Last Will and Testament
The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/evans/N09649.0001.001
Project Note
This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.
This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.
Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.
However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.
This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.
Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org
LAST WILL, AND TESTAMENT, OF THE Late REVEREND And RENOWNED GEORGE WHITEFIELD, Who Departed this Life, at Newbury-Port, Sept. •• th 1770. Aet. 56.
Written by Himself at Georgia, on his last Tower through America; and Published by Order of his Executors in London.
LONDON Printed: BOSTON: Printed and Sold, next to the Writing School in Queen-Street, and opposite to the Seat of WILLIAM VASSALL, Esq. 〈◊〉 1771.
This Day Published, And to be Sold at the Printing-Office opposite, William Vassal, Esq in Queen-Street.
POEMS, upon several Sermons preached by the late Reverend and Renowned GEORGE WHITEFIELD while in BOSTON.
By JANE DUNLAP, in BOSTON.
THE Last Will, &c.
AS it is not doubted the numerous friends of the late Reverend Mr. GEORGE WHITEFIELD will be glad of an opportunity of seeing a genuine copy of his last Will and Testament; his Executors have favored the Public with a copy of the same, transmitted to them from the Orphan House in Georgia, and which they have proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury. And as it was Mr. WHITEFIELD's constant declaration he never meant to raise either a Purse or a Party, it is to be remarked, that almost the whole money he died possessed of, came to him within two or three Years of his death, in the following manner, viz. Mrs. Thompson, of Towerhill, bequeathed him 500l. By the death of his Wife, including a Bond of 300l. he got 700l. Mr. Whitmore bequeathed him 100l. and Mr. Winder 100l. and it is highly probable, that had he lived to reach Georgia from his late nothern tour, he would have much lessened the above sums, by disposing of them in the same noble and disinterested manner that all the public or private sums he has been entrusted with have been.
Georgia.
To all to whom these presents shall come, greeting; Know ye, That Thomas Moodie, who hath certified the annexed copy from the original, in the Secretary's Office, is Deputy Secretary of the said Province, and therefore all due faith and credit is, and ought to be had, and given to such his Certificate.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the great Seal of this, his Majesty's said Province to be put and affixed, dated at Savannah the tenth day of December in the year of our Lord 1770. and in the eleventh year of the reign of his Majesty King George the Third.
By his Excellency's Command. J. Wright. THO, MOODIE, D. Secretary.
IN the name of the Father, Son, and Holy-Ghost, three Persons, but one God; I GEORGE WHITEFIELD, Clerk, at present residing at the Orphan-House Academy, in the Province of Georgia, in North America, being through infinite mercy in more than ordinary bodily health, and a perfectly sound and disposing mind, knowing the certainty of death, and yet the uncertainty of the time I shall be called by it to my long wished for home, do make this my last will and testament, in manner and form following, viz. Imprimis, In sure and certain hope of a resurrection to eternal life, through our Lord Jesus Christ, I commit my Body to the Dust, to be buried in the most plain and decent manner; and knowing in whom I have believed, and being persuaded that he will keep that which I have committed unto him, in the fullest assurance of faith I commend my soul into the hands of the everloving, altogether lovely, never failing Jesus, on whose complete and everlasting righteousness I entirely depend, for the justification of my person and acceptance of my poor, worthless, though I trust, sincere performances, at that day when he shall come in the glory of his Father, his own glory, and the glory of his holy Angels, to judge both the quick and dead. In respect to my outward, American concerns, which I have engaged in simply and solely for his great name's sake, I leave that building, commonly called the Orphan-house, at Bethesda, in the Province of Georgia, together with all the other buildings lately erected thereon, and likewise all