“This is the last Will and Testament of me Alexander Mouat of Stock in the County of Essex, a Lieutenant on board His Majesty’s Ship Marlborough. Whereby I recommend my Soul to Almighty God hoping through the Merits of my blessed Saviour and Redeemer Jesus Christ to inherit everlasting Life and happiness, and as to my Worldly Estate and Effects, I dispose thereof in manner following, that is to say -

First and Principally, I do hereby subject and charge the whole and every part of my Real and Personal Estate and Effects hereinafter given devised and bequeathed, with the payment of all and singular just debts, Funeral Expences and the Costs and Charges surrounding the Probate and execution of this my last Will, and subject thereto and rechargeable therewith, I give and devise all and singular my Freehold Messuages, Lands, Tenements and Hereditaments whatsoever and wheresoever situate, lying and being in the Kingdom of Great Britain, whereof or wherein or whereto I am in any ways seized, possessed or intitled, or to which I have any disposing right or power, unto my dear Wife Jane, to hold the same unto and to the use of my said Wife her Heirs and Assigns for ever, all and singular, my ready money, Securities, money, plate, Linen and China, Household Goods and Furniture of Household, and all and singular of my Personal Estate and Effects of what nature or kind soever the same shall or may consist at the time of my decease, I give and bequeath unto my said Wife her Executors, Administrators and Assigns ……..(?) to and for her and their own use and benefit, hereby revoking all former and other Wills by me at any time heretofore made. I publish and declare this present writing to be and contain my last Will and Testament only and thereof I nominate constitute and appoint my said dear Wife sole Executrix and Guardian to my daughter Margaret Jane and to every other Child or Children as I shall have living by my said Wife or that she may be ensient with at the time of my decease, during their several Minorities. The Testimony whereof I the said Alexander Mouat have to this my last Will and Testament set my hand and Seal this second day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety.

Alexr. Mouat.

Signed, Sealed, Published and declared by the said Alexander Mouat the Testator, as and for his last Will and Testament on the day of the date in the presence of us who in his presence in the presence of each other and at his request have subscribed our names as Witnesses hereto 

Stephen Peter Mouat    Jno. Richards    Jno L Edgecombe.

This Will was proved at London the fifteenth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety four before the Right Honourable Sir William Wynne Knight, Doctor of Laws, Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted by Oath of Jane Mouat, Widow, the Relict of the said deceased and sole Executrix named in the said Will to whom Administration was granted of all and singular the Goods, Chattels and Credits of the said deceased, having been first sworn by Commission duly to administer.

(Transcribed from the copy at the Family Records Centre, London. Microfilm Reference Prob. 11 / 1245.)

Cliff Thornton

Commentary

1. Mouat features in Cook’s last voyage, entering the crew as a 15 year old midshipman on the Discovery.
2. His father may have obtained him his position, as Captain Patrick Mouat had commanded the Tamar accompanying Byron’s Dolphin on his voyage around the world, 1764-66.
3. His will was made out in 1790, by which time Mouat had risen to the rank of Lieutenant.
4. His daughter, Margaret Jane, was baptised at Stock parish church in January 1789.
5. No record could be found of Mouat’s marriage at Stoke or other parishes considered.
6. His will was probably made out before Mouat sailed on board HMS Marlborough. He died on 11 October 1793.
7. One of the witnesses was Stephen Peter Mouat, who was also a lieutenant in the Navy. It is not yet known how he was related to Alexander Mouat.

Originally published in Cook's Log, page 23, volume 29, number 2 (2006).