Testament de Charles de Secondat baron de Montesquieu
(Public Record Office PROB1 1/ 1689 RC/4146)

This is the last will and testament of me Charles de Secondat baron de Montesquieu, a denizen of
England.

I desire that I may be buried in the parish Church of the place where I shall happen to die and that
the expenses of my funeral may not exceed seventy pounds sterling.

I give and devise all that my messuage or dwellinghouse at Bridge Hill in the county of Kent
together with the outhouse garden, lands and tenements thereto belonging containing by estimation
twenty two acres and occupied therewith and all other my estate at Bridge Hill aforesaid to my dear
wife Marianna baroness de Montesquieu and her assigns for and during the term of her natural life ;
and from and  immediately after her decease I give and devise my said messuage or dwelling
house and Estate at Bridge Hill aforesaid to my godson Charles Montesquieu Bellers the second
son of Sir Edward Bellers of Brinwath( ?) in the county of Louth‘ in Ireland baronet to hold to
him the said Charles Montesquieu Bellers and the heirs of his body begetten and for default of such
issue I give and I devise my said messuage or dwellinghouse and estate at Bridge Hill aforesaid to
the Reverend George Farbrace of Eythorn in the said county of Kent to hold to him the said George
F arbrace his heirs and assigns for ever and I do hereby charge my said dwellinghouse and estate at
Bridge Hill aforesaid with the payment of the following sums that is to say to the said George

F 'arbrace the sum of three hundred pounds, to admiral and Mrs Winthrop jointly the sum of three
four hundred pounds, to Thomas Barnewall esquire my executor hereinafter appointed the sum of
three hundred pounds, to Mrs F arbrace widow mother of the said George F arbrace the sum of two
hundred pounds, to John Dilnot esquire of Adisham the sum of fifty pounds, to my bailiff James
Finch the sum of one hundred pounds, to my servant William Squz'liter[ .7] the sum. of two hundred
pounds and in case he shall die in my life time then I give that sum to all his children equally to be
divided among them, to my housekeeper Lucy Gibbins the sum of two hundred pounds, to my
coachman Thomas Taronton the sum of one hundred pounds, to my housemaid Sarah Steeler the
sum of one hundred pounds, to my waggoner Allen Isac(?) the sum of one hundred pounds and in
case he shall die in my life time then I give that sum to his wife, to my groom and kitchen maid if
they shall be living with me at the time of my decease twenty five pounds, and to the governors or
trustees of the Canterbury hospital the sum of one hundred pounds for the benefit of that institution
or charity ;

and hereby order and direct that all the said sums of money amounting in the whole to the sum of
two thousand two hundred pounds shall be raised and paid out of my said dwellinghouse and estate
at Bridge Hill aforesaid within six months after the decease of my said wife and for that purpose
that my executors shall devise the same for any term of years to any person who shall advance and
lend them the said sum of two thousand two hundred pounds who shall not be answerable for the
due application thereof.

I give and bequeath the sum of two thousand five hundred pounds three per cent consolidated bank
annuities now standing in my name in the bank to the said Thomas Barnwall and George F arbrace
upon trust to pay the dividend thereof to my said dear wife for and during the term of her natural
life and from and immediately after her decease I desire that the said Thomas Bamewall and
George Farbrace do transfer the said sum of two thousand five hundred pounds three per cent
eonsols. in the following manner : one half to my cousin Marbotinz junior of Bordeaux in

1Le comté de Louth est une circonscription de la république d’Irlande située au nord de Dublin, dans la province du
Leinster, a la frontiere avec 1’Ir1ande du Nord

2Famille de parlementaires depuis le XVIIeme siecle. La chartreuse Marbotin est restée dans la famille jusqu’en 1850
puis elle passe aux Balguerie qui la conserveront jusqu’en 1976. Marbotin du Mirail organisait des tenues de franc-

France, and the other half to my goddaughter Mademoiselle de Mons3 of Bordeaux aforesaid
for their own use and benefit ; and I do hereby declare my will and intention to be that the devices
hereinbefore contained of my dwellinghouse and estate at Bridge Hill and the dividends of two
thousand five hundred pounds three per cent consols. together with an annual sum of two hundred
and twenty five pounds which she my said wife will receive during her life from my heirs in France
together with all the residue and remainder of my personal estate in England of what nature or kind
soever after payment of all my just debts, funeral and testamentary expenses which I hereby give
her shall be secured in full performance and satisfaction of all covenants on my part contained in
the settlement made previous to my marriage with my said wife I desire that after my decease one
years wages may be paid to all my servants.

I desire that all my manuscripts which shall be found after my decease may be carefully
packed up and sent to Prosper de Montesquieu of Bordeaux aforesaid if then alive, but if he
shall be dead then that [they] be burned immediately .

I give to my friend William Cruise esquire of Lincolns Inn all the books which shall be in my
library at Bridge Hill to be delivered to him by my executors.

I hereby constutute and appoint my said dear wife Marianna baroness de Montesquieu and the said
Thomas Barnwell of Coleman Street Buildings in the City of London joint executors of this my last
Will and Testament and hereby revoking all former Wills.

