hooks.
Inasmuch as Eye elders" Of other towns fire.
quently met here on public business, and had
no place to meet in but houses of elders, and
their presence sometimes proved burhen
he provides for their meeting in the gallery, ,
when it shall be built, and directs that there be
paid four pounds a year for ten years for re-
freshing them when they need, and now and
then giving them dinner, as far as it would
go.
TO the artillery company he leaves five
pounds for the purchase OF pixies aud bandolas
for the use of those members living so far out
of town that they cannot well bring them in
He leaves the same amount to the company
for the erection Of platform on which to keen
two pieces OF ordnance, directing that there
should be shed OF boards over them to keep
off sun and water. 1t SHOULD be near a hill
where they could have-target practice, and he
hoped the company would be SO trained as to
be able to "lode, mount, level and fiyrc at a
mark" Which was a needful skill in a soldier
lie further hoped that the country would give
the company two guns, and a barrel or two of
powder to each, and suggested that if they
fired against hill sufficiently large, they could
could dig out their bullets, and thus save some
expense. He left to the officers OF the COM
pany two COWS, the profits of which (milk
punch had not then gone out OF use) should
annually be laid out in powder and bullets
He then INDUCES in great variety OF sugges
lions for tue benefit OF the company, anC
touching its permanency, impressing upor
them tie fact that If reduced to two files, onl,
six or eight feet deep, they can still have
''such evoluions as will be not only delight
full, but very useful"
He leaves 10 The town fifty pounds for tn
benefit OF poor scholars, who are "towardl
and hopeful, aud fifty more for the benefit c
the poor. 1t the town of Boston should sligll
or under-value this and other gifts, they ar
to go to Cambridge College, and he describe
at length the manner in which it is TO be dis
posed of by the officers of that ins titution.
He disposes of rings, books, and other pror
erty, providing for all possible and impossible
contingencies that may arise in their distribu
ton, and remembers large number of friend.
in sums varying from three shillings to twent
pounds, often giving at length tie reason
why he gave SO much or SO little, and oeca
sionally deprecatng any harsh comments b
the public, as to the manner in which he di.
poses of his'p cperty. To his servants, An
COLA and Richard, he gives forty shings eacl
and to Grace the wife of Richard, twenty shi
lings
lie says he had intended TO give more 70
public uses especially mentioning the erectio
OF a castle tor the defense of the town, gifts
colleges and schools, and the building of
brldewell or workhouse for maleiactors, poo
people, and stubborn and idle youth, childre
anu servants. These works he would llav
aided but Tor the unkindness and ill-requit;