Musgrave Charity 1744

Cambridge Cameos, 1900

I James Musgrave Rector of Gransden Parish in the County of Cambridge Doe make and Ordain this Codicil to be annexed to my Last Will and Testament and to be of as full force validity and Effort as if it had been written and routained in the Body of my said Last Will and Testament to all Intents and purposes and to be deemed reputed and taken to be as part and part of thereof.

Whereas I have lately purchased of Paul Freshwater a Freehold Cottage Barn Yard and Orchard adjoining lying and being near the Clay Pitts on the Layes in the Parish of Gransden Parva aforesaid with all the Commons profits and advantages thereunto belonging. It is my Will and Mind And I Give and Devise the said Cottages and premises to the poor of the parish of Gransden Parva aforesaid, for ever on the Conditions and Limitations herein and after by me appointed to be observed fullfilled and performed by my Trustees hereinafter Named.

First my Trustees for this Charity shall yearly let the aforesaid Cottage Barn and premises for the Cost rent that can be had for the same out of which rent they shall counstantly and at all times maintain and keep the said Cottage Barn premises and hedges in good and Sufficient Repairs, And the money ariseing from the said rents after the Charge of the said repairs are first paid, My Trustees or some or one of them shall give and dispose of it every year in manner following, that is to say, that one or more of the Trustees shall give one shilling a piece to every poor Widower and poor Widow of the Parish of Gransden parva the Vault or Burying place that is in the Church Yard of Little Gransden, which Vault or Burying place is Licenced by Law and Appropriated to me and my Posterity forever to be their proper Buriall place exclusive of all others. A Copy of which Licence or Faculty obtained out of the Ecclesiastical Court at Cambridge is to be found Registered in the Register Book of the Parish of Little Gransden. The poor of the parish that are to Receive a Share of this Charity shall meet at the said Burying place, at the Toll of the parish Church Bell at Six of Clock in the morning on the Thirty first day of May every year to receive this Charity, or if they have received it there from me for Twenty years last past in Memory of my Family that lies Buried there, which Parish Bell shall Toll from Six of Clock in the morning till Seven for which The person that Tolls it shall Receive one shilling out of the said Money every year.

And if any money using from the rents of the said Cottage or other premises shall remain over and above the Charge of the Repairs of the Cottage and premises and the Gifts to the poor Widowers and Widows as aforesaid, Then I Will and appoint that one Shilling a piece be given by my Trustees to every poor family of the Parish at the Burial place as aforesaid till the whole Over surplus of money remaining after the repairs of the said premises are paid be Given.

And I do Thirdly Charge that none of the said poor shall have any Gift or share out of the said Charity Money, but such as come in their own person (and not by sending their servants or Children or other person) to receive it at the Vault on the day and in the manner as aforesaid what excuse soever they may make for not coming in the proper persons to receive it at the said Vault or Burying place on the said 31st Day of May as directed to.

And it is my further Will that no two poor person entitled thereto as aforesaid shall receive in any one year more than one Shilling or lose their one shilling at a time out of this Charity Money.

It is my further Will and meaning that no future Rector of the Parish, parishioners or parishioner or Parish Officer shall at anytime hereafter impose or lay any part or share of how little a sum it may be of any parish Rate or Rates or other parish Charge whatsoever upon the said Cottage or premises to be paid out of the rents or profits thereof which is by me so given to the poor of the parish as aforesaid.

And I do Earnestly, Indent and make it my Sincere and hearty request to my Trustees that they will in all time to come, dispose of the rents and profits of the premises aforesaid punctually every year as I have herein and hereby appointed and that they will in all respects observe, keep and perform the Conditions and Limitations on which I have Given and Devised this Cottage and premises with their appurtenants to the poor of the Parish of Little Gransden as aforesaid: And to the end that a year: out of the premises shall always be and ready to be given on the said thirty first day of May in every year forever. I will and appoint that the said Cottage and premises shall always be Lett by my Trustees from the thirty first day of May to the thirty first day of May in the year next following that so a years rent of the said Cottage and premises shall always be one and ready to be given on the said thirty first day of May yearly as before is by me directed. Item, I Give and Devise unto Judith Single the wife of John Single of Little Gransden [?????] or this Cottage, House, Barn and Yard during the term of her naturall Life in Consideration of and as a reward of her good Services to both my Wives she having been Servant to them both, and the Nurse of them both during their last illnesses on Condition that she keeps the said Cottage and Barn in sufficient repairs at her own proper Costs and Charges and that she Dwells in it herself during her Life, And it is my further Will and meaning that she the said Judith Single shall roustantly pay the Land Taxe as it becomes due not only for the said Cottage, Barn and Yard but also for the Orchard belonging to the said premises that so the full rent of the said Orchard may begiven without any deductions or abatement to the poor of the Parish at the Vault as before appointed, And further I will that she shall have the Liberty at all times for her use to draw water out of the pond or pitt that is in the said Orchard, these Devises that I make to the said Judith Single for her natural Life shall stand good any Gifts Devise Condition or thing herein before routained to the contrary thereof in any wise not with standing, And from and after the Devises of the said Judith Single then I will and devise that the said Cottage house & Barn and yard and Orchard that is the rents and profits thereof shall forever be given together at my Vault at the time and in the manner as before and above is by me at a large directed to be given and disposed of together.

Lastly I Nominate Constitute and appoint all and every of my Dear Children and their several posterity’s and Descendants The Rector or Minister of Little Gransden for the time being the Churchwarden and Overseer of the poor of the parish of Little Gransden for the time being forever to be the true and only Trustees for this Charity with full power to them and every of them together or severally to Act to and Execute and put in force all and every Gift and Gifts Devise and Devises Promise and Condition Limittation matter or thing whatsoever relating thereto with a power to Lett and Repair the Houses after the Death of the abovesaid Judith Single and to Lett the Orchard during her Life time and to Give and dispose of the Rents and proffitts thereof To the Uses and for the purpose above appointed in the manner and at the time and place and to the persons as above Devised and directed by me to begiven and to no other use or purpose, and in no other way or manner or whatsoever.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto Lett my Hand and Seal this fourth day of June in the year of our Lord Christ One Thousand Seven Hundred and Forty and Four.

James Musgrave,

Signed Sealed Published and declared by the Testator to be Codicill to be annexed to his Last Will and Testament in the presence of us whom the said Testator requested to be.

Witnesses hereto Robert Fuller. William Adams. William King. George Pedley.

This is a true Copy of a Codicil Annexed to the Last Will and Testatment of the above named James Musgrave Examined with the Originall Codicill this fourth Day of May: 1747.