Will of Edward Alston

Wills are generally written without any punctuation or abbreviations. There is often alternative spelling of some words and using upper case letters which do not always mean the start of a new sentence. Neither are they divided into paragraphs but are continuous lines of writing This can make documents difficult to read or understand.

This post shows the Will exactly as it was written with no attempt to break it down into paragraphs. Done in this way it shows exactly how the original document is written. As the documents are sometimes very large each line of writing in the document sometimes takes up two lines when it is transcribed in to the web site.

1 In the Name of God

2 I Edward Alston of Wivenhoe in the County of Essex

3 Clerk do make this my last Will and Testament ffirst I recommend

4 my Soul to God that gave it my body to be buried with the least

5 expence that may be as for my Real and personal Estate I

6 devise it in manner and form following ffirst I give to my Brother

7 Sr Joseph Alston Barrt and his Heirs the next Presentation to

8 the Rectory of Long Ditton in the County of surrey And I doe

9 hereby desire my Cosin Nicholas Corsellis to convey the same

10 accordingly to the said Sr Joseph Alston so soon as he shall have

11 paid to my Executors hereafter named two hundred pounds

12 and Interest due to me by Bond and discharged in / in

13 Bradwell in the County of ? from all manner

14 of incumbrances by him suffered or done and I do hereby

15 declare that the same Nicholas Corsellis had no other to the

16 said Presentation but only in Trust for me and my Heirs

17 Item after my Debts and ffuneral shall be paid I do give

18 and devise to my loving Wife Elizabeth Alston all my Lands

19 Tenements and Hereditaments  in Bradwell aforesaid

20 and all other my Real and Personal Estate of what nature

21 or kind soever And I doe hereby nominate and appoint

22 my said loving Wife Elizabeth Alston to be the sole and

23 whole Executrix of this my last Will and Testament

24 hereby revoking all former and other Wills and Testaments

25 whatsoever And I do hereby publish and declare this to

26 be my last Will and Testament In witness

27 whereof I have hereinto put my hand and seal this

28 twenty third day of December in the year of our Lord

29 one thousand seven hundred and one in the presence

30 of Edward Alston Signed Sealed and Published by the

31 said Edward Alston as his last Will and Testament in our

32 presence and attested by us in the presence of the said

33 Edward Alston Nic. Corsellis Bella Spooner Thomas Cleaver