This is the last Will and Testament of me John Shorter of Bloxham in the County of Oxford Surgeon I give to my Son John my Silver Tankard 
and desire him not to part with the same it being my particular wish that it should be continued in the Family as it has been for many years I give 
and bequeath All the Residue of my plate unto my Wife for her Widowhood and on the death or second Marriage of my said Wife I give and 
bequeath the same unto all and every my Child and Children by my present Wife whether before or after my decease Also I give and bequeath 
all my Linen in and about my Dwelling House unto my said Wife for her Widowhood and afterwards unto all and every my Child and Children 
who shall be living on the death or second Marriage of my said Wife (except my Son Edward Burford Shorter) but I empower my said Wife to 
give such part of my said Plate and Linen in her Lifetime amongst such of my said Children as she shall think proper I confirm the Settlement 
made on my Marriage with my late Wife Mary Burford whereby my daughters by that Marriage will be entitled to a greater provision than I 
expect I shall be able to provide for the Children by my present Wife which I hope my said daughters will consider as a sufficient reason for my 
not providing for them by this my Will and hope they will contribute something towards payment of my debts And as to all my Messuages 
Lands Tenements and Hereditaments as well Copyhold as Freehold (the Copyhold having been surrendered to the Use of this my Will) and all 
the residue of my personal Estate and Effects whatsoever and whosoever I give and bequeath the same unto my Friends John Davis and James 
Wake Golby their Heirs Executors Administrators and Assigns upon Trust that they do and shall sell and dispose of the same and pay and apply 
the Monies arising therefrom in discharge of my debts of every description And after payment of the same then Upon Trust to pay the Interest 
dividends and proceeds of the residue of the Money remaining in their Hands unto my said Wife during her Widowhood for the Maintenance of 
herself and my Children by her And on the death or second Marriage of my said Wife then Upon Trust to pay and apply the Interest dividends 
and proceeds of the said Trust Monies for the Maintenance Brooding up and Education of my Children by my present Wife until they 
respectively attain their respective Ages of twenty one years when each Childs share shall become a vested Interest except only as to the Sum of 
one hundred pounds which I hereby give to my said Wife out of my said Trust Monies on her second Marriage But in case all my Children by 
my present Wife shall depart this Life without attaining the age of twenty one years Then I give and bequeath All the Residue of the Monies 
arising from my real and personal Estate unto and amongst my said Son Edward and my three Daughters by my late Wife Mary And I do hereby 
declare that the Receipt and Receipts of my said Trustees and the Survivor of them his Heirs Executors Administrators and Assigns shall be 
good and sufficient Discharge and Discharges to a purchase and purchases of my said real and personal Estate or any part thereof without such 
purchaser or purchasers being liable to see to the Application or being in any way answerable for the Misapplication or Nonapplication thereof 
or any part thereof And I do hereby declare that it shall be lawful for my said Trustees and the Survivor of them to advance any Sum or Sums of 
Money to put and place out any of my Children by my present Wife Clerk or Apprentice to any Trade or Profession so that such Sum does not 
exceed the apparent Share of such Child in the said Trust Monies provided always and I do direct that my said Trustees shall not be answerable 
or accountable for any more Monies than they shall actually receive nor the one of them for the other of them but each of them for his own own 
Heirs Executors and Administrators Acts and Deeds only And Lastly I do hereby nominate constitute and appoint the said John Davis and James 
Wake Golby Executors of this my said last Will and Testament hereby revoking all former Wills by me at any time heretofore made and 
declaring this only to be my last Will and Testament & Request my said Executors to accept of a Ring each as a small token of my respect In 
Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and Seal this twenty eight day of March One thousand eight hundred and nine – J. Shorter – 
Signed sealed published and declared by the said Testator John Shorter as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who at his 
request and in his Sight and in the presence and sight of each other have subscribed our Names as Witnesses - John Fortescue – John Proody - 
John Marlin

This Will was proved at London on the first day of December in the Year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and nine before the Right 
Honourable Sir John Nicholl Knight Doctor of Laws Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted 
by the Oaths of John Davis and James Wake the Executors named in the said Will to whom Administration was granted of all and singular the 
Goods Chattels and Credits of the deceased they having been first sworn by Commission duly to administer

	
© 2003 by Christopher N. Lewis