Will of The Right Reverend William Buller, Lord Bishop of Exeter, Canterbury, Kent - The National Archives PROB 11/610/34, probated 28 Jan 1797

The testator William Buller has been mentioned earlier in the blog in the will of his wife Anne Buller: http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2013/02/will-of-anne-buller-widow-of-exeter.html

This entry on William Buller, Lord Bishop of Exeter from: Lives of the bishops of Exeter: and a history of the cathedral, with an illustrative appendix, by George Oliver (published by William Roberts, 1861). Available on Google books and the applicable section following:

"William Buller, youngest son of John Francis Buller, Esq., by Rebecca his wife (daughter of Sir Jonathan Trelawny, Baronet, D.D., sometime Bishop of Exeter, and afterwards Lord Bishop of Winchester), and uncle of Sir Francis Buller, Baronet, the celebrated judge of the Common Pleas, was baptized at Morvall, in Cornwall, on 9th August, 1735. Whilst filling the office of dean (to which he had been elected on 25th March, 1784), he gave up his residentiary house near the cathedral to his Majesty King George III. and the royal family, when they honoured Exeter with a visit in August, 1789. Such dutiful and hospitable attention was rewarded in the following year by his preferment to the deanery of Canterbury; and his Majesty was further pleased to promote him to this vacant see, and on 2nd December, 1792, he was consecrated at Lambeth. He lived but four years after this appointment, dying on 12th December, 1796, and was buried on 17th of same month in the south aisle of the cathedral choir. His relict Ann (daughter of John Thomas, D.D., Bishop of Winchester) died 28th August, and was interred near him on 3rd September, 1800, aged 63."

Possible cause of death was noted to be the death of his son the gallant Colonel Buller who was slain on the Continent, he also lost two sons to consumption from The Monthly Magazine, Volume 2, by Sir Richard Phillips (published by Sherwood, Gilbert and Piper, 1796).

I was quite happy to find this reference as it just seemed quite dreadful to mention that his son had died in battle but not to have some details. "This was Colonel John Thomas Buller and he served in several regiments and was for a short time captain in the 60th Rifles. He was killed, whilst commanding the 27th Foot, at the crossing of the River Linge, and the intaking of Geldermelsan, in North Brabant, on the 8th of January, 1795" (Life of General the Right Honourable Sir Redvers Buller VC GCB GCMG by Colonel Charles Henderson Melville, CMG, Late Army Medical Service, Volume 1, published by Edward Arnold and Company, 1923: London).

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 19 Mar 2013
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/610/34
Testator: The Right Reverend Father in God William Buller, Lord Bishop of Exeter
Location: (Dean of) Canterbury, Kent, England
Date of document: 16 Jan 1792, probated 28 Jan 1797
Read: Electronic copy images
Document quality: 18th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: The Right Reverend Father in God
[Margin]: William [Buller], Lord Bishop of Exeter

1    I William Buller
2    Dean of Canterbury do make this my last
3    Will and Testament My Estate which I have purchased
4    called Penfith in the Parish of Saint Martins
5    Cornwall and all my Effects of what nature of kind
6    soever I give and Bequeath to my Dearly beloved
7    Wife Anne and to her heirs forever And I do appoint
8    her and my most valuable friend the Rev[eren]d John
9    Sturges of Winchester Executors of this my last Will
10    to which I set my hand and Seal this Sixteenth
11    day of January 1792 Will[iam] Buller Signed Sealed
12    published and declared by the above mentioned
13    William Buller as and for his last Will and Testam[en]t
14    in the presence of us John Lymes archdeacon of Can[terbur]y
15    Thomas Young his Servant Edw[ar]d Benson arc[hdeaco]n Canterb[ur]y
16    This Will was proved at London on the
17    twenty eighth day of January in the year of our Lord
18    One thousand Seven hundred and Ninety Seven by
19    the Right Honorable Sir William Wynne Knight
20    Doctor of Laws and Master Keeper or commissary of
21    the prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully
22    constituted by the Oath of Anne Buller Widow the
23    Relict of the deceased and one of the Executors
24    named in the said Will to whom administration
25    was Granted of all and Singular the goods Chattels
26    and Credits of the said deceased having been first
27    sworn duly to administer power reserved of making
28    the like Grant to the Reverend John Sturges Doctor
30    of Laws the other Executor named in the said Will
31    when he shall apply for the same