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William Bradford2 (William1) Will

Plymouth County Probate Records, Volume II, pages 40 - 43.
Mayflower Descendant 4:143+

The Last Will & Testament of William Bradford living in the Township of Plimouth in the Province of the Massachusets Bay in New England

I the sd William Bradford being Exercised with many bodily Infirmitys which gives me cause to think the time of my dissolution to be near being of a disposeing mind & memory do make ordaine & constitute this my last will & Testament as followeth.
Impr: I Commit my soul to God my Creator & my body to the dust of the Earth to be decently buried in hopes of a glorious resurection through the meritts of my dear Redeemer the Lord Jesus Christ. As to what outward Estate it hath Pleased God to bless me with I dispose of the same as followeth my debts being all first faithfully fully & truly satisfied and paid.

Impr: my Will is that my Loving wife Mary Bradford have her thirds in my Lands & meadows where I now dwell in the Township of Plimouth as also in all my lands or meadow which I have Elce where not by me heretofore disposed of dureing her naturall life & that she have with David Bradford my son the house in which I live with the barn & orchard by it during her life & after her decease that my sd son David Bradford shall have my sd house barn & orchard to him & his heirs for ever saveing that my Will is that my sons Ephraim Bradford & Hezekiah Bradford shall have so much Interest in my sd house as to have liberty to dwell therein till they can provide for themselves otherwise.

ffurther my Will is that my wife before mentioned shall have et third part of all my goods & Chattells for her own forever together with a bed & sutable furniture to it
Item 

to my Eldest son John Bradford I have made over tracts of Lands and meadows as pr deed under my hand & seal appeareth whereon he now liveth further I give & bequeath to him my fathers manuscript viz: a Narrative of the begining of New Plimouth Pareus upon the Revelations and Barriffs Military discipline.
Item 

To my Grandson William Bradford the son of my son William Bradford-deceased I have given tracts of Land & meadow as Appear under my hand & seal further I give to him when he shall come of age one of Mr Perkins his workes.
Item 

To my son Thomas Bradford I have given a portion in Lands in Norwich (which were the Lands of my brother John Bradford) as pr: deed under my hand & seal may Appear.
Item 

To my son Samuel" Bradford I have given tracts of Land under my hand & seal as may appear;

Item to my son Joseph Bradford a portion of Lands near Norwich aforesaid (which was his Mothers & part I Purchased) as may appear under hand & seal also I give to him the history of the Netherlands, & a Rapier.

Item I Give & bequeath unto my—our sons John Bradford, Thomas Bradford, Samuel Bradford & Joseph Bradford all that my Pattent Right which I have to the head of Cape Cod.

Item I Give & bequeath to my son Samuel Bradford my right of Commonage or Common Right which I have in the Township of Duxborrough.

Item It is my Will that my sons Israel Bradford Ephraim, Bradford David Bradford & Hezekiah Bradford shall have all that my farm or tenement whereon I now dwell together with all the fences orchads trees and fruittrees [p. 41] ffruittrees (Except what is above Excepted) standing or growing thereon wth all other Lands meadows swamps or right of lands that I now have within the Township of Plimouth lying on the Northerly side of the brooke Commonly called stony brooke with all & singuler the previledges thereof which sd lands meadows farme or tenement abovesd I do by these presents give bequeath & demise to my sd four sons, (that is to say Each of them an Equal part or proportion) to them & their heirs for ever not to be sold given or made away either the whole or any part thereof Except to Each other or some bearing the name of the Bradfords decended from me this I give & bequeath to them hoping they will show themselves very Carfull of dutifull & Respectfull to my Loving wife their mother dureing her life.

Item It is my will that whereas my son Israel Bradford hath been at charge in building an house upon part of the aforesd farm or tenement that he the sd Israel shall have & Enjoy the sd house for his own together with an acre of land thereunto Adjoining to him & his heirs forever.

Item I will & bequeath to my sd son Israel Bradford my belt & Rapier.

Item I Give to my son Ephraim Bradford one of my musquetts & a table with drawrs.

