f exposure, anxiety and toil rested
heavily upon even his rugged frame, and some sharp touch of bodily
ailment warning him of his mortality, he made his will. It is signed
with "his mark," although he evidently tried to force his unwilling hand
to its accustomed work, his peculiar J being plainly written and
followed by characters meant for the remaining letters of his first
name. To earlier documents he was wont to affix a simple neat signature,
and although not a clerkly penman like his friends John Tinker, Master
Joseph Rowlandson and Ralph Houghton, his writing is superior to that of
Major Simon Willard.

JOHN PRESCOTT'S WILL.

Theis presents witneseth that John Prescott of Lancaster in the
Countie of Midlesex in New England Blaksmith being vnder the
sencible decayes of nature and infirmities of old age and at
present vnder a great deale of anguish and paine but of a good and
sound memorie at the writing hereof being moved vpon considerations
aforesaid togather with advis of Christian friends to set his house
in order in Reference to the dispose of those outward good things
the lord in mercie hath betrusted him with, theirfore the said John
Prescott doth hereby declare his last will and testament to be as
followeth, first and cheifly Comiting and Contending his soule to
almightie god that gaue it him and his bodie to the comon burying
place here in Lancaster, and after his bodie being orderly and
decently buryed and the Charge theirof defrayed togather with all
due debts discharged, the Rest of his Lands and estate to be
disposed of as followeth: first in Reference to the Comfortable
being of his louing wife during the time of her naturall Life, it
is his will that his said wife haue that end of the house where he
and shee now dwelleth togather with halfe the pasture and halfe the
fruit of the aple trees and all the goods in the house, togather
with two cowes which shee shall Chuse and medow sufisiant for
wintering of them, out of the medowes where she shall Chuse, the
said winter pvision for the two cowes to be equaly and seasonably
pvided by his two sons John and Jonathan. And what this may fall
short in Reference to convenient food and cloathing and other
nesesaries for her comfort in sicknes and in health, to be equaly
pvided by the aforesaid John and Jonathan out of the estate.