Will of John Mason

of Maidstone, Kent

In the name of God Amen this Twenty fourth day of December One thousand seven hundred and fifteen
I John Mason of Maidstone in the County of Kent Gent[leman] doe make and ordaine this my last will and testament in writeing in manner and forme following
First I comend my Soul into the hands of Almighty God and my Body I comit to the earth to be decently interred at the discretion of my Executrix hereinafter named And as to my worldly estate I being sicke and weake in Body but of sound and perfect mind and understanding Doe give and dispose of as follows

First I give and devise unto my eldest Daughter Anne and her heires and Assignes for ever all my Messuages Farmes and Lands with thappurtences [the appurtenances] in Smarden in the said County And all my Woodlands there conteyning twenty two Acres or thereabouts except the next felling of the underwood w[hi]ch I give to my Executrix hereinafter named
And alsoe I Devise unto my said Daughter Ann and her heires All that my Messuage or Inn called The Crown & Sceptre And all my four Tenements with the Appurtences under the Cliffe And all my Messuage or Tenement with the Appurtences in Durham Yard in Maidstone All wch last menconed messuages Inn and prmisses are Scituate lying and being in Maidstone aforesaid

Alsoe I give unto my Son John Mason and his heires All that Messuage with the appurtences in the occupation of Mr. Willm Finch And all that my Messuage with the appurtences in the occupation of Mr. Lake and Joseph Browne both scituate in Maidstone aforesaid

Allso I give unto my Loveing Wife Ann and her Assignes All that my Messuage and prmisses in Maidstone wherein I now dwell to hold to her dureing her widowhood and after the determinacon of that estate I give the same to my said Son John and his heires for Ever
Alsoe I give unto my said Son John his Ex[ecut]ors Administrators and assignes All my Woodland in Hollingbourne wch I hold by Lease from the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury

Alsoe I give unto my Son Nash Mason and his heires All that my Messuage Farme Lands and prmisses called Tolbuts in Boughton Malherbe in the said County Alsoe I give unto my Son Nash all my Lands called ye Resthouse in Maidstone wch I purchased of Mr. Robt. Saunders And all my Messuage Farmes Lands and prmisses in Shorne in the said County to hold to my said Son Nash his heires and assignes for ever

Alsoe I give unto my Daughter Jane and her heires and assignes for ever All my Messuages Lands & prmisses Scituate lying and being on Gabriells Hill in Maidstone aforesaid Alsoe I give unto my said Daughter Jane and her heires all my Lands at the pound in the Occupacon of Daniell Mathews

Alsoe I give and devise unto my said Loveing wife Anne and her heires All my Lands in Maidstone in the Severall Occupacons of David Fuller and Daniell Whetland gent to be by her and them sold to pay (my) just debts Legacys and funerall expences And I doe hereby charge the Same with the payment thereof accordingly

I Doe Also give unto my two Daughters All my Jewells and Plate after the widowhood of my Loveing Wife and not before to be divided between them my said Daughters share and share alike

Alsoe I give and devise unto my said Loveing Wife All My Messuages Houses and prmisses at Battlebridge in the Parish of St. Olives Southwark in the County of Surr[e]y to hold to my said wife and her heires for Ever to be sold toward payment of my Debts Legacies and funerall expences and I Doe hereby charge the same with payment thereof Accordingly

And all the rest and residue of my personall estate I give and bequeath unto my said Loveing Wife whome I Doe hereby make my full and sole Executrix of this my last will and Testament untill my son John take and be Executor of this my will hereby revokeing all former wills by me made

In Witness whereof I have unto this my last will and Testament contained in One Sheet of (Paper) and part of another sheet of paper Set my had to the first sheet and my hand and Seale to the other sheet the twenty fourth day of Decembr 1715 aforesaid
Jno Mason

Signed sealed published and Declared by the Testator as and for his last will and Testament in the prsence of us who have Subscribed our Names in his presence And the interlineacon above menconed of a whole Line being first made
Samue Weller; Edward Badwell; Jno Nash; D. Fuller
Signed and subscribed by the abovenamed witnesses in my presence Jno Mason

Probatum fuit: 11th January 1715/16

Note: John Mason was buried at All Saints, Maidstone, Kent on 7th January 1715/16.

Transcribed by Mrs. Shelagh Mason 30th May 2022

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