Will of Edward Bates:


"I, Edward Bate, being through the great Decay and disease of old age apprehensive of my mortality and being of perfect memory and a disposing mind Do make this my last will and Testament as it followeth.  First I Do humbly and hopefully give up myself unto God my heavenly father through Jesus Christ his Son my only Saviour in whome through grace I believe for eternal life and Salvation and upon whome I wait instantly for an entrance into the Everlasting Heavenly Kingdom, adoreing that infinite Grace through which notwithstanding my Exceeding great unworthyness I have obtained this hope of Salvation. I Do also commit and commend my Dear Wife and Children unto the saving grace of God in Christ Jesus, according to his everlasting Covenant.

Concerning my worldly Estate my will is that my funerall Expenses being discharged and all my Lawfull Debts duly paid; my beloved wife Susanna Bate shall gave the sole use and improvement of my whole Estate during her natural life for the comfortable maintenance of herself and of my impotent [weak] daughter Jehoshabeath and I do desire her to use her best discretion for the management of it So that the yearly revenue of it may be sufficient Supply unto them which if it will not be then my will is that with the advice and Consent of my overseers hereafter nominated she shall have the liberty and power to Sell such a part of my Estate as may be necessary Subsistance with as little Dammage as may be to my Sons who shall survive.

I Do give unto my grandchild John Bate tenn pounds and I Do give unto my grandchild Patience five pounds, and I Do give unto my grandchild James Stuart that parcell of salt marsh lying and being near unto Hingham brook adjoyning to the Land of Stephen French, and I give unto all the rest of my Grand children who shall be surviving at my decease to each of them Severally fourty shill.  the above given parcell of Salt marsh shall be to the use and improvement of my Daughter Anna Stuard during her natural life and after her decease unto the said James Stuart as before. I give to my son Roger Six pounds and I Do by this my will confirme unto him my former gift of my Common Lott in the first Division of him and his heirs forever. I Do give and bequeath the remainder of my whole Estate after my wife's Decease unto my two sons Increase and Edward Bates unto them and their heirs forever; my will is that my upland between them as followeth, that is that a dividing line be made from the pond a little to the westward of my son Edward's house by the division drawne out of the sd Pond which shall run Eastward through the Mill River and crosse the midst of that Lott commonly Called Doggetts Lott unto the fresh meadow lying upon Hingham line and my will is that all my upland lying above the sd Dividing line to the Southward next unto the woods below the house of John Whitmarsh Junr shall be unto my son Increase and his heirs forever, and that all my upland lying below the sd dividing line to the northward next unto the Salt water with the Orchard shall be unto my son Edward and his heirs forever, further my will the remainder of my upland and meadow both Salt and fresh shall be equally divided between them my sd heirs and that the Mill and whatever other estate of mine shall be left after my wife's decease shall be also equally divided between them they paying all the above given legacies immediately after my Decease: provide always and it is my will that no part of my Land meadow or mill shall be sold after my wife's decease by either of my sons or any of their heirs during my impotent daughter Jehoshabeath's life, but I Do hereby ingage it in their hands for her comfortable maintenance during her life most Solemnly charging them in the fear of God to have a tender care of her and faithfully to discharge their trust which I their dying father Do repose in them.

Finally I Do appoint my beloved wife Susanna to be Executrix and my Sons Increase and Edward together with her of this my last will and testament Also it is my will and I Do request that my beloved son John Rogers together with Mr. Samuel Torrey to be overseers to see this my will be performed according unto the true intent and meaning thereof and I Do hereby revoke all other and former wills Declaring this to be my last will and Testament.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 22d day of October, 1683.

The mark of X

Edward [E. B.] Bate

Published, signed and sealed this day and year above written in presence of: after the words (below the house William Chard. of John Whitmarsh Junr) inter - Samuel Humphrey. lined in the 37 line.

William Chard and Samuel Humphrey made oath that they were present and saw Edward Bate sign and seal and publish this instrument to be his last will and testament and that when he so did he was of sound mind and Memory to their best understanding.

July 22, 1686."

The inventory of his estate, presented 06 April 1686, calls him "Elder of the church in Weymouth."