St. Clement Mannor

In the name of God amen, I Robert Slye of Bushwood one St. Clements Mannor in St. Maries County of the Provice of Maryland merchant being at this time of sound and perfect memory praised be God and calling to mind the short and uncertain state of this present life, and that all flesh must yield unto death, I do therefore amend my Soul to God my Creator hopeing through the merritt's of Jesus Christ my Saviour to inheritt eternall life my body I commend to the Eart to be decently buried beyond the Creek at Malopeny as neare as may be to those of my children, already gone before me, and in order to the selling and dispersing of that Estate that it hath pleased Godto possess and endow with all, I do hereby publish -----ordain and appoint this present writeing to be my last will and testament: First of all I will and ordain that all and my just debts that I owe either in Right of Law or Conscience be speedily and punctually paid and if it happen that there are Effects in my hands (at the time of my death) Belonging to other person or persons whatsoever my will is that full return be made to each person as soon as may be with conveniency.

I give and bequeath to my little daughters Elizabeth and Francis my tract of land called Rich Neck lyeing between Malopeny and Bushwood, deputed to be five hundred acres of land more or less to them and the heirs of their bodies forever to be equally divided between when either of them is married but if one of the two happen to dye before that time then the surviving sister to have and injoy the whole to her and her heirs. But in default thereof then to be divided amonst the rest of my surviving children after the decease of both my daughters if the dye without heirs lawfully begotten and my further will is that my said two daughters have thirty thousand pounds of Tobacco a peice out of my Estate and that the same be shipt for England the first next years after my death by Tenn Thousand each yeare and conveyed to Old Henry Mecsse and my kinsman Mr Strangwayes Mudd of London for the use of my said children and the issues the said Tobacco to be paid being equally divided between them at the time of marriage or at sixteen years of age and if either of them dye before that time the surviving sister to have it all and if they both dye then the rest of my children that survive to have the produce of the said Tobacco equally divided amongst them, or if but one survive then that child to have all. I give and bequeath to my youngest son Robert my Plantation called Lapworth with all the land thereunto belonging together with Norwood Lapworth Lodge and Cher Doule, three other tracts adjoining thereunto, all which I give to my said son and his heirs forever, together with all my negroes now living at Lapworth, as also to my other servants there for the time they have to serve and likewise all my stock of cattle, horses, mares, ------ or whatever else, shall be found belonging to the said Plantation at the time of my Death, but if my said son happen to dye before he arrives at the age of eighteen years or without heirs of his body lawfully begotten then both my land - negroes, servants and stock afd (aforesaid) shall ------ & ----- to the rest of my children surviving to be equally divided betwixt them or if but one survives then that child t have all. I give and bequeath to my dearly beloved wife Susannah Slye for an d in consideration of her dower and in full satisfaction thereof the ----- (majority) or one half of all my stock of cattle swine horses mares sheep or other things whatsoever that may come under that term or notion excepting only the stock belonging to Lapworth given to my son Robert and I likewise give unto my said dear wife the one alf of all my negroes belonging to Bushwood, together with half the white servants belonging thereunto for the time they have to serve as also the one half the one half of all the household goods ---(foe) merchandise, that are in my custody and properly belonging to myself at the time of my death and she to have thirty thousand pounds of Tobacco paid her out of my debts within two years next after my decease and also to have the dwelling house and half the other houseing belonging to Bushwood with the use of half the land belonging thereunto during her life and afterward the same to come and descend to my son Gerard (that is to say)the land and house only.

I give and bequeath to my eldest son Gerard Slye all the rest of my Estate both real and personall that to me belonging or in any wayes appertaining excepting only what is before or shall hereafter be excepted in this my said last will and testament and do also hereby declare herein and apoint my said son Gerard to be my sole executor of this my last will and he to have the whole and totall benefit of an Executor, in as lare and ample manner as the Laws of the Kingdom of England or this Province will admit or allow. And yet never the less my further will is that if my son Gerard should happen to dye before he come to be eighteen years of age or have heirs of his body lawfully begotten then that such children of mine that shall survive shall equally share in that part of my estate given to my said son Gerard or if but one survive that to have it all and the next ----- to have the benefite of te Executorship and either he or she to be my sole Executor or Executrix But in regard none of my children are yet come of such ripe maturity as to understand how to manage the affairs and concerns of my estate aforesaid I do therefor hereby request and intreat my loving friends Mr Thomas Notley by Brother Mr Justinian Gerard my Brother Mr Nehemiah Blackstone and my loving friend Mr Benjamin Holly or any two or more of them to be the overseers and ---------- in trust of this my last will to see and cause the same to be performed and fully exected according to the true intent and meaning thereof and it it should so happen that any ambiguity doubt or scruple should arise by reason of any word clause or sentence therein contained then my further will is that my said friends that I have nominated to be overseers of this my last will and testament may construe or interpret my true intent and meaning therein or any two or more of them and none others and so also hereby appoint the sole guardianship of my children to my dear wife during their minority referring her to take due care that they be brought up in the true fear of God and instructed in such ---- as may be tend to their improvementboth for their present and future good. But if my Dear Wife should happen to dye then my will is that my Brother Mr Nehemiah Blackistone and my loveing friend Mr Benjamin Solly take my said children that are under sixteen years of age into their Guardianship and Tuition who I request to themthe same care for their education that I have defered of my beloved wife during the time of her life and my further will is that when there shall happen any division to be made of my estate according to this my last will that the same be done by the discretion of any two or more of my said overseers - without partiality from time to time as tehre is occasion and by none otehrs if they or any two of them are then living But in case it should please God that my children should all dye before they or any one of them arrive at the age of twenty one years or have issue lawfully begotten then I give and bequeath my tract of land of one thousand acres (more or less) called Bushwood, to my brother in law's Thomas Gerard and John Gerard any my sister-in-law Mary Gerard or the survivors or survivor of them and their heirs forever, after the decease of my beloved wife but not before and further more my will is taht in case of the death of all my children aforesaid before any one of them arrive all twenty one years of age or have issue lawfully begotten then I give and bequeath my tract of land calle Rich Neck upon St. Clements Mannor, to the eldest son of my dear sister Mrs Elizabeth Russell of London and to his heirs forever and my plantation called Lapworth with the land there unto belonging unto my nephew Timothy Cooper and Norwood Lapworth Lodge and ---- leare Donte to my nephew Tomas Cooper both of Springfield in new England and unto their heirs forever, In testimony that what is above written is the true intent and meaning of my last will and testament written and signed with my own hand and sealed with my seal this 10th day of January 1670 and in the 39th year of the Dominian of Cacilius.                               Robert Slye      (      )

(      )

On the backside of the said will and testament of Robert Slye was thus written viz: The within written testament was owned by Robert Slye the Testator to be his act and deed in the presence of us that are witnesses thereunto January the Eighteenth in the year of our Lord one thousand and six hundred and seventy and in the 39th year of the Dominion of Cacilius. Over the province of Marlyand.

John Blackiston                   )    This day being the thirteenth day of
Ebenezer Blackiston            )    March 1670 the within written
    Signum                            )    last will and testament of Mr. Robt.
John 11 Bullock                  )    Slye was in due manner and forme
Mary Gerard                      )     proved by the ---- of Mr. John Blackistone                                                 and Mrs. Mary Gerard witnesses
                                                thereunto before me. Will Talbott