Will of Edward Dowsett of Sawbridgeworth 1681

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]

This is a transcription of the original will of [[Edward Dowsett Senior]], yeoman of "Sabridgworth" (Sawbridgeworth) Hertfordshire, England. The original is held at the Essex County Record Office. ^[1]
Edward wrote his will on 29 May 1681 He appointed his wife Elizabeth as his executor.
The will was proved at the Commissary Court of the Bishop of London on 11 November 1861.

Spelling, punctuation and line breaks as per the original
Paragraph breaks and bold text are my own for ease of reading
ff has been rendered as F, and ligatures and abbreviations have been expanded in [square brackets]

Persons mentioned:

• Elizabeth his wife
• John his son
• Edward his son under the age of 21 years
• Mary his daughter
• Sarah his daughter
• Hester his daughter

In ye name of God Amen I Edward Dowsett of Sabridgworth in ye County
of Hertf: yoman being sicke & weake of body bur of p[er]fect & sound minde & memory
(thankes be given to Almighty God) doe make & ordeyne this my last will &
Testam[en]t in manner & ^[2] following First I give & bequeath my Soule into ye
hands of Almighty God my Creator & maker hopeing assuredly through ye
meritts death & passion of Jesus Christ my Saviour & Redeemer to have
full & free pardon & remission of all my sinnes & offences & my body to
ye earth to be decently buryed at ye discression of my Executrix hereafter
named And as for th[a]t p[or]con of worldly goods which it have pleased God to bestow
upon me I give and bequeath as followeth Impr[imis] I give & bequeath unto
Elizabeth my welbeloved wife my Messuage or Tenem[en]t in Sabridgworth afores[ai]d
with there app[u]rten[a]nc[e]s for & during ye tearme of her natarall life And after
her decease I give my said Messuage& Freehould lands unto John Dowsett
my Sonne & his heires forev[er]

Item I give & bequeath unto Edward Dowsett
my Sonne & his heires forev[er] my close of land called Houlstock (being Coppyhould
conteyning three acres And my will & meaning is th[a]t Elizabeth my wife shalbe
Gardian to my said Sonne & receive & have ye p[ro]fitts of my said close of Coppyhould
lands until my said sonne shall come to ye age of one & Twenty yeares
towards ye bringing up of my children

Item I give & bequeath my Coppyhould
land lying in Auldick conteyning five Roodes more or lesse unto Mary
Sarah and Hester Dowsett my three daughters & there heires foreal

Item
all ye rest of goods & Chattles whatsoev[er]my debts & funerall charges being
paid & satisfied I give & bequeath unto Elizabeth my wife whome I
make sole Executrix of this my last will & Testam[en]t In witness whereof I
ye said Edward Dowsett have caused this my will to be written & have hereonto
sett my hand & seale this nyne & twentyth day of May in ye three & thirtyeth
yeare of the Raigne of our Sovaigne Lord Charles ye Second King of England
&c Annoq D[o]m[ini] 1681 And have declared & published this to be my last will
& Testam[en]t in ye pr[e]sence of
Nat: Waller:
John Stanes [his mark]
John Isaac [his mark]

Signed Edward Dowsett [his mark] [seal]

Probate granted on 11 November 1681