Stories From A Stony Land: Last Will and Testament of Henry Straight

This is recorded by my Dad from original court documents.  As you can see, the document was in Olde English, and of low quality, so he had some difficulty with translation.  Henry Straight was the first generation Strait, living from 1652 to June 4, 1728.  This will was recorded only a few weeks before his passing.

In the name of God Amen this fifteenth day of May in the year of our Lord, Seventeen Hundred Twenty and Eight I Henry Straight of East Greenwich in the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations in New England in America, yeoman being sick and weeke in Body but in perfect mind and memory and understanding, thanks be given to God.  Therefore Calling to mind that mortalyty of my Body and that it is appointed for all men once to Die I do make and ordain this my Last Will and Testament (that is to say) Prinsepally and first of all I Give and Recommend my soul into the hands of God that Gave it, and my Body I recommend unto the Earth from whence it was taken to be Buried in Decent Buraill at the Descression of my Executorex here after named on thing Doubting but at the Glorious Resurrection I shall Receive the same again by the might Power of God: and Touching such Temporal Estate as it hath pleased God to Bless me with in this life, I Give Demise Dispose of the same in the following manner and form as followeth

Impri:  My will is that in some Resonable time after my Decese all my Just Debts and funerall Charge be Duly and truely Paid-

Itim:  I Give and bequeth unto my son Henry Straight five shillings, he having had his portion in full in Lands and moveables already Received before the Date of these Presents--

Itim:  My Will is and I Do Give to my son John Straight the one halfe of my farm whereon I noLive at the Ensealing of these Presents butted and bounded Eastward on the Land of Robert Voughaun north-ward on a highway westwardly to a maple tree thence south-ward to a white oke tree and is mentioned more plain in a Deed of Gift Drawn by Thomas Spenser Juont bearing Date April the 30:1726: Reference their unto being had the said Land I have Given to my aforesaid son John Straight after the Decese of my wife Mary Straight of marriage which shall first happen I say I Do give the said Land to him and his heirs and assigns forever---

Itim:  I Give and bequeth unto my beloved wife Mary Straight all my moveable Estate, Chatles beds Goods Household st uf (Eriton kiolos?)  my Dad notes here - GARBLED  - whatever to her and her heirs and assigns forever whom I Do Constitute and ordain and appoint my whole & sole Excutorex to this my Last Will and Testament further my will is and Doe Give unto my beloved wife Mary Straight my hous and Housing Barn Crib fensis orchard or orchards and Land to be Used occupied and Quietly and Injoyed and Peaceably Possesed During the time she remains my widow and then to Return to my son John as afore said and here by I Doe Revoke and Disalow and make void all my former Wills and Testaments, and Do ratifie and Confeirm this and no other to be my Last Will and Testament as Witness my hand and seal the Day and year above written.

As I do not have an original document, it is hard to say how much above represents mis-spellings in the original, or errors my father made in translation.  I chose to present as he did, with the exception of a few additional commas.

The document, particularly the first paragraph, appears to be written by some strange mixture of lawyer and preist.  Mary Straight survived a good long while after Henry, living until 1757 and reaching the age of 92.  This is the same age my father's mother, Florence, lived to, and my father lived one year less, passing at 91.