Item I Give to my son David Bradford my silver Bowl after his mothers decease not to be Alienated from the family of the Bradfords.

item I Give to my son Hezekiah Bradford my gold ring & a silver spoone.

Item I Give to my Grandson John Bradford, Dr Willets works on Gensis & Exodus.

Item I Give to my Grandson William Bradford the son of John Bradford my silver wine Cup when he Comes of age.

Item I Give to my daughter Mercy Steel Hannah Riply Melatiah Steel Mary Hunt to Each of them beside what portion I have already given ten shillings a peice to be paid within a year next after my decease
Item I Give & bequeath to my daughter Alce Fitch a wrought Cushion that was her Mothers.

Item I Give unto my daughter Sarah Baker two of my biggest pewter platters & also a China bason. Also a Cow to be delivered to her within a year after my decease.
Item I Give unto my son Samuel Bradford all my Lattin bookes, to Encourage him in bringing up one of his sons to Learning which said bookes it is my Will that they shall by him be given to his sd son whom he shall so bring up.

Item I Give to Every one of Daughters a good booke which they may chose out of my Liberary.

Item I Give to hannah the wife of my son Samuel Bradford mr Borroughs upon the Eleventh of Mathew.

Item It is my will that the rest of my bookes be safely keept by my Executors & In Case my son Samuel shall bring up one of his sons to Learning to be by sd Executors delivered to him when he Comes of age.

I do Constitute & Appoint my Loving sons John Bradford Samuel Bradford & Israel Bradford as Executors of this my last Will & Testament to pay such debts as I owe, to Receive my dues and to see my body decently buried, to defray the charge thereof, And to see my will (as near as they can) in all the perticulers of it performed, thus hopeing that they will faithfully perform such a trust Committed unto them I do Revoke & make void any former will by me at any time heretofore made. I the sd [p. 42] I the said William Bradford have hereunto set my hand & seal this twenty ninth day of June one thousand seven hundred & three 1703
Signed Sealed & Declared to be William Bradford (Seal)
his Last Will and Testament
In presents of us
John Rogers
Thomas Loring
Ephraim Little Jur:

Memorand: That on the 10th day of March Annoq: Dom: 1703 the above named Ephraim Little & Thomas Loring two of the witnesses to this Instrumt: made oath that they were present with Major Wm: Bradford late deceased & saw him signe & seal & heard him declare this Instrument to be his last will & Testament & that he was then of a disposing mind & memory to the best of their Judgments And on the 29th day of the same month of march the above named John Rogers the other Witness above named made oath to the same before me.
Nathaniel Thomas Judge of Probates
Pli: ss: Nathaniel Thomas Esq: Appointed & Comisionated Judge of the Probate of Wills & Granting letters of administration &c: to all unto whome these presents shall Come Greeting Know yea that on the twenty ninth day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & four Before me at Plimouth in the County of Plimouth the Will of Major William Bradford late of Plimouth aforesd deceased to these presents annexed was proved approved & allowed who haveing whilst he lived & at the time of his death Goods Chattels Rights or Creditts in the County aforesd, And the Probate of the sd will & power of Comitting administration of all & singuler the Goods Chattels Rights & Creditts of the sd deceased & also the hearing Examining & allowing the accompts of the same by virtue thereof Appertaining unto me The administration of all the goods Chattels Rights & Creditts of the sd deceased & his will in any manner Concerning is hereby Comitted unto John Bradford Samuel Bradford & Israel—Bradford sons of the sd Deceased & Joynt Executors in the same Will named well & faithfully to Execute the sd will and to administer the Estate of the sd deceased according thereunto & to make a true & perfect Inventory of all & singuler the goods Chattels Rights & Creditts of the said deceased & to Exhibett the same into the Registry of the Court of Probate for the County aforesd at or before the twenty third day of June next Ensueing, & also to Render a plain & true accompt of their sd administration upon oath, In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & the Seal of the said Court of Probate, Dated at Plimouth aforesd the day & year first above written. 

Nathaniel Thomas Register Nathaniel Thomas
Plimouth february 28 1703 

The Inventory of the Estate of Major William Bradford deceased taken & apprized by Us the Subscribers.