I Cosmas Henry Stewart of John Street, Fitzroy Square, London, do hereby declare this to be my last will and testament and I hereby revoke all former wills made by me and declare them to be null and void [..] I hereby give and bequeathe every property of whatever description soever I may be possessed of or due to me after payment of my legal debts to my dearly beloved wife Catherine Stewart recommending to her as to myself the care and education of my dear children Cosmas Henry Stewart and Richard Harding [ no 'e'] Stewart and I hereby request of my dear friends William Runciman Esq of Chandos Street Covent Garden and xxxxxxxxxxxxx [crossed out by CHS – note in margin] London to act jointly with my dearly beloved wife Catherine Stewart as my Executors commending my soul to God and my dearly beloved wife and children to the care of my ever esteemed friends and executors before mentioned. I hereunto place my name on board the ship Earl of Abergavenny East Indiaman at Sea September the seventh 1798 – C H Stewart purser of the H C [Honorable Company] ship Earl of Abergavenny.

London March the 13th 1813. I hereby request nominate and appoint Mr William Runciman of Birchmore Bedfordshire and Mr William Williams of Mincing Lane London together with my dearly beloved wife Catherine Stewart to be my exors to the above written will and testament hereby revoking my former nomination of Mr John Mackenzie which I have crossed out myself. C H Stewart 13th March 1813. C H Stewart No 8 Hatton Garden London
13th March 1813

In the event of the death of my dearly beloved wife I then give leave and bequeathe all of my ?? worth to my ever dear son Richard Hardinge [with an 'e'] Stewart Esq. of the War Office London. C H Stewart 8, Hatton Garden London

In the goods of Cosmas Henry Stewart (??)
Appeared personally David Alexander Fraser of Brabant Court Fenchurch Street London - Esq. Robert Murray of Percy Street Rathbone Place in the County of Middlesex Servant and made oath that they know and were well acquainted with Cosmas Henry Stewart late of John Street Fitzroy Square in the county of Middlesex and (?) of Madras in the East Indies [??] for some time before and to the time of his death and also with his manner and character of handwriting and subscription having often seen him write e?? write and subscribe his name and having now attentively viewed and perused the paper(?) writing hereto annexed purporting to be and contain the last will and testament with two codacils of the said ?? the said will beginning thus: "I Cosmas Henry Stewart of John Street, Fitzroy Square .."

[The will then goes onto repeat all the codacils and signatures, margin notes etc. followed by legal jargon about handwriting etc. and swearing affidavits by David Alexander Fraser and Robert Murray in front of Notary Public. It is finally proved on oath by the executors Catherine Stewart, William Runciman and William Williams.]

The Will