Will of William Porter

In the name of God Amen the sixth day of December in the year of our lord one thousand six hundred and five, I William Porter of the County of Somerset and province of Maryland Cooper being sick in body but of good and perfect memory and thanks be to the Almighty god, calling to mention the uncertain estate of this transitory life and that all must yield unto death when it pleases god do continue make ordain this my last will and testament in manner and form following Revoking and annulling by these presents all and every testament and testament will and wills heretofore by me made and declared either by word or writing and this to be taken only for my Last Will and Testament and first being sorry and penitent from the bottom of my heart for my sins past most humbly desires forgiveness for the same I give and commit my soul to god Almighty my savior and redeemer in whom and be the merrits of Jesus Christ I trust and believe assuredly to be saved and to have full remission and forgiveness of all my sins and that my soul with my body at the general day of resurrection shall rise again with joy and through the merrits of Christ death and passion posses and inherit the kingdom of heaven prepared for his eleat and chosen and my body to be burred in such place where it shall please my executrix hereafter named to appoint and now for these my worldly and temporal estate and such goods and chattles and debts as it hath pleased god fare above my deserts to bestow upon me_____ I do order and dispose in manner and form following_____ First I will that all debts and duties I owe as in right and conscience to any maner of person or persons whatsoever shall well and truly be contented and paid or ordered to be paid within convienent time after my decease by my Executors hereafter named____ Secondly , I doe will and by this my last will and Testament will and order that the land and plantation I now live upon called Friends Choice, shall by my Executors hereafter named be sold for the purchasing and raising of tobacco, for the payment of Capt. Henry Smith or Thomas Jones for the said land and for the saving of George Sane identified who is my security and bound with me for the payment of the aforesd. Tobacco for the apersed. Land ___ And lastly, I will and ordain by this my last will and testament that my well beloved wife Elizabeth shall be my Executrix and George Sane and John Gray to be her assistants in Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seale the day and year above said___ Signed sealed and declared in presence of us John Polk, John Porter his Tho. Smith John Bennett William Polk William [WM] Porter {Seale} Mark Memorandum, that this day being the 10th of June 1696, probate was made of this will by the oaths of John Porter and Wm. Polk who also, swore that they saw the other three witnesses set their hand and as evidences, then I the subscriber administered oaths to Elizabeth the Executrix above named, and to Richard Chamers and Ephraim Willson appraisers and granting testamentry letter with copy of sd. Will [??? A map ??] Witness___ Sam. Hopkins Examined Recorded in Liber EB No. 5 folio 177~ Test. Esme Bayly Regr. W.S.C.