William Dowbiggin
In the Name of God Amen
This is the last Will and Testament of me William Dowbiggin of the parish of St. Botolph Aldersgate Citizen and Innholder of London First in all humility I resign my Soul to Almighty God my Creator in whose mercy and through the Merits and Mediation of Jesus Christ my Saviour and Redeemer I humbly hope for pardon of my Sins and to enjoy life everlasting my body in hopes of a joyfull Resurrection I remitt to the Earth to be buried in a Christian and decent manner the care and management whereof I leave to my Executors hereinafter named And as to such debts as are now (resting?) due and owing to me by my Father Lawrence Dowbiggin whether the same be upon account of money lent him or Goods bought for his use My Will is and I doe hereby forgive and discharge him thereof And that he shall be noe ways accountable to my Executors for the same my Will and Desire is alsoe that all my just debts that I shall happen to owe or be indebted at the time of my death be duly paid and discharged and in a very particular manner I mention a debt due upon my Bond to John Dowbiggin of the parish of St. Margaret Westminster to secure the payment whereof together with the Interest that shall grow or become due thereupon to the said John Dowbiggin I doe in the first place Subject charge and a burden my whole Estate reall and personall which said debt and Interest I doe hereby appoint and direct to be raised and paid out of my said Estate in six Months time next after my decease I give to my said Father Lawrence Dowbiggin over and above the debt before discharged the summe of Thirty pounds I give to my Brother Lawrence Dowbiggin a Guinea to buy him a Ring I give to my dear and loving Wife Mary Dowbiggin her full Thirds of my clear Estate according to the Customs of the City of London All the rest residue and remainder of my said Estate reall and personall that I am in any wise possessed of (intressed?) in or entituled unto Plate Jewells Goods and Chattells whatsoever after my said debts and Funeral charges are paid and satisfied and after the Legacies in this my Will given are paid and discharged together with all the incident charges in proving and performing the same being also deducted I give will and bequeath to my said dear and loving Wife Mary Dowbiggin desiring her to continue dutifull and kind to my Father And I nominate constitute and appoint my said dear and loving Wife Mary Dowbiggin and the said John Dowbiggin of Westminster Executors of this my last Will and Testament revoking all former Wills whatsoever by me heretofore made declaring this to be my only last Will and Testament In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this fourteenth day of April in the Tenth year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lady Anne by the grace of God of Great Britain France and Ireland Queen Defender of the Faith & Anno qz(?) Dom 1711 Will. Dowbiggin Seal'd sign'd published and declared by the said Testator William Dowbiggin as for and to be his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who in his sight and at his request subscribed our names as Witnesses thereunto Walter Sutton Mary Jackson the mark of Mary Jackson in Smithfields
Probatum fuit hujusmodi Testamentum apud London coram venti viro Johanne Exton Logum Doctore Surrogate Prahonorandi viri Domini Caroli Lodges Militisa Custodis sive Commissary legitimo constituti Dicesimo Novo dio mensis Junii Anno Domini Millosimo Septingenmo. Undecimo Juramento Maria Dowbiggin Relicta dicti defuncti et unius Executorum in dicto Testamento nominal cui comissa fuit Administratio omnium et singulorum bonorum jurium et creditorum dicti defuncti de bono et fidelites administrando e ad em ad Sancta Dei Evangelia jura (?) Reservata potestate similem Commisionem faciendi Johanni Dowbiggin altesi Executori in dicto Testamento etiam nominal cum venerit e andem potitur
English Translation: (approximate, based on other 18th Century Wills found in English)
This will was proved at London before the Worshipfull John Exton Doctor of Laws and Surrogate of the Right Worshipfull Charles Lodges Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted on the nineteenth day of the month of June in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred eleven (by the oath of?) Mary Dowbiggin, widow of the said deceased and sole Executrix of said Will named to whom Administration of all and singular the Goods Chattells and Credits of the said deceased was granted having