Archdeacon Wills 1741 #109, Maughold, of Captain John Wattleworth senior, of Ramsey:

‘In the name of God, amen. I John Wattleworth senior late Captain of Ramsey, being feeble and now in declining age, and calling to mind that all leave mortality when it pleases God to call for them, hoping through the merits of my blessed Saviour Jesus Christ to have a full forgiveness of all my sins and offenses; and as for what worldly goods and effects God Almighty has endued me with, I think proper to dispose of them thus making this my last will and testament, disannulling all will or wills heretofore made b me and this to be my last will and testament and no other. First, I commit my soul to God and my body to Christian burial, and my body to be decently interred in the Church yard in KK Maughold near my father’s grave as near my first wife’s Margaret Wattleworth als Christian as may be. First, I leave to the poor of the town of Ramsey and the parish of KK Maughold 5 shillings to be equally distributed among them by the parson of the parish. Item, I leave to Mr. Thomas Allen Curate of KK Andrews eight shillings and nine pence in regard he hath promised to preach my funeral sermon. Item, I have to my present wife the right I bought of Mary Aischogh houses, which I paid three pounds for as also xxx pounds ten shillings that phil: Jincal had a mortgage on said houses, with five pounds more as per her contract excluding her from my right in my houses and lands, with the several debts I have already paid for her with the goods she took from me and embezzled for which God forgive her. I likewise bequeath the ten pounds due to me from her stepfather William Crow per the will of Thomas Casement with three pounds from her sister Grace and three pounds from said Crow and wife, which was never paid and all other goods due to me by her. I likewise leave her a cows graze and a daymoth of hay in the Curragh during her life and no longer. Item, I leave to my grandchild Margaret Wattleworth the house outhouses she now lives in with the fields back of the town, vizt., the meadow and close e beg of the annual Lord’s Rent of one shilling and six pence, as per a Deed of Settlement bearing date the 2^nd May 1738. She performing the Articles with her Aunt as specified in the said instrument. Item, I leave to my grandson William Wattleworth the ground adjoining to John Christian Michaels rent of three pence rent and another piece of ground of two pence rent adjoining it which was left to me by my brother Edward Curghey. I likewise leave and bequeath to my grandson William the Hill back of the town adjoining to the highway and Guttery’s [or Gutberry’s] garden of the rent of one shilling and six pence, and if in case my grandson John Wattleworth should molest or disturb him in the peaceable possession thereof being Quarter Land that then John is to give him double the value in the Curragh. Item, I leave to my grandson Charles Wattleworth the ground betwixt Christopher Quay’s and my own dwelling house or the barn adjoining to Edward Christian’s with the ground down to the lake, which of them he pleases to take. Item, I leave to my kinsman Charles Wattleworth of xxx xxx a guinea. [This previous ‘item’ is crossed out; see below for explanation.] Item, I leave to my grandson John Wattleworth all my lands in the Curragh in the parish of KK Christ Lezaire of four shillings Lord’s Rent or thereabouts with my dwelling house on them and gardens on the Moreagh save what’s mentioned for his brother Charles, hereby strictly enjoining my grandson John for and in consideration of said houses and lands to pay yearly unto my daughter Margaret twenty shillings during her life, and if my said grandson John shall die without issue that the Curragh and houses on the Morragh shall fall and descend to his brother William and in default of his issue it shall fall to Charles. Hereby[?] xxx both my grandsons John and William & Margaret to harrow the two fields back of the town in the due season’s of the year during my life and forxxx. Lastly I constitute and appoint my three children [?grandchildren, edge of page is tattered] John, William and Margaret my joint executors of the rest of my goods moveable and immovable of what kind and nature soever hereby xxx requiring them to bury me decently and xxx a stone on my grave within six months xxx proper inscription. In witness whereof xxx hereunto subscribed my name xxx day of June 1739. Note: that the seven words interlined were put in xxx signing hereof and that his three executors themselves in the penalty of five pounds xxx will lay a stone on his grave within a xxx time which if not performed the said five pounds is forfeited to the poor of the parish. [signed] John Wattleworth. Witnesses: John Curphey, Philip Sayle, Charles Wattleworth.

At Lezayre, June 2^nd 1741, John Curghey one of the witnesses having died, the other two are sworn in form of Law. The executors are also sworn and have given pledges for payment of debts and legacies vizt., Mr. Charles Wattleworth and Dr. Patrick Christian.

Shrove Tuesday, Last 1740: Captn. John Wattleworth during his will xxx xxx in his chest to be opened and read to him which being xxx declared that was his last will save only that xxx wattleworth who writt the same, did set down therein xxx a guinea legacy to himself and but eight shillings xxx nine pence legacy, to the Reverend Mr. Thomas Allen xxx which reason he declared, that the said Charles Wattleworth xxx be excluded from any legacy of his will, and desired he xxx blotted out and left the said Mr. allen Curate of KK Andrews xxx a guinea legacy for preaching his funeral sermon. Xxx further declared that he left twenty shillings to Patt: xxx one of the witnesses thereof ten shillings whereof to be xxx by him, to Mr Demster Mylrea and Mr. William Christian attorney xxx equally betwixt them, for to buy them gloves. He left xxx wife a cow that he gave to Arthur Cowill on half xxx increase a long time ago, and the increase of xxx to the said Arthur. Witnesses present: Jane Cowil, Patt: Christian. [From ‘Shrove Tuesday to this point, the edge of the page is tattered so that the first word of each line is missing.]

Lezayre, June 2^nd, 1741, Patrick Christian has made oath to the truth of the above Codicil and Jane Cowill the other witness declares that the Testator said that he had in his will left Charles Wattleworth a legacy of half a guinea, but that he then excluded him from the same. And this appears also by the declaration of Margaret Wattleworth one of the Executors and of William Wattleworth’s wife, who were in the chambers when the Testator made the within will. [signed] Joh: Cosnahan, Edw. Moore.’