DR. BENJAMIN ALLEN, OF BRAINTREE. 173
church-porch is Allen's : the tall cenotaph, with railings around
it, just at the side of the porch, is Ray's.
Allen's burial at Black Notley, instead of at Braintree, where
he lived, was in accordance with directions left in his will. The
fact also that he bequeathed land in Black Notley and that he
left money for the relief of its poor strengthens the surmise,
already expressed,1 that he had some old family connection with
the parish.
Allen's will,2 made rather more that a year before his death,
begins as follows :—
In the name of God, Amen. I, Benjamin Allen, of Braintree, in Essex,
Physician, being (thank God) sound in understanding and memory, [also] sound
in mind, do ordain, declare, and make this my last Will and Testament.
He bequeaths his "body to be interred in the church-yard of
Black Notley, not within two rods of the hedge, [and to be]
covered with a marble stone, with a small inscription to signify
who lys there." As to his funeral expenses, he says : "I desire
and will [that they] may be as small as possible, desiring only
good,willing,and loving friends to attend my corps to buryall, with-
out pomp or anything unnecessary." To his sister Sarah, wife of
John Parker, of Lambeth, he bequeaths £40 for her sole use, as
well as £5 to buy "mourning cloths" and his gold ring. To the
Rev. John Harrison, husband of his daughter Elizabeth, he
bequeaths £100 and a balance owing under her marriage settle-
ment ; thus making (as he estimates) the portion of each of his
children approximately equal, all things considered. To the
poor of Black Notley, he leaves twenty shillings. The residue
of his property he leaves to his three unmarried daughters
(Katherine, Mary, and Lydia) in equal shares. He directs that
his copyhold estate, Fullwood Street Farm, in Fairstead, shall
be sold ; but that his land in Black Notley, his houses against
the Horn Inn in Braintree, and his piece of ground call Stub-
shots or Abbot's Park, shall all be kept in the family.
But the most interesting bequest made by Allen relates to
the disposal of the large manuscript book already mentioned
many times, and of certain other note-books which have now
disappeared. It runs thus:—
1 See ante, p. 148.
2 Made 12 Jan. 1736-7 ; witnessed by Jas. Picknett, Jos. Pawsey and Jos. Wells (his
mark) ; executors named, his two elder unmarried daughters (Katherine and Mary) ; proved
22 July 1738, by the last-named executor (P.C.C., 168 Broderipp).