Will of William Slann

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

2 I William Slann of Wivenhoe in the County of Essex

3 Mariner being in health of Body and of Sound mind memory

4 and Understanding God be praised do by Divine Permission make

5 publish and declare these presents to be and contain my last will and

6 Testament as followeth And first I commend my Soul to God who

7 gave it and my Body I Commit to the Dust from where it

8 came and touching the Disposal of such Temporal Estate as the

9 Lord hath been pleased to bestow upon me I order give devise

10 and bequeath the same in Manner following that is to say i

11 give devise and bequeath unto my Loving Wife elizabeth for and

12 during the time of her Natural Life only all that

13 my ffreehold Dwelling house Messuage or Tenement with the

14 Outhouses Ground and Appurtenances thereunto belonging situate

15 standing and being in Wivenhoe aforesaid wherein I now

16 dwell and from and after the Decease of my said Wife I give

17 devise and bequeath the aforesid Dwelling house Messuage or

18 Tenement with the Outhouses Ground and Appurtenances

19 thereunto belonging unto my Son William Slann and the

20 Heirs of his body lawfully Issuing And for want of such Issue

21 to my Daughter Mary Slann and Elizabeth Slann and  their

22 Heirs for ever as Tenants in Common and not as Joynt Tenants

23 and after my just debts are paid and ffuneral Expenses discharged

24 I give devise and bequeath all the rest residue and remainder of

25 my Goods Chattles Credits Adventures Household ffurniture and

26 all other my Estate whatsoever both real and personal of what

27 Nature kind or Quality soever the same shall or may consist

28 unto and among my said Wife Elizabeth my said son William

29 Slannand my two Daughters Mary Slann and Elizabeth Slann

30 to be equally divided between them four part and share alike

31 And I order direct and appoint that the part and share of my

32 said Son shall be paid and delivered to him whwen and so soon

33 as he shall attain his full age of one and twenty years and

34 that the parts and shares of my said Daughters shall be

35 paid and delivered them when and so soon as they shall

36 respectively attain their several and respective ages of one and

37 twenty years or days of Marriage which shall first happen

38 And if either of my said three children shall decease befor

39 the attainment of their said age or Marriage then I direct

40 and appoint that the part or Share herein before given to

41 him or her so dying shall be equally divided unto and among

42 my said Wife and survivors and survivor of them my

43 said Son and Daughters equally part and share alike And I

44 made name constitute and appoint my said Wife Elizabeth

45 to be sole Executrix of this my Will And I direct that a time

46 Inventory of my Estate be taken and Exhibited by my Executrix

47 with all convenient speed after my decease And I revoke and

48 make void all former Wills and Testaments by me in any

49 wise heretofore made published or declared In Witness whereof I

50 have hereunto sett my hand and Seale the sixth day of January

51 in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred

52 thirty and four Wm Slann Signed Sealed Published

53 declared and delivered by the said William Slann the Testator for

54 and as his only last Will and Testament in the presence of us

55 And we have signed and attested the same as Witnesses in his

56 presence and at his request Eliz Tyler Eliz Gray Wm

57 Holloway

58 This Will was proved at London the tenth day of June

59 in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and

60 thirty seven before the Worshipful Stephen Cottrell Doctor of laws

61 Surrogate of the Right Worshipfull John Bettesworth Doctor of

62 Laws master Keeper or Commisary of the Prerogative Court of

63 Canterbury lawfully constituted by the Oath of Elizabeth Slann

64 Widow and Relict and Executrix in the said Will named To

65 whom Administration was granted of all and singular the

66 Goods Chattles and Credits of the said deceased being first

67 sworn duly to Administer