Maine Wills

 From York Registry of Deeds (1640-91)

   In the name of god Amen/ the twenty seauenth of August 1675 : I Ellner Pearce the unprofitable seruant of god, though weake in body yet of good & Perfect remembrance, praysed bee almighty god, knowing y^t I am naturally borne to dy, & to pass from this transcitory life, minding to putt in order mine Estate, to the Intent y^r should bee no striffe for the same after my decease, & to auoyd all Occasions of trouble & Charge I do hereby make this to bee my true last & onely will & testament in manner following/

   Ip^rs I Commend my soule to almighty god, & his sonn Jesus Christ my saujo^r & redeemer, in whose prætious blood I set y^e whoole & onely hope of my saluation, my body in hope of a Joyfull resurrection, I Committ to y^e earth to bee decently buried, & touching the distribution of my mortall goods, I dispose of y^e same as followeth/

   1. first I will y^t all my debts I ow should bee truely payd/

   It I giue to my sonn Jos : Pearce my house & Land, onely hee is to lett his two sisters, Saraih & Mary, each of them an house lott, If they come into the Countrey & demand It : or otherwise allow the ualew of It, If they should bee in want/ also I giue vnto my sd sonn all my Cattle, as also too feather beds, & the furniture belonging to them, as bedsteads & else, as too Holland^s pillows, one new Holland sheete (& w^t y^r is not underneath excepted) & one Diaper board Cloath, foure pewter platters of the biggest sort, on y^e vpper shelfe with the earthen dishes, on each side of them as also too of the smallest platters, too plates, foure porringers, too small basons, halfe a pint pott, a beare bowle, a Candlesticke & sault seller, also the biggest brass Kettle, & y^e smallest with one Copper Kettle, two skelletts, too Iron potts, one Iron Kettle, one dripinpane, one grediron one spitt, with Andirons & pott hangers, one warmeing pann & brass morter, as also all y^e furniture in y^e Hall as It stands (excepting 3 leather Chajres, which are Saraihs) also I giue unto my sonn 4 Napkines & the other eight to bee diuided between his sisters/ also I gaue vnto my sd sonn one Siluer Cupp a silke Twilt, & foure siluer spoones, with a Gould ring, one Chest, one deske, one Case of bottles, with 4 round bottles with a drippinpan, one great knott bowle, & too small knott dishes, 6 round trenchers, & 6 square, one fowling peece too Meale Ciues, 19 platters & bowles & trayes, but 2 3ds of them for his too sisters, as also w^t earthen ware y^r is to bee deuided, with y^e glasses between my sonn & daughter Saraih/ as also I giue unto my sonn Joseph my scarffe, with the too wodden porringers, & a Cann, with three pounds in siluer, from my daughter Saraih, or else to keepe her siluer bowle/

   It I giue unto my daughter Saraih too brass Kettles, one brass candlesticke, one brass morter, one spitt on y^e other side/ Moreouer I giue unto my daughter Saraih, one gould ring, one new feather bed prouided shee return y^t to her brother, which shee carried away with her, also one holland pillow beare, one hollane sheete, one great knott bowle, one Indean knott dish, 6 new trenchers one Iron Posnett, one sleightstoon, a Chaffine dish one table board, too boxes one baskitt/ furthermore, It is my desire y^t all my weareing Cloaths togeather with three pewter basons, fiue platters six porringers should bee diuided between my too daughters/ further I giue vnto Saraih a Cotten Ciuersid

   It I giue vnto my daughter Mary, one Copper Kettle, one brass Candlesticke, one hollane pillow beare, one ould holland sheete, one Iron Posnitte, one box/ further It is my will, that if either of my Children should die before the receipt of the afore mentioned lagaceys, then his or her part to bee deuided between the Partys, or else to y^e Party suruiueing : forthermore, I do by these Presents, make & ordajne my deare & well beloued sonn Jos : Pearce before mentioned, to bee my full whoole & onely executor, of this my last will & testament, hereby giueing & bequeathing, vnto him all y^e remayneder of my Estate, w^ch is not in this my last will & testament disposed off/

   Lastly I do appoynt my loueing frejnd Mr ffran^s Hooke to bee ouer seer of this my last will & testament, desireing of him not onely to keepe my sd will in safe costody but also after It shall please god to take mee out of this world to open it & to take care y^t each Perticular may bee Performed as neare as may bee, as alsoe to take æffectuall & speedy Care, that all my obligations bee fully satisfyd, by my executor or through his defect to make saile of the portion giuen unto him to satisfy the same, whither It bee debts y^t now I am Ingag'd, or funerall expences/ also it is my desire y^t my freind & ouer seer Mr Hooke do take Care y^t my sonn do not wast or Imbessell the sd Estate, but upon such considerations as sd Hooke shall see to his aduantage/ In witness w^rof I sd Ellner Pearce haue subscribed this my last will & testament, with my own hand, & y^runto putt my seale the day & yeare aboue written/

Signed Sealed & deliuered,    in the Presence of us whose    names are here underwritten/    Benjamen Johnson/    Hannah    Joane Bray  her Marke X  Langleigh/    ffrancis Hooke/		The marke of Ellner Pearce EP (her seale)
Sworn to by Mr Hooke & Mrs Bray 24 Jany 1675; allowed in Court 4 April 1676; recorded 6 April 1676; Inventory returned at £211: 3: 0, by Francis Hooke and John Bray appraisers 5 Jany 1675. Source: Maine Wills, 1640-1760 (Portland, Me., 1887), p. 61, citing Registry of Deeds, 5, 9.