Parish of Marnhull
Will of William How 1693
The following is a transcript of the Will of William How made 1690 proven 1692 transcribed from a film of the original at Dorset History Centre (Blanford 15) by Bob Hills December 2010
Notes:
Letters within [] are inserted by me to expand an abbreviation in the text
I have done, to the best of my ability, a literal transcription of the document however often vowels are indistinguishable from one another and some constants likewise
In the name of God Amen I William How of Marnhull in the County of Dorsett yeoman
this ffifth day of May in the second yeare of theire Magisties reignes King William
and Queene Mary. Anno?s Domi 1690 being weak of body but of perfect minde
& memory revoking all former Wills by me made, doe make and ordanie this my
last will & testament in man[ner] & form following vix Principally I command my
soule to Almighty God that gave it, my body I commit to the earth to be decently buried att
the discretion of my Executo[rs] hereaft[er] named, And as for my temporiall Estate I dispose
them of as follow Imp[ris] I doe give unto my Brother Morgan How and my Kinsman Matthew
Burge the elder of Marnhull afores[aid] one close of meadow ground lying in Marnhull afores[aid]
called cunheade moore from and immediately after my decease & for and until the age
and terme of six mounthes next after my sonne John How shall attaine to the age
of one and twenty yeares, in trust to be by them left, & sett, And out of the money
raised by the rent thereof to pay yearely during the time & terme above s[aid], unto my
daughter Joane Wooldridge twelve shillings, unto my daughter Elizabeth Hallett
twelve shillings, unto my daughter Margarett How fforver and twenty shillings, And unto
my daughter Anne How fower and twenty shillings. I do further give unto the s[aid]
Morgan How and Matthew Burge theire heires & assignes forever the afores[aid] close of
meadow called cunheade moore from and immediatly after the end & expirason of the s[aid]
six months next aft[er] s[aid] sonne John How shall attaine to the age of one and twenty
yeares, in trust to be by them sould and out of the money raised by the sale thereof, do
pay unto my s[aid] daughter Joane Wooldridge ten pounds unto my s[aid] daughter Elizabeth
Hallett ten pounds unto my s[aid] daughter Margarett How twenty pounds, unto my s[aid] daughter
Anne How twenty pounds, And unto my grandsonne Charles Wooldridge twenty shillings
And the over pluss money If any be to pay unto my s[aid] sonne John How. But in case
my said sonne John How shall and doo pay and discharge all the above s[aid] Legacies, att, or
before the time above limited for payment thereof, then the said Morgan How and
Matthew Burge to seale & deliver over all theire Rights title off in, or to the s[aid]
close of meadow by virtue of the trust in them reposed as aboves[aid] to the only use
of my said sonne John How his heires & assignes for ever. I do give unto my s[aid] daughter
Margarett my little brass crork and my feather bed belonging to the little chamber
I do give unto my s[aid] daughter Anne How my belme the skillet and my
flock bed w[i]th all belonging there unto standing in the Hall Chamber All the rest of my
lands, household stuffe and personall Estate unbequeathed I do give
unto my s[ai]d sonne John How his heires forever And I do make him the sole excutor
of this my last will and testament And I do desire my s[ai]d beloved brother Morgan
How and Kinsman Matthew Burge to be overseers in the fulfilling of this my
last will and testament and I do give to each of them two shillings and six pence for
their paines I witnesse whereof I have hereunto sett my hand & seale the day
& yeare first above written
[si]gned sealed, pronounced and declared
[by] the s[ai]d William How. I in the p[lace] & forme The Mark of
William M How ['M' is the mark]
Richard Sayner
Ambrose How
Roger Han