Testament (Jamaica)

In the name of God Amen I Judith Baruh Alvares of the parish of Port Royal in the island of Jamaica widow being in an ill state of health but of sound mind and disposing memory thanks be to my eternal creator do make this my last will and testament hereby revoking all wills by me at any time heretofore made.

Imprimis my body I committ to the earth to be decently interred at the common burial place of the Jewish Nation in Liguanea as near my late husband Jacob Baruh Alvares as possible according to the rites and ceremonies of the Jewish Nation. And as for all the worldly estate wherewith it has please Almighty God to bless . . . me I give and dispose thereof in manner following first my will and desire is that all the just debts which I shall owe to any person or persons whatsoever at the time of my death together with my funerall expences . . . be duly satisfied and paid . . .

Item I give and bequeath to the poor inhabitants of the Jewish Nation in the town of Port Royal the sume of twenty pounds of current money of Jamaica to be distributed amongst them immediately before and at the time that my body is carry’d out of my house in order to the interment thereof by my executors herein after named. . . .

Item I give and bequeath to the churchwardens . . . of the synagogue of the Jewish Nation in the town of Port Royal the sume of forty pounds of current money of Jamaica together with a sett of silver bells belonging to the Five Books of Moses the said sett of bells being of the value of sixty pounds sterling prime cost and now in my possession for the use of the synagogue of Port Royal aforesaid . . .

Item I give and bequeath to the churchwardens . . . of the synagogue of the Jewish nation in the town of S^t Jago de la Vega in the island aforesaid the sume of ten pounds like money. . . . Item I give and bequeath to the churchwardens . . . of the synagogue of the Jews in the town of Kingston in the said island the like sume of ten pounds. . . . Item I give & bequeath to the poor of the Jewish Nation inhabitants of the town of Port Royal aforesaid the sume of sixty pounds like money . . . within seven days after my decease the further sume of twenty pounds thereof to be paid and distributed in like manner within one lunar month after my decease and the remaining sume of twenty pounds like money to be paid & distributed in like manner within eleven months after my decease. . . .

Item my will is that my executors herein after named and the survivors or survivor of them do expend the sum of one hundred pounds of current money of Jamaica for making a convenient cause way or walk from the usual place of landing of corps [sic] of the parish of S^t Andrew to the burial place of the Jewish Nation in the said parish well fenced on each side with pinguins [a plant native to tropical America] in order to the more commodious carrying of my own and other corps to the grave and for the better accommodation of the people of the Jewish Nation who shall accompany my corps to the grave.

Item I give and bequeath to the people who usually sett up to watch with the sick people of the Jewish Nation and such as are employed in digging their graves the sum of ten pounds like money to paid to the church wardens of the synagogue of the Jewish Nation in the town of Kingston for the use of the said persons within convenient time after my decease.

Item I give and bequeath to Aaron Lamego of the city of London merchant the sum of thirty pounds sterling for the use of the Hebrew College or college of the Jewish Nation in the city of London to be paid or the use of the said college in London within twelve calendar months after my decease.

Item I give and bequeath to the churchwardens of the synagogue of the Jewish Nation in the city of Amsterdam in the province of Holland for the time being fifty pounds sterling to be paid to them for the use of the said synagogue within twelve calendar months after my decease. . . .

Item I give and bequeath to Ester Alvin one other of the daughters of the said Jacob Lopes Alvin twenty five pounds like money to be paid to her likewise on the day of her marriage and my will is that if either of his said daughters shall depart this life unmarryed that the legacy to her so dying bequeathed shall be paid to her two surviving sisters equally to be divided share and share. . . .

Item I give and bequeath to my executors herein after named and the survivors and survivor of them the sume of one hundred pounds like money in trust for and to the use of my poor relations of Amsterdam in the province of Holland to be equally divided between them by my executors or the survivors or survivor of them according to several and necessitys of which I have my said executors or the survivors or survivor of them to be judges no ways doubting their discharging the trust by me in them reposed uprightly and with good conscience but my will and meaning is that none of the legacies above mentioned shall be reputed or be looked upon to be of the number of my poor relations aforesaid or be entitled to any part of the said one hundred pounds by me so bequeathed as aforesaid. . . .

Item it is my will and pleasure and I do hereby order and direct that all my household goods furniture whatsoever and wearing apparel whereof I am possessed or whereunto I am or shall be any ways intitled at the time of my death my plate rings and jewels expected be given to and distributed amongst my poor relations in this her Majesty’s island of Jamaica according to the discretion of my executors herein after named or such of them as shall happen to be in this island shall think fit such distribution to be made within three months after my decease. . . .