I Abraham Stillwell of the parish of Linchmere in the County of Sussex Blacksmith being weak in body but of sound and perfect mind, memory and understanding blessed be to God, therefore revoking all former and other wills by me made do make this to be my last will and testament as follows and first I commend my soul to Almighty God and my body commit to the Earth to be decently buried in Christian burial in such manner as my Executrix hereinafter named shall think fit and as to such Temporal Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me I do give and dispose thereof as followeth that is to say ffirst I do give and devise to Mary my loving wife for and during the term of her natural life if she shall so long continue a Widow and unmarried and not otherwise All that my leasehold messuage or tenement Smiths Shop Garden and Orchard with all and every the appurtenances thereunto belonging or appertaining situate lying and being at or near Shotter Mill in the parish of Linchmere aforesaid and now in my own Tenure or Occupation Also after payment of my debts my funeral expenses and the charges of the Probate of this my Will I do give the net interest and produce of all other my personal Estate whatsoever and wheresoever unto the said Mary my wife during her life if she shall continue so long a widow and unmarried and not otherwise She maintaining bringing up cloathing and educating my son William Stillwell and my daughter Elizabeth Stillwell until they shall be able to provide for themselves and in case the net Interest and produce of my personal estate with the rents of the said leasehold messuage and premises shall not be sufficient to maintain my said wife and children as aforesaid and for bringing up and educating of my said children then my Will is that so much of my personal estate as there shall be occasion for shall and may from time to time be applied and disposed

of for that purpose and in case the said Mary my wife shall continue a Widow to the time of her death then I will the charges of her funeral shall be paid out of my personal Estate also I do give and bequeath unto my said daughter Elizabeth Stilwell the sum of one hundred pounds of lawfull money of Great Britain to be paid unto her within three months next after the decease or marriage of the said Mary my wife which shall first happen and my will is that if any of my principal money shall happen to be lost by reason of any bad or insufficient security or securitys my said daughter Elizabeth Stillwell shall bear one half part of the money so lost and the same shall and may be deducted abated and taken out of the said legacy or sum of one hundred pounds given to her as aforesaid Also from and after the decease or marriage of the said Mary my wife which shall first happen I do give devise and bequeath the aforesaid Leasehold Messuage or Tenement and Premises with their and every of their Appurtenances and all my other personal Estate whatsoever that shall be remaining after maintaining my said wife and Children as aforesaid and bringing up and educating my said Children and after payment of my debts my ffuneral expenses and the Charges of the Probate of this my Will the funeral charges of the said Mary my wife in case she continues a Widow to the time of her death and the said Legacy to my said daughter Elizabeth Stillwell as aforesaid unto the said William Stilwell his Executors Administrators and Assigns and I do hereby make constitute and appoint the said Mary my wife Sole Executrix of this my last will and Testament for and during the term of her natural life if she continues so long a Widow and unmarried but no longer than she continues a Widow and unmarried And from and after the Decease or Marriage of the said Mary my wife which shall first happen I do make constitute and appoint my said son William sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament In Witness

whereof I the said Abraham Stilwell the Testator have to this my last will and testament (contained in one sheet of paper) set my hand and seal the fourteen day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and forty two and in the fifteenth year of the Reign of Our Sovereign Lord George the Second by the Grace of God of Great Britain Ffrance and Ireland King Defender of the Faith ..

Abm Stillwell signed sealed and published and declared by the above named Abraham Stilwell the Testator to be his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who in his presence and at his request have subscribed our names as witnesses the words (so long) the name (Stilwell) the word (will) the words (which shall first happen) and the word being first severally interlined and several alterations being first made The mark of Willm Burt and James Inward ? Billingshurst.

This Will was proved at London on the twenty fourth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and forty eight before the Right Worshipful John Betterworth Doctor of Laws Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the oath of Mary Stilwell Widow the Relict of the deceased and sole Executrix named in the said will to whom Administration was granted of all and singular the goods chattels and credits of the said deceased being first sworn by Commission only to administer.

Catalogue Reference:Prob 11/765