Last Will and Testament of Maria Carter, Spinster of Watford, 1639

Date: 1639 to 1639
Location: Watford, Hertfordshire, England
Surnames/tags: Carter Field

This is a transcription of the original will of Mary Carter held at the Hertfordshire County Record Office. She wrote her will on 13 March 1638/9 in Watford, Hertfordshire, England. Her will was proved on 17 December 1639 at St Stephen's Administration in Saint Albans, Hertfordshire, England.^[1]

Transcription conventions used in this text:

• Spelling, punctuation and line breaks are as per the original document.
• Where present, ff has been rendered as F.
• Abbreviations and breviographs have been expanded in [square brackets].
• Additions and margin notes, where they occur, have been added where indicated in the text.
• Crossings through, where they occur, have been included Struck out.
• Amendments added between the lines, when present, have been formated as ^superscript.
• The image quality was moderate to poor. The handwriting was mosty legible. There was loss of paper and text at the foot of the second page. Degradation around the edges also contributed to some of the text being illegible.

:Persons mentioned:

James, her brother and executor

Arthur, her brother

Joseph, her brother

Beniamin, her brother

Sarah Field, her aunt

Mary Carter, her cousin

[wrapper/ page 1]

T.^m Maria Carter

17 Dec 1639

[page 2]

In the name of God Amen the Thirteene Day of

March 1638 : I Mary Carter of the p[ar]ish of

Watford in the Countie of Hartford Maid doe

beeing in perfect memorie Praise bee given to allmightye

God doe make and ordaine this my last Will and

Testament in maner and forme as foloweth that is

To say first I Comitte my soule into the hands Allmighty

God my maker and Jesus Christ my redeemer: and my

boady to the earth: but as for such Goods which I have I.

despose of them as Followeth: first I Direct and apoint my

Brother James my Executor whome I give and bequeath

a Chest and two pare of sheets and three Table napkins and a pilow

beare and two peeces of pewter and A feather bed: Item I give

And bequeath to my Brother Arthur my bedsted: Item I

Give and bequeath to my Brother Joseph two pare of

Sheets three Table napkins a pillow beare and two peeces of

Pewter and a green Rugg and my best bolster and A Cittle

Item I give and bequeath unto my Brother Beniamin

Two pare of sheets Three Table napkins a pillow beare

And two peeces of pewter a flock bed and two feather pillows

And a flock bolster and a bible: Item I give to my Brother

James a darmakle ^[2] Coverlid and a pewter Candle stike Item I give

And bequeathe to my Brother Joseph six pewter spones: Item

I give unto my Brother Beniamin a beaker and a box Item

I give to my Brother Jeams ^[3] a Joyned Chare It[e]m I give and

Bequeath to my Aunt Sarah Field a stuffe savegard ^[4] and

best Cloth wastcoat and anopenn ^[5] seamd holand sheet and open

seamed pillow beare ^{& best handkertice} Item I give and bequeath unto my

Cozen Mary Carter one pewter platter: And further more

I give and bequeath unto my Brother Joseph one white

blanket And I give and bequeath unto my three brothers James

Joseph and Beniamin Tenn handkercherf with all my other

Goods unbequeathed to bee Equally divided beetweene them

I wittnes my hand and Seall the day and yeare above written

Her W mark

[bottom left]

I Further more This my Will and

meaning is that : 11^S[hillings]: which my Brother

Arthur borowed of mee h[e] [s]hould pay part

of the expenc[e] at my beariall & for all other expences

concerning my will: I Desire my brothers should

and Aunt Sarah [loss of paper at foot of page]

The mark of
N Nicholas [illegible and partially lost at foot of page]

[page 3]

Probate [in Latin] The will of Mary Carter was proved on 17 December 1639 at St Stephen Administration of all and singular the goods &c to James Cart[e]r the executor named who was sworn to well and truly &c

Sources

1. ↑ Will of Mary Carter spinster of Watford 1639 Archdeaconry of St Albans and Huntingdon. Original will held at the Hertfordshire County Record Office, ref 81AW8. Images viewable at a Family History Center Film 00803161 image 136-138 Accessed 24 January 2023
2. ↑ perhaps Damask
3. ↑ James
4. ↑ an overskirt to protect the clothes underneath Costume Historian Blog Accessed 25 January2023
5. ↑ an open