desire, tha my executors shall make such conveyances of them as the law requires to render it perfect.

Item.-Ta my nephew, William Augustine Washington, and his heirs (if he should conceive them to be objects worth prosecuting) a lot in the town of Manchester (opposite to Richmond) No. 265, drawn on my sole account, and also the tenth of 1 or 200 acre lots, and two or three half-acre lots, in the city and vicinity of Richmond, drawn in partnership with nine others, all in the lottery of the deceased William Bird, are given; as is also a lot which I purchased of John Hood, conveyed by William Willie and Sam. Gordon, trustees of the said John Hood, numbered 139, in the town of Edinburgh, in the county of Prince George, state of Virginia.

Item. To my nephew Bushrod Washington, I give and bequeath all the papers in my possession which relate to my civil and military administration of the affairs of this country; I leave to him also such of my private papers as are worth preserving; and, at the decease of my wife, and before, if she is not inclined to retain them, I give and bequeath my library of books and pamphlets of every kind.

Item. Having sold lands which I possessed in the state of Fennsylvania, and part of a tract held in equal right with George Clinton, late governor of New-York; my share of land and interest in the Great Dismal Swamp, and a tract of land which I owned in the county of Gloucester-withholding the legal titles thereto, until the consideration money should be paid-and having moreover leased, and conditionally sold (as will appear by the tenor of the said leases) all my lands upon the Great Kenhawa, and a tract upon Difficult Run in the county of Loudon, it is my will and direction, that whensoever the contracts are fully and respectively complied with, according to the spirit, true intent and meaning thereof, on the part of the purchasers, their heirs or assigns, that then, and in that case, conveyances are to be made, agreeable to the terms of the said contracts, and the money arising therefrom, when paid, to be vested in bank stock; the dividends whereof, as of that also which is

already vested therein, is to inure to my said wife during her life, but the stock itself is to remain and be subject to the general distribution hereafter directed.

Item.-To the earl of Buchan I re-commit "the box made of the oak that sheltered the brave Sir William Wallace after the battle of Falkirk," presented to me by his lordship in terms too flattering for me to repeat, with a request 66 to pass it, on the event of my decease, to the man in my country who should appear to merit it best, upon the same conditions that have induced him to send it to me."-Whether easy or not, to select THE MAN who might comport with his lordship's opinion in this respect, is not for me to say; but conceiving that no disposition of this valuable curiosity can be more eligible than the recommitment of it to his own cabinet, agreeably to the original design of the Goldsmith's company of Edinburg, who presented it to him, and, at his request, consented that it should be transferred to me I do give and bequeath the same to his lordship; and, in case of his decease, to his heir, with my grateful thanks for the distinguished honor of presenting it to me, and more especially for the favorable sentiments with which he accompanied it.

Item. To my brother Charles Washington, I give and bequeath the gold-headed cane left me by Dr. Franklin, in his will. I add nothing to it, because of the ample provision I have made for his issue. To the acquaintances and friends of my juvenile years, Lawrence Washington and Robert Washington, of Chotanct, I give my other two gold-headed canes, having my arms engraved on them; and to each (as they will be useful where they live) I leave one of the spy glasses, which constituted part of my equipage during the late war. To my compatriot in arms and old and intimate friend, Dr. Craik, I give my bureau, or, as the cabinet-makers call it, tambour secretary, and the circular chair, an appendage of my study. To Dr. David Stewart, I give my large shaving and dressing table, and my telescope. To the reverend, now Bryan Lord Fairfax, I give a Bible in three large folio volumes, with notes, presented to me by the Rt. Rev. Thomas Wilson, bishop of Sodor and

Man. To general De la Fayette, I give a pair of finely wrought steel pistols, taken from the enemy in the revolutionary war. To my sisters-in-law, Hannah Washington and Mildred Wasbington to my friends Eleanor Stuart, Hannab Washington, of Fairfield, and Elizabeth Washington, of Hayfield, I give, each, a mourning ring of the value of 100 dollars. These bequests are not made for the intrinsic value of them, but as mementoes of my esteem and regard. To Tobias Lear, I give the use of the farm which he now holds, in virtue of a lease from me to him and his deceased wife (for and during their natural lives) free from rent during his life; at the expiration of which, it is to be disposed of as is hereinafter directed. To Sally B. Haynie (a distant relation of mine) I give and bequeath 300 dollars. To Sarab Green, daughter of the deceased Thomas Bishop, and to Ann Walker, daughter of John Alton, also deceased, I give each 100 dollars, in consideration of the attachment of their fathers to me, each of whom having lived nearly 40 years in my family. To each of my nephews, William Augustine Washington, George Lewis, George Steptoe Washington, Busbrod Washington, and Samuel Washington, I give one of the swords, or cutteaux, of which I may die possessed; and they are to chuse in the order they are named. These swords are accompanied with an injunction, not to unsheath them for the purpose of shedding blood, except it be for self-defence, or in defence of their country and its rights; and, in the latter case, to keep them unsheathed, and prefer falling with them in their hands to the relinquishment thereof.

