In the Name of God Amen, I William Randall, Serjeant of Marines belonging to His Majesty’s Ship the Vengeance, Captain John Holloway Commander, being weak in body but of a sound and disposing Mind and Memory and considering the Perils and Dangers of the Seas and other Uncertainties of this Transitory Life, do for avoiding controversies after my Decease, make, publish and declare this my last Will and Testament in manner following, that is to say -
First, I recommend my Soul to God that gave it, and my Body I commit to the Earth or Sea as it shall please God to order,
- and as for and concerning all my worldly Estate I do give, bequeath and dispose thereof as followeth that is to say all my Wages, Sum and Sums of Money, Lands, Tenements, Goods, Chattels and Estate whatsoever as shall be any ways owing and or belonging unto me at the time of my decease, I do give devise and bequeath the same unto my loving friend Thomas Cummings, Drummer on Board His Majesty’s Ship Vengeance as aforesaid, and do hereby nominate and appoint the said Thomas Cummings my sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament, hereby revoking all former Wills, Testaments and Deeds of Gift by me at any time heretofore made and I do ordain and ratify these presents to stand and be for and as my only last Will and Testament.
In Witness to this my said Will I have set my Hand and Seal this sixteenth day of November in the year of our Lord one Thousand seven Hundred and Eighty and in the twentieth year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Third of Great Britain, France and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith etc. etc. - Wm Randall.
Signed, sealed published and declared in the presence of us English Harbour, Antigua, where no stamped paper could be had, Thos. Doak, George Maxted Serjt. , Jno. Hawley Do. Th. Young.
This Will was proved at London the twenty third day of July in the year of our Lord one Thousand seven Hundred and Eighty one before the Right Worshipful Peter Calvert, Doctor of Laws, Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the Oath of Thomas Cummings the sole Executor named in the said Will to whom Administration was granted of all and singular the Goods, Chattels and Credits of the deceased having been first sworn by Commission duly to administer.
Public Record Office reference no. PROB 11 / 1080
Transcribed by Cliff Thornton, December 2004.