Name: CHRISTOPHERMERCER1612will
Sex: M
Birth: 8 JUL 1612 in Trinity Chuch,Stepney,London,England
Death: 6 DEC 1670 in Bridgetown,Barbados,West Indies
Note:
IN THE NAME OF GOD, AMEN.
I, Christopher Mercer, being at present weake and sick in body but good and perfect memory, God Be Praised. Upon the consideration of the certainty of my mortality doe make my last will and testament and revoking, nullifying, and makeing voyd and every former will or wills, gifts or promises by me hereto fore made, done or executed any wayes relating to my temporall Estate either reall or personall, doe make this present writing and declare the same to bee and forever abide --- my last will and testament as followeth. Dated this fifth day of December in the year of our Lord, One Thousand Six Hundred and Seventy.
Imprimus - I surrender my soul unto Almighty God the giver and faithful creator of my body. I commit to the ground in faith and full assurance through Christ Jesus of the glorious resurrection.
Secondly - for my Temporall Estate be it reall estate or personall estate I will, bequeath, give and devise unto my loving wife to be hers and her assigns forever.
Thirdly - I will and give unto my sonne, Thomas Mercer, three hundred pounds of Muscovado Sugar or Forty shillings Sterling money for his portion when he shall come to this Island to receive the same. And unto my sonne, Joseph Mercer I will and bequeath three hundred pounds of like sugar or Forty Shillings Sterling money for his portion when he shall come to this island to receive the same, the which two said portions I give unto my two said sonnes to be their portions in full to each of them and each shall be barred from all other claims by any pretence whatsoever unto the provised and prebequested Estate.
Fourthly - I will and bequeath to William Hart, the sonne of Thoams Hart, four hundred pounds of Muscovado Sugar to be paid at the discretion of my Executrix herself named.
Lastly - I do nominate and make my well beloved wife, Elizabeth my sole Executrix to receive my credits, to pay my debts, to see my body in case of my mortality to be buried. To pay my legacies and after all these are done and executed, the remainder of my estate, be it reall or personall, to be and remains to and with her or her assigns forever.
In witness of this last will and testament the same I doe declare and publish in the presence of Henry Hunt, Thomas Hart and Thomas Cardew and hereunto put my hand and seal the day and year aforesaid.
Christopher Mercer
(his mark)
Henry Hunt
Thomas Cardew
Thomas Hart
By the Deputy Governor - personally appeared before me this day 18th of April, 1671,
Henry Hunt, Thomas Cardew and Thomas Hart, being sworne on the Evangelist of God, and say that they did see the above named Christopher Mercer signe seal and publish the within and above will to be his last will and Testament as it is written and that their several names and handwritings are subscribed as above for proof thereof.
Given under my hand the day and year above written.
Christopher Codrington
All the spellings and capitalization above are those of the original.
Original transcription from the files of Dixie Matheny Normandy, Greensboro, N.C.
