Signed sealed declared and published by the said Sir Edmund Andros to be his last Will and Testament in the presence of the Witnesses hereunder written which said Witnesses subscribed their names in the presence of the said Sir Edmund Andros--James Spenceley--Rob: Hodson Jno. Hodson--
Probatum fuit hujus modi Testamentum apud London coram Venerabili Viro Johanne Andrew Legum Doctore Surrogato Præhonorandi viri Domini Caroli Hodges Militis Legum Etiam Doctoris Curiæ Prerogativæ Cantuariensis Magistri Custodis Sive Commissarii legitime constituti Octavo die mensis Martii Anno D'ni Millesimo Septingentesimo decimo tertio juramento Johannis Andros Armigeri Executoris in dicto Testamento nominati Cui Commissa fuit administratio omnium et singulorum bonorum jurium et creditorum dicti defuncti de bene et fideliter administrando eadem ad Sancta Dei Evangelii Jurat.
[Illustration: From Sir Edmund's official Seal used in New England.]
Since the foregoing pages were in type, we have been favored with some additional information concerning the Governor, through the kindness of A.C. Andros, Esq., one of the present representatives of the family.
He refers, first, to the printed account of Sir Edmund Andros, to be found in the following book:--"Sarnia, or Brief Memorials of many of her sons," by Ferdinand Brock Tupper, Esq. of Guernsey, published in that island in 1862. In it the fact is mentioned that the manor or fief of Sausmarez (_anglice_ Saltmarsh) in St. Martin's parish, was sold in 1748 by the Andros family to a branch of the Sausmarez family which still owns it.
Amice Andros, father of Sir Edmund, was "keeper of the castle of Jerbourg, and hereditary Cup-bearer to the King in Guernsey, as also one of the gallant defenders of Castle Cornet, during its memorable nine years' siege. Two of his brothers, military officers, were slain; one in the service of the King of Bohemia, who was son-in-law of James I. of England; and the other in 1644, during the Civil War."
We have mentioned (p. xxii) that Sir Edmund received in 1683 a grant of the Island of Alderney for ninety-nine years. Mr. Tupper states that Lieut. General John Le Mesurier, who died 21st May, 1843, was the last hereditary governor of Alderney. He was descended from Anne Andros, sister and co-heir of George Andros, the nephew and heir of Sir Edmund. Gen. Le Mesurier resigned the patent in 1825, on condition of receiving a pension of £700 a year until its expiration in 1862.