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Durham Probate Records
In
the name of God Amen the thirteenth day of Decembr Anno Domini 1680 I
John Hett of Elwicke in the County Palatine of Durham yeoman being sick
in Body but of sound & pfect memory thanks be to Almighty God, and
calling to remembrance the uncertain state of this transitory life, and
that all flesh must yield unto death when it shall please God to call,
doe make ordaine constitute & declare this my Last Will &
Testament in manner & forme following in manner & forme
following (sic) revoaking & adnulling by these prsents all &
every other testamt & testaments Will & wills by me heretofore
made & declared either by word or writeing: And this is to be taken
only for my last Will & testamt & none other: And first being
penitent & sorry from the bottome of my heart for my sins past,
most humbly desireing forgiveness for the same, I give & commit my
soule unto Almighty God my Saviour & Redeemer in whom, and by the
meritts of Jesus Christ I trust & believe assuredly to be saved
& to have full remission & forgiveness of all my sins; and that
my soul with my body at the general day of Resurrection shall rise
again wth joy & through the meritts of Christs death & passion
possess & inherit the kingdom of Heaven. And now for the settleing
my temporal Estate & such goods Chattles & debts as it hath
pleased God to bestow upon me; I doe order give & dispose the same
in manner & forme following (that is to say)
First I will that all those debts & duties as I owe in right or conscience to any maner of pson or psons whatsoever shall be well & truly contented & paid or ordained to be paid within convenient time after my decease by my Executor herein & hereafter named.
Item I give unto my son William Hett one close of meadow on ye back syde of Mary Turbats called & knowne by the name of Alley Harrisons Close hee the sayd William Hett paying fifty pounds lawful money unto his two sisters Mary Hett & Elizabeth Hett to be equally divided betwixt them & payd unto them two yeares after my decease.
All the rest of my goods chattells & creditts I give unto my sayd sons William Hett & Thomas Hett whom I make my Executors jointly of this my Last Will & Testament & ordain & appoint that they shall pay unto their two sistrs Ten pounds a piece out of my sayd goods Chattells & creditts the rest to be equally divided between my sayd sons William & Thomas
In
Witness whereof I have hereunto sett my hand & seale but before the
reading sealing & declaring of this my will I having omitted the
house hold stuffe I doe give & bequeath all the household stuffe as
pewter cubbords & bedding woolen & linen to be equally divided
betwixt my sayd two daughters Mary & Elizabeth & one house on
the west end of my seate for the space of Ten yeares if they have
occasion for it so long
John Hett
Read declared signed & sealed in the psence of us after the addition of the disposall of the household stuffe &c
Thomas Hett jur
Thomas Corner jur
Wm Sistrsonn
transcript Dave King, published 23.5.2009