Archdeacon Wills 1747/8 #?, Braddan, of Robert Oates, died about July 1743, at sea:

Lancashire to wit: These are to certify that on the twenty ninth day of May, one thousand seven hundred and forty five, personally appeared before me Foster Cunliffe Esquire, one of his Majesty’s Justices of the Peace in and for the County of Lancaster, Edward Willson and John Dawson, both of Liverpool, mariners, and being sworn on the holy Evangelists, deposed and said that they being first and second mate of the ship Neptune, being out on a voyage from Jamaica to Philadelphia, Robert Oates son of William Oates of Douglas in the Isle of Man, being then a mariner on board the same ship and he being of sound mind but in a weak condition and likely for death, the deponent Edward Willson on or about the seventeenth day of July one thousand seven hundred and forty three, did in a serious and composed manner ask him whether in case he should die he would have anything in particular communicated to his brother William Oates, to which he in the same composed manner answered that he would have his said brother William to have all that he had in the world meaning as those deponents apprehend and believe that he intended that his said brother should have and enjoy all his real and personal estate and that he the said Robert Oates did soon after depart this natural life without making any other will or alteration in his said intentions and dispositions to the knowledge of these deponents or either of them. [signed] Edward Willson, John Dawson. Sworn the day and year first above written before me [signed] Foster Cunliffe. Sworn in the presence of us, the mark of Patrick Corlett, the mark or letters of John Cannell, John Brownell.

At a Chapter Court in Douglas, October 23, 1745, the within named John Cannell & Patrick Corlett have now deposed that they were by & personally present when Edward Willson & John Dawson witnesses to the within disposition of his effects made by Robert Oates mariner, were sworn and made oath to the truth thereof before the worshipful Foster Cunliff Esquire, one of his Majesty’s Justices of the Peace. Whereupon the same is accepted for the last will of said Robert Oates. [signed] John Cosnahan.’