other buildings, lands, negroes, books, furniture, and every other thing whatsoever which I now stand possessed of in the Province of Georgia aforesaid, to that elect Lady, that mother in Israel, 〈◊〉 mirror of true and undefiled religion, the Right Honorable Selin, Countess Dowager of Huntingdon, desiring, that as soon as may be after my decease, the plan of the intended Orphan-house, Bethesda College, may be prosecuted, or, if not practicable, or eligible, to pursue the present plan of the Orphan-house Academy, on its old foundation and usual channel; but if her Ladyship should be called to enter into her glorious rest before my decease, I bequeath all the buildings, lands, negroes, and everything before mentioned which I now stand possessed in the Province of Georgia aforesaid, to my dear first straveller, and faithful, invariable friend, the Honorable James Habersham, Esq President of his Majesty's Honorable Council: and should he survive her Ladyship, I earnestly recommend him as the most proper person to succeed her Ladyship, or to act for her during her Ladyship's life time, in the affairs of the Orphan-house Academy. With regard to my outward affairs in England; whereas there is a building commonly called the tabernacle, set apart many years ago for divine worship, I give and beneath the said tabernacles, with the adjacent house in which I usually reside, when in London, with the stable and coach-house in the yard adjoining, together with all books, furniture, and everything else whatsoever, that shall be found in the House and premises aforesaid, and also the building commonly called Tottenham-court Chapel, together with all the other buildings, houses, stable, coach-house, and everything else whatsoever which I stand possessed of in that part of the town, to my worthy, trusty, tried friends, Daniel West, Esq in Church-street, Spitalfields, and Mr. Robern Keen, woollen-draper, in the Minories, or the longest survivor of the two. As to the monies, which a kind Providence, especially of late, in a most unexpected way, and unthought of means, hath vouchsafed to intrust me with; I give and bequeath the sum of one hundred pounds sterling to the Right Honorable Countess Dowager of Huntingdon aforesaid, humbly beseeching her Ladyship's acceptance of so small a mite, as a pepper corn of acknowledgment for the undeserved, unsought for honor her Ladyship conferred upon me, in appointing me, less than the least of all, to be one of her Ladyship's domestic chaplains. Item, I give and bequeath to my dearly beloved friend the Honorable James Habersham aforesaid, my late wife's gold watch, and ten pounds for mourning; to my dear old friend, Gabriel Harris, Esq of the city of Gloucester, who received and boarded me in his house, when I was helpless and destitute, above thirty five years ago, I give and bequeath the sum of fifty pounds; to my humble faithful servant and friend, Mr. Ambrose Wright, if in my ser+vice and employ, either in England or America, or elsewhere, at the time of my decease, I give and bequeath the sum of five hundred pounds; to my brother, Mr. Richard Whitefield, I give and bequeath the sum of fifty pounds; to my brother, Mr. Thomas White+field, I give and bequeath the sum of fifty pounds, to be given him at the discretion of Mr Robert Keen; to my brother in law Mr. Jame Smith, hosier, in the city of Bristol, I give and bequeath the sum of fifty pounds, and thirty pounds also for family mourning; to my neice Mrs. Francis Hartford, of Bath, I give and bequeath the sum of fifty pounds, and twenty pounds for Family mourning; to Mr. J. Crane, now a faithful steward at the Orphan-house Academy, I give and bequeath the sum of forty pounds; to Mr. Benjamin 〈◊〉 , in acknowledge+meant of his past services at Bethesda, I give and bequeath the sum of ten pounds for mourning; to Peter Edwards, now at the Orphan-House Academy, I give and bequeath the sum of fifty pounds; to Mr. William Trigg, at the same place, I give and bequeath the sum of fifty pounds; both the sums aforesaid to be laid out, or laid up for them, at the discretion of Mr. Ambrose Wright; to Mr. Thomas Adams, of Redborough in Gloucestershire, my first fellow laboorer, and beloved much in the Lord, I give and bequeath the sum of fifty pounds; to the Reverend Mr. Howel Davis, of Pembrokeshire, in South Wales, that good Soldier of Jesus Christ; to Mr. 