THE WILL OF JACOB COOKE

The last Will and Testament of Jacob Cooke senir of Plymouth in New England late Decased exhibited to the Court held att Plymouth aforsaid the 8th Day of March 1676 on the oathes of Mr Edward Gray and Leift: Joseph howland as followeth;
Know all men to whom these prsents shall come that I Jacob Cooke senir of the Towne of Plymouth in New England; being att this prsent very weake in body through many Infeirmities and Deseas; that are upon mee; but of sound and prfect understanding and memory; Doe make and ordaine this to be my last Will and Testament to Continewe for ever feirme and Inviolable; Imprimis my will is that my engagement unto my Deare and loveing wife Elizabeth Cooke att or before my marriage with her be truly and honestly prformed unto her; Item I will and bequeath unto my said wife Elizabeth Cooke one yoake of oxen and one cow, towards the bringing up of my three youngest Daughters; and for her and theire more comfortable subsistence; I Give unto her my said wife Dureing her widdowhood; the use benifitt and Improvement of the orchyard that is by my Now Dwelling house; and the orchyard that I planted by or in the place I lived in att my first Marriage; alsoe During her widdowhood I Give her free Comonage for her stocke of Cattle of all sorts to Depasture in and upon those my lands att Rockey nooke; and my will is that my said wife take into her Costody the portions of my three youngest Daughters; To Cecure them untell they are of Capassitie to receive them; if shee please; Item I will and bequeath unto my eldest son Caleb Cooke; a Couble portion of all my lands; that is to say one halfe of them for quantitie and quallitie; and my will is that hee shall have in his prte of them. the one halfe of my meddow that lyeth att Pyny point alsoe three quarters of my two Great Lotts of meddow that lyeth in Joneses River meddow; and all my meddow that lyeth att home on Joneses River and the remainder of his proportion of lands; hee shall have them out of my Lands that I now live on; and my lands in Rockey Nooke; and my thirty acrees of wood land that lyeth att the head of my lotts; onely what meddow or Grasse I have engaged unto my wife aforsaid; shee shall have it out of his lott and halfe of Meddow att Jonses River meddow; and hee shall not Deney my said wife but lett her have ffree egresse and regresse for Pastureing on those lands in Rockey nooke which shalbe Considered to him when [???]n is made; Item I will and bequeath unto my son Jacob Cooke one share of [???] lands, that is one quarter prte of them for quantitie and quallitie; and my [???]at hee shall have in his prte of them; my sixty acrees of upland that lyeth [???] all that my meddow and upland that lyeth next unto [???] Gave and possessed, by my brother John Thomson [???]nd in Rockey nooke; alsoe hee shall have the onehalf [???] lyeth next unto John Dunhames meddow att [???] of mddow that lyeth in Joneses river meddow; and [???] amount to his proportion for quantitie [???] payed by one of his brothers [???] that in mony, soe hee to alow them if otherwise [???]on ffrancis Cooke one share of all my lands [???]antitie and quallitie; and my will is that in his [???] my forty five acrees of upland [???]rother Wrights land; alsoe the onehalfe of my [???] Winnatucksett next John Dunhames Meddow [???] meddow; that lyeth att Jonses River meddow and [???] what these severall prsells shall want of [???]mainder out of the lands I live upon or [???]es of age; by his brother Caleb; if those to [???]s my will see cause; that my son ffrancis [???]ny; and that they; att the Devision Determined [???] prformance; Item I will and betweath unto [???]s having Don formerly, according to [???]th unto my six Daughters six Mary [???]kah Cookes my Debts and legacyes [???]s monyes Debts Goods Cattle Chattells and whatsoever moveable estate appertaineth unto mee to be equally Decided betwixt them six onely what Corne and provision shalbe found in being shal[???] be Devided; but spent by my wife and Children that are with her; and my Desire is that my executors take the best Course they Can, to Cecure theire portions, to the time of theire marriage or that they Come of age; And I Doe by these prsents appoint make and ordaine my Deare and loveing wife Elizabeth Cooke; and my loveing son Caleb cooke my executors of this my Last Will; and testament; to Adminnester upon my said estate to receive all such Debtes as are Due to mee and; to pay all such Debts and legacyes as I owe or are Given by these prsents; and I Doe alsoe Impower and Authorise my siad executors by these prsents to give unto my Dozen Daniell Wilcockes a Deed of that land att Punckateesett; which I sold him, and hee hath payed mee for; Alsoe to Give & take a Deed of my brother John Thompson for the land and meddow that hee and my selfe exchanged, one with the other; alsoe that my executors see that my body be Decently buried, and out of my estate to Defray the Charge therof; and my will is that my loveing frinds my brother John Thompson and Willam Crow; Doe see the prformance of this my last Will, and the settlement of my estate; and I Doe therefore Desire order and Impower them; for to be healpfull to my wife and Children in all theire Devisions above mensioned; and to Determine what and how any matter shalbe between them; as neare as they Can according to the true Intent of this my last Will and Testament; and by these prsents I revoake all former wills; thus hopeing that this my last Will and Testament wilbe kept and prformed according to the true Intent and meaning therof: I Comitt my body to the Dust and my soule to God that Gave it mee; In Witnes wherof I Jacob Cooke senir: have sett to my hand and seale this eleventh Day of December one thousand six hundred seaventy and five; alsoe for my fifty acrees of Land att or about Joneses river meddow; I would have it Devided to my sonnes