The Last Will and Testament of Mr Ioseph Tilden of Scittuate in the Iurisdiction of New Plymouth; yeoman late deceased; exhibited to the Court held att the towne of Plymouth for the Iurisdiction of Plymouth aforsaid the fift day of Iuly l670 on the oathes of Captaine Iames Cudworth and Richard Curtice;
In the Name of God Amen; The tweluth day of May in the yeare of our Lord god one Thousand six hundred and seauenty; I Ioseph Tilden of Scittuate in the Iurisdiction of New Plymouth in New England in America yeoman; being weake in body but of sound and perfect memory: praise be giuen to God for the same and knowing the vncertainty of this life on earth; and being desirous to settle thinges in order; doe make this my Last will and Testament in manor and forme following That is to say first and principally I Comitt my soule to Almighty God my Creator assured by beleiueing That I shall Receiue full pardon and free Remision of all my sins; and be saued by the precious death and merritts of my blessed Sauior and Redeemer Christ Iesus; and my body to the earth from whence it was taken to be buried in such decent mannor as to my exequitrix heerafter Named shalbe thought meet and Convenient; And as touching my worldly estate as the Lord in Mercye hath lent mee; my will and meaning is the same shalbe Imployed and bestowed as heerafter by this my will is expressed; and first I doe Revocke Renounce frustarate and make voide all wills and Testaments by mee formerly made and declared; and appoint this my last Will and Testament and noe other; first of all I will that all those debts and dutyes as I owe in Right or Consience to any manor of person or persons whatsoeuer shalbe well and truly Contented and payed or ordained to be payed within Convenient time after my decease by my exequitrix heerafter named;
Item I giue and bequeath vnto my beloued wife Elizabeth Tilden one hundred pounds in siluer mony; and one hundred pounds in Mouable goods; shee to take her choise of what shee best liketh; and wheras I haue settled my lands vpon my sonnes Nathaniel: Iohn Stephen Samuell and Benjamine by deeds of feofment and a letter of Atturney to put each and euery of my said sonnes into posession of what by deed is settled vpon each of them: when each of them shall attaine the full age of twenty one yeares; which Letter of atturney and deeds of feofment beare date the sixteenth day of Aprill 1670 wherfore my mind and will is That all the Rents proffitts benifitt and vse fruite of all my said Lands; my beloued wife Elizabeth Tilden shall take to her selfe as her owne proper Interest vntill each of my said sonnes shall attaine to the age of twenty one yeares; and the thirds of the proffitts of all my lands after theire attainment to the age aforsaid during her Naturall life; and incase it soe happen and fallout that any of my said sonnes one or more should depart this life before hee shall attain the full age of twenty one yeares or after the attaining the age of twenty one yeares; die without Issue Lawfully begotten of his body; then my mind and will is that hee that soe dies within age or without Issue Lawfully begotten of his body; That the Land giuen vnto him and settled vpon him by deed (incase hee had attained to full age and had had lawfull Issue; That his parte and portion of Land shalbe equally deuided amongst all my Children surviueing both males and feamales; and my mind and will is that my loueing wife shall haue the Care and Charge of bringing vp all my Children; and to haue the vse and benifit of all the Legacyes or portions vntill each of them Come to full age;
Item I giue and bequeth vnto my daughter Rebeckah Tildin twenty pounds in siluer mony and one bed furnished;
Item I giue and bequeath vnto my daughter Elizabeth Tilden ten pounds in siluer mony
Item I giue and bequeath vnto my daughter Lydia Tilden ten pounds in siluer mony;
Item I giue and bequeath vnto my sister Lydia Garrett fiue pounds in Currant Country pay; and doe acquitt and discharg her of all debts and accoumpts betwixt vs from the begining of the world to the date of these presents;
Item I doe acquitt and discharge my brother Stephen Tilden of all debts and accoumpts betwixt vs from the begining of the world to the date of these presents; my debts and legacies as [ folio 7] aforsaid being payed together with my funarall expences; all the Rest of my estate both of goods Chattles and debts; my mind and will is and I doe giue and bequeath amongst my Children Nathaniel: Tilden: Iohn Tilden: Stephen Tilden Samuell Tilden Benjamine Tilden Rebeckah Tilden Elizabeth Tilden and Lydia Tilden to be equally deuided amongst them; and to be payed by my exequitrix heerafter named; vnto each of my sonnes when as each of them shall attaine to the full age of twenty one yeares; and vnto each and euery of my daughers when each of them shall attaine the age of twenty and one yeares; or the day of ther Marriage; but incase any of my Children whose names are before expressed; either son or daughter hapen to die before they Come to full age as is before expressed; or daughter before marriage; then my mind and will is; his or her parte portion & Interest in the estate deuidable as aforsaid shall Remaine vnto those then surviueing to be equally deuided amongst them
And I doe make ordaine and appoint my welbeloued wife Elizabeth Tilden sole exequitrix of this my Last Will and Testament to Receiue all my debts and to pay all my debts and legacyes;
In witnes wherof I haue heervnto sett my hand and seale the day and yeare aboue written; and before sealing; my mind and will is that my loueing wife shall haue during her life; the New buildings or south end of my house and porch Chamber for her vse to liue in;
Ioseph Tilden.
And a seale
Signed and sealed in the presence of vs
Iohn Sutton
Richard Curtice
Iames Cudworth
[Plymouth Colony Wills, vol. III, pp. 6-7]