Will of Francis King 1685

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.

The last part of this will shows a summary of the Names, Places, Properties and Vessels mentioned in the will.

1 In the of God Amen the

2 second day of ffebruary Anno 1685 And in the first year

3 of the Reign of our Soverigne Lord James the second King of England

4 I ffrances King of Wivenhoe in the County of Essex Mariner being at

5 present of sound mind and memory praised to God for the same yet not

6 knowing how soone the Lord may call me from this Transitory life I

7 therefore doe revoake and make void and of none effect and all manner of

8 former Will and Testament by mee heretofore made in this behalfe as

9 following bizt I doe declare now will and ordaine this to bee stand continue

10 and remaine after my decease my last Will and Testament ffirst and

11 pricipally I commend my Soule into the merciful hands of God my

12 Creator most assuredly hopeing through the merrits of his blessed sonne

13 Jesus Christ to obtaine remission of all my sinns And for my body I commit

14 to bee buried a time and place shall afford And after my debts and ffuneral

15 charges paid and satisfied I dispose of such part of my estate as God

16 hath sent mee in manner and forme following Item for my time naturall

17 love and reall affection I have to my sonne ffrancis King and my sonne

18 Samuel King I doe hereby will devise give and bequeath to my said sonne

19 ffrancis and my sonne Samuel all that farme called Leggs and Grieromes

20 alsoe Haberdemams together well and singular the barnes stables out

21 houses yards gardens orchards lands meadows with all and every their

22 appurtenances belonging To have and To hold the said ffarme lyeing in

23 Wivenhoe now in the tenure or occupation of Robert Russell and all other

24 the aforesaid premises unto my said sonne ffrancis King and my sonne Samuel

25 King next after my decease To hold to them and their heirs for ever Item

26 I will devise give and bequeath unto my loving Daughters Elizabeth

27 King and Mary King my now dwelling house and all the Tenements thereto

28 belonging now lyeing and being in Wivenhoe aforesaid called Burrs one

29 Tenement in the occupation of William Bayter and one Tenement now

30 in the occupation of Samuel Warren and one Tenement inthe occupation

31 of John Robbin with all outhouses yards gardens orchards this to hold to

32 them and their heirs for ever after the decease of my loving wife Hannah

33 King Item I doe appoint my loveing wife Hannah King my sole Executrix

34 of this my last Will and Testament willing and desireing her to her power

35 to take care for the true performance hereof And for all my concernes otherwise

36 is as well I her full strength and authority to dispose of art doe and performe

37 at her will and pleasure as if I had not therein beene concerned and in forme

38 to the formalityes of the Lawes Customs of England To Witnesse

39 whereof the said ffrancis King have here set my hands and seale the second

40 of ffebruary And year above written ffran King Signed Sealed

41 and Delivered in the presence Margaret Stevens Thomas Hopkins

42 Richard Humfris