Abstract and transcription by Elaine Barker December 2021

Abstract
Isaac Mazengarb's will was written on 16th February 1729/30 and he was buried on 16th March 1729/30 at St. Nicholas Church, Little Wigborough. Probate was granted by the Reverend Barnabas Symson on 14th October, 1730 to the two executors, Isaac's brothers-in-law, John and Thomas Cooke.

Isaac Mazengarb is the farmer of Copt Hall in Little Wigborough. He leaves his wife Elizabeth, who is pregnant, his farm and land in Great Wigborough for life, requesting she uses the proceeds to raise their daughters. He also bequeaths £200 to his wife.
His three younger sons, Abraham, Benjamin, and Thomas are all under twelve and the older boys, Isaac and John not yet 21. He leaves farms in Tollesbury, Great Wigborough and Little Wigborough to his three younger sons and to his unborn child if a boy. The lease of Copt Hall is left to his older boys, John and Isaac and if Isaac outlives his mother he is to have the Great Wigborough farm relinquishing his share in Copt Hall. During the boys' minorities the executors are to manage the farms to support Elizabeth and the children. The younger children are to inherit sums of money after their mother's death once they reach 21.
The will is witnessed by Elizabeth Cooke, William Hawes and George Wegg.

Transcription of Will
In the Name of God Amen I, Isaac Mazengarb of Little Wigborough in the County of Essex,
Farmer, being weak in Body but of sound disposing Mind & Memory do make my last will and Testam[en]t
in manner following (that is to say) Imprimis I give & devise unto my Dear and Loving Wife
Elizabeth for & during the terme of her naturall Life All that my Farme & Lands with the app[ur]ten[an]ces
lying in Great Wigborow in the s[ai]d County of Essex & now in my own occupac[i]on. She bringing up the
Girls by me left out of the profitts of the same And I also give her All those five freights of
Chalk Rubbish now lying in Copthall Marsh near the Water Side which said Rubbish I do
hereby order shall be laid on to my said Farme by my Ex[ecu]tors herein after named without any Charge
to my said Wife. Item I give to my said Wife the Sum of two hundred pounds of lawfull Money of
Great Brittain to be paid to her on or before Mich[ael]mas Day next and in Case my said Wife shall like
it better that then she shall be at Liberty to take the Value thereof in Stock if she thinks proper
Item I give & bequeath to my two Sons Abraham & Benjamin \and to the Child my Wife is now big with in Case shall happen to be a Boy/ All my Stock on and Interest in the
Agreem[en]t for three Yeares of the Farme at Tollesbury and my will and desire is that the Same shall be
managed by my Ex[ecu]tors till the End of the said Terme & that then the moneys therefrom Ariseing Shall
be placed out & disposed of by my Ex[ecu]tors for the Benefitt of the said Children and that the same shall
be paid to them or the Survivo[r] of them at their respective ages of twenty one yeares Item I give
& devise unto my Son Thomas Mazengarb & his heires for ever All that my Farme & Lands
with the apperten[an]ces lying in Great Wigborow aforesaid & now in the occupac[i]on of John
Baker or his Assignes Item I give & devise unto my Son John Mazengarb & his heires for
ever All that my House with the Land & apperten[an]ces thereto belonging lying in Little
Wigborow aforesaid & now in the occupac[i]on of Stephen Baker or his Assignes Item I give &
bequeath to my two Sons Isaac & John Mazengarb All the Rest & Residue of my Stock
Goods Moneys & Effects w[ha]tsoever \not herein otherwise disposed of/ as well what I now have as what shall arise upon Copt Hall
Farme afores[ai]d before Mich[ael]mas Day next as also All my Interest in the Lease of the same Farme
together with Eleven Beasts now at Turnips thereon (after paym[en]t of All my just Debts
Legacys & Funerall Charges) equally to be divided between them at their respective Ages of
twenty one Yeares and my Will is that my Ex[ecu]tors shall have the Managem[en]t of the Same
for their Benefitt till they Come of Age as afores[ai]d And my Mind & Will further is that
in Case either of my said Two Sons Isaac & John shall happen to dye or depart this Life
before the Legacy herein before to them given shall become payable that then the Survivor
of them shall pay into the hands of my said Ex[ecu]tors the Sum of three hundred pounds of
lawfull money of Great Brittain, out of the Stock & Effects by me before to them given, which
shall be placed out at Interest by my said Ex[ecu]tors for the Benefitt of all my Younger
Children & to be paid & equally and divided between them at their respective ages of twenty
one Yeares And my Mind & Will further is and I do hereby order & direct that my
said Son Isaac or my Said son John or Such other of my Children to whom my said Farme
at Gt. Wigborow shall descend & Come after the Death of my said Wife shall pay or
Cause to be paid into the hands of my said Ex[ecu]tors the Sum[me] of Two hundred pounds of
lawfull British money within three Months next after the Decease of my said Wife & that
the same shall be placed out at Interest by my said Ex[ecu]tors for the Benefitt of my said
Younger Children & to be paid to them at their respective ages of twenty one Yeares My
Mind & Intent being that the said Sum of two hundred pounds shall be paid out of the
Stock & Effects by me before given & disposed of (the said Estate of Gt. Wigborow being

