William Cogan's Will

NOTE: This is typed as it was written. The spelling errors are as it was found in the source...

WILLIAM COGAN
24 Apr 1654
Prerogative Court of Canterbury: Aylett, 283

In the name of God Amen
the foure and twentith day of Aprill in the yeare of our Lord God one thousand six hundred fiftie and fower I WILLIAM COGAN of Southchard in the county of Somerset, Tanner, being sicke in bodye but of pfect memorie doe make this my last will and testament as followeth:

First, I comend my soule into the hands of God and my body to be buried

and for my worldly goods and estate I give and bequeath in manner forme followeinge that is to say I give devise and bequeath the cottage howse in Southchard aforesaid wherein I now dwell with the backsid garden and close of land thereunto belongeinge with theire appurtnances (after the death of my daughter Eleanor Deane wife of Walter Deane in New England)* unto Eleanor Cogan my daughter and to the heires males of her bodie lawfully to be begotten forever and for default of such issue male then to Joane Cogan my daughter and to the males of her bodie lawfully to be begotten for ever And for default of suce issue then to the heires males of the said Eleanor Deane of her bodie lawfully begotten and to be begotten for ever

Also, I do give devise and bequeath all that my acre of meadow more or lesse lyeinge in Good Meade unto the said Joane Cogan my daughter and for the heires males of her bodie lawfully to be begotten for ever and for default of such issue male Then to the said Eleanor Cogan my daughter and to the heires males of her bodie lawfully to be begotten for ever provided alwayes and my will is that if any or either of my said daughters or any issue male of their bodies lawfully begotten or to be begotten or any other pson or psons that shall at any time hereaftr willingly determine purpose consent or goe about to give sell allyene forfite alter lease or do away the said cottage lands and premises or any part thereof or her his or their estate title remainder or by any way or meanes whatsoever that then and from thence forth the estate interest and possibliitie of every such pson and psons shall cease determaine and be utterlie voyd as if such pson and psons had never ben named or ment in this my will Provided also

and my will is that my said daughter Joane shall have and enjoy for and dureinge the tearme of her natural life the lower or North parte of my nowe dwelling howse that lieth on the north side of the entry containeinge one lowe roome and the chamber over the same and the howse at the end thereof together with the barne and conveuyent way thereunto and one plott or pcell of ground for an herbe garden to be taken out of the yeard or court in such quantitie and at such place there as I have befor witnessed allotted appointed declared and bounded out

And also that my said daughter Joane shall have and enjoy dureinge the said tearme of her naturall life all that parte or pcell of my orchard that take up or wherein grows two pancks of trees on or towards the south side of my said orchard nex adjoyninge to the court all the rest of my goods and chattles whatsoever (my debts beinge first paid)

I give and bequeath unto my said daughter daughters Joane and Eleanor Cogan to be equally divided between them

And I do make the said Eleanor Cogan my Executrix of this my last will and testament and do will and desire that my good friends Robert Cogan Clothier and William Palsery tanner to be executors in trust dureinge the minoritie of my said executrix and that they would see my debts paid and this my will performed accordinge to my true intent and meaneinge

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seale the day and yeare above written. The marke of William Cogan - Signed sealed and published in presence of Robert Newbery and Robert Pitts

Proved 23 June 1655

*A reference to this will, in which the wife of Walter Deane, of Taunton, New England, is named, was given to William Dean, Esq. of London, England. It is found in the Registry of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Aylett, 283