Will of John Earle Senior Written 08 May 1750

LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF JOHN EARLE SENIOR:

In the Name of God Amen. -John Earle

The Eighth day of May in the year of our Lord God One Thousand, Seven Hundred and Fifty, I John Earle Senior Inhabitant and Planter of Lance Cove Great Bell Island Conception Bay Newfoundland being very sick and Weak in Body but of perfect mind and memory thanks be given unto God Therefore calling unto mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men are to die, I do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament that is to say principally and first of all I give and recommend my soul into the hands of God that gave it. And for my body, I recommend it to the earth to be buried in a Christian like and decent Manner at the discretion of my executors nothing doubting but at the general resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty Power of God, and as for ________ with worldly wherewith it has pleases God to bless me, in this life, I give, devise and dispose of the same in the following manner and form: Imprimus I give and bequeath unto my eldest sons wife now Mary Greeley all my right of the store(?) that is to say provisions of all sorts and all the fishing crafts and boats and skiffs and sails , two mooring seines , 2 nets and seines with all other belongings to the fishery and likewise the "Hallaure" ( Unsure of this word) of Captain Henry Pynn amounts and all other that her husband John Earle has been rewarded (?) with this year.

Likewise the money Mr. John Pike and Sons hands in England together with the use of the plantation during her life and then to fall to her sons of her first husband. Only I do refer to myself the two rooms that I now lye in and my dyet(?) the _____ the room to be my own when I please to make use of it with the use of the first place and to put a bed over it if I should have occasion. Item: I give and bequeath unto my youngest son William Earle the sum of two hundred and fifty pounds sterling. Item: I give and bequeath unto my son John's children the sum of one hundred and fifty pounds sterling to be equally divided between them. Item: I give and bequeath unto Frances Gallashue my granddaughter the sum of fifty pounds Sterling. Item: My desire and will is that after the above said are firstly and justly paid, that is to say Legacies are paid, and for whatever plus is owed to me to be equally divided according to proportion to what they have been given as above. Item: I give unto my youngest son William Earle whom I constitute and ordain my sole executor of this my last will and testament as is mentioned as above all the aforesaid Legacies I desire you to pay when you have the aforementioned of the money in England this being my last will and testament in writing whereunto I have set my hand and seal the day and date above written, Item: I give and bequeath to my son William Earle Twenty Pounds cash goods sent for out of England. Ten Pounds from Dr. Blake(?) and Ten Pounds from Mr. Hann(?). Item: I give and bequeath unto my son William one silver spoon and give Ditto to his wife. Item: I give and bequeath one silver spoon to Frances Gallashue and one each(?) for John Earles sons that is to say the two eldest, and one silver spoon for Mary Merser . John Earle signed Sealed and Delivered in the presence of us witnesses George Garland Stephen Hawkins and John Whelan

This Will was approved at London before the right worshipful George Lee __ of Laws ______ _________ or Commissionary of the Prerogative court of Canterbury Lawfully constituted on the third day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fifty one by the Oath of William Earle the sole Executor named in the said will to whom administration was granted of all and singular the goods, chattels and credits of the deceased being first sworn by commission only to administer.