WILL OF JAMES VIBERT (WEBBER) OF WESTERN BAY - 1760

I, JAMES VIBERT, Newfoundland Boat-keeper of the parish of Saint Mary in the Island of Jersey considering the frailty and uncertainty of human life and that a period must one day be put thereto and being now weak of Body but of sound Memory do make and publish this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following (that is to say).

Ffirst I recommend my soul unto the hands of the Almighty God who I hope through the merits of his Dear son our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who first formed and fashioned will receive it and have Mercy on me and my Body to be buried in a decent Christian manner not in the least doubting but that at the General Resurrection it will be again Raised not an Earthly but a Heavenly Body to my everlasting satisfaction. And as touching my worldly substance wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me with, I order that all my just Debts be first paid. Next I do give and bequeath to the poor of the parish of St. Mary in the Island of Jersy Ten pounds to be paid by my Executors hereinafter named one year after my Decease. I do also give and bequeath my brother JOHN VIBERT of the parish of St. Mary aforesaid the sum of ffifteen pounds sterling to be paid by my Executors in manner aforesaid and the like sum of ffifteen pounds to my Mother in Law HESTER VIBERT of the parish aforesaid and to be paid in the like manner I do also give to my Sister HESTER VIBERT of the parish aforesaid the like sum of ffifteen pounds to be paid in the manner. I do also give to my sister ELIZABETH VIBERT the like sum of ffifteen pounds to be paid in like manner. Also I give and bequeath to my Nephew CHARLES VIBERT of the parish of St. Mary aforesaid the like sum of ffifteen pounds to be paid in the like manner as aforesaid. I do also give to my uncle PHILIP WEBBER the sum of Ten pounds to be paid as aforesaid. To my Godson NICHOLAS CHURCHILL I give ten pounds to be paid as aforesaid and also to him the said NICHOLAS CHURCHILL I give my silver watch to be delivered as aforesaid. Also I give and bequeath to my Goddaughter MARY SWEET, wife of ROBERT SWEET of WESTERN BAY Newfoundland the sum of eight pounds to be paid in manner as aforesaid. To MARY PERRY, daughter of NICHOLAS PERRY I give the sum of eight pounds and my own Bed. I also give and bequeath to MARY CURTIS, wife of WILLIAM CURTIS the sum of ffive pounds to be paid as aforesaid. And also out of pity and compassion I give and bequeath to the daughter of JOHN BAGG of CARBONEAR the child born without arms (whose Christian name I do not know) the sum of six pounds to be paid as aforesaid. 'Tis my further will and request that the sum of ffifty pounds Sterling be put to interest which sum I give and bequeath to my Godson JAMES VIBERT PERRY to be paid to him by my Executors when he arrives at the full age of Twenty one years and not to be diminished before, but in case the said JAMES VIBERT PERRY should dye before he arrives at the age of twenty one years, then the said ffifty pounds is to be equally divided betwixt my brother JOHN VIBERT's children aforesaid and the Brothers and Sisters of the said JAMES VIBERT PERRY not mentioned above. To say twenty five pounds to JOHN VIBERT's children and the other twenty five pounds to the surviving Brothers and Sisters excepting MARY PERRY as above who is not to have any share or part of this twenty five pounds of the said JAMES VIBERT PERRY which sum if he should die as aforesaid is then to be paid to the survivors at one year after my decease. Tis my further will that the interest of the said ffifty pounds bequeathed as above be laid out in cloaths for my Godson JAMES VIBERT PERRY till he arrives at the age of twenty one years. I also give to him the same JAMES VIBERT PERRY half of the New Ffishing Stage of the Western Side and a Boat Room on the Land and the meadow that is before the Cow House door and the Garden joining unto it upwards which said stage and room is to be enjoyed by him the said JAMES VIBERT PERRY immediately after my Decease, that is he is or my Executors for him to receive the Rents and profits of the same if it should be let to hire to be laid out for him the same at Interest of the ffifty pounds bequeathed as aforesaid. My further will and request is that if the said JAMES VIBERT PERRY dies before he arrives to the age of twenty one years, then the Boat Room aforesaid to return as hereinafter named. I also give and bequeath to all my Nephews in Jersy and Newfoundland also to my Nieces (except to MARY PERRY and JAMES VIBERT PERRY aforesaid) the sum of twenty shillings to be paid to each of them at one year after my Decease. I also give and bequeath to my dearly beloved WIFE MARY WEBBER, to say, the sum of three hundred pounds sterling one hundred and fifty pounds of which to be paid by MR. JOHN PIKE, Merchant in POOLE and the other one hundred and fifty by MR. CHRISTOPHER KING in WINBORN. I also give and bequeath to her the said MARY WEBBER or VIBERT all the money in my house and all the pewter that shall be found there at my Decease and the one half the stock(?) within and without doors and I also give and bequeath to her the remaining part of my ffishing room not already bequeathed and in case the said JAMES VIBERT PERRY should die before he arrives to the age of twenty one years, then the boat room bequeathed to him as aforesaid I give to my WIFE MARY WEBBER or VIBERT as aforesaid and lastly as to all the rest residue and remainder of my personal Estate Goods and Chattels of what kind or nature soever not already bequeathed I do give and bequeath to my SON-IN-LAW JOHN LE COW all which legacies and sums of money I do order to be paid to the respective legatees at the time and in the manner abovementioned by my WIFE MARY VIBERT and JOHN LE COW whom I hereby appoint my joint Executors of this my last Will and Testament, hereby revoking all former wills by me made. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this tenth day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and sixty.

JAMES VIBERT

Signed, sealed published and declared by the above named JAMES VIBERT to be his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who have hereunto subscribed our names as Witnesses in the present of the Testator and of each other

RICHARD MULLENS
JAMES THOMAS
GEO. DAVIS

Be it remembered and we also attest that in the first side of this will the word (hath) and in the second side the words (now) (before the Cow House Door) and in the last side the words (as) (e) were first underlined before the signing and sealing of the within. In Witness whereof we have again set our hands.

RICHARD MULLENS
JAMES THOMAS
GEO. DAVIS

This Will was proved at London before the Right Worshipfull Sir EDWARD SIMPSON, Knight Doctor of Laws Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted on the sixth day of Ffebruary in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and sixty two by the Oath of JOHN LE COW one of the Executors named in the said Will to whom Administration was granted of all and singular the Goods, Chattels and Credits of the Deceased he having been first sworn by Commission duly to administer power reserved of making the like Grant to MARY VIBERT, WIDOW, the relict of the deceased and the other Executor when she shall apply for the same.