Cawthorn Will 1761

Will of James Cawthorn

of Tonbridge, Kent


Source: Prerogative Court of Canterbury Prob11/865
Submitted by Ros Dunning
In the Name of God Amen I James Cawthorn Clerk Master of Arts and of the Grammar School at Tunbridge in the County of Kent being of Perfect Mind and Memory make this my last Will and Testament
First I commend my Soul to God in humble Hope of its future Happiness thro’ the Merits and Mediation of my blessed Redeemer Jesus Christ I desire to be buried in the Parish Church of Tunbridge and order that the Expences of my Funeral may be no more than commonly decent My Temporal Estate I bequeath and dispose of in the following manner

Imprimis to my Brother Charles Cawthorn I bequeath Five hundred Pounds
Item to my second sister Mary the Wife of James Rhodes of Sheffield in the County of York Hatter two Hundred and Fifty pounds
Item to my youngest sister Sarah Cawthorn Fifty pounds
Item to my dear and honour’d Mother One Hundred Pounds

The Residue and Remainder of my Estate Goods and Chattels Monies Bonds Plate Books Pictures with all other Properties of what kind soever to me Appertaining I give devise and bequeath to my eldest sister Elizabeth Cawthorn whom I constitute and appoint whole and sole Executrix of this my last Will and Testament

Nevertheless my Will is that my said Executrix do pay or cause to be paid out of this Residue and Remainder of my Effects thirty pounds yearly to my Mother aforesaid during her natural Life
and after my Mother’s decease I order Fifteen pounds yearly to be paid by my Executrix to my youngest Sister Sarah aforesaid during her natural Life

I further Order that after the Death of my Mother aforesaid and the Ceasing of her Annuity abovementioned My Executrix do remit cancel and give up to her Brother Charles the Bond or Obligation by which the said Charles is bound to pay to her the yearly sum of thirty pounds during her natural Life
Nevertheless my Will is that the said Charles upon the disannulling and cancelling the Bond above mentioned do immediately bind himself by a Fresh Bond or Obligation to pay my Executrix aforesaid the yearly sum of twelve pounds during her natural Life in the same manner as he now pays her thirty pounds

Item I desire my worthy Friends Mr Charles Hitch of London and Mrs Elizabeth Hitch his Wife will do me the Favour to accept Five Guineas each to be laid out in Ring or some other Memorial of me

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 23rd day of December in the year of our Lord One thousand Seven hundred and Sixty J Cawthorn
(Attestation Clause)
Thos Austen _ Sarah Knell

Proved at London 2 May 1761

Notes:
"James Cawthorn (sometimes spelt Cawthorne) was born in Sheffield on 4 November 1719 and died in Tonbridge on 15 April 1761.
A school master in holy orders, he was a minor English poet and imitator of Alexander Pope."
"In 1743 James Cawthorn was made head master of Tonbridge School, by which time he had taken holy orders and sometime later was styling himself M.A. The lasting memorial of his incumbency there was the library that he persuaded the Governors to build at the south end of the school in 1756, which survives today as the Headmaster's house and the Skinners' Library."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Cawthorn


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Will of James Cawthorn
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