Where There’s a Will There’s a Way

A few years ago, I bought an old will in an antique store and recently battled through the handwriting and old English to translate it.  It was so interesting that it forced me to write a poem about it.  More about the poem later; for now, I set forth below a will written by an illiterate but wealthy Cape Cod farmer in 1745.

TEXT OF WILL FOLLOWS:

In the name of God amen.  The tenth day of June, 1745

I Nathanell House* of Yarmouth in the County of Barnstable and Province Of the Massachusetts Bay In New England Yeoman, being of Perfect Memory & Remembrance, Praised be God do make and ordain this my Last Will and Testament in Manner and Form following viz—-

First I bequeath my soul into the hand of almighty God my maker, hoping through the meritorious death and passion of Jesus Christ my only Saviour & Redeemer to receive free pardon and forgiveness of all my sins; and as for my body to be buried in Christian burial at the direction of my executors hereafter nominated——

Imprimes I give and bequeath to my dearly beloved wife Esther House the great room of my dwelling  ??????????????????? naturall life and the privilege of the one half orchard by my will is that my two sons Nathaniel House and Zacheus House whom I make and ordain my sole executors; that they shall pay out yearly to my said wife Esther House sixteen bushell of grain, to pay ten bushell of good Indian corn & four bushell of rye and two bushell of wheat yearly during her naturall life and keep my said wife a good cow sumer and winter during her life and find my wife sufficient firewood during her life and to provide and keep her a good hogg well fatted for her yearly  during her life.  Item.  I give unto my well beloved daughter  Hannah Seares fifteen pounds in the old tenner** to be paid to her out of my moveable estate.  Item. I give unto my daughter Rebecca Hall fifteen pounds in the old tenner to be paid to her out of my moveable estate. Item. I give unto my daughter Esther House eighty pounds in the old tenner to be paid to her out of my moveable estate and my will is that my daughter Esther House  shall have the privilege of my Great Chamber for as long as she lives ????? and cut  ???? firewood as necessary for her to live of off my wood lotts as long as she lives unmarried. Item. I gave unto my Grand Son Nathanell Sears one new Bible.  Item  I give unto my Grand Son Nathanell Hall one new Bible.  Item I gave unto my two sons Nathanell House and Zacheus House  all of my lands and meddows and cedar swamps and buildings except what I have disposed of already in this within written will with all my moveable estate to be divided  equally between my two sons Nathanell House and Zacheus House to them and their heirs and asignes for ever on condition that they pay all my just debts and legacies as my executors to this my last will and testament.  Revoking all other wills and testaments.

his

For witness where of I have hear unto set my hand.  Nathanell  House

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In presants of us

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Roger 0 Robins

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Joseph House 3d [signature]

Joseph Slaple (sp?) [signature]

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• It is likely the family name was, or came to be, “Howes” and not House, based on genealogical records much later gathered. The original calligraphy appears to be a poor rendition of “House” and I have chosen to leave that name in honor of my initial enthusiasm for my discovery of Mr. “House’s” will.
• Originally I had assumed this was an archaic spelling of the word “tender.” According to my son Charles’ research, it is a reference to the “old” English ten pound monetary unit (distinguished from the more current Colonial version).  It may be that in fact our current usage (“tender”) is in fact derived in the same fashion, but I leave the pursuit of that detail to others; it has been hard enough to get this far.

Apparent mis-spellings appear in the original.  I do not know if those spellings were correct for the time, or if the scribe was in error.