The Will of John Balch

I, John Balch sick in bodie but in pfect memorrie doe make this my last will & testamt in manner & forme following my debts paid & funeral expences discharged those goods God hath gyven me it is my will to dispose of them as Followeth. Imprimis I gyve unto Annis Balch my loving wife the Room nevlie Built with twelve Akers of land of wch 4 akers to be in tilt and 4 Akers of medowe with some pt of the barne to lay in her fruits & halfe of the great fruit trees for & during the life of said Annis.

Itm I gyve Vnto my said wife my best bed with all Convenient furniture there vnto belonging & one fourth pt of all my household goods except the rest of my bedding & also 2 Cowes by name Reddie & Cherie & one yearling heaffer. Further my will is that soe long as my said wife shall live my said sonnes shall sowe or plant 2 Akers of aforesaid 4 akers for my said wife for the term of 7 years and after that our sonne Benjamin shall doe all him sefe.

Item I gyve & bequeth to benjamin Balch my eldest sonne one half of my farm to him and his heirs for ever as alsoe two yoke of oxen 1 Cowe one third of my young Cattle & of the mare Colt with one fourth pt of my household goods & halfe of the great fruit trees & after the decease of my said wife my will is that the said Benjamin shall have them all with those he hath planted himself.
Item my will is that all my Corne growing upon the ground shall be equallie Divided into 4 equall pts among my wife & children.

Item I gyve vnto John Balch my second sonne one fourth of my farme and one yoke of oxen one third of my young Cattle & mare Colt one fourth of my household goods & half of the young aple trees undispost of and one cow.

Item I gyve to ffre born Balch my youngest sonne one fourth pt of my ffarme one yoke of oxen & one Cow I bred up for him one third of the young Cattell & one third of the mare & one fourth of my household goods & half the young Aple trees betwixt him & his brother John equallie to be divided & further my last will & testament & my loving friends John Proctor & william Woodberrie shall be overseers of the same in witness hereof I have herevnto put my hand the day & year above written.

John Balch

Witness:
Peter Palfrey
Nicholas Patch
Jeffrey Massey