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in my judgem[en]t & Apprehension a sufficient portion & Allotm[en]t for such Child without any
other Addition) And I do hereby further order & direct that my Ex[ecu]tors shall have
the Managem[en]t of the said Farme called Copt Hall till my said two Sons Isaac &
John shall Come of Age and that out of the profitts of the Same they shall pay or
Cause to be paid to my said Wife the Sum of fifteen Pounds a peice yearly for the
Maintenance of my three Younger Sons Abraham, Thomas & Benjamin till
they severally attain the age of twelve Yeares in Case my said Wife will take upon
her the Care and Managem[en]t of such Children And I do hereby further direct that
in Case my said Son Isaac shall live to be possessed of my said Estate at Great
Wigborow after the Decease of my said Wife that then he shall quitt & yeild up
all his Right & Interest in the Lease of Copt Hall Farme and that In Case
any Dispute shall arise between any of my said Children touching the Division
or proportion of my Estate & Effects by me hereby given and disposed of amongst them
that the same shall be referred to my two Ex[ecu]tors whose Judgem[en]t and Determination my
Mind is shall be finall in that Behalfe and I do Desire my said Ex[ecu]tors to see
the Same applyed according to the true Intent & Meaning of this my Will
And I do hereby nominate Constitute & appoint my two Brothers John Cooke
and Thomas Cooke [Note 1] Ex[ecu]tors of this my Will & revoaking All other Wills do
declare this to be my last In Witness whereof I have to this my Will
Contained in two sheets of paper to each Sheet sett my hand & seal this
Sixteenth Day of February Anno D[omi]ni 1729.

A paragraph in Latin records the granting of probate to the two executors, John and Thomas Cooke before the Reverend Barnabas Symson on 14th October 1730.

Note 1: John Cooke and Thomas Cooke were brothers of Mrs Elizabeth Mazengarb - it was usual at the time to call them just 'brothers' not brothers-in-law.
There were farmers living at W Mersea at this period with these names, also William Hawes. Elizabeth Cooke could be a wife of one of the Cooke brothers or an unmarried sister.

Note 2: George Wegg junior was most probably the lawyer who wrote the will. He was the son of George Wegg, a merchant tailor and freeman of East Hill House. George Junior was a barrister, Mayor of Colchester in 1740, fellow of the Royal Society, and Recorder of Aldeburgh, Suffolk.

Note 3: Barnabas Symson was rector of St. James' Church in Colchester. The Surrogate was the person who dealt with probate on behalf of the bishop.

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The Mazengarbs of Copt Hall, Little Wigborough

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