Elizabeth (Tilley) Howland’s Will.
Transcribed from the original records,
By George Ernest Bowman.
Elizabeth (Tilley) Howland, widow of John Howland and daughter of John Tilley, died
at Swansea on Wednesday, 21/31 December, 1687, at the house of her daughter Lydia,
the wife of James Brown. Her will is recorded in the Bristol County, Mass.,
Probate Records, Volume 1, pages 13 and 14. No inventory is on record and the original
will has disappeared from the files.
________________________
In ye Name of God Amen I Elizabeth Howland of Swanzey in ye County of Bristoll in ye
Collony of Plymouth in New Engld being Seventy nine yeares of Age but of good &
perfect memory thanks be to Allmighty God & calling to Remembrance ye uncertain Estate
of this transitory Life & that all flesh must Yeild unto Death when it shall please
God to call Doe make constitute & ordaine & Declare This my last Will & Testament,
in manner & forme following Revoking and Anulling by these prsents all & every
Testamt & Testamts Will & Wills heretofore by me made & declared either by Word or
Writing And this to be taken only for my last Will & Testament & none other. And first
being penitent & sorry from ye bottom of my heart for all my sinns past most humbly
desiring forgivenesse for ye same I give & Comitt my soule unto Allmighty God my
Saviour & Redeemer in whome & by ye meritts of Jesus Christ I trust & believe assuredly
to be saved & to have full remission & forgivenesse of all my sins & that my Soule wt my
Body at the generall Day of Resurrection shall rise againe wt Joy & through ye meritts of
Christs Death & passion possesse & inheritt ye Kingdome of heaven prepared for his
Elect & Chosen & my Body to be buryed in such place where it shall please my Executrs
hereafter named to appoint And now for ye settling my temporall Estate & such goodes
Chattells & Debts as it hath pleased God far above my Deserts to bestow upon me I Do
Dispose order & give ye same in manner & forme following (That is to say) First that after
my funerall Expences & Debts paid wc I owe either of right or in Conscience to any manner
of person or persons whatsoever in Convenient tyme after my Decease by my Execrs hereafter
named I Give & bequeath unto my Eldest Son John Howland ye sum of five pounds to be paid
out of my Estate & my booke called Mr Tindale’s Workes & also one pair of sheetes & one
prof pillowbeeres & one pr of Bedblanketts, Item I give unto my son Joseph Howland my
Stillyards & also one pr of sheetes & one pt of pillobeeres Item I give unto my son Jabez
Howland my ffetherbed & boulster yt is in his Custody & also one Rugg & two Blanketts yt
belongeth to ye said Bed & also my great Iron pott & potthookes Item I give unto my son
Isaack Howland my Booke called Willson on ye Romanes & one pr of sheetes & one paire of
pillowbeeres & also my great Brasse Kettle already in his possession Item I give unto my
Son in Law Mr James Browne my great Bible Item I give & bequeath unto my Daughter Lidia
Browne my best ffeatherbed & Boulster two pillowes & three Blanketts & a green Rugg & my
small Cupboard one pr of AndyIrons & my lesser brasse Kettle & my small Bible & my booke of
mr Robbinsons Workes called Observations Divine & Morrall & allso my finest pr of Sheetes & my
Holland pillowbeeres, Item I give unto my Daughter Elisabeth Dickenson one pr of Sheetes
& one pr of pillowbeeres & one Chest Item give unto my Daughter Hannah Bosworth one pr of
sheets & one pr of pillowbeeres, Item I give unto my Grand Daughter Elizabeth Bursley one
paire of sheets and one paire of Pillowbeeres Item I give & bequeath unto my Grandson
athanael Howland (the son of Joseph Howland) and to the heires of his owne Body lawfully
begotten for ever all that my Lott of Land with ye Meadow thereunto adjoyning & belonging
lying in the Township of Duxbury neare Jones River bridge, Item I give unto my Grandson
James Browne One Iron barr and on Iron Trammell now in his possession, Item I give unto
my Grandson Jabez Browne one Chest Item I give unto my Grand Daughter Dorothy Browne My
best Chest & my Warming pan Item I give unto my Grand Daughter Desire Cushman four Sheep,
Item I give & bequeath my wearing clothes linnen and Woollen and all the rest of my Estate
in mony Debts linnen or of what kind or nature or sort soever it may be unto my three
Daughters Elisabeth Dickenson, Lidia Browne and Hannah Bosworth to be equally Devided
amongst them, Item I make constitute and ordaine my loving Son in Law James Browne and
my loving son Jabez Howland [p. 14] Executors of this my last Will and Testament, Item
it is my Will & Charge to all my Children that they walke in ye Feare of ye Lord, and
in Love and peace towards each other and endeavour the true performance of this my last
Will & Testament In Witnesse whereof I the said Elisabeth Howland have hereunto sett my
hand & seale this seventeenth Day of December Anno Dm one thousand six hundred Eighty & six.
The mark of Elisabeth E H Howland (sigittu)
Signed Sealed & Delivd
in ye prsence of Us Wittnesses
Hugh Cole
Samuel Vyall
John Browne
Know all men that on ye tenth Day of Janry Anno Dm 1687/8 Before me Nathanl Byfield Esqr
Judge of his Majties Inferiour Court of Plea’s for ye County of Bristoll, present Jno Walley
Esqr one of ye Members of his Majties Councill in New England & Capt Benjam Church Justice of
Peace The abovewritten Will of Elizabeth Howland was proved approved & allowed And ye
Administracon of all & singuler ye goodes Rights and Creditts of ye said Deced was Committed
unto James Browne & Jabez Howland Execrs in ye same Will named well & truly to Administer ye
same according to the Will of ye Deced In Testimony whereof I have hereunto Sett ye Seale of
ye Office for Probate of Wills & granting Lettrs of Admincon ye yeare & Day by me abovewritten
(Sigittu officij) Nathanael Byfield
Thus Entred & ingrossed this 26: of Janry Anno Dm 1687/8 pr Steph Burton
Source: Bowman, George Ernest, “Elizabeth (Tilley) Howland’s Will”, The Mayflower Descendant,
Vol. 3, No. 1, Jan 1901, pgs. 54-57.