Will of John Rayner

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.

In the Name of God Amen I John

Rayner of Wivenhoe Surgeon being in my

Perfect sences but verry week and Declning

Stat of my body Doo make and appoint this

My Last will and Testamen in maner and

Form following first I give and bequeagh

My Dear Beloved Wife Sarah Rayner

All my Real and Personal Estat that

Someur For Her Life and After her

Decease to the Cheldren Share and Share

A a Like and if no Cheldren at her Deseace

Then in Such Case what came by her

Family to Return From Were it Came

And wat came by my Family to Return

The same Item I give and bequeath

To my Setter hart my Mothers Larg Weding

Ring and I Doo Declare this to be my Last

Will and Testament A Seting a Side All

Other Wills and Testaments What sum

Ever in Token Hear of I have this

Ninth Day of November than set

My hand and Seal In The year of

Lord 1750                       John Rayner

Witnes George Hall

Lambe Wigmore

Susannah Hall

November 1751 Sarah Rayner the within named

Executrix was swore to ye Truth of ye premises &

Faithfully to Execute before me

On the Sixteenth Day of November in the Year of our

Lord One Thousand seven hundred and fifty one Issued

forth a Commission to Sarah Rayner Widow the relict

and universal Legatee named in the last Will and Testamet

of John Rayner late of Wivenhoe in the County of Essex

deceased to administer the Goods Chattles and Credits of

the said deced together with his said last will and Testamet

annexed and according to the tenor and Effect thereof