〈◊〉 Joss, Mr. Cornelius Winter, and all my other dearly be+loved present stated assistant preachers at Tabernacle and Tottenham-court Chapel, I give and bequeath ten pounds each for mourning; to the three brothers of Mr. Ambrose Wright, and the wife of his brother Mr. Robert Wright, now faithfully and skillfully laboring, and serving at the Orphan-House Academy, I give and bequeath the sum of ten pounds each for mourning; to Mr. Richard Smith, now a diligent attendant on me, I give and bequeath the sum of fifty pounds and all my wearing apparel which I shall have with me in my journey through America, or on my voyage to England, if it should please an all-wise God to shorten my days in either of these situations. Finally, I give and bequeath the sum of one hundred pounds, to be distributed at the discretion of my executors herein after mentioned, for mourning among my old London servants, the poor widows at Tottenham-court Chapel, and the Tabernacle poor, especially my old trusty, disinterested friend and servant, Mrs. Eli • abeth Wood. All the other residue, if there be any re •• due, of monies, goods and chattels, or whatever profits may arise from the sale of my books, or any manuscripts that I may leave behind, I give and bequeath to the Right Honorable the Countess Dowager of Huntingdon, or in case of her Ladyship's being deceased at the time of my departure, to the Honorable James Habersham, Esq before-mentioned, after my funeral expenses and just debts 〈◊〉 discharged, towards paying off my arrears that may be due on account of the Orphan-House Academy, or for annual prizes as a reward for the best three orations that shall be made in English on the subjects mentioned in a paper annexed to this my will. And I do hereby apppoint the Honorable James Habersham, Esq afore • aid to be my executor in respect to my affairs in the province of Georgia, and my trusty tried dearly beloved friends Charles Hardy, Esq Daniel West, Esq and Mr. Robert Keen, to be executors of this my last will and testament, in respect of my affairs in England, begging each to accept of a mourning ring. To all my other Christian benefactors, and more intimate acquaintance, I leave my most hearty thanks and blessing, assuring them that I am more and more convinced of the undoubted reality, and infinite importance of the grand gospel truths which I have from time to time delivered; 〈◊〉 am so far from repenting my delivering them in an itinerant way, that had I strength equal to my inclination I would preach them from pole to pole, not only be+cause I have found them to be the power of God to the salvation of my own soul, but because I am as much assured that the Great Head of the Church hath called me by his word, providence, and spirit, to act in this way as that the sun shines at noon day. As for my enemies and misjudging, mistaken friends, I most freely and heartily forgive them, and can only add, that the 〈◊〉 and tremendous day will soon discover what I have been what I am, and what I shall be, when time itself shall 〈◊〉 no more; and therefore. from my inmost soul, I close all, by crying, Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly, even so Lord Jesus, Amen and Amen.
GEORGE WHITEFIELD
This was written with the Testator's own hand, and at his desire, and in his presence, sealed, signed, and delivered, at the Orphan-House Academy, in the province of Georgia, before us witnesses, Anno Domini, March the twenty-second, one thousand, seven hundred and seventy.
Signed, ROBERT BOLTON, THOMAS DIXON, CORNELIUS WINTER.
N. B. I also leave a mourning ring to my honored and dear friends, and disinterested fellow-laborers, the Reverend Messieurs John and Charles Wes+ley, in token of my indissoluble union with them in heart and Christian affection, notwithstanding our dif+ference in judgment about some particular points of doctrine.—Grace he with all them, of whatever denomi+nation, that love our Lord Jesus, our common Lord 〈◊〉 sincerity.
Georgia, Secretary's Office.
A true copy taken from the original in this office exa+mined and certified: And I do further certify that the same was duly proved, and the Honorable James Habersham, Esq one of the executors therein named, was duly qualified as executor before his Excellency James Wright, Esq Governor and Ordinary of the said Pro+vince this tenth Day of December 1770.
THOMAS MOORE, D. Sec.