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.
In some instances two lower case letters at the start of a word can denote an upper case letter, such as ff for F
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
Will
Philip Potter
Wivenhoe Proved 20th
June 1745
1 In the name of God Amen I Philip Potter
2 Mariner of ye Parish of Wivenhoe in ye County
3 of Essex and now belonging to his Majestyes Ship
4 the Bristol and being in Perfect Memory and mind
5 thanks be given to God therefore calling unto mind
6 the Mortality of my Body and knowing ye it is Appointed
7 for all men once to die do make and ordain this my last
8 will and Testament that is to say Principally and first
9 of all I give and Recommend my soul into ye hands of
10 Almighty God ye gave it and my Body I Recommend to
11 ye Earth or sea as it shall Please God to Appoint
12 nothing Doubting but at ye General Resurrection I
13 Shall Receive ye same again by ye mighty Power of God
14 And as touching such Wordly Affects where with it hath
15 pleased God to Bless me with in this Life I give Devise
16 and Dispose of ye same in ye following Manner
17 Imprimis I give and bequeath to my well beloved ffather
18 John Potter of ye Parish & County aforesaid all my wages
19 that is or may be come Due [to me] in his Majestys Ship Bristol
20 or to any Ship or Ships whatsoever whereunto I have belonged
21 and all Legacies or money ye os or may become due to me
22 I make & Ordain my Beloved ffather John Potter my sole
23 Executor of this my last Will & Testament And I do hereby utterly
24 Disallow revoke and Disannul all and every other former
25 Testaments Wills Legacies and Bequests and Executors by me in
26 any ways before Named Willen and Bequeathed ratifying & confirming
27 this and no other to be my last Will & Testament In Witness
28 whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seale this tenth
29 Day of July in ye year of our Lord one Thousand Seven
30 hundred and forty and in fourteenth year of ye Reign
31 of our Sovern Lord George
Signed Sealed & Delivered in
The Presence of us Philip Potter
William Coombs
John Brock
John Potter the only Executor within named
was sworn this 20th day of June 1745
before me Philip Morant
Surrogate
Proved the twentieth Day of June in the Year of our Lord
one thousand seven hundred and forty five Before the Revd Philip Morant
Clerk Master of Acts lawful Surrogate & By the oath of John Potter the
natural and lawful Father and Sole Executor To whom Administration
was granted he being first sworn duly to administer
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