The Will of
Elizabeth Howland
In ye Name of God Amen I Elizabeth Howland of Swanzey in ye County of Bristoll in ye Collony of Plymouth in New Engld being seventy nine yeares of age but of good & perfect memory thanks be to Allmighty God & calling to remembrance ye uncertain estate of this transitory life & that all flesh must yeild unto death when it shall please God to call doe make constitute ordaine declare this my last will & testament, in manner forme following revoking and anulling by these prsents all every testamt testamts will & wills heretofore by me made & declared either by word or writing and this to be taken only for my last will & testament & none other. And first being penitent & sorry from ye bottom of my heart for all my sinns past most humbly desiring forgivenesse for ye same I give & committ my soule unto allmighty God my savior & redeemer in whome & by ye meritts of Jesus Christ I trust & believe assuredly to be saved & to have full remission & forgivenesse of all my sins & that my soule wt my body at the generall day of resurrection shall rise againe wt joy & through ye meritts of Christs death & passion possesse & inheritt ye kingdome of heaven prepared for his elect & chosen & my body to be buryed in such place where it shall please my executrs hereafter named to appoint and now for ye settling my temporall estate & such goodes chattells & debts as it hath pleased God far above my deserts to bestow upon me I do dispose order & give ye same in manner & forme following (that is to say) first that after my funerall expences & debts paid wc I owe either of right or in conscience to any manner of person or persons whatsoever in convenient tyme after my decease by my execrs hereafter named;
I give & bequeath unto my eldest son John Howland ye sum of five pounds to be paid out of my estate & my booke called Mr Tindale's Workes & also one pair of sheetes & one pr of pillowbeeres & one pr of bedblanketts
Item I give unto my son Joseph Howland my stillyards & also one pr of sheetes & one pr of pillobeeres
Item I give unto my son Jabez Howland my fetherbed & boulster yt is in his custody & also one rugg & two blanketts yt belongeth to ye said bed & also my great iron pott & potthookes
Item I give unto my son Isaack Howland my booke called Willson on ye Romanes & one pr of sheetes & one paire of pillowbeeres & also my great brasse kettle already in his possession
Item I give unto my son in law Mr James Browne my great bible
Item I give & bequeath unto my daughter Lidia Browne my best featherbed & boulster two pillowes & three blanketts & a green rugg & my small cupboard one pr of andyirons & my lesser brasse kettle & my small bible & my booke of Mr Robbinsons Workes called Observations Divine & Morrall & allso my finest pr of sheetes & my holland pillowbeeres
Item I give unto my daughter Elisabeth Dickenson one pr of sheetes & one pr of pillowbeeres & one chest
Item I give unto my daughter Hannah Bosworth one pr of sheets & one pr of pillowbeeres
Item I give unto my grand daughter Elizabeth Bursley one paire of sheets and one paire of pillowbeeres
Item I give & bequeath unto my grandson Nathaniel Howland (the son of Joseph Howland) and to the heires of his owne body lawfully begotten for ever all that my lott of land with ye meadow thereunto adjoyning & belonging lying in the township of Duxbury neare Jones River bridge
Item I give unto my grandson James Browne one iron barr and on iron trammell now in his possession
Item I give unto my grandson Jabez Browne one chest Item I give unto my grand daughter Dorothy Browne my best chest & my warming pan
Item I give unto my grand daughter Desire Cushman four sheep
Item I give & bequeath my wearing clothes linnen and woollen and all the rest of my estate in mony debts linnen or of what kind or nature or sort soever it may be unto my three daughters Elisabeth Dickenson, Lidia Browne and Hannah Bosworth to be equally devided amongst them
Item I make constitute and ordaine my loving son in law James Browne and my loving son Jabez Howland Executors of this my last will and testament
Item it is my will & charge to all my children that they walke in ye feare of ye Lord, and in love and peace towards each other and endeavour the true performance of this my last will & testament in witnesse whereof I the said Elizabeth Howland have hereunto sett my hand & seale this seventeenth day of December Anno Dm one thousand six hundred Eighty six. 1686
The mark of Elisabeth E H Howland
Signed sealed & delivd in ye prsence of us wittnesses
| Hugh Cole | Samuel Vyall | John Browne |