The Will of Captain Arthur Fenner

from The Early Records of the Town of Providence, Volume 5, being part of the Third Book of the Town of Providence, otherwise called the Book with Brass Clasps:
     
Here followeth the Record of the last will & Testament of Captn: Arthur ffenner of Providence, who departed this life October ye 10th i703:/
In the name of God Amen; I Arthur ffenner of Providence, in the Collony of Rhode Island & Providence Plantations &c: being weake in Body but in Perfect vnderstanding & Memory, 
thankes be to Almighty God for the same, Calling to mind my Mortallitye; And knowing that it is appoynted for all men once to Die; And being willing to set my house in Order, 
Doe make my last will & Testament in manner and forme following; That is to say, ffirst & principally, I Comend my Soule into the hands of Almighty God, hopeing through the 
Merritts of my Savior Jesus Christ to have full & free Pardon of all my sinns, & to inherit Everlasting life, And my Body I Comit to the Earth to be decently buried at the 
descression of my Executors hereafter named, And as touchin the disposition of all such Temporall Estate as it hath pleased God to bestow upon me, I give & bequeath as followeth./
  ffirst   I Will that my debts & ffunerall Charges shall be paid & discharged
  Item   I Give & bequeath to my deare & loveing Wife Howlong ffenner one Cow the best shee can chuse in my herd, & Tenn pounds of Currant money per Annu|m| duering her Naturall life after 
my decease, That is Tenn Pounds Every yeare to be paid to her by My Executors hereafter Named, or by their order yearely, And also the keepeing of a Cow, & one Roome which shee shall see 
cause to Chuse in any of my houseing duering her naturall life for her Comfortable liveing, And all my houseal Goods to be at her owne dispose after my decease./
  Item.   I Give & bequeath unto my Two daughters ffrelove Craufford, and Bethiah Kelton the sum of Tenn Poundes a peice of money, or Pay Equivalent to money, to be paid unto them by my 
Executors within a yeare after my decease./
  Item   I Give unto my Daughter Phebe Latham the sum of Tenn shillings to be paid to her within 1  yeare after my decease; And also I will for Reason[ ] best knowne to myselfe, that my two 
Executors hereafter named, doe keepe in depositt nine Pounds Tenn shillings of Money, or pay Equivalen|t| to money to Pay unto my sd Daughter Phebe Latham, or to her heirs, or which they my 
sd Executors shall see Cause, to be left wholy at their discression & as they shall thinke fitt./
  Item,   I Give & bequeath unto my two Sons Thomas ffenner & Arthur ffenner, Inhabitants in Providence in the Collony of Rhode Island & Providence Plantations, Whome I have Constituted & 
Appoynted to be Co Executors, of this my last Will & Testament, All my lands within the Towneshipp of Providence aforesaid that are already laid out, or to be laid out, together with all my 
Right in Comon within the seven mile line, & without the seven mile line, be it vpland low land, Meaddow, or what land so ever which is Mine not heretofore disposed of, to be Equally devided 
betwixt my two said sons, or as they shall agree to devide, To have & to hold for them their heirs, Executors, Administrators & Assignes forever:/
  Item   I Give & bequeath unto my two aforesaid sons Thomas ffenner & Arthur ffenner all the Remaineing part of my moveable Estate out of dores not disposed of to my wife with all my Cattail 
and horse kind to be Equally devided betwixt them, & also all my houseing besides what Privelidge I have above reserved to my wife, I Give to my two aforesaid sons to be Equally devided betwixt 
them, their heirs, Executors, Administrators & Assignes:
  Item   My Will is; That, that Roome which my Wife shall Chuse to live in; after her decease shall fall to my two said sones, their heirs Executors, Administrators, or Assignes, to be equally 
devided betwixt them./
  Item   I doe appoynt that my two sd Sons shall Pay all my debts and ffunerall Charges, And doe hereby Revoke, Disanull & make voyd all former Wills & Testaments by me heretofore made 
Rattifieing & Confirming this to be my last will & Testamt:
  In wittnes Whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seale this Twenty seventh day of Agust in the yeare of our Lord one Thousand seven hundred & three./
					                Arthur ffenner
Signed, Sealed Pronounced			Arthur ffenner | acknowledged|
& declared by the said Arthur		        before me at his dwelling house
ffenner to be his last			        in Providence the Third day of
Will & Testament				September 1703 this to be his last
before us,				        will and Testament
Daniell Matheson			        Jonathan Sprague Justice of ye Peace./
   the mark of
  Sarah X Inman
Simon Smith

The Will & Testament which in this Sheete of Paper is Contained was by the Towne Councill of Providence at their Meeting of 12f day of November 1703; by Adjornment from November the 5th: 1703, 
Examined & Prooved./
	Attests Tho: Olney Clerk of ye Councill;
	Recorded November the 18th: 1703   P me
	Tho: Olney Clerke of ye Councill./