Will of James Mason

of Deal, Kent

In the Name of God Amen I James Mason of Deale in the County of Kent Brewer being aged (but of sound and perfect mind and memory) and considering the uncertainty of this Life Doe make and declare this my last will and Testament in manner following
First I comend my Soul unto Almighty God my maker and my Body to the earth from whence it is And as for my worldly estate I give and bequeath all the same as followeth (That is to say)

From and after payment and discharge of my just debts Legacies and funerall charges and charges of Probate of this my will I doe order and my express will is that my Wife Esther shall have and enjoy to her owne use All the rents (and) profitts of (my) Messuages wheresoever, and the use of all my Go(ods), Chattells and householdstuff whatsoever during the terme (of) her naturall Life is she continue a widow, but if my said w(ife) shall marry after my Decease then I give her the sume of t.... pounds out of my estate and no more

Item I give devise and bequeath unto my said Wife Esther and to her heires and As(signs) for Ever All that my Messuage and pr[e]misses with the appurt[enance]s scituate and being at Ashford in the said County of Kent in a place there called Marsh Lane and in the occupation of Goodw.. Batchelor or his Assigns
And my will is that my said Wife doe sell the same Messuage and prmisses for the payment (of) my debts if she shall find Occasion for the same but in Case (my) said Wife shall not sell the said Messuage and prmisses as alsoe as aforesaid then my will is that my said wife shall give or cause? the said Messuage and prmisses to my Daughter Rebecca Bromley and to her heires for Ever (to be enjoyd after my said Wives Decease)

Item I give to my said Daughter Rebecca Bromley and to her Husband a Guiney of Gold a peice

Item I give and bequeath unto my Daughters Mary Gunnell, widow and Sar(ah) Mason, Spinster and to their Ex[ecut]ors, Administrators and Assigns, All my Messuage, Buildings and prmisses in Deale aforesaid in my occupation being Leasehold estate under the Lord Arch Bishop of Canterbury And alsoe my goods Chattells moveables and all other my personall estate whatsoever equally to be devided between them (my said Wife Esther Receiving and enjoying the rents and profits thereof and haveing the (rents) and profit of my said personall estate during her Life if? she doe not marry as aforesaid

And my will is that in Case (any) of my said Daughters Mary and Sarah shall dye before the ... leaveing no Child or Children, then I give the part of my estate hereby given to her so dying unto the Survivor of them, her Exors., Adm[inistrat]ors and Assignes Provided allways and my will is and I hereby give power to my said Wife Esther to sell part of my personall estate for the payment of my Rents as [she] shall think fitt

Item I make ordaine and appoint my said W(ife) Esther and my said Daughter Sarah joint Executors of this my will
And Revokeing All former wills by me made I make (and) declare this only for my true and last will and Testament contained in this present sheet of written paper

In Witness whereof I the said James Mason have hereunto sett my h(and) and Seale the First day of December Anno Dom. 1751 (And in) the second yeare of the Reign of Our Sovereign Lord George K(ing) of Great Britain &c.
The mark of the said James Mason

(Signed) Sealed published and declared by the said James Mason the Testator for and as his last will and Testament on the Day (of) the Date thereof in the prsence of the said
Maria Simons; Joseph Iggulden; John Taylor, Not[ary] Pub[lic]

Probatum fuit: 14th January 1715/16

Notes:
James Mason was buried at St. Leonard, Deal, Kent on 5th January 1715/16.
Daughter Rebecca Mason married William Brumley [Bromley], Mariner, both of Deal on 27th December 1705 at St. Mary the Virgin, Ripple (near Deal).
Daughter Mary Mason married Benjamin Gunnell on 9th September 1708 at St. Leonard’s, Deal.
Licence: Mason, James, of Deal, Baker, Ba., 30, and Hesther Claringbould of Sutton n[ear] Dover, spr., 27. At St. Paul, Cant[erbury]. Stephen Bax of Deal, Cordwainer, Bonds. Dec. 30, 1680.

Transcribed by Mrs. Shelagh Mason 23rd May 2022

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