I do publish and declare this to be my only last Will and Testament in witness whereof I have
here... set my hand to the two first sheets and my hand and seal to the last sheet,

this fourth day of February one thousand eight hundred and twenty two.

Charles de Secondat baron de Montesquieu signed sealed and published by the said baron de
Seeene¥at—M0ntesquieu in the presence of us who in his presence and in the presence of each other

have hereunto set our hands as witnesses theret ----
E Marjoribanks — Edmund Antrobus Jun”~ Richard No..d [ ?]

This is a codicil to my last will and testament dated February the 4th 1822

I give to my wife Marianna baroness de Montesquieu for her life all the money I have in Exchequer
bills or other Government securities after the payment of the legacies I have left to my servants and
I appoint my executor Thomas Bamwall esquire and the Reverend George F arbrace of Eythorn in
Kent my trustees to pay to my wife every year the interest of the said Exchequer bills or
Government securities into her life, and after her death to pay the capital to my cousin Prosper
de Montesquieu of Bordeaux and to his sister Emily de Montesquieu‘ in two equal parts ;

as to what remains of my personal property I give the said to my wife who by my will is residue
legatee and can dispose of it as she pleases the legacies that I have given to my servants and which
by my will being the sum of eight hundred and fifty pounds are directed to be paid at the death of
my wife, I direct to be paid by my executors to the said servants duty free six months after my death
out of my personal property in Exchequer bills or other Government securities I give also to
Andreas my second waggoner fifty pounds the said legacy is not mentioned in my will the legacy
bequeathed to William Squz'lz'ter[ ?] my servant in my will I desire to be paid to him within six

macons dans sa chartreuse a Mérignac pres de Bordeaux (La Francaise Elue Ecossaise) avec Gobineau, Lynch et
Bouziers, tous conseillers au Parlement.

3La mere de C.-L. de Secondat est Marie-Catherine de Mons de Soussans. Cette mademoiselle de Mons, filleule de
Charles-Louis, doit étre une niece ou une petite niece de celui-ci.

4Jeanne—Emilie,de Secondat (1792-1832), niece de C.-L. de Secondat. Le cousin germain de celui-ci, Joseph—Cyril1e de
Secondat (1748-1826) avait eu deux enfants : Prosper (1791-1871) et Emilie (1792-1832).

months after my death but if he should die first then I direct the said legacy be divided equally
amongst his children the eight hundred and fifty pounds legacies to my servants (_ ?) to be paid out
of my personal property in Exchequer bills or other Government securities I direct my godson
Charles Bellers after Madame de Montesquieu death to pay eight hundred and fifty pounds to
my cousin Prosper de Montesquieu of Bordeaux or his personal representatives and also the
several legacies bequeathed to the Canterbury hospital to Admiral Rob‘ Winthrop to Thomas
Barnewall esquire my executor to the Revd George Farbrace to Mrs F arbrace his mother and to
John Dilnot as mentioned in my will one years wages only shall be paid to my servants after my
death instead of two mentioned in my will having by this codicil directed that the said legacies
where duty free the furniture of my house of Bridge Hill must stand as it is as well as the iron
hurdles roller carts waggons to do with the house to my godson Charles Bellers according to my
will.

London, December the 27th 1823 / 44 upper Seymour street

Charles de Secondat Baron de Montesquieu - sealed and signed -

Appeared personally Rev“ Barnewall of Coleman Street Buildings in the City of London Esquire
and Henry Barnewall of the same place Esquire and made oath that they knew and were acquainted
with Charles de Secondat baron de Montesquieu late of Upper Seymour Street in the parish of Saint
Mary le bone in the County of Middlesex and of Bridge Hill Esquire House in the parish of Kent
deceased and also with his manner and character of handwriting and subscription having frequently
seen him write and write and subscribe his name and having now carefully viewed and perused the
paper writing hereunto aimexed purporting to be and contain a codicil to the last will and testament
of the said deceased beginning thus « this is a codicil to my last will and testament dated February
the 4th 1822 » ending thus << London December the 27. 1823. 44 Upper Seymour Street >> and this
suscribed << Charles de Secondat baron de Montesquieu » these deponents lastly made oath that they
verify and in their conscience believe the whole body  and intents of the said codicil and the
subscription thereto to be of the proper handwriting and subscription of the said deceased ~

Dean Bamewall on the 4th day of August 1824 the said dean Barnewall was duly sworn to the truth
of this affidavit before me John Daubeny Sun‘ p‘ ( ?) Wm Slade not[ary] pub[lic] —— Henry
Barnewall on the 9th day of August 1824

Henry Barnewall named in the annexed afiidavit was duly sworn to the truth thereof before me
John Daubeny Sunt pt ( ?) J Glennie not[ary] pub[lic]

Proved [ '3] with a codicil the 11th August 1824 before the worshipful John Daubeny doctor of laws
&[ ?] by the oath of Thomas Barnewall Esquire