THAT Edmund Arnold Esquire , by his Will Dated the sixth of May , 1675. having given several Legacies , did bequeath the rest and residue of his Money and Personal Estate , after his Debts paid , and Funerals discharged , to and amongst his Kindred , according to their most need ; to be distributed amongst them by his Executors , with the assistance of his Cozens Edward Buncher , John Steere , and John Buncher the younger ; saving such Legacies as he should by his said Will , or any Codicil or Codicils , further dispose of .

And of his said Will made Thomas Bedford Gent. Executor , and afterwards made two Codicils ; and shortly after ( to wit , on or about the 27th of March , 1676. ) dyed , leaving no Issue .

That the said Executor having proved the Will , there were in Easter-Term , 1677. two Bills Exhibited in the Court of Chancery against him ( one whereof was by Anne Carr the Testators Sister , and by about forty others of the nearer Kindred , who descended from the Brothers and Sisters of the Testator , who were his Nephews and Nieces , and Children of Nephews and Nieces . And the other Bill was by remoter Relations ( viz. William Jenoway and Elizabeth his Wife , Robert Dickens , and a great number of others who were descended from the Testators Unkles and Aunts by his Father and Mothers side ) to have a share and distribution of the residue of the said Estate . To each of which Bills the said Executor did put in his Answer , and thereby set forth an Accompt of the Personal Estate : both which Causes were heard on the fifth of November 1678 ; and after a full hearing , the Court Decreed , That the Act of Parliament for better setling Intestates Estates , should be the rule that should be observed for limiting the extent of the word Kindred ; and that it should extend only to the Testators Sister Anne Carr and to her Children , and to the said Testators other Nephews and Nieces then living ; and that no Kindred out of the degree of a Brother or Sister to the Testator , or a Child of such Brother or Sister , should come in , or have any share of the said residue . And that amongst those that were to come into the distribution , the said Executor should chiefly consider them who had most need , and should distribute the said residue in such manner and proportions as the said Executor should think fit , by and with the allowance of Sir Samuel Clerke Knight , one of the Masters of the said Court , before whom the said Executor was to Accompt for the said Personal Estate ; and of what upon the said Accompt the said Master should certifie to be remaining in the said Executors hands , he was to retain in his hands 300 l. for six years , or so much longer as the said Anne Carr the Testators Sister should happen to live , for payment of Ten pound per Annum , given her by the said Will for her Life , and better indemnifying the said Executor against Debts . And that the residue of the Money that should be certified remaining in the said Executors hands , with the Securities and Debts owing to the Estate , should forthwith ( and also what should be remaining of the aforesaid 300 l. all reasonable allowances being first deducted , should after the expiration of the said six years , and the death of the said Anne Carr ) be distributed and assigned by the said Executor according to the directions aforesaid .

That in pursuance of the said Decree , the said Executor did Accompt before the said Master , who by his Report , bearing date the 20th day of February , 1678 , did certifie , that there did remain in the said Executors hands , the sum of 1471 l. 16 s. 10 d. besides the said Debts and Securities which were to be distributed ; and did allow of the proportions to be distributed and assigned to the several persons , as therein were particularly mentioned . Which Report was afterwards ( viz. upon the 26th day of February , 1678 ) confirmed by the Decree of that Court. And in obedience to the said Decree , the said Mr. Bedford the Executor did long since actually pay to the several persons the several proportions , and also assigned the said Debts and Securities , as by the said Report and Decree was directed .

That the said William Jenoway , and Elizabeth his Wife , Robert Dickens , and others of the remoter Relations , ( which were out of the degrees limited by the said Decree ) have Appealed from the same to the House of Lords , and the design of their Appeal is to be let in to have a share of the said residue .