16 May 1693 Will of Thomas Baker of Arne and London, mariner (proved 19 August 1698)

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Know all men by these presents
that I Thomas Baker formerly of Aaron in the Isle of Purbeck in the County
of Dorset Mariner and now of London being Master or Commander of the 


good ship called the Elizabeth of London now in the Port of Plymouth and bound thence
in a Voyage and imployment to the parts of the Newfoundland and elswhere from
the speciall trust and confidence I have and repose in my good brother in law John
Bennett of London Mariner and his Wife Mary Bennett who is my dear loving 
and naturall sister and are very kind unto and tender over my children Thomas
Baker and Mary Baker both now living with them have and doe make constitute 
nominate ordain and in my place and stead putt them the said John Bennett
and Mary his wife my true and lawfull attorneys Joyntly and severally from
time to time and att all times hereafter in my absence att sea for me in my 
name and to my use to aske demand solicite for require recover and receve 
of and from all and every person and persons whatsoever Joyntly or
severally whom these presents shall concern all and every sum and sums of 
moneys as well freights salleries wages as otherwise  due and to be due to 
me for my service done and performed in this or any other ship or ships voyage 
or voyages and imployments whatsoever and all other debts duties perquisites 
priviledges accounts and ballances of accounts goods chattles merchandizes 
commodities and estate and all rents and arrearages of rent rights titles 
claimes damages and all other demands whatsoever howsoever and wheresoevr
heretofore and now due and hereafter to grow due unto me by any waies or 
means whatsoever and which have been are or shall be from me deteined 
giving and hereby granting unto my said attorneys and unto their deputy or 
deputies which I hereby authorize them to nominate and depute and att
pleasure again to revoke my full and whole power and authority in the 
premises either by due course of law composicon or agreement or by any
other waies or means whatsoever to doe use act execute and performe or
cause to be done used acted executed and performed all and every act and 
acts things and things devise and devises whatsoever needfull necessary
and expedient to be done in and about the premises for recovery and 
obteining thereof and every part and parcell thereof and that as fully 
and effectually to all intents construccons and purposes whatsoever as if I
my selfe was or were personally present and upon recovery and receipt 
thereof any receipt or receipts acquittances or any other lawfull discharge 
or discharges for the same to give and sign or seal and deliver (if required 
or requested) all which I bind myselfe to ratifye allow establish and confirm
by these presents And I the said Thomas Baker being bound to sea as
aforesaid considering the manifold dangers such as frequent the sea are
exposed unto together with the uncertainty of this life and the certainty of 
death I being blessed be God in good health sence and memory and of a 
disposeing mind do therefore take this oppertunity of makeing publishing 
and declaring and doe make publish and declare this my last will and 
testament in manner following first all my lands called Crannae in the 
County of Dorset and all other my reall estate in messuages lands tenements
and hereditaments whatsoever and wheresoever which I now have and 
shall dye seized of I give devise and bequeath unto my said son Thomas 
Baker for term of his naturall life and after him to the heirs of his body 
lawfully to be begotten and after him and for default of such Issue of his
body I give devise and bequeath the same unto his sister my aforesaid 
daughter Mary Baker and to the heirs of her body lawfully to be begotten
for ever And I give to my aforesaid son Thomas Baker ten pounds
lawfull English mony to be laid out and improved for him by and at interest
during his minority upon good security to the end he may have and receive 
both principall and Interest when he shall be of full age and as a stock for 


the better management and improvement of his then Estate and I doe give devise
and bequeath all my chattle estate and all my moneys plate debts goods
chattles and estate whatosever unto my aforesaid son and daughter Thomas
Baker and Mary Baker Jointly to be equally divided by and between them
and doe hereby make nominate and appoint them the said Thomas Baker and 
Mary Baker to be the Joynt Executors of this my last will and testament but it
is my will and my earnest request and desire unto my said brother and sister 
John Bennett and Mary Bennett to be overseers and trustees and Executors 
in trust for the good and improvement and for the use and uses of my said 
children during their minorities and to and for their benefit and best advantage 
to be paid them respectively at their severall and respective ages or being 
severally preferred and advanced in marriage by the consents of my
aforesaid Trustees their Uncle and Aunt John Bennett and Mary Bennett
or the survivor of them who I am well assured will be as they alwaies have 
been kind and tender to them my said children as they are related to them)
and I doe give and bequeath unto them the said John Bennett and Mary
Bennett as a token of my love and remembrance to them One Guinea in gold
to each of them to buy them rings in remembrance of me their brother desireing 
them to pay all honest Just debts which I shall or may owe at the time of my
decease and to educate my aforesaid children by good learning sholeing and 
educacon that they may be trained up in the fear of the Lord and the Understanding 
of his holy word and commandments And lastly I doe hereby decalre make
null and void all and every former or other will or wills testament or 
testaments by me made and declared or pretended to be made by word or 
writing and this to be taken for my last will and testament only and no other 
And I  give and bequeath to my sisters Anne Baker and Margaret 
Baker five pounds lawfull English mony (vizt fifty shillings and if either of 
them dye the longest liver to have the whole five pounds And to my Sisters
Joane Baker Spinster and to my sister Edeth Farrell Widow I give twenty 
shillings a peice to each of them to buy rings in token of my remembrance 
In witness whereof to this my Letter of Attorny which I signe seal and 
deliver and to this my last will and testament (which I now publish) I set 
my hand and seale Dated in Plymouth aforesaid this sixteenth Day of 
May in the year of Our Lord God One thousand six hundred ninty and 
three Annoq R Rs et Rua Gulielmi et Maria (Dei gra) ???? Anglia 
quinto Thomas Baker Signed sealed and delivered and published in the 
presence of us whose names are subscribed witnesses hereunto called and 
requested by the said Thomas Baker the Testator  Henry Bradshaw Rose 
Bradshaw and Samuel Eastlake Notry publiq

Probatum fuit humoi Testamentum apud London coram
venerabili ...
constituti Decimo Nono Die mensis Augusti Anno Domini millesimo 
sexcentesimo nonagesimo Octavo Juramento Maria Bennett als Baker 
sororis et unius Executorum fiduciar in dicto testamento nominat ...

Last Modified: Monday, 13-Jan-2025 22:44:11 NST