Transcription of a photograph of an original document found in the Cheshire Record Office, April 2010.
Transcriber’s Notes:
1. The name “William” (occurs three times) is somewhat in question. The spelling is clearly “Will” but with a double back stroke across the “L’s” (see “sonne Will Pemberton” in the image snippet here) that is missing in
the word “will” in the “will and testament” phrase. However, this same styled double back stroke across the “L’s” in Will is repeated in the words in the left margin which indicate a item in the declarations of the will. The word transcribed here as “Item” is actually the letters “Ite” over-crossed with this same double back stroke, so this transciber assumes the double back stroke indicates a truncation or abbreviation of a common (then thought to be obvious) word.
2. The last paragraph, beginning with “And I doe hereby signify …” is written in a smaller and possibly more hurried hand and is much more difficult to read – indicating perhaps some stress in the scribe as he or she dealt with the subject of prior bequests.
3. The Thomas Pemberton signature was apparently written in his own hand is very broken seeming to indicate an old writer.
4. The word “seised” could by spelled “seized” and the proper meaning would be preserved, but it probably stems from the real estate term “seisin” which was a form of title or ownership. See “livery of seisin”.
5. The mark of this John Pemberton, Blacksmith is clearly a pick axe.
Names in order of mention:
son: John Pemberton
son: Robte Pemberton
son: Will, or William Pemberton
Elline Croft
Ralph Gibbon son of William Gibbon
wife: Margery Pemberton
Executor: wife Margery Pemberton
Witness:Thomas Pemberton
Witness: Henry Greene
In the Name of God Amen the 14th day of June 1664 in the yeare of the Raigne of the Soveraigne Lord Charles the Second by the Grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the Faith, I John Pemberton of Thornton Hough in the County of Chester Blacksmith Beeinge weak in body but of sound and perfect memory (praise be given to God for the same) and knowing the Uncertainty of this life on Earth and beeinge desireous to settle things in order Doe make this my last Will and Testament in Manner and form following: that is to say first and principally I comitt my soul to Almighty God my Creator and assuredly believing that I shall Recive full pardon and free Remission of all my sins and be saved by the precious death and Merits of my Beloved Saviour and Redeemer Jesus Christ and my body to the Earth from whence it was taken to be Buried in such decent Christian manner as to my Executor hereafter Named shall be thought meete and Convenient And as touching such Worldly goods and Estate which God hath beene pleased to lend mee my will and meaning is, the same shall be imployed and bestowed as hereafter by this my Will is Expressed:
Item I doe revoke renounce frustrate and make voyd all Wills by mee formerly made and declare and appoynt this my last Will and Testament.
Item I leave unto my sonne John Pemberton one shillinge in full of all Demands from my Executor hereafter Named when hee the said John shall come and demande the same in his own person.
Item I Leave unto my sonne Robte Pemberton and to all his children lawfully begotten one shellinge a piece in full of all Demands from my said Executor.
Item I Leave unto my sonne William Pemberton and to all his children lawfully begotten One shillinge a piece in full Demands from my Executor.
Item I Leave to Elline Croft One shillinge:
Item I Leave to Raph Gibbon sonne of Will Gibbon one shillinge
Lastly I doe hereby Constitute Ordaine and appoynt my wife Margery Pemberton my sole and Only Executor of this my Last Will and Testament and I doe Leave unto my said wife Margery all my Estate reall and personall and all my goods Cattles and Chattle’s Tacks of grounds and whatsoever I shall die seised and possessed Except the Lagacies before Expressed to have and to hold the said Estate Reall and personall and Likewise all my goods Cattles and Chattles Tacks and what I shall die seised and possessed of unto her the said Margery and her Assigns for ever. And I doe hereby signifey to the world that I have paid my sonnes the severall and respective portions hereafter expressed viz: to my sonne John the sum of sixteen pounds or thereabouts to my sonne Robte twenty pounds or thereabouts and to my sonne William twenty pounds or thereabouts.
Signed, Sealed and Published
by the within named John Pemberton
in Witness of it:
Thomas Pemberton John Pemberton
Henry Greene his mark
Probated 26 Feb 1669
