The Will of Joseph Bolles

            In the name of Good, Amen, the 18th of September 1678: I, Joseph Bolles of Wells in the county of Yorkshyre, Gentleman being in perfect memory & remembrance praysed bee God, do make & ordajne this my last will & testament in manner & forme as followeth:

1.         I do bequeath my soule into the hands of Almighty God my Maker, hopeing through the meretorious death & passion of Jesus Christ my onely Savior & Redeemer, to receive free pardon & forgiveness of all my sins, as for my body to bee buried in Christian buriall, at the discreation of my executrix hereafter mentioned.

1          I give & bequeath unto my elldest sonn Thomas Bolles tenn pounds,

            I bequeath unto my son Samuell tenn pounds,

            I do bequeath unto my daughter Frost tenn pounds,

            I bequeath unto my daughter Becke thirty pounds,

            I bequeath unto my daughter Locke tenn pounds,

            I bequeath unto my daughter Mercy thirty pounds & as much searge as will make her a gown & tickeine for a bedd & a bowlster, which is in the house & my will is that twenty pounds bee payd to my sd daughter by my executrix when she shall atajne the age of twenty years, or marry, which ever shall first happen & the other tenn pounds to bee payd by my son Joseph.

            I bequeath unto my son Joseph all my houseing, upland, meddows & marsh belonging in my homeplace to him & his heirs forever, after the death of my wife, not doubting of his dutifullness & care to his mother, he paijng fivety pounds to my children hereafter mentioned to my sonn Thomas: ten pounds, to my sonn Samuell tenn pounds, to my daughter Frost tenn pounds, to my daughter Chadbourne tenn pounds, & to my daughter Mercy tenn pounds.

            Further my will is, that my wife shall have my wholle estate both within doors and without, in this Town or elsewhere to dispose of to whatever children she sees good, (excepting the houseing & lands that I have given unto my son Joseph) after her decease, shee to have the use of it during her life, & my wife to pay all debts & legacys, but onely what Joseph is to pay: And I do hereby nominate & appoynt my loving wife Mary my soole executrix of this my last will & testament, & do hereby nominate and appoynt my loving friends Mr. William Symonds and William Symonds to be the overseers of this my last will and testament, all other wills and testaments being made voyd.

In witness whereunto I have sett my hand & seals, the day and yeare above written.

Witness, Samell Wheelewright

                William Symonds                                                    locus

                                                                        Jos: Bolles        sigilli

[Source: George E. Williams, A Genealogy of the Descendants of Joseph Bolles of Wells, Maine (West Hartford, CT: George E. Williams, 1970), Pgs 18-19]