Estate of Edmund Clarke of Gloucester
Essex Probate Docket # 5424
The will of Edmund Clarke of Gloucester was proved
in the quarterly court held at Ipswich March 27, 1666. The following is a
copy of the orignal instrument on file in the probate office at Salem.
I Edmond Clerke being by Gods providence Cast upon my bed of Sicknesse &
weakenesse & not knowing how neare the time of my departure out of this
world may bee at hand doe therefore appoynet & declare this my last will
and Testament in manner following ffirst I Committ & Commend my Soule
into the hands of God the ffather of Spirits and my Body to the Grave to
be decently buried ---for my Goods and estate it is my will & I doe give
and bequeath unto my wife Agnes Clerke my House and Lands [torn] & vpland
during the time of her widdowhood wholly to injoy all the vse & profits
of the same but [torn] doth marry then it is my will & I doe hereby appoynt
& determine that Shee only have & injoy [torn] part of the Sayd Houses
& Lands during her Life But in Case that my Sonn unto who I shall give
the Sayd [torn] nd be not of age when my Sayd wife doth marry then it is
my will that shee Shall still injoy all the use & profitts of [torn]
House & Lands until hee bee of the age of twenty & one years Also
I give and bequeath unto my sayd wife the use and benefit of all the Household
Stuffe during the terme of her Life Item I give & bequeath unto my Eldest
sonn John Clerke my house & Lands both meadow & vpland three fifths
of two thirds of the Sayd Lands to have & injoy as his own proper Right
when hee Shall attayne the age of twenty & one yeares that is if he [torn]
ther doe marry as abovesayd otherwis shee to have the vse and benefitt of
all the lands as abovesayd during her ||widdowhood|| Also it is my will and
meaning & I doe hereby appoynt & declare that my Sonn John Shall
enter upon the other two fifths of two [torn] when his brother Joseph shall
attayne the Age of twenty & one yeares Item I givve & bequeath unto
my youngest son Joseph Clerke two fifths of two thirds of all the Sayd Lands
both Meadow & Upland according tothe just value & estimation &
this to be payd unto my sayd son Joseph as a Legacy the one of the Sayd two
fifths when hee shall attayne [torn] age of twenty & one years &
the other when hee shall attayne the age of twenty & two years and this
Legacy shall [torn] unto my son Joseph by his brother John Clerke out of
his estate And the abovesayd thirds of my Lands bequeathed [torn] wife during
her life after her decease I doe give & bequeath unto unto my Eldest
Sonn John provided that my sonn [torn] pay to her brother Joseph a Legacy
the Just value of two fifths out of this third in good & lawful payment
of New England
Item I give & bequeath unto my Daughter Abigail Sergeant three pounds
which Sayd Summ of three pounds I doe appoynt my Sonn John to pay thirty
five shillings & the other part viz twenty five shillings I do appoynt
my Sonn Joseph to pay & this three pounds they shall pay either to her
of her Heirs executors or Assigns in good & lawfull pay of New England
after the decease of my sayd wife their mother Also I doe give and bequeath
unto my Sayd Daughter my great Bible and same to have & injoy after my
decease And for my Cattell after my debts are payd out the remaynder I doe
give one third part tomy said wife & the other two thirds I doe give
to my two sonns abovesayd to be equally divided between them And that my
will may be performed according to the true meaning & intent thereof
I doe hereby appoynt & declare my said wife & my sonn in law william
Sergeant to bee Executor & Executresse.
In wittnesse whereof I the sayd Edmond clerke have herunto Set my hand ther
fifth day of this present Month of February Anno Dom one thousand six hundred
sixty & five.
Edmund Clarke
Subscribed in the presence of us
Sylvester Eueleigh
harlakinden Symonds
Philip Staynwood
[torn] = Torn off
Source: "The Essex Antiquarian"
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