| Abstract | Will of Samuel Great, Apothecary of Colchester, died 9 May 1706, transcribed from ERO D/ABW 78/270
Transcription by Elaine Barker January 2022
Abstract
Samuel Great, apothecary of Colchester, requests he be buried in St Nicholas Church in Colchester. He leaves his own house to his wife Susan for her natural life and then to his son Thomas. He leaves both his wife and Thomas all his apothecary's stock and equipment and wills that they continue the business jointly. He bequeaths property in the village of Peldon, tenanted by Robert Castle, to his son John and wife Esther. His daughter Susan receives a legacy of £250. Three further properties are left to his wife during her life and then after her death to Thomas and a future wife should she agree to the conditions. The will, which is not dated, is witnessed by Henry Creffield, Joseph Street and George Gray
Samuel Great died on 9th May 1706
Transcription
In the name of God Amen I Samuel Great of Colchester in the County of Essex Apothecary Considering the uncertainty of this Life
Do make and declare this my Last Will and Testament in manner & form following. Principally I resigne my Soul unto the Grace & Favour of Almighty God
in hopes and expectation of Salvation in & through the merits of my blessed Saviour and Redeemer Jesus Christ. My Body I commit to the Earth and desire it may
be interred at the Discretion of my dear and loving Wife Susan in the Parish Church of St. Nicholas in Colchester aforesaid amongst my Children that is under the Pew where I, my
Wife & Children used to sit, and as near as conveniently may be to my Son Samuels Grave. And as for such Temporal Estate as the Lord out of his abundant Goodness
hath been pleased to bless me with I give devise and dispose thereof as followeth First I give devise & bequeath unto Susan my Dear & Loving Wife the
House I now dwell in Scituate & being in the Parish of St. Nicholas in Colchester aforesaid Together with all Ways, Waters, Easments & appurtenances thereunto belonging
To hold to her for & during the Term of her Natural Life. And from and after the decease of my said Wife I give and bequeath my said dwelling House, with the appurtenances
thereto belonging unto my son Thomas Great & his Heirs for ever Chargeable & Charged with the Sum of Five Hundred Pounds of Lawfull Money of England To be paid by him
my said Son Thomas for and towards the payment of my just Debts, and the Legacies hereafter mentioned Item I give and bequeath to my said Wife and to my said
Son Thomas Great All my Apothecaries Medicines, Drugs & Commodities, and all my Utensills belonging to my said Trade of an Apothecary in Equal Partnership
and to Trade together. Item I give devise and bequeath unto my son John Great & Esther his Wife and to the Survivor of them, and to the Heirs of their two
Bodies lawfully begotten, or to be begotten, and for want of such Issue to the Heirs of my said Son John Great All that my Copy-hold Messuage, Lands Tenements
and Hereditaments Scituate Lying and being in the Parish of Peldon in the County of Essex, & holden of the Mannors of Peet Hall, & Peldon aforesaid now in
the Occupation of Robert Castle or his Assigns To hold to my said Son John & Esther his Wife & to the Survivour of them & to the Heirs of their two Bodies, &
for want of such Issue, to the Heirs of my said Son John Great for Ever Item I give to my Daughter Susan the Sum of Two Hundred & Fifty Pounds to
be paid to her at the day of her Marriage, or within Six Months after my decease which shall first happen Item I give devise and bequeath unto my said
Loving Wife All that my Messuage or Tenement with the appurtenances thereunto belonging Scituate & adjoining to my said dwelling House & lately in the occupation
of George Wegg To hold to my said Wife for & during the Term of her Natural Life, Charged, & Chargeable with the aforementioned Legacie of Two Hundred and
fifty Pounds to my Daughter Susan Item I give, devise, & bequeath unto my said Wife all those two other Messuages or Tenements with their Appurtenenaces the
one in the occupation of the widow Vandeval, & the other in the occupation of John Smith To hold to my said Wife for & during the Term of her natural Life.
And in Case my Son Thomas, do dutifully assist his Mother, and honestly pay all my Just Debts, and the aforementioned Legacy of Two hundred & fifty Pounds
to his Sister Susan (all which I do hereby heartily enjoin him to) Then after the decease of my said Wife I give and bequeath the aforementioned Messuage or Tenement
adjoining to my said dwelling House w[i]th the appurtenances thereunto belonging lately in the occupation of George Wegg, & also two other Messuages or Tenements w[i]th
their appurtenances aforementioned the one in the occupation of the Widow Vandeval, & the other in the occupation of John Smith, To him my said Son Thomas
and his Heirs for ever And my Will & meaning is that my s[ai]d Son Thomas shall have Power to Jointure a Wife in the said Premises before the Death of my said Wife
Provided that She Consent & Subscribe thereunto.
Samuel Great
Witness
Henry: Creffeild
Joseph Street
Geo[rge] Gray
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