501. Aaron BRETT of Wivenhoe, Servantman, 1783. D/ACW 34/6/18

In the Name of God Amen I Aaron Brett of the parish of Wivenhoe in the County of Essex
Servantman being sick and weak in Body but of sound and disposing mind and memory Do make
publish and declare this my last Will and Testaments as follows (that is to say) I resign my Soul to God my
Creator hoping for the pardon of my sins through the merits and Righteousness of Jesus Christ my Saviour and Redeemer
my Body I commit to the Earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my Executors hereinafter named And
my Worldly Estate I dispose of in manner following In the first place I direct my Executors with all convenient
speed after my decease to call in and receive all and every such sum and sums of Money as shall be due and
owing to me from any person or persons whomsoever And I give and bequeath to my Sister Elizabeth Ardley
Widow and to Jeremiah Ardley her son the sum of Forty pounds apiece of lawful Money of Great Britain to be
paid to them respectively by my Executors herein after named in eight equal Quarterly payments (that is to say
the sum of five pounds each on the usual quarter days in the year (to wit) Lady Day Midsummer Day Michaelmas Day
and Christmas day the first payment thereof to begin and be made on the second Quarter day after my decease And
in case of the death of my said Sister or her said Son before the whole of the said forty pounds shall have been paid to
them respectively then I give such part thereof as shall then remain unpaid to the Survivor of them in the same manner
the same would have become payable if he or she had been living and further I give and bequeath to my
Nephew James Brett of Aldham in the said County Husbandman the Sum of thirty pounds and to Joseph
Palmer of London Clockmaker the sum of twenty pounds of like lawful Money To Walter Bell of Colchester
and Mary his wife the sum of Ten Guineas each and to the Reverend Thomas Stevens of Colchester aforesaid
the Sum of Two Guineas of like money to be paid to them respectively within six months next after my decease
also I give to William Bayley of Colchester aforesaid Wheelwright the sum of twenty one pounds of like
money at his age of twenty one years.  All my Wearing Apparel and Linnen I give to be equally divided
between my said nephew Jeremiah Ardley and the said William Bayley share and share alike and all the rest
and residue of my personal Estate whatsoever and wheresoever not herein otherwise disposed of (from and after
payment of all my just Debts Funeral expences the charges of proving and Executing this my Will and Legacies
herein given) I give and bequeath to such Charitable uses as my said Executors shall in their discretion
think proper And I do hereby Nominate and appoint my two Friends John Banks of Colchester aforesaid
and Isaac Diss of the same place Executors of this my Will and I do give to them the sum of three Guineas
each for their trouble as such Executors over and above their reasonable charges and expences in and about
the management of this my Will and my Will is that my said Executors shall not be answerable for any more
monies than what shall actually come into their hands respectively by virtue of this my Will nor for any Money
that may be lost or miscarry without their wilful default nor the one of them for the acts of the other but each
for his own acts only and hereby revoking all other Wills by me made I declare this only to be my last
In Witness whereof I the said Aaron Brett have hereunto set my hand and Seal this thirtieth day of
May in the year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty three

Aaron Brett

Signed Sealed published and Declared by the said Testator Aaron Brett
as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who have
hereunto subscribed our names as Witnesses in his presence at his request
and in the presence of each other

John Thomson
Peter Garby

11^th June 1783.  John Banks and Isaac Diss the Executors
within named were sworn to the Truth of this Will
and to the performance thereof, and that to the best of
their knowledge and belief the amount of the value of the
Goods, Chattels and Credits of the deceased is under the
sum of Three Hundred Pounds.

Robt Storry, Surrogate.

Wm Brett the Testator died in
the parish of Wivenhoe the
3^d June 1783.

Proved on the Eleventh Day of June in the year of
our lord 1783 Before the Reverend Robert Storry Clk
Surrogate &c by the Oath of John Banks and Isaac Diss
the Executors to whom adcon &c was Granted he being
first sworn duly to Administer