Maine Wills

 From York County Probate Records, Volume One (1680-1706)

   In the name of God Amen/ I Robert Junkins of York in y^e County of York in the Province of y^e Massachusets Bay in New England Planter/ being at present weak and Infirm in my body but yet through Divine goodness, of a good and sound Judgment & understanding, of a perfect Memory and of a disposing mind, but yet Sensible how ffrail a Creature I am and not knowing how Soon my change may come nor how it may please God to deal with me at this time with respect unto my present Sickness, Doe therefore make this my last Will and Testament In manner and form as followeth

   Imp^rs I doe in y^e way of faith and repentance recomend my precious & Immortall Soul into y^e hands of my blessed Lord and Dear Redeemer & leave it in y^e Everlasting armes of his mercy.

   Item My fraile body at and after my Decease to be comitted unto y^e earth by a Decent and Christian buriall In hopes of a Joyfull resurrection w^thall beleeving that y^e worms Shall destroy this my body yet in my flesh I Shall See God.

   Item As for the little Temporall Estate which God hath given unto me here in this word My Will and pleasure is And be it known by these presents, that it Shall after my Decease be disposed of as followeth Viz^t My Dear & loving wife Sarah Shall for ye good affection I bear unto her, more Especially for the tender care She has Excersised towards me in my Sickness, and in the time of my old Age, have y^e use and improvem^t of all my houseing lands Orchards Tenements Goods and Chattells whatsoever of one kind and of an other after my Decease together with all y^e benefits produe & Priviledges of y^e Same During her naturall, provided that She y^e said Sarah my wife Shall not have liberty from any herein to dispose or alienate or conveyance make of any of y^e Premisses or their appurtenances away from my Children unto any other person or persons w^tsoever no more than Shall be absolutely nessessary for her Subsistence either by gifts Sales or Mortgages or any other Alienation whatsoever but that after all my Lawfull Debts and Funerall Expences are discharged out of my Estate She y^e s^d Sarah my wife Shall and is to have and to hold to use improve ocupie possess and enjoy y^e Premisses Lawfully peaceably Quietly without any let hinderance Molestation or disturbance During y^e s^d Term of life And then my will and pleasure further is That y^e whole of my Estate both moveable and Immoveable within dores and without, be Equally and Peaceably Devided among my Children and be disposed of among them all by Equall Proportions, Willing Nevertheless that my Loving wife have a competency allowed out of my s^d Estate for her Decent buriall, And further I doe by these presents ordain constitute and Appoint my Dear & Loving wife to joyn as Executrix with my trusty and welbeloved friend Arthur Bragdon Sen^r, of York afores^d willing and requiring them & each of them both Joyntly and Severally to Se to y^e Execution of this my last Will & Testamt according to y^e true Purport and meaning thereof And as Execut^rs hereof to take care that my Dear Children be Educated and brought up with this Estate while my wife their Mother is alive and alsoe that they be not wronged of it after she is dead And In Testimony that this is my last Will and Testam^t And that I doe hereby fully and for ever revoke and Disannull and vacate all other former Wills w^tsoever I have hereunto put my hand and Seal this Second day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand Six hundred Ninety and Six : Seven In y^e Eighth year of his Ma^ts Reign

Signed Sealed & Delivered     In presents of    John Hancock    Arthur Bragdon Junr    Joseph Pray		the mark of Robert Iunkins (his Seal)
Recorded 2 Janry 1699. Inventory returned 3 Dec., 1699 at £90: 13 by Mathew Austine and Arthur Bragdon Senr appraisers. Source: Maine Wills, 1640-1760 (Portland, Me., 1887), p. 128, citing Probate Office, 1, 62.