In the Name of God, Amen. I Henry Dickenson
of Armuthhouse in Eskdale in the Parish of St Bees in the
County of Cumberland, Yeoman, being weak in Body, but of
sound and perfect Mind and Memory, blessed be Almighty God
for the same, do make and publish this my last Will and Testa
ment, in Manner and Form following (that is to say) First, I give
and bequeath to my beloved wife Ruth Dickenson the Sum of Te
Pounds ; I do also give and bequeath to my Son Henry Dickenson
the Sum of Fifty Pounds ; I also give and bequeath to my Daughter
Sarah Dickenson the Sum of Forty five Pounds ; I also give and
bequeath to my Daughter Mary Jackson the Sum of Forty pounds,
which said several Legacies or Sums of Money I will and order
shall be paid, by my Executor herein after named, to the said re
spective Legatees at the End of Twelve Calendar Months next
after my Decease. I also give and bequeath to my said Son
Henry Dickenson my Work Horse and all my Husbandry Gear,
or Utensils of Husbandry, at my Decease ; I also give and bequeath
to my said Daughter Sarah Dickenson my best Cow, or such an
one as she shall make Choice of out of my Stock of Cows at my
Decease ; I also give and bequeath to my said beloved Wife Ruth
Dickenson the Meal of Eight Bushels of Oats, and two Bushels of
Bigg or Barley, at May Day next after my Decease ; I also give
and bequeath to my Son Jonathon Dickenson my Cupboard, my
Grate, my Chimney Crook, my two Lockers, my Table and Frame
in my dwelling House, my Dresser, all the loose Shelves in my dwell
ing House, or in my other Rooms above or below Stairs, my larg
est Chest in my Dwelling House Loft, and the Bedsteads in my
Parlour Loft, at my Decease ; And as to all the Rest, Residue and
Remainder of my Household Goods and Household Furniture, of what
Kind or Nature soever, I will and order that they shall, at my Decease
be divided into two equal Parts and allotted by my said Son Jonathan
Dickenson and my said Daughter Sarah Dickenson to each a Part, and after a
Division so made and Lots cast, I give and bequeath the part,
Share or Lot, falling to my said Son Jonathan Dickenson, to my belo
ved Wife Ruth Dickenson aforesaid, for her own Use, during her natu
ral Life, and at her my said Wife’s Decease, I give and bequeath the
said part to my said Son Jonathan ; And the Part, Share or Lot falling
to my said Daughter Sarah Dickenson, I give and bequeath to her
my said Daughter Sarah at my Decease ; I also give and bequeath
to my said beloved Wife, my said Son Henry and my said Daughter Sara
All my Dwelling House, parlour and all other Rooms above and be
low Stairs, and all Kinds of Provisions for Food such as my House Usu
ally had till May Day next after my Decease, and ten Stone of Wool
if they chuse to work it; and in Case I die before Martinmas next
then and in such Case, I give and bequeath to them twelve fat Sheep for
and towards their next Winter’s provisions. I further give and devise to
my said Son Jonathan Dickenson his Heirs and Assigns, All those my
(excepting what is hereafter given to my Wife)
Freehold Messuages and Tenements ^ situate, lying and being in Eskdale
aforesaid commonly called and known by the name of Armuthhouse,
Together with all and singular the Appurtenances, to hold to him the
said Jonathan Dickenson his Heirs and Assigns for ever. And I
hereby give and bequeath to my said beloved Wife Ruth Dickenson
one Annuity of Five Pounds, Peat Moss or Peat Ground for her own Use,
House Room to lie her Peats, my Kitchen and Kitchen’s [Loft], during her
natural Life, or her Dower, whether she shall chuse; And in Case
she shall chuse to release her Dower and deliver and give up the
my said son Jonathan
Peat Ground and Room in the Houses aforesaid to ^ then and
in such Case I give and bequeath to her one Annuity of Six pounds
for and during her natural Life, payable and to be paid yearly and every
year, at two half yearly payments in the year, by even and equal Portions;
the first payment to begin and be made at the End of six months next
after my Decease. And hereby I further will and order that my said
wife shall cut her peats (if she cut any) one half in the field called Moss
and the other half in the Field called Rakering yearly and every year,
And lastly, as to all the Rest, Residue and Remainder of my person=
al estate, Goods and Chattels, of what kind or Nature soever or where
soever, I give and bequeath the same to my said Son Jonathan
Dickenson whom I hereby appoint sole Executor of this my last
Will and Testament, he paying and discharging all my just
Debts, Legacies, Annuities and Funeral Expences, hereby revoking
all former Wills be me made. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set
my Hand and Seal this twelfth Day of August in the Year of our
Lord Christ one thousand seven hundred and eighty two.
Signed, sealed, published and declared (four
Interlineations being first made) by the
above named Henry Dickenson to be his
Henry Dickenson’s mark H
last Will and Testament, in the Presence
of us, who have hereunto subscribed our
Names as Witnesses, in the presence of
the Testator.
Mary Christopherson’s mark M
Mary Marshall
Aaron Marshall
September 11th 1782 Jonathan Dickinson,
Sole Executor in this Will Named was sworn well
and truly to execute & perform the same and so forth;
and that he believith the Personal Estate of which
the within named Testator died possessed will not
in it’s real value amount to the Sum of one
hundred pounds,
Before Me Thos. Smith Surrogate
Notes
1 Relationships to Henry Dickenson mentioned in the will
Wife Ruth Sons Jonathon Dickenson Henry Dickenson Daughters Sarah Dickenson Mary Jackson
2 Other individuals named
Witnesses Mary Christopherson Mary Marshall Aaron Marshall {the curate}