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Edward Winslow Will

MD 4:1+

GEB: The will of Governor Edward Winslow, which is preserved at Somerset House, London, is one of the three existing original wills of Mayflower passengers. The others are Mary (Chilton) Winslow's and Peregrine White's

No mention of Governor Winslow's death is found on the Plymouth Colony records, and we learn the date from Nathaniel Morton's New England's Memorial, under the year 1655:

[Thomas Prince's copy of the first edition (1669)] 

"This year that Worthy and Honourable Gentleman Mr. Edward Winslow deceased; of whom I have had occasion to make honourable mention formerly in this Discourse. He was the Son of Edward Winslow Esq; of the Town of Draughtwich* in the County of Worcester: He travelling into the Low-Countreys, in his Journeys fell into acquaintance with the Church of Leyden in Holland, unto whom he joyned, and with whom he continued until they parted to come into New-England, he coming with that part that came first over, and became a very worthy and useful Instrument amongst them, both in the place of Government and otherwise, until his last Voyage for England, being sent on special Imployment for the Government of the Massachusets, as is forementioned in this Book; and afterwards was imployed as one of the grand Commissioners in that unhappy Design against Domingo in Hispaniola, who taking grief for the ill success of that Enterprize; on which, together with some other Infirmities that were upon him, he fell sick at Sea betwixt Domingo and Jamaica, and died the eighth day of May, which was about the Sixty first year of his life, and his Body was honourably committed to the Sea, with the usual Solemnity of the Discharge of Fourty two Piece of Ordnance."
* Droitwich.

I Edward Winslowe of London. Esquior. being now bound in a voyage to sea in the service of the comon welth do make publish & declare this to be my last will & testamt touching the disposing of my estate. ffirst I doe give will devise & bequeath all my lands & stock. in New England & all my possibilities & porcons in future allotm'S & divicons to Josia my. onely sonne & his heires, hee allowing to my wife. a full third parte thereof for her life Also. I give to the poore of the Church of Plymouth in new England Tenn pounds. & to the poore of marshfielde where the chiefest of my estate lyes Tenn pounds., Also I give my lynnen wch I carry wth me to sea. to my daughter Elizabeth & the rest of. my goods wch I carry wth mee I give to my sonn Josias. hee giving to. each of my brothers a suite of apparell. & I make my said son. Josias my executor of this my will, and Colonell venables my overseer of my goods in the voyage. & my fower frends Dr Edmond wilson; mr John Arthur. mr James Shirley & mr Richard ffloyde overseers for the rest of my prsonall estate in England