my dearly beloved wife, _Martha Washington_, I give and
bequeath the use, profit, and benefit of my whole estate, real and
personal, for the term of her natural life, except such parts thereof as
are specially disposed of hereafter. My improved lot in the town of
Alexandria, situated on Pitt and Cameron streets, I give to her and her
heirs for ever; as I also do my household and kitchen furniture of every
sort and kind, with the liquors and groceries which may be on hand at
the time of my decease, to be used and disposed of as she may think
proper.

_Item._--Upon the decease of my wife, it is my will and desire that all
the slaves whom I hold _in my own right_ shall receive their freedom. To
emancipate them during her life would, though earnestly wished by me, be
attended with such insuperable difficulties, on account of their
intermixture by marriage with the dower-negroes, as to excite the most
painful sensations, if not disagreeable consequences, to the latter,
while both descriptions are in the occupancy of the same proprietor; it
not being in my power, under the tenure by which the dower-negroes are
held, to manumit them.[137] And whereas, among those who will receive
freedom according to this devise, there may be some who, from old age or
bodily infirmities, and others who, on account of their infancy, will be
unable to support themselves, it is my will and desire that all, who
come under the first and second description, shall be comfortably
clothed and fed by my heirs while they live; and that such of the latter
description as have no parents living, or, if living, are unable or
unwilling to provide for them, shall be bound by the court until they
shall arrive at the age of twenty-five years; and, in cases where no
record can be produced, whereby their ages can be ascertained, the
judgment of the court, upon its own view of the subject, shall be
adequate and final. The negroes thus bound are (by their masters or
mistresses) to be taught to read and write, and to be brought up to some
useful occupation, agreeably to the laws of the Commonwealth of
Virginia, providing for the support of orphan and other poor children.
And I do hereby expressly forbid the sale or transportation out of the
said Commonwealth, of any slave I may die possessed of, under any
pretence whatsoever. And I do, moreover, most pointedly and most
solemnly enjoin it upon my executors hereafter named, or the survivors
of them, to see that this cl