AND now, having gone through these specific devises, with explanations for the more correct understanding of the meaning and design of them, I proceed to the distribution of the more important parts of my estate, in manner following

First. To my nephew, Bushrod Washington, and his heirs, (partly in consideration of an intimation to his deceased father, while we were bachelors, and he had kindly undertaken to superintend my estate during my military services in the former war between Great Britain and France, that if I should fall therein, Mount Vernon, then less extensive in domain than at

present, should become his property) I give and bequeath all that part thereof which is comprehended within the following limits, viz. Beginning at the ford of Dogue Run near my mill, and extending along the road, and bounded thereby, as it now goes and ever has gone since my recollection of it, to the ford of Little Hunting creek, at the Gum spring, until it comes to a knowl opposite to an old road which formerly passed through the lowerfield of Muddy-hole farm, at which, on the north side of the said road, are three red or Spanish oaks marked as a corner, and a stone placed-thence by a line of trees to be marked rectangular, to the back line or outer boundary of the tract between Thomas Mason and myself-thence with that line easterly (now double ditching, with a post and rail fence thereon) to the run of Little Huning creek-thence with that run, which is the boundary between the lands of the late H. Peake and me, to the tide-water of the said creek-thence by that water to Potowmac river-thence with the river to the mouth of Dogue creek-and thence with the said Dogue creek to the place of beginning at the aforesaid ford: containing upwards of 4000 acres, be the same more or less, together with the mansion house and all other building and improvements thereon.

Second. In consideration of the consanguinity between them and my wife, being as nearly related to her as to myself, as on account of the affection I had for, and the obligation I was under to, their father, when living, who, from his youth, had attached himself to my person, and followed my fortunes through the vicissitudes of the late revolution, afterwards devoting his time to the superintendance of my private concerns for many years, whilst my public employments rendered it impracticable for me to do it myself, thereby affording me essential services, and always performing them in a manner the most filial and respectful For these reasons, I say, I give and bequeath to George Fayette Washington and Lawrence Augustine Washington, and their heirs, my estate east of Little Hunting creek, lying on the river Potowmac, including the farm of 360 acres, leased to Tobias Lear, as noticed before, and containing in the whole, by deed, two thousand and twenty-seven acres, be it more or less; which said estate, it is my will and desire, should

be equitably and advantageously divided between them, according to quantity, quality and other circumstances, when the youngest shall have arrived at the age of 21 years, by three judicious and disinterested men; one to be chosen by each of the brothers, and the third by these two. In the mean time, if the termination of my wife's interest therein should have ceased, the profits arising therefrom are to be applied for their joint uses and benefit.

Third. And whereas it has always been my intention, since my expectation of having issue has ceased, to consider the grandchildren of my wife, in the same light as I do my own relations, and to act a friendly part by them, more especially by the two whom we have raised from their earliest infancy-namely, Eleanor Park Custis, and George Washington Park Custis. And whereas the former of these hath lately intermarried with Lawrence Lewis, a son of my deceased sister, Betty Lewis, by which union the inducement to provide for them both has been increased; wherefore I give and bequeath to the said Lawrence Lewis and Eleanor Park Lewis, his wife, and their heirs, the residue of my Mount Vernon estate, not already devised to my nephew, Bushrod Washington, comprehended within the follow ing description, viz. All the land north of the road leading from the ford of Dogue run to the Gum spring, as described in the devise of the other part of the tract to Bushrod Washington, until it comes to the stone and three red or Spanish oaks on the knowl; thence with the rectangular line to the back line (be- ́ tween Mr. Mason and me) thence with that line westerly along the new double ditch to Dogue run by the tumbling dam of my mill; thence with the said run to the ford afore-mentioned; to which I add all the land I possess west of the said Dogue run and Dogue creek, bounded easterly and southerly thereby; together with the mill, distillery and all other houses and improve-ments on the premises; making together about 2000 acres, be it more or less.

Fourth.-Actuated by the principle already mentioned, I give and bequeath to George Washington Park Custis, the grandson of my wife, and my ward, and to his heirs, the tract I hold on