The Wills of Captain Cook's Crew - John Marra

In the Name of God Amen - I John Marra, Mariner, belonging to his Majesty’s Ship Centaur, the Right Honorable Lord Charles Fitz-Gerald Commander, being in bodily health and of sound and disposing Mind and Memory, and considering the perils and dangers of the Seas and other uncertainties of this Transitory Life (do for avoiding controversies after my decease) make, publish and declare this my last Will and Testament in manner following, (that is to say), First I recommend my Soul to god that gave it and my body I commit to the Earth or Sea as it shall please God to order,

And as for and concerning all my Worldly Estate, I give, bequeath and dispose thereof as followeth (that is to say) all and singular such Salary, Wages, Ticketts, Bounty Money, Prize Money, Short Allowance Money, Smart Money, Pensions and all other Sum and Sums of Money, Lands, Tenements, Goods, Chattels and Estate whatsoever as shall be any ways due, owing or belonging unto me at the time of my decease, I do give, devise and bequeath the same unto my beloved Brother William Marra, Farmer in the County of Tipperary, Ireland.

And I do hereby nominate and appoint the said Wm. Marra sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament, hereby revoking all former and other Wills, Testaments and Deeds of Gifts by me at any time heretofore made. And I do ordain and ratify these presents to stand and be for and as my only last Will and Testament. In Witness to this my said Will I have set my hand and Seal the twelfth day of June in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty one, and in the twenty second year of the Reign of his Majesty King George the third over Great Britain etc….
John Mara

Signed, sealed, published and declared in the presence of us (in the West Indies where no stampt paper was to be had) N.H. Eastwood    Jere. Ismay

This Will was proved at London the seventeenth day of March in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty three before the Right Worshipful Peter Calvert, Doctor of Laws, Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the oath of William Mara the Brother of the deceased and sole Executor named in the said Will, to whom Administration was granted of all and singular the Goods, Chattels and Credits of the said deceased, he having been first sworn by Commission duly to Administer.

Transcribed by Cliff Thornton, January 2005.