Will of Thomas Wood

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 To all People to Whom
2 this present writing shall come to be read seen or heard know
3 yee That I Thomas Wood now belonging to their Maties
4 Shipp Oxford late of Wivenhoe in the County of Essexnow
5 under the Command of Capt Seth Thurston Doe by these presents
6 nominate and appoint my well loved Mother Joanna Pudney
7 of the same place parish and County aforesaid to be my true and
8 lawful Attorney and Assignee for me and in my name
9 meoofeable to sue for arrest attach recover require and recind
10 all such wages due debts and demands that now is owing or that
11 hereafter shall be found to be owing due and payable unto me
12 for my service done or to be done on board their Majesties shipp
13 Oxford or any other shipp or vessel with all my wearing clothes
14 as well for to receive of the honourable Commissioners in as pay

15 as all other debts and dues shares and profits to me belonging And
16 in case of non payment to sue for prosecute and proceed to judgement
17 and executon Also under her one Attorney or more if used require
18 And upon receipt of all or any the premises then acquitance or
19 acquittances to make seale and declare such and soe many and of
20 such force as the Law shall require in as ample absolute manner
21 as if I my selfe were then and there personally present and did the
22 same in my owne person And all and whatsoever my said Attorney
23 shall lawfully doe cause or procure to be done I hold the same for
24 unrevokeable revoking all other letters of Attorney Wills or Deeds of
25 gifts made to any person or persons whatsoever or whereso ever
26 And lastly as all men are subject to Death and Mortality I the said
27 Thomas Wood being now in my perfect sence and memory Doe make
28 this as my last Will and Testament I bequeath my soule
29 into the hands of Almighty God hopeing through Christ to
30 receive the forgiveness of all my sinns And as to what of this world
31 Goods the Lord hath bestowed upon me either in one place or another I
32 doe freely give and bestow it upon my well loved Mother to be hers
33 and dispose of it at her pleasure And doe by these presents make my
34 well loved Mother Joanna Pudney to be my full and sole Executrix
35 of this my last Will and Testament in witnesse whereof I have
36 hereunto sett my hand and seale this sixteenth day of August in the
37 year of our Lord One thousand six hundred eighty and nine and in
38 the first yeare of the reign of our Soverigne Lord King William
39 and Queen Mary over England Tho Wood Sealed and delivered
40 in the presence of us Ty Lord John Parber John Mallett Snr at
41 Batcliff Cross