Transcription and translation to modern English by Jools Hoyle January 2022
(The modern English translation is further down the page).

Abstract
The will of George Potter, a cordwainer (shoemaker) of West Mersea.
Date of Will 23 January 1798
Date of Probate 12 June 1812

He leaves just two bequests, both to his son, also called George Potter, when he reaches the age of twenty-one. Both bequests are sums of money previously bequeathed to the testator by his uncle and his brother, forty pounds and fifteen pounds respectively.

If his son dies before age 21, George stipulates that his wife Sarah Potter, if still living, should have the benefit of the interest from both sums for life as recompense for expenses incurred by her in the clothing, maintenance and education of George junior.

He names his friends John Braisted and Daniel Miller as his executors.

Transcription
1.   In the Name of God Amen I
2.   George Potter of the parish of West Mersea in the County of Essex
3.   Cordwainer [Note 1] being of perfect mind memory and understanding and calling to
4.   mind the mortality of my Body knowing it is appointed unto all Men once to
5.   die do make this my last will and Testament that is to say / First of all I give
6.   and recommend my Soul into the hands of almighty God that gave it and my
7.   Body I recommend to the Earth to be buried in decent Christian Burial at the
8.   discretion of my Executors hereinafter named nothing doubting but at the general
9.   resurrection I shall receive the same again by the almighty power of God
10.   and as touching such worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me
11.   in this life I give devise and dispose of the same in the following manner
12.   and form I give and bequeath unto my well beloved Son George Potter at his
13.   becoming Twenty one years of age all that Sum of Forty pounds to me
14.   Bequeathed by the last will and Testament of my Uncle Baker of Nayland in
15.   the County of Suffolk <.. .. ..> Malster [Note 2] deceased now being and remaining in
16.   the hands of my aunt Mary Baker his widow of Nayland in the County of
17.   Suffolk aforesaid also I give and bequeath unto my beloved Son aforesaid at
18.   his becoming Twenty one years of age all that Sum of Fifteen pounds to me
19.   Bequeathed by the last will and Testament of my Brother William Potter
20.   of Wormingford in the County of Essex which said two Sums shall by my
21.   my said Son be freely possessed and enjoyed to his own proper use and benefit
22.   and my will and meaning further is that in case my said Son shall depart
23.   this life before he arrives at the said age of Twenty one years and my dearly
24.   beloved wife Sarah Potter shall be then living my said wife shall then
25.   enjoy the said two Sums of Forty pounds and Fifteen pounds to her proper
26.   use and benefit and my will and meaning is that my said wife shall freely
27.   possess and enjoy the Interest arising from the said two Sums during her
28.   natural life without any hindrance or controul whatsoever or any thing to
29.   the contrary here said notwithstanding as a means of repaying her for my
30.   said Sons Clothing Maintenance and Education and lastly I do hereby
31.   Constitute Nominate and appoint my good Friend M[aste]rs John Brastead [Note 3] of
32.   Mersea aforesaid oyster Dredger and Daniel Miller of the parish of Saint
33.   Botolph in the Borough of Colchester Executors to this my last Will and
34.   Testament consisting of two sheets of paper signed with my hand and
35.   Seal and I do hereby utterly disallow and revoke all and every will and
36.   Testament by me at any time before made ratifying this and no other to
37.   be my last will and Testament In witness whereof I have hereunto set
38.   my hand and Seal this Twenty third day of January in the year of
39.   our Lord one thousand Seven hundred and Ninety Eight George Potter
40.   X his mark and [LS? - possibly the print of a signet ring with letters which look like LS] Signed Sealed and delivered pronounced and declared
41.   by the said George Potter as his last will and Testament in the presence
42.   of us John Humphrey /-/ Jos[ia]h Bibby

Probate Clause
1.   Proved at London 12th June 1812 before the Judge by the oath
2.   of Daniel Miller one of the Executors to whom adm[inistrati]on was granted he
3.   having been first sworn by Commission duly to administer./- power
4.   reserved to John Brasted the other Executor./-

