Inpris I give and devise unto my wife Margret and to my Son George Mason all that my Messuage or Tenement, one barne and lodge and Close, one Garden, one Orchard and seven peices or parcells of arable and pasture Land to the same belonging, scituate lying and being in Aldington aforesaid containing nine Acres more or less, which said pr[e]misses I the said Stephen Mason purchased of John Beale, Thomas Kennard and Elizabeth Thomas, Widow, unto my said Wife Margaret halfe of the said prmisses so long as she continues a Widow
And if she shall happen to marry, then my Will and meaning is that my Son George shall pay his said Mother four pounds yearly for and during her natural Life, she allowing the Queenes Taxes for her parte, quarterly to be paid and for default of Payment to enter and distraine upon the Premisses as often as default shall be made for and during her natural Life
And after her decease I give and devise all and every the aforesaid prmisses and every part and parcell thereof unto my said Son George Mason and to his Heires forever, after my decease and the decease of my said Wife Margret
Item I give and devise unto my Daughter Mary now the wife of John Atwood of the said Parish of Aldington, Taylor one parte of a dwelling
house containing five Roomes wherein the said John Atwood now useth and liveth in with one Orchard containing nine Perches, joyneing to
the Same parte of the said House for and during their natural Lives
and after their decease I give and devise the aforesaid prmisses unto my Son James Mason and to his Heires forever
Item I give and devise unto my Son James Mason the other parte of the said dwelling house containing four Roomes, one Lodge and Close, and two peices or parcells of Arable and Pasture Land to the same belonging containing three Acres more or less unto the said Messuage belonging which aforesd. prmisses I late purchased of Mary Stoude, Widow, unto him the said James Mason and to his heires for ever after my decease
Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Margret Mason the Sume of twenty pounds of good and lawfull money of Great Britain when she shall
attaine her Age of one and twenty Yeares Provided and in Case my said Wife Margret shall then be dead, if not then my Will and
meaning is that she shall not be paid untill she shall depart this life to be paid by my Executor hereinafter named
Item I give unto my said Daughter Margret one large Chest and Box after my decease
Item I give unto my Son James Mason the Ashen Chest after my decease
Item all the rest of my moveable Goods Chattles and Cattle and household goods not before given I give and bequeath unto my Wife Margret and to my Son George Mason, they paying and discharging all my Debts Legacies Funeral Expences and the Probate of this my last Will, revoking and making void all former Wills by me made
And I make my said Wife Margret and my said Son George Mason Executrix and Executor of this my last Will to be equall in all things in the
Mannagement of the said Burden and Charge in and about the same
Item I give unto my Son James Mason one great press Cupboard now standing in that parte of the house wherein is now given to my said Son James
after my decease
I Witness whereof I the said Stephen Mason have hereunto set my hand and Seale the Day and Yeare First abovewritten
Stephen Mason his marke and Seale
In the prsence of Us whose Names are hereunto subscribed read sealed published and declared to be the
last Will and Testament of the said Stephen Mason contained in one Sheet of Paper in the prsence of:
James Simmons; John Fagg his marke; Matt. Whiting
Probatum fuit: 1st July 1710
Notes:
Stephen Mason was buried at St. Martin, Aldington Kent on 25th June 1710.
Wife Margaret Mason was buried there 6th January 1712/13.
George Mason of Aldington, Bachelor, married Margaret Wyborne of Newchurch, Widow, at St. Anthony the Martyr, Alkham, Kent on 30th May 1713.
John Atwood and daughter Mary Mason were married at Aldington on 11th December 1701.
Transcribed by Mrs. Shelagh Mason 20th May 2022
Return to Kent GenealogyWill of Stephen Mason