The Document Chest
1639 Will of John French
Mercer
In the name of God Amen I
John French Jun[io]r
of yeavell in
the Countie of
Som[er]set
Mercer being
sicke and weake
of bodie but of
perfect memorie
thanks bee to
Almightie God
Doe make this my
Last will and
testament the
Fower and
twentith daie of
Aprill In the
Fifteenth yeare
of the raigne of
our soveraigne
Lord Charles the
grace of God
King of England
[word illegible]
one thousand six
hundred thirty
Nine in manner
and forme
following
Imprimis I
bequeath my
soule to
Almighty God my
maker that gave
it me being
fully persuaded
through the
Merritts of his
sonne Christ
Jesus my Saviour
to live in [joyes
?] everlastinge
and my bodie to
be buried in
Christian
buriall Item I
give and
bequeath unto my
Child bee it man
Child or woman
Child one
hundred Pounde
of lawfull money
of England to
bee paid by my
Executrix when
the Child Comes
to age if the
child happen to
die before it
Comes to Age
Then I give and
bequeath unto my
brother William
French Twenty
pounds of
lawfull money to
bee paid him
within three
moneths next
after the
decease of the
said Child Item
I give and
bequeath unto
the poore of
yeavell
aforesaid Tenn
shillings Item I
give and
bequeath unto
the poore of
Halstoke Tenn
shillings Item I
give and
bequeath unto my
owne mother
Twenty shillings
Item I give and
bequeath unto my
brothers and
Sisters to each
of them Twelve
pence Item I
give and
bequeath unto my
godsonne John [Pynney
?] Ten shillings
Item I give and
bequeath unto my
Sister in lawe
Elizabeth Hacker
Twelve pence
Item I give and
bequeath unto my
kinsman Gregory
Ryall Twelve
pence Item I
give and
bequeath unto my
[sonne ?] John
Ryall Twelve
pence And for
all the rest of
my goods and
chattles my
debts paid and
Legacies
discharged Item
I give and
bequeath unto my
wife Joane
French And doe
make her the
sole and only
Executrixe of
this my last
will and
Testament And to
this my Will I
desire my Father
William French
and Mr
Christopher
Abbott to bee my
Overseers and
Speciall Friends
in trust to see
all thinges
[reformed ?]
According to
this my will And
doe give to each
of them Five
shillings of
lawfull money In
Witnes whereof I
have hereunto
sett my hande
and seale the
daie and yeare
first above
written
John French
Test[ator]
John Withell
Gregory
Riall signed
John Newman Jun
Item I give unto
[word illegible]
Harding it was
forgotten of mee
to sett it above
Transcribed
by Bob Osborn
