Volume 1

Travels and works of Captain John Smith, President of Virginia, and Admiral of New England / edited by Edward Arber.

  • John Smith
Date:
1910
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Travels and works of Captain John Smith, President of Virginia, and Admiral of New England / edited by Edward Arber. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    BY PROF. E. ARBER Early Life. 1593-1604 a. d. Vincere est vivere. Accordamus. Ohn Smith “descended of ye Family of Cuardly in Lancashire” is the record of Sir William Segar, Garter King of Arms, in 1625, see/, xxiv. As our Author never went to any University, the most reliable information respecting his family will be found in his father’s Will, and the entries in the parish registry of Willoughby juxta Alford, in Lincolnshire. Mr. John Swan, the present District Registrar of the Probate Court, at Lincoln, states there are no Wills in his charge, of any Smith at Willoughby in 1592 or 1593 ; and has obliginglyfurnishedthe following copy of George Smith’s Will of 1596. In the Name of God, Amen. In the thyrtyth day of Marche a thowsande five hundreth ninety six I George Smith of Willougbie juxta Alford on Marisco in the Countie of Lincolne beinge of good and perfect memorie I thanke God for itt thoughe in bodie weake and paynde doe ordeyne and make this my last Will and Testamentt in maner and forme follow- inge Fyrst I bequeathe my Soule into the mercifull hands of th[e]almightie God in the mediation of Jesus Chryst myne alone and all sufficientt saviour, and my bodie to be buried within Willoughbie Churche Item I give to Lincoln Minster vjd. Item to ye poore of ye foresaide Willoughbie iijs. iiijd. Item I give to ye Right Honorable my Lord Willoughbie under whome I have many yeares lived as his poore tennant as a token of my dewtifull good will the best of my two yeares old colts Item I geve and bequeathe unto Alice my Wyfe ye ferme which I now dwell in which I houlde by coppie of Court rowle as ye grant of ye Right Honorable my foresaide good Lorde duringe her widdow hoode accordinge to ye custome of his Lordshippe manner of Willoughbie; and if it shall please God that my saide Wyfe doe marry agayne and take a second husband, then my Will is that my saide ferme shall come to John Smyth my eldest sonne whome I chardge and command to honoure and love my foresaide good Lord Willoughbie duringe his lyfe
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