Will – James Briggs – 20 Jun 1668

In the name of God Amen, June this 20th 1668, I James Briggs of Newcastle upon Tyne, Merchant Adventurer, being under some bodily distemper, but of good and perfect memory and disposing judgement (blessed be God) make this my last will and testament in manner and form following, and by this my will I do revoke all or any other former wills by me made, And first I give and bequeath my soule into the hands of allmighty God, my infinitely wise former in the wombe, and gratious  preserver unto this day, steadfastly believing, and patiently waiting through the precious blood of the Lord Jesus, for the Redemption, ever the Salvation of my Soule, and I give my Earthly <Crazy> body of Clay to the ground, firmly hopeing by the infinite Satisfaction, and the glorious resurrection of my Blessed Lord Jesus Christ, that this mortall and vyle body shall be raised an Imortall and glorious body, to Enjoy god and to praise him for ever, And for my worldly Estate which god hath given me, 

Imprimis    I give unto my Loving wife all that my messuage or tenement of Grigghall, in under barrow duringe all the tyme She shall continue a widdow to me according to the Customs of the said Land she paying all rents and dutyes due to the Lord the Kings Maiesty 

Item I give unto my Said loving wife, the house wherein I now live during the tyme of her natural life, She paying out of it to my grandmother Elizabeth Garthwaite only Six pounds a year, dureing my said Grandmothers life, in liew and consideration of one hundred pounds, I have of her for which I am to pay her six pounds a year dureing her life, for which said hundred pounds I gave her my bond, which she promises to give me at her death, and to bestow the money Clearely upon me, which I hope she will doe to my executors hereafter named, my wife making good this bequest of six pounds a yeare to her dureing her life,

Item  I give to my said loving wife, all my shipps or parts of Shipping belonging unto me

Item  I give to my said loving wife, all plate belonging to me, and all my household stuffe

Item  I give to my said loving wife, the summ of four hundred pounds, and it is my will that all those particulars beforementioned, which I bequeath to her, and I give and bequeath them to her, in full satisfaction of her thirds widdow right, or any other Challenge or claime, which she may make to any part of any of my Estate Reall or personal, and if she shall not be content herewith, then my will and minde is that all beforementioned gifts and Legacyes shall  be void and of none effect, and that she shall not have any of my Estate, more than what the Law allowes her 

Item I give to my son Roger Briggs, all that my messuage and tenement of Grigghall under barrow, to enter upon after the death or next marriage of his mother, and my wife, According to the Customs used within the manner of the Lands upon the Marquest Fee to him and his heirs for Ever, 

Item I give to my Sonn Roger Briggs my house in Newcastle wherein I now live, to Enter upon at the death of my said loving wife, to him and his heirs for ever

Item I give unto my said Sonn Roger Briggs all that my domaine with the other  land in Tanfield in the <Br…> of Durham, which I lately bought of Mr <Frey> to him and his heirs for ever

Item I give to my Sonn Roger Briggs all my one twenty and fourth part of the Collierie commonly known by the name of grand Lease of Whickham and gateside and for the tearme of years yet to come, being a moiety or halfe part of Mr Christopher Nichollsons one twelfth part

Item I give to my said Sonn Roger Briggs my moyatie or halfe part of one Eight part of Rideing field Collierie, for the tearme of yeares yet to come, which was bought of Mr John Clavering and is now in my brother Gray his possession and my owne

Item I give unto my said Sonn Roger Briggs all my part of Leadmines in Teasdale Forest howdon field or elsewhere, with my part of Mills wood or Land thereto belonging

Item I give unto my Sonn Thomas Briggs Seaven hundred pounds, in full satisfaction for his Childs portion

Item I give unto my Sonn Roger Briggs five hundred pounds, in full satisfaction for his Childs portion

Item I give unto my daughter Cathren Briggs six hundred pounds, in full satisfaction for her Childs portion

Item I give unto my daughter Margrett Briggs five hundred pounds, in full satisfaction for her Childs portion

And it is my will and minde that if any of my four younger children dye, before they come to the age of one and twenty years, or before they be marryed, that then the portion bequeathed to that Child or Children that soe dyes, before the age of one and twenty yeares, or before marriage shal be equally divided betwixt the other surviving younger children that is all the surviving children except my heire, if any be livinge and if not to him shall all theire portions come due

Item  I give unto my cosin Henry Bland my Lands, with the appurtenances there to belonging, Lyinge and beinge att Rockbanckes, called by the name of the two hyneings, which was bought of James Bland, and is now in the possession of Henry Bland my Brother in Law but it is my mind and will that my cossin Henry Bland doe permitt my sister Ann Bland to enjoy the said Hyninge with the house and appurtanences by Lease for her life, to helpe her to a more comfortable living, att the yearly rent of sixpence if demanded

Item  I give unto my cossin Henry Bland all the debt that his father owes me in my books, and the Extent I have against his fathers lands  provided that he allows my Executor the Charges in recovering these Extents

Item  I give unto James Shafto my servant Forty shillings for a token, and I hope he will help my wife to state her accounts, and to gather in her debts, as much as he can

Item  I give unto Mr <Corrker> Naylor the sum of Forty shillings in liuw of my mortuary

Item I give unto Mr John Berwick Forty shillings

Item I give unto Mrs <Wolfull> Forty shillings

Item I give unto Mrs Prudiux Forty shillings

Item I give unto my cossin Mr Richard Garthwaite and his wife either of them twenty shillings a peece

Item I give Foster Gilroy and his wife ten shillings a peece, for a token

Item I give to every of my maid servants in my house at my death thirty shillings apeece and my mind and will is that in Case after my Funerall Expenses, debts and Legacyes herein mentioned and bequeathed, shall be discharged that there shall remaine any surplusadge or overplus of my personal Estate, that the same shall be disposed of and given to my sonn Roger Briggs, soe soone as debts, Legasyes and funeral expenses are discharged

And lastly my will and mind is , and I doe hereby Declare and appoint my said loving wife and my said sonn Roger Briggs Executors of this my Last will and testament, for the use of Roger Briggs only, and doe Constitute my said Loving wife tutrix of all my Children and doe Constitute and appoynt my good friends Mr Roger Bateman of Blease  Mr Robert Ellison merchant  Mr Ralph Grey my brother in Law Mr Matthew Matfin my Brother in Law my cossin Henry Bland Supervisors of this my last Will and Testament and to each of them I give forty shillings for a token and I also direct and appoint my said loving wife and my said son Roger Briggs from time to time to acquaint and advise with my said Supervisors or the survivor or survivors of them in any thinge whatsoever they or either of them shall Act, concerning this my last will and testament and Especially how  to dispose of the portions, which in and by this last will and testament are to my Children bequeathed, soe as much profit and advantidge may be made for my said children and I doe earnestly Intreat and desire the said Mr Roger Bateman Mr Robert Ellison Mr Ralph Grey Mr Matthew Matfin and Henry Bland to be ayding and assisting to my said wife sonn Roger and Children with their best advice and Counsell to the end this my Last will and testament may be Duly performed

In witness whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seals the day and yeare first above written,                        James Briggs

Signed and sealed in the presence of us  Henry Bland  James Shafto  Samuel Chicken  Tempest Raine