Will – James Mulcaster – 7 Apr 1803

By Permission of Almighty god, I James Mulcaster of Langley Mill, in the Chapelry of Haydon, and Parish of Warden, in the County of Northumberland, being of sound Mind, Memory and Understanding, praised be God for the same; do make and Ordain this my last will and Testament in manner and form following.



That is to say, I devise give and bequeath to my Son John Mulcaster all that my Leasehold Messuage, Land & Tenement, situate, lying and being at Nentlees in the Parish of Alstone & County of Cumberland, with its & every of its Rights, Members and Appurtenances – I also give & bequeath to my said Son John Mulcaster all my Personal Estate whatsoever and wheresoever, but subject and liable to the payment of my Funeral expences, and all such Just Debts as I shall be in at the time of my Decease, and also to the Payment of such Legacies, and in such manner, as I shall herein after Order.



I bequeath unto my Son in Law John Emerson of Blaydon in the County of Durham his Heirs or Executors one Moity or half part of all the Interest, which from time to time shall become due (taking date from the Day of my Decease) upon the principal Sum of Two hundred & Twenty five Pounds five Shillings for which I hold his, and his Son John Emersons Joint Bond, the said Interest to be employed at his or their discretion towards the maintenance of his Daughter and my Grandaughter Frances Emerson until she shall attain the Age of Twenty One years, when I desire and require, that he the said John Emerson his Heirs or Executors, shall pay the said Frances Emerson the sum of One Hundred Pounds, and her Receipt for the same shall clear and exonerate the said John Emerson, his Heirs or Executors from the full half part of the Principle sum or debt due upon the said Bond.



I likewise bequeath unto my said Son in Law John Emerson his Heirs or Executors the other Moity or half part of the Interest becoming in like manner due, by him or them to be in lie manner employed towards the maintenance of his Son and my Grandson Thomas Emerson, untill he shall attain the age of Twenty One Years, when I require that the sum of One Hundred Pounds shall be paid to him the said Thomas Emerson by my said Son in Law his Heirs or Executors, and his Receipt for the same shall in like manner exonerate him or them for the other full Moity or half part of the Debt due upon the said Bond.



But in case either the said Frances or Thomas Emerson should Die before they reach the Age of Twenty One Years, her or his said Legacy to be equally divided betwixt the surviving Children of my late Daughter Lucy Emerson or the Heirs of their Bodies, if any; to be paid each as they severally come of Age to receive and give legal Receipts for the same; and as soon as these Legacies are fully paid, my Executors are to give up the aforesaid Bond to the said John Emerson his Heirs or Executors.



Item, I give & bequeath to my Grandson John Emerson of Newcastle upon Tyne the sum of Fifty Pounds to be paid within Six Months after my Decease.



Item, I give and bequeath to my Grandson James Mulcaster the sum of One Hundred Pounds, to be paid as soon as may be after my Decease in manner following, Viz by Transfering to him a Bond upon Henry Eshton for Eighty Pounds, and the remaining Twenty Pounds to be paid him by my said Son John Mulcaster; I also order that the Silver Watch which I now Wear and which my dear Son James Mulcaster formerly wore be given to my said Grandson James Mulcaster.



Item, I give and bequeath to my three Grandaughters Ann, Hannah and Margaret, Daughters of my said Son John Mulcaster the sum of Fifty Pounds each; to be paid them by my Son John Mulcaster when they shall severally and respectively attain the Age of Twenty One years.



Lastly I hereby nominate and appoint my son John Mulcaster and my Grandson James Mulcaster Joint Executors of this my last Will and Testament, revoking all former Wills by me heretofore made, in Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and Seal this Seventh Day of April in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and three.

James Mulcaster



Signed, Sealed, Published and  Declared by the said James Mulcaster as & for his last Will and Testament; in the presence  of us who at his Request, in his presence, and in the presence of each other, have subscribed our Names as Witness thereto

Peter Mulcaster     Thos. Stokoe     Wm. Oliver      



The eighteenth Day of July 1805 Thomas Stokoe one of the subscribing Witnesses to this Will was sworn to the due Execution thereof by the Testator and John Mulcaster and James Mulcaster the Executors therein named were sworn to execute and perform the same as usual / under One thousand five hundred Pounds.

Before me Benj: Jackson Surrogate

Burrell <…>