In the name of God Amen I Thomas Ball of the town & port of Hasting in the County of Sussex mariner being something indisposed in body but of sound and disposing mind memory & understanding thanks be given to Almighty God for the same & considering the uncertainty of this mortal life & the perils & dangers of the seas and being desirous to settle my worldly estate so as to avoid all unhappy disputes and difference as may otherwise arise about the same after my decease do hereby revoke all former Wills by me made and declare them void & do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following (that is to say) First and principally I desire Almighty God my heavenly Father to receive my soul through the merits and mediation of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and my body I commit to the earth or seas as it shall please God to deal with me but if I dye upon the land to be decently and in a Christian like manner buryed at the discretion of my executors hereafter named and as for the worldly estate which it hath pleased Allmighty God to bless me with I give and dispose thereof as followeth. First I give & bequeath unto my nephew John Ball and to my neice Hannah Ball the two children of my brother John Ball the sum of ten pounds a peice of lawfull money of Great Britain to be severally and respectively paid unto them by my executors hereafter named as they shall severally and respectively attain their several and respective ages of one & twenty years. I give and bequeath unto my neice Hannah Ball twelve silver teaspoons & one gold ring which ring was her own mothers and also all and singular the linnen & wearing apparell of my late sisters Hannah Balls now allready made into wearing apparell or which for that purpose not allready made into wearing apparell now remaining and being in a little box which stands locked up in my bedchamber. All which sd silver tea spoons gold ring and wearing apparell and so forth I order & direct shall be delivered to my said neice immediately after my decease. Also I give and bequeath unto my kinsman John Frift son of John Frift the sum of five pounds of like lawfull money to be paid him by my exors hereafter named within twelve months next after my decease. Also I give and bequeath unto Sarah Baker spinster servant to Mr Frewen of Rye in the said County of Sussex the sum of five pounds of like lawfull money to be paid her by my exors hereafter named within six months next after my decease. All the rest & residue of my goods chattells rights credits ready money Bills Bonds securities for money parts of vessells & boats fishing nets & fishing craft and all other my personal estate & effects whatsoever & wheresoever & of what nature or kind soever (subject nevertheless to the payment of my just debts legacys and funeral expences) I give & bequeath unto my brother John Ball my brother in law Mark Cosens and my sister Alice the wife of Edward White to be equally divided between them share and share alike. And lastly I make nominate ordain constitute and appoint my said brother John Ball and brother in law Mark Cosens joint exors of this my last Will and Testament. In witness whereof I the said Thomas Ball the testator have to this my last Will and Testament contained in one sheet of paper set my hand and seal this ninth day of March in the seventeenth year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the second by the grace of God of Great Brittain France and Ireland King defender of the faith and so forth and in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and forty three. Thomas Ball
Signed sealed published and declared in the presence of us who subscribed our names as witnesses hereunto in the testators presence & at his request. The mark of William Stedman; Richard Lee; Richd Patrick
The Will of Thomas Ball late of the town and port of Hasting within the Archdeaconry of Lewes deceased was proved the twenty second day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and forty three before the Reverend Mr William Williams, Clerk, Surrogate upon the oath of John Ball and Mark Cousens the executors named in the sd Will to whom was committed the administration of the goods & so forth being first sworn well and faithfully to administer the same and so forth
Contributed by Steve Langridge.
Unknown.
Rye.