Will of James COCKE, mariner of Northam, Devon

Written 1700, Proved 7^th June 1700

North Devon Record Office, ref: 1843A/PF 93

Transcribed by David Carter 2017

I James Cocke of Northam in the Countie of Devon mariner, being weake in bodye butt of sound and p[er]fect minde and memory praise be therfore given to Almightie God. I doe make & ordaine this my last will and testament in manner & forme following (that is to say) first & principally I commend my soul into the hands of almightie God my maker hopeing through the meritorious death & passion of Jesus Christ my onely Saviour & redeemer to have full & free pardon & forgiveness of all my sinns & to inherritt everlasting life, and my bodie I committ to the earth to be decently buried in Christian burial, and as touching the willing & bequeathing of all such temporall estate goods & chattels as it hath pleased Almightie God in mercye to bestowe upon me, I give & devise the same in manner & forme following.

I give & bequeath unto Mr James Watson vicar of the p[ar]ish of Northam aforesaid two pieces of brand(?) gold for my Christian like buriall,

I give & devise unto the poor of the p[ar]ish of Northam aforesaid the sum of two hundred pounds yearly to be lent out at interest [torn] to be bestowed in an estate by my overseers or trustees hereafter [torn] as they shall think most convenient for the said poores advantage, and that the issues & profits thereof shall be yearly distributed unto the poore widdows & fatherless children of the foresaid p[ar]ish of Northam by my overseers or trustees hereafter named during theire natturall lives & every of them longest living, and after theire decease, then my will & meaning is, And I doe hereby ord[e]r & ordaine that the said issues & proffitts thereof shall be yearly distributed unto the said poore widdows & fatherless children by the overseers of the poore of the p[ar]ish of Northam aforesaid for the time being.

Whereas my brother Arthur Hacch late of Northam aforesaid deceased & Thomas Hacch his sonn stand indebted to me in two obligations the sum of two hundred pounds I doe hereby acquit & discharge them & every of them off & from the said bonds or writings obligatory & the severall sums of moneys therein mentioned, And desire that the said bonds may be delivered up to the said Thomas Hacch to be cancelled upon & after my decease.

I give & bequeath unto the six children of the said Arthur Hacch the sum of tenn pounds a piece.

I give & bequeath unto George Cooper my late servant the sum of five pounds.

I give & bequeath unto Joseph Trevithvan the sum of three pounds & tenn shillings.

I give & bequeath unto Joane Nash widdowe the sum of five pounds.

I give & bequeath unto Martha Nickolls my late servant the summ of five pounds.

I give & bequeath unto the two daughters of Peter Benson [torn] in the sum of fourtie shillings a piece.

All the rest & residue of my p[er]sonall estate goods chattels moneys & plate not before given & bequeathed I give & devise unto my brother & sister Mark Cocke & Elizabeth Langdon whome I make joint executors of this my last will & testament.

And I doe hereby revoke disanull & make voyd all other wills & testaments by me heretofore made.

And I desire and appoynt my true & well beloved friends Mr Thomas [torn] the eld[e]r and William Limbery both of the p[ar]ish aforesaid to be the overseers or trustees to see this my lat will & testament p[er]formed.

And for their charge & trouble wh[torn] shall be in the same I give & bequeath unto each of them the sum of fourtie shillings a piece.

In witness whereof I have hereuto sett my hand & seal the third day of April in the twelvth yeare of the reigne of our soverigne Lord William the Third by the Grace of God of England Scotland France & Ireland King defend[e]r of the faith etc.

Annogh Dom[ini] 1700. James Cocke.

Signed, sealed & published in the p[re]sence of Richard Reese, Thomas Harris, Sara Stoot.

Proved at Barnstaple 7th June 1700.

[James COCKE as buried at Northam, 22 May 1700]

(taken from original document in North Devon Record Office, ref: 1843A/PF 93)