The will of John Batten dated 1759
In the name of God Amen. I John Batten Senior of Chatham in the County of Kent Shipwright being in bodily health and sound disposing mind do publish and declare this to be my last will and testament First I commend my soul to God that gave it and my body I commit to the earth to be interred in a decent manner. Next I will and bequeath my son Jno. Batten the sum of two hundred and ten pounds and one silver Tankard. Next I will and bequeath to my daughter Mary Batten the sum of two hundred and fifty pounds. Next I will and bequeath to my son Edward Batten the sum of two hundred and ten pounds. Likewise to my daughter Mary Batten I will and bequeath all my household furniture linen and woollen. Likewise to my son Jno. Batten and my son Edward Batten I will and bequeath all my wearing apparel smooth and woollen to be equally divided between them. Likewise my will is that all the profits arising from my servant in Chatham yard to be equally divided between my son Jno. Batten and my son Edward Batten and my daughter Mary Batten. And after a decent interrment of my body my will is that all moneys that shall remain over and above said legacies shall be equally divided between my son John , Edward and Mary Batten. I do hereby ordain and ratify this to be my last will and testament and do hereby appoint and nominate my son Jon. Batten Edward Batten and Mary Batten to be joint executors to this my last will and testament to see it executed in six months after date if it can be done with conveniency. I do hereby renounce all other wills testaments goods of gift. In witness thereof to this said will I have set my hand and seal this thirteenth day of August 1759 and in the ______ year of the reign of his majesty King George the second over Great Britain Jno. Batten senior. Signed sealed and delivered in the presence of Jno. Joyer
10th Day of May 1760. Appeared personally John Pearne of the parish of Saint George in the East in the County of Middlesex Sailmaker and being sworn on the Holy Evangelists to depose the truth and depose as follows to wit that he hath known and been well acquainted with John Batten Senior of the town of Chatham in the county of Kent deceased for forty years and upwards before and to the time of his death and with his manner and chararter of handwriting having often seen him write and subscribe his name and those? John Pearne having carefully viewed and perused the paper hereunto annexed purporting to be the last will and testament of the said deceased beginning thus “In the name of God Amen I Jno. Batten Senior of Chatham in the county of Kent Shipwright“ and ending thus “ In witness whereof to this said will I have set my hand and seal this thirteenth day August 1759 in ________ year of the reign of his majesty King George the second over Great Britain “ and thus subscribed Jno. Batten Senior both in his conscience verily believe that all the said will bearing the name “ Jno. Joyer” thereto subscribed as of witness “and also the subscription thereto Jno. Batten Senior and also the words signed sealed delivered in the presence of “ was and is all of the proper handwriting of him the said John Batten Senior deceased. John Pearne. The day aforesaid the said John Pearne was sworn on the truth of the promises before me Geo. Harris surrogate, Edrd. Goodwin prost. pub.
This will was proved at London the fourth day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and sixty before the Worshipful George Davis Doctor of Laws and surrogate of the Right Worshipful Sir Edward Simpson also Doctor of Laws master keeper or commissary of the prerogative court of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the oaths of John Batten and Edward Batten the sons of the deceased and two of the executors named in the said will to whom administration was granted of all and singular the goods chattels and credits of the said deceased they having been first sworn duly to administer. Power reserved to make the like grant to Mary Batten Spinster the daughter of the said deceased and other executor when she shall apply for the same.
Transcribed by A Cross 2017
Note
Punctuation has been added for clarity.
The spaces for the year of the reign of George II has been left blank as in the original.