Will of George Martin

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 Amen I George Martin of Wivenhoe

2          In the County of Essex Marriner being at this present indisposed in Body

3          but thanks be to God of sound and perfect mind and memory do make

4          and Ordaine this my Last Will and Testament in Manner and forme following

5          that is to say ffirst and principally I Recommend my soul into the hands

6          of Almighty God my Heavenly Father trusting in him Alone through the

7          Merrits of my Blessed Saviour Jesus Christ for the remission of my sins

8          And Admittance into Everlasting Life And my body to be decently and Chaste

9          Like interred at the will of my Executor and Superviser here after named

10        And as to these Worldly Goods which God in Mercy hath Blessed me with I

11        unto my son George Martin the summe of forty pounds of currant

12        English Money And to my son Samuel Martin the summe of fforty pounds

13        And to my Daughter Anne Martin and Susan Martin to each of them forty

14        pounds To Jonathan Martine forty pounds  To ffrancis Martin tenn pounds

15        and One Sixteenth part of the ? that Thomas Mainard of the Heigh in

16        Colchester now goes in with the profit and stock as she shall be found at my

17        Decease To William Martin Tenn Pounds and One Sixteenth part of the

18        vessell he now goeth in Called the Vine or by what other name forever with

19        Stock and profit as she shall be found at my Decease Item I give to all my

20        Grand Children that shall be living at my Decease to each of them

21        Respectively five pounds of Currant English money all which Legacyes by

22        me given It shall be payd as soone as my houses are sold or

23        Money raisd to discharge them Item I give and Bequeath my two houses

24        that which my Son Samuel Lives in and that which I dwell in my selfe and

25        William Humble to be soald  and the money from them Arising to be

26        disposed for the payment of these my legacies before by me given in this

27        my Will Provided Nevertheless my minde and will is that if my son

28        Samuel will paye for the house he now Lives in with all and singular

29        the Orchard Garden Wayes Easements profits and Commodities as they

30        are now in his possession or his assigns the summe of sixone pounds

31        Currant English Money unto my Executor or Superviser hereafter

32        Mentioned and also as Often as need shall Require shall payand allow

33        such Necessary Charges as shall proportionally be his due for the

34        Maintaining of the Pump in the yard then my minde and will is

35        that my said son Samuel shall have the said house And also if

36        my Son Jonathan for the house I now dwell in And William Humble

37        together with all and singular the Yard Orchard Garden wares

38        Easements profits and commodities thereunto belonging as they are

39        in possession of myself and William Humble

Sealed Acknowledged and Delivered

This first part in presence of us

Joseph Tomson

John ?

Deborah

But if it shall happen that my Son George shall be at sea

or decease or shall refuse to Act as my Executor then I Impower my

Brother Humphrey to Act herein as Executor and Supervisor to this my

Last Will and Testament But if it shall happen that my Brother

Humphrey Through Sickness or any other Imbecelity shall hinder him

from the performance of the same then I Impower my two Sons Samuel

and William Martin to Act and doe herein as Amply as my Executor and

Supervisor In Witness whereof I have sett too my hand and

Seal to three sheets of paper being the contents of this my Last Will

and Testament Revoking all other Wills by me heretofore made this Twenty

fifth day of January 1683/4 & in EEEth year of his Majety Reign

Sealed Acknowledged and

Delivered this third part

In Presence of us

Josheph Tomson

John ?

Deborah ?

March 4 1685

Thus Richard Humphrey Executor (upon ye absence of George Martin ye Younger

who was at sea when his father dyed) to ye will of George Martin ye Elder late of Wivenhoe

was sworn well and truly to execute ye same before me   W H Shelton