Dodge Will #2; 2/23/05; NOTES: There are a few words which appear to be abbreviations though no apostrophe was used in the text, e.g. "psonall" for 'personal', "pson" most likely 'person', "Admtators" probably for 'administrators', etc.. The spelling, use of capitals and use of ampersands duplicates the original document as much as possible, including the dash as a filler at the end of the lines. There is no punctuation in this document. Any editorial notes are in brackets, e.g. [xx]. The line length is the same as the original document. The main part of the text is in the same handwriting and is mostly very legible. There is one short paragraph at the end of the document in another hand which is in Latin and the handwriting is more difficult to read. Any uncertainties in the transcription are indicated by question marks, the more question marks, the greater the uncertainty. There is one indecipherable word, the seventh word in line 10, page 2, looks like 'mukle', which doesn't make sense in the context. [Will of James Dodge, 1716 -- page1] I James Dodge of Offerton in the County of Chester yeoman the sixteenth day of August in the Third Year of the Raigne of our Soveraigne Lord george King of great Brittain &c Annoq? dom 1716 BEING aged yett in good health of Body and of perfect understanding But Calling to mind the uncertainty of this transitory Life the Consideraton whereof Constrains me not only to prpair [prepare?] my self for the time of my disolution by a Disposeall of my Temporall Estate and Effects BUT ALSOE by making Ready my Soul to meet my Blessed Saviour and Redeemer whom I Beseech of his great mercy and goodness he will raise up my Body att his second Coming and reunite it and my soul and make them partake of those - Celestiall Joys and rivers of pleasure which are att his Right hand for evermore AND AS ---- touching my Body or Earthly Remains I desire the same may have a decent Interment such as my Executors shall think proper AND AS FOR AND Concerning all my Temporall Estate whatsoever I give - Devise and Dispose thereof as Follows AND FIRST I Give order and devise that my dear wife - Soe long as she lives and Continues Single and unmarried shall have liberty to Inhabitt and dwell att my messuage and mansion house in Offerton aforesaid where I now live and shall have a Roome to her self - Conveniant for Lodgeing in and the usage of the Dwelling house and other Rooms therein in Comon with my Sone if the Lease thereof to me made and now in Being so long Continue in force and unexpired ITEM I order Direct and Appoint my Executors hereafter named that they yearly and every Year dureing soe long as my wife continues a widdow & unmarried if she Claims noe Dower in my Lands or Reall Estate upon the twenty fourth day of June and twenty fourth day of December yearly pay unto her the yearly sume of five pounds of lawfull money to be taken out of the Interrest or produce of my money or psonall Estate And that they Imploy & putt forth att Interrest the Sume of one hundred pounds or more to secure the payment of the said yearly sume of five pounds to my said wife if she releases her Dower in or to all the Estate - [writing below the main text] X his marke & Seale ----------------------------- [page 2] Or Estates of Inheritance that I now am or have been or hereafter during the Coverture betwixt us shall or may be sole seized of But if my said wife shall after my decease either marry any 2d. husband or refuse to release her - Dower & Title of Dower of in unto or out-of all the Estate or Estates that I now am or hereafter may be - seized of THEN I order & appoint that the yearly payment of the five pounds p [per?] Anum to her out of the Interrest of my Lands & Reall Estate shall Cease & Determine ITEM I give to my said wife all such goods & household Stuffe as she had att the time of her Marriage and now are and att the Time of my Decease shall be in her or my possession or Custody and not wasted or worn out ALSOE I give and Bequeath to - Elizabeth wife of Robert Dodge of Stockport Alderman a guinea And to my Brothers Samuell & William Dodge Ten shillings -- -- -- -- a peice LIKEWISE I give and devise to all & every such pson [person?] or - psons [persons?] as I shall be own ??mukle?? to att the time of my death one shilling a peice ITEM I give Devise & Bequeath all the Rest Residue & remainder of my psonall Estate of what nature sort or kind soever to my only son Peter Dodge to be att his power & disposeall BUT if my said sone Peter should happen to dye Intestate & unmarried & without Child or Chilldren THEN I give order and devise the residue by him undisposed of my personall Estate to Samuell Dodge Son of Robert Dodge now of Stockport afforesd Olderman by Elizabeth his wife daughter of Henry? Bruckshaw? deced? ITEM I give grant devise & Bequeath to my said sone & only Child Peter Dodge his Extt [Executors?] and Admtators All that my leasehold Messuage & Tenemt. in Offerton afforesd where I now Inhabitt with the Lands thereto belonging & therewith to me Leased for Lives for & During the remainder of all the Estate Term & Interrest that - shall att my decease be therein then to Come & undetermined by virtue of the Lease thereof to me made YETT It is my will & devise & I doe hereby devise & appoint that if my said Sone should happen as afforesd to dye Intestate & -- without wife Child or Chilldren then Liveing that all my said Leasehold Estate in Offerton afforesaid for & dureing the remainder of ye terme in the Lease thereof to me made & then in being shall be & remain to & to the use of the said Samuel Dodge Sone of Robert Dodge now of Stockport Alderman his Executors Admtators [Administrators?] & Assigns ITEM All that - my messuage Burgage & dwelling houses in Stockport afforesd. or else where in the County of Chester whereof or wherein - I now am any ways seized of Intituled unto I give grant & devise the same to my said sone peter Dodge & his heirs for ever ONLY I desire that if in Case he dye unmarried & without Issue Child or Chilldren by him lawfully begotten haveing made his last will that he would in such Case give & devise a Considerable Legacy to the afforesd Samll Dodge or some of his Sisters I - haveing a great desire that that familey might flourish being the head of the familey out of which I am descended AND I doe hereby name & appoint my said son Peter Dodge & Thomas Baxter of Cheadle in the County of Chester yeoman Executors of this my last will to which said Thomas I give & Bequeath two guineas to be taken by him out of my psonall Estate - AND Lastly I doe hereby revoke & declare void all former wills & Testaments by me heretofore made & In - testimony that this is my last will & Testament I have hereunto putt my hand & seal the day & year first above written ------------------- [page 3, back side of the page - 1st paragraph on left side] Sealed Signed published & declared to be the last will & tesstament of the within named - Testator in the prsence of us who have? Subscribed our names as wittnesses attesting the Executon thereof in the sight & prsence of the sd. Testator Jos Potts William Ashe? Jam: Pooll? [paragraph on lower center of page] 16 May 171? Petrus Dodge & Tho. Baxter Extores ni hoe? Testo notali?? fidem dedere? de bene ?? coram me Tho. Wainwright [upside down writing beneath last paragraph] James Dodges Last Will