In the Name of God Amen the 15th day of Octobr 1677 In the 46th yeare of the
dominion of Caecilius x--. I Thomas Besson the Elder of South River in Ann
Arrundell County being sick & weake in body but of sound & perfect memory
praise be given to god the the same and knowing the uncertainty of this life
on Earth & being desirous to settle things in order doe make this my last will &
testamt in manner & forme foll[owing].
  That is to say first & principally I commend [my] soule to Almighty god my Creator
hopeing for full pardon & Remission of all my Sinns & [be] saved by the pretious blood
death & merritts of Jesus Christ my Savior & Redeemer & my body to the earth from
whence it was taken to be buried in such decent & Christian manner as my Exx
hereafter named shall be thought [in margin] & convenient And as touching such
worldly Estates as the Lord in mercy hath sent me my will & meaning is the same shall
be Imployed and bestowed as hereafter by this my will is Expressed & first I doe
Renounce fully? & make voyd all wills by me formerly made a[nd] declare & Appointe
this my last will & testam[ent].
  I give & bequeath unto my Sonne John Besson to him & his heires for ever that
parcell of Lande Adjoyning to my Sonne Nicholas Gassaway but if my said Sonne
dye before he Comes to age then the said Land to goe to the next heire.
  Item I give & bequeath unto my Sonne William Besson to him & his heires for ever
that parcell of Land betwixt my Sonne John Besson lands & the Little Necke, but
if my said Sonne dye before he Comes to Age then the said Land to goe to the next
heire.
  Item I give & bequeath unto my Sonne Thomas Besson the younger sonne to him
& his heires for ever all the Land between David Steward Line & the branch of the
little Necke, but if in Case he the said Sonne Thomas Besson dyes before he Comes
of age then the said Land to goe to the next heire.
  Item I give & bequeath unto my daughter Martha to her & her heires for ever the
young mare Nobsye Coult with all her Increase but if in Case the heifer Eareling
which was came? in the yeare 1676 with all her Increase but if in Case she my
said daughter dyes before she Comes to Age to fall to the next heire.
  Item my will is that my Loving wife Hester Besson shall have the use of the 
Plantacon I now Live on either to build & Cleare what she shall have Occasion for
during her life.
  Item all my Rest of my Estate my Just debts being first satisfyed I give and 
Bequeath unto my Loving wife Hester Besson & my Children above menconed to
be Equally devided between them.
  Item my will is that Every & Each of my children aforesaid shall have an Equall
benefitt share & priviledge in the Orchard which is on the Plant. I now live on &
the fruite which shall yearly Produce for five yeares after they Come to full age
Provided they see that theire be a sufficient Fence Keepe aboute the said Orchard
during the said time.
  Item I Constitute & Appointe by Loving wife Hester Besson to be the sole &
whole Exx of this my last will & testament my Loving sonne Thomas Besson the
Elder Overseer of my sole estate In Witness whereof I have hereunto sett my hand
& seale the day & yeare first above writtn.
Signed sealed
In the Presence of			Tho Besson    Sealed
Edward Burges
      his
Robert  X  Ward
      marke
John Greene

April 29 1679 This day Came before me Edward Burgess Robert Ward John
Greene the Witnesses of the a foregoing Will & Oath did make that they did see
the aforesaid Will by the testator signed sealed & delivered & declared to be his
last Will & testament
William Burges