Notes
1 worker in cordwain or cordovan leather; a shoemaker. Now obsolete as the ordinary name, but often persisting as the name of the trade-guild or company of shoemakers, and sometimes used by modern trades unions to include all branches of the trade. (OED)
2 A person who makes (or deals in) malt for use in brewing and distilling
3 John Brastead/Braisted/Brasted: John Braisted was a churchwarden at West Mersea for 40 years and his name comes up as a witness on at least two other wills (MARG 243 - John Cheeke 1785 and MARG 271 - Thomas Overall 1795 ). See also MARG_509 for John Braisted's own very interesting 1822 will and a letter from Miss A E Barker, his 3x great granddaughter, elaborating on the reasons for its unusual content (published in Essex Family Historian 70 Nov 1993, 71 Feb 1994 and 72 c Apr 1994 - copy available in Mersea Museum ID TXB_005)

Translation to modern English
1.   In the name of God, Amen, I
2.   George Potter of the parish of West Mersea in the county of Essex,
3.   shoemaker, being of perfect mind, memory and understanding, calling to
4.   mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is the lot of all humankind to
5.   die, make this, my last will and testament. That is to say: first of all, I give
6.   and commend my soul into the hands of Almighty God, who gave it to me, and my
7.   body I commend to the earth, to be given a decent Christian burial at the
8.   discretion of my executors, who I name later in this document, certain that at the general
9.   resurrection (i.e., judgement day) my body will be restored to me by the almighty power of God.
10.   As concerns the worldly wealth with which God has been pleased to bless me
11.   in this life, I give, leave and dispose of it in the following manner:
12.   I give and bequeath to my beloved son, George Potter, when
13.   he turns twenty-one years of age, all of the sum of forty pounds
14.   bequeathed to me by the last will and testament of my Uncle Baker of Nayland in
15.   the county of Suffolk, malster, deceased, which is currently in
16.   the hands of my aunt, Mary Baker, his widow, of Nayland in the county of
17.   Suffolk aforesaid. Also, I give and bequeath to my aforesaid beloved son when
18.   he becomes twenty-one years of age, all the sum of fifteen pounds
19.   bequeathed to me by the last will and testament of my brother, William Potter
20.   of Wormingford in the county of Essex. These two sums shall
21.   be freely possessed and enjoyed by my said son for his own personal use and benefit.
22.   Further, it is my will and meaning that if my said son were to die
23.   before he reaches the age of twenty-one years, and my dearly
24.   beloved wife, Sarah Potter, is still then living, my said wife shall then
25.   enjoy the said two sums of forty pounds and fifteen pounds for her personal
26.   use and benefit, and it is my will and meaning that my said wife shall freely
27.   possess and enjoy the interest arising from the said two sums during her
28.   natural life (i.e., for life), without any hindrance or control (i.e., interference) whatsoever
29.   regardless of anything said here to the contrary, as a means of repaying her for my
30.   said son's clothing, upkeep and education. Lastly, I hereby
31.   appoint my good friends Masters John Brastead of
32.   Mersea aforesaid, oyster dredger, and Daniell Miller of the parish of Saint
33.   Botolph in the Borough of Colchester executors to this, my last will and
34.   testament, consisting of two sheets of paper, signed with my hand and
35.   seal. And, I do hereby completely reject and revoke all and every will and
36.   testament made by me at any earlier date, ratifying this, and no other, to
37.   be my last will and testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set
38.   my hand (i.e., signed) and seal this twenty-third day of January in the year of
39.   Our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety-eight. George Potter
40.   X his mark (i.e., he was probably illiterate and unable to sign his own name). Signed, sealed, delivered pronounced and declared
41.   by the said George Potter as his last will and testament in the presence
42.   of us: John Humphrey, Josiah Bibby

PROBATE CLAUSE:
1.   Proved at London on the 12th June 1812 before the judge by the oath
2.   of Daniell Miller, one of the executors, to whom administration was granted, he
3.   having been first sworn by commission duly to administer (i.e., to administer the will). Power
4.   reserved to John Brasted, the other executor (i.e., the court has reserved the power to grant administration to the second named executor as well, if and when he makes his application)

MARG - Mersea Archive Research Group
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