The last will and testament of Edward Bangs

“This 19 of October 1677 I, Edward Banges, aged 86 yeers, being well stricken in years and now knowing the day and houre when God may call mee hence, yett being in health and perfect memory, doe leave this as my Last Will and Testament.

“First, I make my son, Jonathan, my whole and sole Executor to whom I give all my Purchase Land att Namskekett and that way lying between Namskekett and satuckett Brooke lying next to meddow graunted to Governor Prence, bounded by a ditch runing from the upland towards the creeke, two acres and an half be it more or lesse, bounded att the other end by a creeke. And I give him all my Purchase Land att Paomett and all privilidges therunto belonging, and I give him an acree and an half of meddow ling att a place called The Acars, alsoe one acree lying att the harbour’s mouth, alsoe I give him a parsell of upland and meddow lying att Rocke Harbour which I had in exchange of John Done. Alsoe all those things which I have att his house I give unto him.

“Secondly, I give to my son, John, that twenty acrees of upland att Pockett that hee hath built upon, and five acrees more adjoyning to it to run from end to end. And I give him that land which I have att Pockett Iland and two acrees of meddow that lyeth att the Boate Meddow next to that which hee bought of Daniell Cole, and three quarters of an acree att the head of the Boate Meddow.

“Thirdly, I give unto my son, Joshua, the house that I lived in and all the housing belonging to it, and twenty eight acrees of land adjoyning to it that lyeth neare it, and I give him three acrees of meddow att the Boate Meddow, lying at the Sandey Banke, and one acree of meddow that lyeth att the Boate Meddow which is called the Salt House Acree, alsoe four acrees of meddow lying att the head of Blakstish Creek. Likewise I give to Joshua fourteen acrees of upland that lyeth att Pockett next to the land of Jonathan Sparrow.

“Fourth, I give to my son Jonathan’s eldest son, Edward Banges, twenty five acrees of upland lying att Pochett Field, be it more or lesse, alsoe I give unto him one acree of meddow att Rocke Harboare att the head of the meddow next to Leiftenant Roger’s and half an acre of meddow lying att Great Namsckett which I bought of Daniell Cole.

“Fiftly, I give unto my daughters, my Daughter Howes, my Daughter Higgens, my Daughter Done, my Daughter Hall, my Daughter Merrick, and my Daughter Atwood, four pounds apeece at my decease. And I give to my grandchildren, viz, the children of my daughter, Rebeckah, deceased, four pounds att my decease onely with this proviso respecting the legacye given to these my daughters and grandchildren: that the estate left att my death doth amount to soe much; otherwise what is left be equally devided amongst them – the grandchildren to have a seaventh parte. and heerunto I doe sett my hand and seale.

Edward Banges.”

“An Agreement made betwixt John Banges and Jonathan Banges, the sonnes of Edward Banges, deceased, this sixt day of March in the yeer of our Lord one thousand six hundred seaventy and seaven in reference to a parsell of land given by the said Edward Banges in his Last Will and testament to his grand child, Edward Banges, the son of Jonathan Banges: that the said John Banges shall make use of this land rent free untill the said Edward Banges, to whom the land is given, comes to be of age. Or, incase the said Edward dies before hee comes to be of age, then untill such a tearme of yeers on which hee would have bine of age if hee had lived. Alsoe, it is agreed by them that the said John Banges, during the time of making use of this land, shall not carry off any of the stones or timber except it be for the fencing of the said land in particular, excepting onely that middle fence which not att the making of this Agreement runs betwixt the field and pasture.”