First I give my loving Mother Mrs MARY MATSON my dwelling house with all the appurtenances during her naturall life she keeping the same in good repaire and paying the Legacy to the Poor of St. James settled to be paid out of it by my Father for five yeares only which I continue on it forever.
And after the decease of my Mother I give the same houses to my Brothers DANIEL MATSON and NATHANIEL MATSON and their heirs forever they discharging the Legacies to the Poor abovesaid.
Also I doe give to my said Mother DANIEL and NATHANIEL MATSON equally between them my share which is half of all the household goods as well as that which came to me from my Brother ROBERT MATSON and what was my own before.
Item I doe give to my Brother CHRISTOPHER MATSON the sume of tenn pounds sterling.
To my Brother NICHOLAS MATSON one hundred pounds sterling payable a year after my decease.
Also one hundred pounds or by affirmation one twentieth part in the Manor of Soulton that I lately bought of him and
also one tenth part of the Coprose Works at Folkestone which is the halfe of my share there.
To my Brother HENRY MATSON one hundred pounds sterling payable a year after my decease.
Also the house called The Golden Lyon now in the possession of DAVID LECANDLE together with the stable at Lime
Kills lately annexed to it. And also my residue of Interest in the Coprose Work being one fifth part.
To my Brother in Law Mr. JAMES HOUSEMAN and his Wife my Sister tenn pounds sterling apiece.
And I doe give to my Nephew their Sonne JAMES thirty pounds to be paid in six months after my decease.
And I doe give to my Nephew JAMES MATSON one hundred pounds sterling to be disposed of and paid by my Executors or their Survivors about placing him out to a Trade or in such manner or at such time as my Executors shall think fitt for his best advantage.
Item I give to ROBERT ROOTS five pounds sterling
Item I give to ELIZABETH YOUNG five pounds sterling
Item I doe give to the Poor of the Towne of Dover the sume of tenn pounds sterling to be distributed at the discretion of my Executors.
And all the Rest and Residue of my Estate both Reall and Personall whatsoever hereby not before disposed of I doe give and devise the same to my dear Mother MARY MATSON and to my said Brothers DANIEL and NATHANIEL MATSON.
And I doe make my said Mother and my two Brothers DANIEL and NATHANIEL MATSON joint Executors of this my last Will and Testament.
I acknowledge I have in this my Will bequeathed little to my Brother CHRISTOPHER nor so fully to others as I might but I desire my Executors and I trust they will distribute such part as they shall think fitt of what I leave to them to my Brother CHRISTOPHER or any of my other Brothers without naming any or to my Nephew JAMES MATSON such proportion as they in their discretion shall think their necessities or occasion shall require and can be conveniently spared to them.
In Witness whereof I have set my hand and Seale this 19th Day of November in the year of Our Lord Christ 1698 JOHN MATSON
Signed Sealed and published in the presence of
THOM. MONINS - ROBERT ROOTS
Probate 15 Jul 1700
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