Archer Martin or Martyn

PROB 11/499/161 - precis.

Archar Martin of St Thomas-in-the-Vale, Jamaica, Esquire.

To my dearly beloved wife Mary Martin £500 Jamaican currency per year for life to be paid as a rent charge out of my whole estate in Jamaica in bar of her dower.

To my cozen Katherine Gregory, eldest daughter of Matthew Gregory of St Thomas-in-the-Vale Esquire £100 Jamaican currency.

To each of the children of the said Matthew Gregory £50 Jamaican currency each.

To my godson Edward Winter, son of Edward Wynter of St Thomas-in-the-Vale Esquire, three breeding cows. The same each to my godsons Edwyn Savage, son of Dr Edwin Savage of St Thomas-in-the-Vale and Mathew Cosens, son of Charles Cosens of St Thomas-in-the-Vale.

To my wife Mary Martin the five house negroes following vizt. Cuffee, Hector, Massina, Fidela and Phillis during her life. But my request to her is that she will permit them during her absence from this island to work on my plantation at Sixteen Mile Walk for the benefit of my siad estate.

My plantation at Sixteen Mile Walk with all the negroes thereon being together with my houses and land at Passage Fort and all other real estate in Jamaica in case I happen to die without issue of my body lawfully begotten to my sisters Jane Risby and Dorothy Smith: two-thirds of the produce thereof after my debts, benefits and legacies to Jane Risby and one-third to Dorothy Smith furing the life of my wife Mary Martin. And from her death in case I shall die without issue then my plantation and all other real estate in Jamaica to my sisters Jane Risby and Dorothy Smith and the heirs of their bodies lawfully begotten to be equally divided provided the annuity to my wife be duly and punctually paid by them to her without trouble or hindrance of them or their husbands, heirs or assigns. In case the same be not duly and punctually paid to her yearly, then my will is that my said wife shall enter into and upon my said plantation and negroes and all other of my real estate in Jamaica as if devised to her by me in fee simple.

All my ready money, plate, jewels, furniture, household goods and chattels in Jamaica or England or elsewhere to my wife Mary Martin.

In case it should please God that I together with my wife should perish at sea in our intended voyage to England, then to Mrs Martha Watson, sister of my wife, £500 sterling; to Mr Francis Watson, brother of my said wife, £300 sterling; to Mrs Katherine Gregory, daughter of Mathew Gregory £200 sterling to be paid to each of them out of what money I have now in England. Also should we both perish at sea I leave all such debts as shall be owing to me in Jamaica together with all such money as I shall then have in England to the children of my uncle Matthew Gregory above mentioned equally. Also should we both perish at sea then half of all the sugar that should be made to the children of my uncle Matthew Gregory and the other half to my sisters Jane Risby and Dorothy Smith.

My wife Mary Martin to be sole executrix.

Signed 11/05/1706.

Codicil. Whereas I Archar Martin am now about to take a voyage to England for the recovery of my health and being earnestly desirous that all manner of disputes and controversies in my will may be avoided, and that all devises and bequests to my wife may meet with the most liberal and beneficial exposition for the advantage of my said wife, I order that my sisters Jane Risby and Dorothy Smith shall severally enter into bonds of the penalty of £2000 sterling with condition annexed for the payment of the sum of £500 per annum current money of Jamaica to my said wife Mary Martin before they or any persons shall possess themselves any part of my estate. Should they refuse to give such security or retard her payments then I revoke all payments to my sisters. Dated at St Jago de la Vega, 20/02/1706.

Proved in London by Mary Martin, 13/01/1708.